Bill Hamid wasn’t selected tothis year’s MLS All-Star game, but D.C.’s goalkeeper still made his way to Philadelphialast week as part of Major League Soccer’s marquee event. While signing autographs at a displayjust outside PPL Park, Hamid had a curious encounter.
A young fan, with no adult intow, approached the 21-year-old goalie and asked for an autograph. After securing the piece ofmemorabilia, the boy excitedly promised Hamid he’d return in a few minutes – and this timewith his dad.
“He comes back and I’m like‘Oh, you brought your father’,” Hamid recalled during this week’s episode ofthe Capital Soccer Show. “I lookup and it’s Tony Meola.”
In an instant, Hamid foundhimself on the other end of the athlete-fan dynamic.
“Honestly I was star struck,” the D.C. United Academy Product admitted. “I’ve never met the guy, never had a chance to talk to him and neverseen him play. It was veryspecial. The first thing I did was[grab my phone]. I was like wehave to take a picture ASAP because I need this moment. I want to remember this.”
A starter on the 1990 and1994 U.S. World Cup teams, Meola was first in the long line of great U.S. goalkeepers. The 43-year-old offered Hamid words of both wisdom and praise during their brief meeting in Chester, as the youngest member of America's netminding fraternity learned from the elite group's originial member.
“Tony Meola was an unbelievablegoalkeeper,” Hamid added. “He’sdone amazing things in the world of soccer and opened the way for Americangoalies. I have to show him thatrespect. He deserves it.”
Bill Hamid and D.C. United take on the Columbus Crew this Saturday at RFK Stadium. Buy tickets
» Buy a #28 HAMID jersey
