Carlos Gracida was a Mexican-American polo player.
18 Facts About Carlos Gracida
1.
2.
Carlos Gracida reached a 10-goal handicap at the age of 25.
3.
Carlos Gracida's father Guillermo was a 9-goaler who played in Meadowbrook and Palermo in Argentina and still enjoyed the distinction of 5-goals at the age of 65.
4.
Carlos Gracida was a member of Ellerstina, the legendary team owned by Australian magnate Kerry Packer, and of La Espadana.
5.
In 1994 Carlos Gracida won nearly every possible tournament in the game, including the Argentinian Triple Crown of Hurlingham, Tortuguitas and Palermo.
6.
Alongside his brother Guillermo Carlos Gracida, Carlos Gracida won Player of the Year in America five times, the only other player to do so in history.
7.
Carlos Gracida racked up more tournament wins than any player in the history of the game.
8.
Carlos Gracida was the only foreigner to have won the Olimpia de Plata, Argentina's Most Valuable Player Award, which he picked up in 1988.
9.
Carlos Gracida won the British Open Gold Cup ten times, more than any other player, and won the US Open nine times.
10.
Carlos Gracida reached 10 goals in 1985 and spent fifteen years on and off at 10 goals, including the 2006 season in Palm Beach.
11.
Carlos Gracida was ranked 9 goals in England, where he was reportedly HM Queen Elizabeth's favorite player.
12.
Carlos Gracida was a favorite instructor with celebrities and royalty and gave lessons to HRH Prince Charles, HRH Prince William, HRH Prince Harry, King Constantine II of Greece, HRH Prince Talal of Jordan, James Packer and Sylvester Stallone.
13.
Carlos Gracida was inducted into the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame in 2012.
14.
Carlos Gracida lived in Wellington, Florida, with his two sons, Carlitos and Mariano, as well as his girlfriend of three years, Monica Sierra.
15.
On February 25,2014, Carlos Gracida died of injuries suffered in a match that afternoon at the Everglades Polo Club in Wellington.
16.
Carlos Gracida was reportedly injured when his horse was accidentally struck in the head with a mallet, causing the animal to jerk its head and hit Gracida.
17.
Carlos Gracida was transported to Delray Medical Center in critical condition and later died there.
18.
Carlos Gracida became a US citizen two months before his death.