{{Short description|Polish footballer (1929–2018)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}} {{Infobox football biography |name = Roman Korynt |image = |image_size = |caption = |fullname = |birth_date = {{birth date|1929|10|12|df=y}} |birth_place = Tczew, Pomeranian Voivodeship, Polish People's Republic |death_date = {{death date and age|2018|7|15|1929|10|12|df=y}} |death_place = Gdynia, Pomeranian Voivodeship, Third Polish Republic |height = |position = Defender |youthyears1 = 1946–1948 |youthclubs1 = Grom Gdynia |years1 = 1948–1949 |clubs1 = Gedania Gdańsk |caps1 = |goals1 = |years2 = 1949–1950 |clubs2 = OWKS Lublin |caps2 = |goals2 = |years3 = 1951–1952 |clubs3 = CWKS Warsaw |caps3 = 15 |goals3 = 0 |years4 = 1953–1968 |clubs4 = Lechia Gdańsk |caps4 = 327 |goals4 = 9 |totalcaps = 342 |totalgoals = 9 |nationalyears1 = 1952–1959 |nationalteam1 = Poland |nationalcaps1 = 32 |nationalgoals1 = 0 }} '''Roman Korynt''' (12 October 1929 – 15 July 2018) was a Polish footballer who played as a defender. Most of his career was spent with Lechia Gdańsk, spending over 15 years at the club. He also had short spells with Gedania Gdańsk, OWKS Lublin, and CWKS Warsaw. He received 32 caps for Poland between 1952 and 1959.
==Biography== ===Early years=== Korynt was born in Tczew in 1929. Both of his parents came from Kociewie, with his father's parents both being Greek emigrants with the family's name originally being ''Korinth''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://regiony.rp.pl/archiwum/8200-saga-rodu-koryntow|title=Saga rodu Koryntów|website=regiony.rp.pl}}</ref> Originally his sporting passion started with boxing training with MKS Wybrzeże while also developing a passion for football at this time joining Grom Gdynia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lechiahistoria.pl/20-pilkarzy-w-plebiscycie-70-lecia/roman-korynt/|title=ROMAN KORYNT|website=lechiahistoria.pl}}</ref> Korynt joined Gedania Gdańsk in 1948 playing with the club for just over a season before being called up into the army.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.polskapilkakobiet.pl/zmarly-roman-korynt-byly-reprezentant-polski/|title=Wspomnienia o zmarłym. Roman Korynt, były reprezentant Polski.|website=polskapilkakobiet.pl}}</ref>
===Military service=== In 1949, Korynt started his mandatory conscription, being placed in a unit of ordinary conscripts and not a unit of athlete conscripts. Zbigniew Piórkowski, a well known boxer who Korynt was friends with, ordered that Korynt should be in a unit with athletic conscripts. Korynt was then transferred to OWKS Lublin as part of his military service. His performances with OWKS Lublin caught the attention of the Central Military Sports Club ({{langx|pl|Centralny Wojskowy Klub Sportowy "CWKS"}}) and he was transferred to CWKS Warsaw in 1951 for the remainder of his military service.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sport.trojmiasto.pl/Odeszla-legenda-Lechii-Nie-zyje-Roman-Korynt-n125607.html|title=Nie żyje Roman Korynt, piłkarska legenda. Pogrzeb w czwartek|website=sport.trojmiasto.pl}}</ref> During his time with CWKS, he made 15 league appearances and 6 in the Polish Cup.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://legia.net/historia/zawodnicy/roman-korynt/164|title=Roman Korynt (OBROŃCA)|website=legia.net}}</ref> He left CWKS in 1952 after his military service was completed.
===Lechia Gdańsk=== Korynt moved back to the Tricity area where he grew up and joined Lechia Gdańsk. He made his Lechia debut on 15 March 1953 against Cracovia in a 0–0 draw.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lechia.net/mecze-lechii-od-1945/player/114-1953-i-liga/1-lechia-gdask/751-roman-korynt/|title=1953 I liga|website=lechia.net}}</ref> In his first season with Lechia, they suffered relegation to the second tier, winning promotion the season after back into the I liga. In 1955, Lechia reached the Polish Cup final by beating Kolejarz Nowy Sącz, Wisła Kraków, Gwardia Warsaw and Odra Opole to play CWKS Warsaw in the final. Korynt played 4 times in the cup run, including playing in the final, which CWKS Warsaw won 5–0.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lechia.pl/historia-25|title=Lechia Gdańsk Historia|website=lechia.pl}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://lechia.net/mecze-lechii-od-1945/player/112-195455-pp/1-lechia-gdask/751-roman-korynt/|title=1954/55 PP|website=lechia.net}}</ref> The following season in 1956 was to see the biggest success in Lechia's early history with the team, finishing 3rd in the I liga.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://plus.dziennikbaltycki.pl/oni-tworzyli-historie-lechia-gdansk-w-1956-roku/ar/12151009|title=Oni tworzyli historię. Lechia Gdańsk w 1956 roku|website=plus.dziennikbaltycki.pl}}</ref> At the beginning of the season, many expected Lechia to be fighting for their position to stay in the league. Despite only scoring 25 goals in 22 games, performances from Korynt helped the side to limit the number of goals they conceded with the team keeping 9 clean sheets in the 22-game season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hppn.pl/liga/sezon-po-sezonie/55,sezon-1956/145,I-liga/rezultaty|title=sezon 1956 » I liga » Rezultaty|website=hppn.pl}}</ref> After the 3rd-place finish Lechia started to face a gradual decline in on-field performances, with the team being relegated to the II liga at the end of the 1962–63 season. It was in the II liga where Korynt has his greatest success in terms of goals scored, scoring 5 in the 1964–65 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lechia.net/mecze-lechii-od-1945/player/95-196465-ii-liga/1-lechia-gdask/751-roman-korynt/|title=1964-65 II liga|website=lechia.net}}</ref> After Lechia suffered another relegation, this time to the III liga, Korynt played 7 times before he retired from professional football, having played his last game against Arkonia Szczecin.