Can Bartu
A dual-sport pioneer who broke European barriers for Turkish football and became a national symbol of sporting excellence.
1936–2019 (age 83)·Turkish footballer and basketball player·Birthday: January 31·The Silent Generation
Biography
Can Bartu was that rare athlete who excelled at the highest level in two completely different sports. In the 1950s and 60s, he was a star playmaker for Fenerbahçe and the Turkish national football team, known for his vision and technical skill. Simultaneously, he was a towering figure in Turkish basketball, a key player for the national squad. His legacy was cemented on a rainy night in 1963 when he led Fenerbahçe onto the pitch in Glasgow for the Cup Winners' Cup final against Atlético Madrid. By simply playing in that match, he became the first Turkish footballer to reach a European final, a milestone that announced Turkish club football's arrival on the continent. After hanging up his boots, his sharp mind and authoritative presence made him a respected commentator and columnist, ensuring his voice remained part of the Turkish sports landscape for decades.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Can was born in 1936, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Can Was Born
The biggest hits of 1936
#1 Movie
San Francisco
Best Picture
The Great Ziegfeld
Can's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1936Born
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1941Started school
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1949Became a teenager
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1952Could drive
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1954Could vote
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1957Turned 21
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1966Turned 30
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1976Turned 40
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 50
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 60
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 70
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 80
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2019Died at 83
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
Key Achievements
- Became the first Turkish footballer to play in a European club final (1963 Cup Winners' Cup with Fenerbahçe).
- Earned caps for the Turkish national teams in both football and basketball at the highest level.
- Won multiple Turkish league and cup championships with Fenerbahçe as a key midfielder.
- Had a statue erected in his honor at Istanbul's Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, recognizing his iconic status.
Did You Know?
He was of Circassian descent, from a community originally from the Caucasus region.
Bartu played his final professional football season in Switzerland for FC Zürich.
He served as a sports director for the Turkish Football Federation after his playing career.
His nickname was 'Can the Brain' for his intelligent style of play.
“I gave my heart to two games, and they gave me one life.”
