Rearview mirror: “The Knee” had an illustrious career and life as a soccer field kicker

I was looking through an old Hilo High School Viking yearbook a while back and noticed that three pages were dedicated to the students’ nicknames. Every senior, it seemed, had one.

I was thinking of this list when one of my readers told me about someone nicknamed “The Knee”. His real name was William Ventura Pacheco (1916-1992), but he was more commonly referred to as Bill “The Knee” Pacheco.

“I knew Bill ‘The Knee’ Pacheco,” Bill Souza told me. “He was the owner of the Oasis Cafe on Old Waialae Road, just a makai from the University of Hawaii.

“‘The Knee’ was a place kicker,” Souza continued. “He used a straight-line kicking method rather than a football style.”

I wondered why he wasn’t called “The Foot,” the part of his body he kicked with. It turned out that there were too many “toes”!

Saint-Louis

Bill “The Knee” Pacheco had a remarkable career. He was a graduate of Saint Louis School in Kaimuki.

At Saint Louis, Pacheco was a kicker and running back. He said his biggest thrill in football came when Saint Louis played Kamehameha in 1935. Kamehameha was the defending champion, but a 45-yard run by Pacheco sent the game to a 6-6 final. “It remains my best sporting memory,” said Pacheco.

He played for the Hawaiian Warriors of the Pacific Coast Football League in 1948. They had a 5-1 record against teams like the Los Angeles Rams, Long Beach Bulldogs, Hollywood Bears and San Francisco Clippers to finish first. Wally Yonamine was a teammate before joining baseball.

Everything but “The Toe”

In late July 1949, Pacheco tried his hand at the San Francisco 49ers, who were in the All-American Football Conference at the time. He was 33.

In the Oakland Tribune in June 1949, columnist Alan Ward wrote: “How come Pacheco has such an unusual nickname as ‘The Knee’?

“Dan McGuire, former Oakland sports editor and now a force in island newspaper circles, bestowed the nickname.

“Each kicker,” McGuire observed sagely, “is known as ‘The Toe.’ Our boy Bill deserves more distinction. Let’s call it “The Knee”. Everything but the toe!”

“The name stuck and Bill is so taken with the label that he even signs his name Bill (The Knee) Pacheco.”

‘The Knee’ cartwheels

“The 49ers had a very good place kicker in Joe ‘Little Toe’ Vetrano, but they had heard of the exploits of ‘The Knee’ with the Pacific Coast League’s veteran Hawaiian Warriors,” wrote Honolulu Advertiser sportswriter Dan McGuire.

To keep “Little Toe” Vetrano fighting for his job, the 49ers sent Pacheco a contract and promotional questionnaire. Dozens of reporters greeted his arrival.

“The Knee” arrived in San Francisco with a spear, wearing a cardinal gold Hawaiian cape and helmet, and singing “Song of the Islands” in a booming baritone.

“I came to lead the 49ers out of the football wilderness,” said “The Knee” as he graciously greeted the gaping writers and sang a chorus of “Little Grass Shack.”

After two weeks of training camp, the 49ers hosted an intrasquad game at Kezar Stadium.

“More than 20,000 fans, the largest crowd ever for such a preseason affair, turned out,” McGuire wrote. “They wanted to see ‘The Knee.’ He didn’t disappoint her.

“His team won the game 28-0 and ‘The Knee’ got the four extra points. And after every conversion he left the field cartwheeling.

“On his fourth successful attempt, the crowd gave him an ovation and he jumped onto the bench, right in front of head coach Lawrence ‘Buck’ Shaw.

“He gave Shaw a snappy salute and barked, ‘Toes may come and toes may go, but ‘The Knee’ goes on forever.” That’s a great line.

Pacheco didn’t make the SF 49ers, so he returned to Honolulu and founded the Hawaiian 49ers, a local soccer team that was unbeaten in its first two seasons (against UH and local military teams).

Chacos and the Oasis

Pacheco co-owned Oasis Night Club (“Where Friends and Athletes Meet”) and Chaco’s Restaurant next door with Ruth Sugai for over 30 years. It was at 2952 Waialae Road Makai by UH where a public warehouse is now located.

The oasis became a relief area for struggling athletes. “He used to be really good with our soccer kids who needed a meal or two,” said Tommy Kaulukukui, a former UH soccer coach. “He said to me, ‘If the kids ever need something to eat, tell them to come over.’ He helped the team.”

Pacheco has also worked as a police officer in Honolulu, as a sports columnist for both of Honolulu’s major dailies, and as an organizer of the Honolulu Marathon.

UH Alumni Soccer

Spring soccer matches between the current varsity team and a group of former team members are common. But it is unusual that one of the players is over 60 years old.

In the case of Bill “The Knee” Pacheco, he was 62 years old.

The special UH alumni game took place in 1978. Pacheco was on the alumni team despite not being a UH graduate. The alumni had scored a touchdown, and Pacheco was sent to score the extra point.

The varsity poured in to block Pacheco’s attempt, and his opportunity for some glory appeared to be over, McGuire wrote.

“However, UH head coach Dick Tomey and his staff understood the feelings of all over-35s and decided that if the varsity scored late in the competition, they would ask The Knee to vacate the spot.”

“Those of us who are relatively new have heard that ‘The Knee’ is sort of an iconic character around here,” Tomey said. “So we thought we’d give him a chance to show what he can do.”

“Because of that, they called for a timeout when the varsity drove to the alumni 3-yard line with just 34 seconds left on the clock,” McGuire continued.

“The fans booed when the game was suspended because they thought the varsity was trying to increase the score. Then Radford Park showed up at 43-6 and everyone started yelling, “Bill! Invoice!’

“Pacheco stood on the sidelines and didn’t know they meant him until he was pushed onto the field.

“His kick was artistic, high and straight through the posts. “The Knee” was bouncing up and down like he just won the Super Bowl. He cartwheeled after a successful kick 30 years ago, but the passing seasons are taking their toll.”

“I don’t know if Bill ‘The Knee’ Pacheco will get into the Guinness Book of World Records for scoring an extra point in the UH Varsity Alumni game the other night,” McGuire wrote. “But there should be room for a 62-year-old to pull off a feat like that.

“And there’s an extra aura to it because Bill was supposed to be a member of the alumni squad, but he scored the point for varsity on the last play of the night.” He played for both teams. It made headlines across the country.

If you think a 62-year-old playing soccer in a UH varsity vs. alumni game is unusual, Pacheco played again the following year.

The Honolulu Star-Bulletin tongue-in-cheek wrote: “Bill ‘The Knee’ Pacheco, the ageless 63-year-old alumni kicker, came to the game in ‘an ambulance’ and then kicked off a 20-yard field goal for varsity the final score, 24-7. He also got an extra point.”

If he could do it at 62 and 63, why not play again at 64? He has. The Star-Bulletin said he was “carried onto the field by two cheerleaders and an attending physician for the opening kickoff” at Aloha Stadium.

Uni won 1980, 37-7. Pacheco scored an extra point for the alumni’s only TD as 5,317 fans roared their approval. It was the final appearance of The Knee.

———

Bob Sigall is the author of the five Companies We Keep books. Contact him at [email protected]