The 1940s: World War II and Mediocrity
This particular decade was dominated by Il Grande Torino, and Lazio could achieve no better than mid-table finishes. The championship was suspended in 1943 due to the effects of World War II, and the club, now without the national hero Piola, participated in the local Campionato Romano until 1945-46 when the national championship returned, albeit in a regionalised and unofficial format. The following year, the Serie A returned to its usual format and Lazio duly finished 10th, a mediocre season, albeit ahead of Roma, who narrowly avoided relegation.
The 1948-49 season was a difficult one for the biancocelesti as players were reduced to the minimum wage and several went on strike. They finished 13th, however recovered the following season to record an impressive 4th-placed finish, made even sweeter by the difficulties of the previous year and the miserable campaign of Roma, who once again narrowly avoided the drop to Serie B.
Read more about this topic: History Of S.S. Lazio
Famous quotes containing the words world, war and/or mediocrity:
“One ... aspect of the case for World War II is that while it was still a shooting affair it taught us survivors a great deal about daily living which is valuable to us now that it is, ethically at least, a question of cold weapons and hot words.”
—M.F.K. Fisher (1908–1992)
“There never was a good war or a bad peace.”
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790)
“Let America first praise mediocrity even, in her children, before she praises ... the best excellence in the children of any other land.”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)