mlbblogger Where baseball meets history and pop culture

Time 2020-09-09 01:04:44

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Roberto Clemente (far right in top row) and Dave Giusti (fourth from right in middle row) in 1971Prior to the start of the 1970 MLB season, Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Joe L. Brown was looking to trade for some pitchers to enhance his team s chances for a World Series title. He approached Roberto Clemente and asked The Great One who he should go after.  The Latin American hero from Puerto Rico responded, Get the little Italiano from St. Louis. If Giusti is sound, then he can help the Pirates. He has always had good stuff, and he is a tough competitor.” On October 21, 1969, Joe L. Brown made a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals to bring Dave Giusti to Pittsburgh. In an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in 2002, Dave Giusti said , “I did okay against Clemente, and that’s one of the reasons I ended up with the Pirates.”The oldest of two sons born to David and Mary Giusti on November 27, 1939 in Seneca Falls, New York, Dave Giusti s first word out his mouth was reportedly ball . With a father who played semi-pro baseball before his birth and an uncle who was the captain of the Syracuse University baseball team in 1957, Dave Giusti had athleticism in his DNA from an early age. He followed in his uncle s footsteps to become the captain of the Syracuse University Orangemen in 1961, when the baseball squad went on to the College World Series but came home empty-handed.The Houston Colt .45s, a National League expansion team, signed Dave Giusti as an amateur free agent shortly after college graduation on June 16, 1961. He used part of the $35,000 signing bonus to pay off his parents medical bills and purchase an insurance policy. The promising MLB prospect simultaneously pursued a high school science teaching career while earning a master’s degree in physical education during the off-season.Dave Giusti made his MLB debut on April 13, 1962. He remained with the Houston organization through 1968 and played for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1969. Prior to being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates, Dave Giusti was used as a starting pitcher. Bucs manager Danny Murtaugh converted him to a reliever. Assuming a new role as the club s elite closer in 1970, Dave Giusti put together a 9-3 record with a 3.06 ERA and 26 saves. Manny Sanguillen and Dave GiustiDuring the 1971 regular season, Dave Giusti helped the Pittsburgh Pirates during the 1971 regular season by leading the National League with 30 saves and posting an impressive 2.93 ERA. He was also instrumental in the 1971 National League Championship Series when he became the first MLB player to pitch in every game. In four scoreless appearances and 5.1 innings pitched, Dave Giusti gave up just one hit with two walks and three strikeouts. He later led the Pittsburgh Pirates to the franchise s fourth World Series Championship title (1909, 1925, 1960, and 1971) after appearing in three 1971 World Series games and picking up one save. Dave Giusti achieved major career milestones including playing in his first MLB All-Star game and being named Sporting News National League Fireman of the Year in 1971. He became even more dominant in 1972 when his ERA dropped one point to a minuscule 1.93 and he tallied 22 saves. The next season proved to be traumatic following the loss of teammate Roberto Clemente, who died a martyr after losing his life aboard an ill-fated aircraft full of supplies destined for earthquake victims in Nicaragua on December 31, 1972. The Pirates dedicated the 1973 season to the legendary humanitarian and player. Despite not having Roberto Clemente in the lineup and in right field, 1973 National League All-Star Dave Giusti put together a 9-2 record with a 2.37 ERA and 20 saves. Readers wanting to learn more about the late and great Roberto Clemente should check out Roberto Clemente facts most don t know: Part 1-U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Roberto Clemente and Roberto Clemente facts most don t know: Part 2-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Vic Power.In 1974 Dave Giusti became the first relief pitcher in MLB to earn a $100,000 a year when he delivered 12 saves and a 3.32 ERA in over 105 innings pitched. After returning from elbow surgery, the dominant Pirates closer saved 17 games with a 2.95 ERA in 1975. The following year sportswriter Harry Stein named Dave Giusti as the relief pitcher on his all-Italian team in an Esquire magazine article. He was 47-28 with a 2.94 ERA and 133 saves in his seven years as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Dave Giusti  was traded to the Oakland Athletics in 1977 when he went 3-3 with a 2.98 ERA and six saves in 40 games before being dealt to the Chicago Cubs late in the season.  The proud Italian American finished his 15-year career in 1977 with a 100-93 record, 145 saves, and a 3.60 ERA.  The closer with impeccable command threw a total of 335 ninth innings during his career and set the MLB record for most ninth innings pitched without hitting a batter.Dave Giusti was inducted into the Pittsburgh Chapter of the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in 1987. He was also the first Italian American baseball player inducted into the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame (GSSHF) in 1989.  Since then fellow MLB veterans Jason Grilli (2019), Armond Magnarelli (2004), Frank DiPino (2000), Luke LaPorta (1991), and Anthony Simone (1991) have joined Dave Giusti in the GSSHF.   