Tatu

Tatu


Full Name: Antonio Carlos Pecorari
Year Inducted: 2011
Position: Forward
Born: 2/1/1962 Mairinque, Brazil
Height: 5'6" Weight: 160
Teams: Tampa Bay Rowdies (1981-84), Dallas Sidekicks (1984-2003), Wichita Wings (1993-94)
Championships: 4 (1986-87, 1993, 1998, 2001)

"Fantastic Armadillo"

Antonio Carlos Pecorari, known as Tatu, or sometimes the Fantastic Armadillo, was the face of the Dallas Sidekicks for two decades. Playing for Gordon Jago on the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Tatu began his famous custom of throwing his shirt into the crowd after every goal he scored. In 1984, he followed Jago to Dallas where he remained as a player and eventually a coach until 2004. Tatu won four championships with the Sidekicks, was third on the all-time MISL scoring list and second in the history of indoor soccer in points. Tatu’s popularity was important to the growth of indoor soccer and the long-time success of the Sidekicks. Tatu played one season for the Wichita Wings during the Sidekicks CISL offseason. When the Sidekicks returned in 2012, Tatu coached the team for four more seasons before leaving the team after the 2014/15 season.

Career

Regular Season







YearLeagueTeamGPGAPtsPIMBL
1981-82NASLTampa Bay Rowdies142172800
1983-84NASLTampa Bay Rowdies3049116000
1984-85MISLDallas Sidekicks4359298889
1985-86MISLDallas Sidekicks44493281148
1986-87MISLDallas Sidekicks517338111169
1987-88MISLDallas Sidekicks110100
1988-89MISLDallas Sidekicks433529642218
1989-90MISLDallas Sidekicks5264491132225
1990-91MISLDallas Sidekicks5178661442823
1991-92MISLDallas Sidekicks394741881726
1993CISLDallas Sidekicks2659581171011
1993-94NPSLWichita Wings325138891020
1994CISLDallas Sidekicks2560671271613
1995CISLDallas Sidekicks274947961819
1996CISLDallas Sidekicks24454489412
1997CISLDallas Sidekicks19263662108
1998PSADallas Sidekicks91382126
1999WISLDallas Sidekicks22274067813
2000WISLDallas Sidekicks24183351618
2001WISLDallas Sidekicks2413263927
2002-03MISLDallas Sidekicks33202949319
21 seasons
 6338577281585244254
Playoffs







YearLeagueTeamGPGAPtsPIMBL
1981-82NASLTampa Bay Rowdies8911000
1985-86MISLDallas Sidekicks442620
1986-87MISLDallas Sidekicks17221638128
1988-89MISLDallas Sidekicks72101262
1989-90MISLDallas Sidekicks632525
1991-92MISLDallas Sidekicks128132184
1993-94NPSLWichita Wings202240
1993CISLDallas Sidekicks4751204
1994CISLDallas Sidekicks711213206
1995CISLDallas Sidekicks4861404
1996CISLDallas Sidekicks445902
1997CISLDallas Sidekicks211201
1998PSADallas Sidekicks121300
1999WISLDallas Sidekicks213401
2000WISLDallas Sidekicks210101
2001WISLDallas Sidekicks543702
16 playoffs
 8787911783440

Awards

Most Valuable PlayerAll-League TeamAll-Star
1986-87 MISL1981-82 Pacific Conference NASL1984-85 MISL
1989-90 MISL1984-85 2nd Team MISL1985-86 MISL
1993 CISL1985-86 2nd Team MISL1986-87 MISL
1994 CISL1986-87 1st Team MISL1988-89 MISL
1996 CISL1989-90 1st Team MISL1989-90 MISL
1998 PSA1990-91 1st Team MSL1990-91 MSL

1991-92 1st Team MSL1991-92 MSL

1993 1st Team CISL1995 CISL

1994 1st Team CISL1996 CISL

1995 1st Team CISL1997 CISL

1996 1st Team CISL2002-03 MISL

1997 1st Team CISL

1998 1st Team PSA

1999 1st Team WISL

2000 1st Team WISL



Scoring ChampionChampionship Most Valuable Player
1986-87 MISL1986-87 MISL
1989-90 MISL1993 CISL
1990-91 MSL

1993 CISL

1994 CISL

1995 CISL

1996 CISL

1998 PSA

1999 WISL

2000 WISL (tie)

Photos