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lechia.net/mecze-lechii-od-1945/player/89-196768-iii-liga-grupa-iv-poznaska/1-lechia-gdask/751-roman-korynt/|title=1967/68 III Liga - Gr. IV (poznańska)|website=lechia.net}}</ref> Korynt made a total of 340 appearances for Lechia,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lechia.net/statystyki/wystepy|title=Występy|website=lechia.net}}</ref> 207 of which were in the top tier. Korynt is currently the only Lechia player to have made over 200 appearances in the top division.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lechia.net/statystyki/wystepy-ekstraklasa|title=Występy Ekstraklasa|website=lechia.net}}</ref>
===International career===
On 25 May 1952, Korynt made his Poland international debut against Romania.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesp/polromres.html|title=Poland v Romania H2H|website=RSSSF}}</ref> In total he earned 32 caps for Poland between 1952 and 1959. His most famous international game coming on 20 October 1957 against the Soviet Union with Poland winning the game 2–1.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fakt.pl/wydarzenia/polska/roman-korynt-nie-zyje/8dxjcbq|title=Roman Korynt nie żyje|website=fakt.pl}}</ref>
==Personal life and death== His son Tomasz Korynt, was also a footballer.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://regiony.rp.pl/archiwum/8200-saga-rodu-koryntow|title=Saga rodu Koryntów|website=regiony.rp.pl}}</ref>
He has been awarded with three decorations; the Cross of Merit in 1995,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://prawo.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/DocDetails.xsp?id=WMP19960150183|title=M.P. 1996 nr 15 poz. 183|website=prawo.sejm.gov.pl}}</ref> the Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta in 2001,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://prawo.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/DocDetails.xsp?id=WMP20020030053|title=M.P. 2002 nr 3 poz. 53|website=prawo.sejm.gov.pl}}</ref> and the Order of Polonia Restituta in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://prawo.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/DocDetails.xsp?id=WMP20111111127|title=M.P. 2011 nr 111 poz. 1127|website=prawo.sejm.gov.pl}}</ref>
Korynt is commemorated by a star at the MOSiR Stadium in Gdańsk. The "Avenue of Stars" commemorates the efforts and success of former players and coaches.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gol24.pl/zapomniane-gwiazdy-lechii-gdansk-ze-stadionu-przy-ulicy-traugutta/ar/12261544|title=Zapomniane gwiazdy Lechii Gdańsk ze stadionu przy ulicy Traugutta|website=gol24.pl}}</ref>
He died on 15 July 2018, at the age of 88.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sport.onet.pl/pilka-nozna/kadra/roman-korynt-nie-zyje/myrjqk2|title=Zmarł Roman Korynt|date=15 July 2018|access-date=16 July 2018|language=Polish|publisher=Onet Sport}}</ref> His funeral took place on 19 July at the cemetery in Pierwoszyno.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gdansk.pl/wiadomosci/najwybitniejszy-z-lechistow-trojmiasto-pozegnalo-romana-korynta,a,120193|title="Najwybitniejszy z lechistów". Gdańsk pożegnał Romana Korynta w Gdyni|website=gdansk.pl}}</ref>
==Honours== '''Lechia Gdańsk''' * Ekstraklasa third place: 1956 * Polish Cup runner-up: 1954–55
==Awards==
*1995: Gold Cross of Merit<ref>{{Cite web |last=Multimedialne |first=Gdańskie Centrum |title=Zmarł Roman Korynt - legenda Lechii, wielokrotny reprezentant Polski |url=https://www.gdansk.pl/wiadomosci/Zmarl-Roman-Korynt-legenda-Lechii-wielokrotny-reprezentant-Polski,a,119847 |access-date=2023-06-30 |website=Gdańsk - oficjalny portal miasta |language=pl}}</ref> *2001: Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta *2011: Officer's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011 |title=Odznaczenia państwowe dla zasłużonych piłkarzy Lechii Gdańsk |url=https://www.prezydent.pl/kancelaria/archiwum/archiwum-bronislawa-komorowskiego/aktualnosci/ordery-i-odznaczenia/odznaczenia-panstwowe-dla-zasluzonych-pilkarzy-lechii-gdansk,18555}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Korynt, Roman}} Category:1929 births Category:2018 deaths Category:Footballers from Tczew Category:Men's association football defenders Category:Polish men's footballers Category:Poland men's international footballers Category:Polish people of Greek descent Category:Gedania 1922 Gdańsk players Category:KS Lublinianka players Category:Legia Warsaw players Category:Lechia Gdańsk players Category:Ekstraklasa players Category:I liga players Category:II liga players Category:Recipients of the Cross of Merit (Poland) Category:Recipients of the Order of Polonia Restituta Category:20th-century Polish sportsmen