IDEA Boston is an initiative of I AM Books (an abbreviation for Italian AMerican), Boston’s independent Italian bookstore founded in 2015 by Nicola Orichuia and Jim Pinzino. The Boston North End neighborhood bookstore serves as a cultural hub for locals and visitors interested in diving into the rich world of Italian and Italian American culture, literature, history, research, art and more. IDEA Boston will feature 24 panel talks, over 60 speakers, a theatrical performance, a musical performance, a photo exhibit, 11 actors, 12 musicians, and a grand finale party.The IDEA Boston festival is an extension of the bookstore’s platform and mission. IDEA Boston is a two-day Italian-inspired cultural festival, celebrating literature, history, art and many other aspects of Italian and Italian American culture. IDEA Boston kicks off on Friday, November 1, 2019 at the Dante Alighieri Society of Massachusetts in Cambridge beginning at 12:40 pm with the “Beyond DiMaggio: The Influence of Italian American Players in Baseball” panel featuring two filmmakers focusing on similar subjects.  Led by Roberto Angotti and Karen De Luca Stephens, this discussion will dive into the rich and sometimes obscure history of Italian American players in America’s favorite pastime. At a time when Italian immigrants were still seen with suspicion, Italian American players helped break barriers, forcing many to look beyond the stereotypes.Roberto Angotti is a cultural historian, writer, film director, curator, and radio DJ who blends his love of baseball, Italian American arts and culture, and music into multi-media creations. His film, Italian American Baseball Family, tells the story of how Italian Americans assimilated into popular culture through America’s favorite pastime, baseball, and how Italian Americans have circled back to Italy to grow the game by playing for Team Italy in the Olympics and the World Baseball Classic.At the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) 42nd Anniversary Gala in November 2017, the movie was screened and won the Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum Award. Angotti is an official Team Italy media representative for Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball (FIBS), and he reports first-hand from international competitions such as the World Baseball Classic and the upcoming 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan: www.FIBS.it/en. He was first inspired to write about baseball in Italy and the USA, Italian American arts and culture, and music through his blog: http://www.MLBforLife.com.Born into a Boston immigrant family, Karen De Luca Stephens lived in East Boston until her graduation from Northeastern University with a B.A. in philosophy. After receiving an M.A. in philosophy from the Johns Hopkins University she moved to Mexico City where she and her husband have recently founded the Tlacopac Artist Residency. From 2014-2017, De Luca Stephens was a Fellow in Fiction at the Writers’ Institute, CUNY Graduate Center. While a fellow she wrote a collection of short fiction and the screenplay for a feature film, Hitting Home. Based on the true story of a team of young boys from East Boston, Hitting Home is about the Italian immigrant experience during the Great Depression and the American dream that shaped a generation against the backdrop of our favorite pastime, baseball.Since I AM Books and IDEA Boston s goals include helping individuals understand the Italian American experience, bookstore co-founder and festival organizer Nicola Orichuia provided recommendations for those who would like an introduction to Italian American literature:Ask the Dust: A Novel, by John Fante (the book that Orichuia fell in love with as a teenager)The Dream Book: An Anthology of Writings by Italian-American Women, edited by Helen Barolini Really any book by Fred Gardaphé, who is at the Calandra Institute in New York. The Calandra Institute is solely dedicated to the study of Italian American culture and identity. So anything by Fred Gardaphé is definitely worth diving into to try to understand better the Italian American experience.”Whether navigating Boston s North End neighborhood for the first time or tracing back American history along the Freedom Trail, I AM Books is a mandatory stop where visitors connect with each other and immerse themselves in Italian and Italian American culture through book signings, small concerts and other events. Located at 189 North Street, right across the street from the historic Paul Revere House and a few steps away from North Square, I AM Books sells primarily fiction and non-fiction by Italian and Italian American authors, books in Italian, as well as cookbooks and books on travel, history, sports, Italian American studies and titles by local authors. The store also features a children’s section, with books, learning material, games and toys. Hours: Mon-Sat 10-6; Sun 10-4 | Tel. 857-263-7665 I AM Books websiteIDEA Boston takes place November 1 and 2, 2019 at Dante Alighieri Society of Massachusetts, 41 Hampshire Street, Cambridge. Tickets are available per session, or per day; more information and ticket purchases can be found on the IDEA Boston website.A young Joe DiMaggio enjoys a plate of his mother s homemade pasta.Casa Italiana di Las Vegas in collaboration with the Windmill library proudly presents Italian American Baseball Family, winner of the Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum Award at the National Italian American Foundation 42nd Anniversary Gala in Washington, DC and finalist in the 2018 Sport Movies TV World Championship in Milan, Italy, on Sunday, September 8, 2019 at 2 pm. Special guest writer, producer, and director Roberto Angotti will introduce the hour-long documentary and answer questions from the audience immediately following the Nevada premiere screening at the Windmill