By Dr. David Kilpatrick

While we celebrate a season-opening win for the New York Cosmos and look forward to the home opener, in the past week we have lost two treasured members of the Cosmos Family: Joe Manfredi and John Buschhorn.

Joe Manfredi was among the very first Cosmos fans as well as one of the first and most devoted sponsors of the club. Manfredi supplied cars to players and staff for years as he played a crucial role in helping grow the club to global prominence. Michael Lewis, Charles Cuttone and the Brooklyn Italians shared their thoughts on the passing of this legendary and tireless lover and benefactor of New York soccer.

John Buschhorn was a longtime leader in the field of ticketing in the New York sport and entertainment industry, joining the ticketing department at the Cosmos in 1977 after four years as a New York City police officer. Including the club’s run of 70 consecutive home league games with more than 30,000 in attendance, “Buschie” oversaw ticketing until he left the club in 1983, when he joined Ticketmaster, where he was an executive for eleven years.  The Director of Ticket Operations with the New York Jets from 1994-2008, he spent the past seven years as Director of Box Office Systems & Processing at Madison Square Garden.

Eric Allen of the Jets composed this thoughtful and insightful tribute.

The words with which Buschie would close each email speak for all of us who love the club: “Grateful for yesterday, Thankful for today, Hopeful for tomorrow.”

Grateful for the contributions to the Cosmos made by Joe Manfredi and John Buschhorn, we are thankful the club can celebrate the legacy left by those who helped cultivate greatness and full of hope anticipating even more glorious days to come. The thoughts of everyone in the New York Cosmos family are with all the friends and family of Joe Manfredi and all the friends and family of John Buschhorn.