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Born on June 11, 1913, in Brooklyn's Greenpoint neighborhood, Vince Lombardi grew up in a tough, working-class Italian-American environment. His father was a meat cutter, known for his tattoos and work ethic—traits Lombardi inherited. His mother, Matilda, emphasized religious devotion, and Vince's Catholic faith was deeply ingrained from early childhood. Initially contemplating a priesthood, Lombardi enrolled in a Catholic prep school with aspirations of becoming a priest but eventually shifted to college, accepting a scholarship to Fordham University. At Fordham, Lombardi was a tenacious if not naturally talented player, embodying grit over prowess, earning praise as part of the legendary Fordham "seven blocks of granite."