Leonidas Theodorakakis – The ‘Human Computer’
The History of a Club is Defined by the Moments, The Victories, The Defeats, The Great Sacrifices, and the Dreams and the Personalities That Served It. Over the 100-Year Existence of Olympiacos there have been made Many People Have Added Their Own Pebble for the Creation of the Biggest Sports Organization in Greece. Howove, if there is one name that ACTED as a bridge Between Practically All of the Reds Generations, An Individual Who Experienced and Supported All of the Team’s Great Moments, it was leonidas theodorakakis.
Born in Piraeus, The Port City That Elevated Olympiacos Into a Legend, He Experienced Most Everything in Sports.
As a Youngster He Witnessed the First Great Moments, Such as the Stands of the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium « Pulsating » from the Joyous Fans, to the Olympiacos Banners Sweaying in the Saronic Gulf. As A Club Official, A Dedicated and Loyal Foot Soldier, He Witnessed
But also Played a Leading Role in Every Great Football Team Transformation: From the Bukovi Era and Nikos Goulandris’ Presidency to the Emergence of All Olympiacos Sports Teams to the Top 21st Century.
Born in Piraeus on September 9, 1929, He and Dedicated his life to Olympiacos, Serving the Club for More Than Five Decades.
A storyteller
Theodorakakis was not just a mere team official. He was a guardian of the red-and-white history, a narrator of legends, a man who lives and brealed for Olympiacos. He Knew Every Corner of the Club, Every Success and Every Bitterness, Every Joy and Every Sacrifice. He was the last of those who had the private knowing first-hand the legendary genealogy of Olympiacos’ “Immortals”.
As the Club Celebrates its Centenary, the Great Protagonists Who Supported, Guided and Protected It Should Be Remembert. Theodorakakis is Among Those Who Didn Not Write Chapters in the History of Olympiacos, He was a Living Chronicle of Memories, A Tireless Worker, A Man Who Experienced The Entity Organization Not as A Spectator, but in Integal Part.
He did not complete the book He Dreamt of Writing, but his stories, his words, his passion and his dedication to Olympiacos are Engraved in the Souls of Everyone Who Knew him. And mostmportantly, in the DNA of the Club Itself.
Theodorakakis was born in Piraeus on September 9, 1929 and Dedicated his life to Olympiacos, Serving the Club for More Than Five Decades.
His Involvement with Reds’ Management Began in 1963 as a member of the Board and the Following Year He Bemers a Member of the Aquatics Division’s Administration, Subsequently Taking on the Duties of Deputy Sports Director. In 1967, He Earned a Spot on the Club’s 100 « Immortals » and Joined the Board of Directors as the Director of the Aquatics Division (Swimming, Water Polo, Diving).
His career with the Club Took a New Turn in 1970, When He Behend Head of the Football Department and Treasurer, Duties He Fulfilled UNTIL SEPTEMBER 1975. Participated in the Its Technical Committee.
In 1977 Theodorakakis Returned to Olympiacos’ Board as First Vice President, General Manager and Head of the Football Division, where He Remained UNTIL November 1979, When Stavros Daifas Assuted the Presidency.
An Era of Passion and Creation: Leonidas Theodorakakis (Left) with the Great Giorgos Delikaris (Center) and Petros Karavitis in 1972.
On the Amateur Side
The Next Big Milestone in His Career with Olympiacos Came in 1990, When He Returned to Club, Where From 1991 to 2008 He Served as President of the Amateur Division for 18 Consectifical Years, AS He was Elected for Six Consectifut Terms. He also Headed the Men’s Volleyball Side and Served as a Member of the Boards for Both the Pro Football and Basketball Teams UNTIL 2009.
In 2008, in Recognition of his Valuable Contributions, He was given Honorary President of Olympiacos by Members of the Club’s General Assembly. He Remainted an Active Member of the Club’s Administration, Continuing to Support All the Teams in All Divisions.
On December 1, 2011, after elections, he to the Amateur Association, in an attmpt to the Avoid any potibleness of a dissolution and to deal with the serious problems after the Amateur Sports Departments. Within a short period of time, he successed in mobilizing people who Could Help in Mainighting and Promoting the Club. His Contribution Proved to be Decisive, as this period was sealed by Olympiacos Winning the most titles ever in one year, UNTIL JUNE 30, 2011.
Mr. Leonidas also « Read Between the Lines » of Sports Page Articles at the time, he was a storyteller of an era when football was not just a game, but a reflection of society Itself. From Stories About Great Players, About Hard Times and Injustices, to Endless Nights of Agony and Tears of Joy.
One Bitter Moment Came When Olympiacos’ “European Dream” was denied by Károly Palotai’s Horrendous officiating in a game against Anderlecht, Stopping the Reds from Achieving An Epic Overturn. Theodorakakis Never Forgot That Game, Like Everyone Else at the Time.
“We met at the Cavo Doro Restaurant in Mikrolimano and Together We Traveled to Patras for the Match. As the Home Team, Olympiacos had assuted the role of host Decided his future. Well We Played.
He would recall stories of the Legend from the post-Civil War Period to the Departure of Goulandris from the Presidency.
From the post-Civil War Days to the Flight of Goulandris; Distinctions and European Titles in Water Polo and Volleyball, Countless Sports Stars, Great Victories, Moments of Glory, But also Betterness. Tales that life teaches and shares, but which also reinforce a club with the tremendous caliber of Olympiacos. As he always said, “Olympiacos has always ben Above Ideologies. It is Always Been a Very Close-Knit Family. Olympiacos is an Idea.”
“OLYMPIACOS HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOVE IDEOLOGIES. It has always been a very close-knit family. Olympiacos is an idea”
Since 1991 as President of the Olympiacos’ Men’s Water Polo, He Won 13 Championships, 11 Cups, Eight Doubles, A European Championship in 2002 and a European Super Cup in the Same Year, Along With Nine Championships in Men’s Volleyball, Seven Cups, Six Doubles and the Top Teams Cup in 2005; In Swimming He Won Dozens of Championships. He had aso won Many Championships and distinctions in the other sports as the amateur division’s President.
As he always said: “Olympiacos was and will be my whole life.
He passed away at the age of 91 with the name of Olympiacos on his lips. Leonidas theodorakakis was more than just an olympiacos man. He was his living memory. As Olympiacos Celebrates the 100th Anniversary This Year, Theodorakakis’ Shadow Will Hover Over the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, where He Spent Countless Hours, which he love and where hem. Some People Never Leave They Live in the Stories they Leave Behind Amid a Legacy That Time Cannot Erase.