Library, 7060 West Windmill Lane in Las Vegas. Italian American Baseball Family features Lawrence Baldassaro, author of “Beyond DiMaggio: Italian Americans in Baseball” and “Baseball Italian Style”, as well as National Baseball Hall of Fame legend Tommy Lasorda and Major League Baseball (MLB) past and present players Frank Viola, Nick Punto, Francisco Cervelli, Chris Colabello, Brandon Nimmo, and Gavin Cecchini.Frank Crosetti, Tony Lazzeri, and Joe DiMaggioItalian American Baseball Family tells the story of the Italian Americans’ role in baseball and in the culture of American sports. The movie documents an ethnic group’s rise from adversity and celebrates its triumphs in breaking into a game that was originally dominated by English, Irish and German immigrants. While some immigrants chose to change their names to mask their Italian identity, most felt the need to preserve and hold on to familiar things such as language, customs, and beliefs as a way of  tolerating the discriminatory practices and injustices they encountered in America. Italians were once considered second class citizens in the United States and invisible in baseball before players like Tony Lazzeri and Joe DiMaggio rose to prominence.Italian American Baseball Family is based on the book Beyond DiMaggio: Italian Americans in Baseball by Lawrence Baldessaro.Children of immigrants felt stuck in the middle between protective parents who did not want the foreign ways of America to affect the close-knit Italian family, and their own desire to blend into the culture in which they were born. These children lived dual identities, conflicted by the rich Italian traditions of their parents inside their homes and the outside world which existed in the streets and in the schools, where they were taught to become American.The solution to the stigma of being labeled as outsiders was to discover a way to become less different by assimilating into American culture. As a staple of mainstream American life, baseball presented Italians a viable point of entry as players and fans. By instilling the values of fair play, opportunity and democracy, baseball taught the children of immigrants how to become American.After Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the United States declared war and began targeting those of German, Italian, or Japanese descent. The Italians were the largest immigrant group in the U.S. at the time and about 600,000 of the country’s five million Italian immigrants, who had not yet naturalized, were forced to register as enemy aliens. Italians were considered immigrants to America, and baseball was one way these people could counter the negative immigrant identity as an outsider. The game bridged the gap so that Italians could integrate into the American way of life.Many Italian Americans have participated in all aspects of baseball on the field, in coaching and team management, as broadcasters, and behind the scenes in administration as well. The National Baseball Hall of Fame has recognized many of them including Tony Lazzeri, Joe DiMaggio, Roy Campanella, Yogi Berra, Ernie Lombardi, Phil Rizzuto, Tommy Lasorda, Ron Santo, Joe Torre, Tony La Russa, John Smoltz, Craig Biggio, and Mike Piazza.No one better epitomizes the culmination of the evolution of Italian American baseball or in American society than A. Bartlett Giamatti. He understood the nature and significance of the immigrant experience, and wrote about it as eloquently as he did about baseball. Bart Giamatti was the grandson of an immigrant laborer who became the president of Yale, then president of the National League before ascending to the office of commissioner of MLB. Italian American Baseball Family also explores how Italian Americans have circled back to Italy to help grow the game abroad by playing for Team Italy in the Olympics and in the World Baseball Classic.Although brothers Vince, Joe, and Dom DiMaggio may be the premier Italian American Baseball Family, the Colabellos from Milford, Massachusetts are a perfect example of the modern day Italian American Baseball Family. As a father and son combination, both played professional baseball on the biggest international stages, which makes the Colabellos are a rare breed.Team Italy pitcher Lou ColabelloFather Lou Colabello was the starting pitcher for Team Italy against host Team USA at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles during the 1984 Olympics while his son Chris Colabello later played baseball in Italy as a youth and, like his father, eventually went on to represent Team Italy internationally After pitching for the University of Massachusetts in a College World Series, Lou Colabello played baseball professionally in Rimini, Italy. His experience as an international baseball ambassador culminated when he pitched for the Italians in the 1984 Olympics. Chris Colabello played for Team Italy in both the 2013 and 2017 World Baseball Classics, bookending major league stints with the Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays. Flmmaker Roberto Angotti was joined by Chris Colabello and his father, Lou Colabello, for the Boston-area premiere of Italian American Baseball Family last year.With the new arrival of Oakland Athletics Triple-A affiliate Las Vegas Aviators, it would come as no surprise to see ballplayers of Italian descent landing at the Nevada premiere of Italian American Baseball Family at the Windmill Library in Las Vegas on Sunday, September 8, 2019 at 2 pm. Admission is free for this family-friendly event. For more information, visit the Casa Italiana di Las Vegas website.Mike Piazza and Tommy Lasorda (Photo by Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers) Roberto Angotti s Italian American Baseball Family has been selected as a finalist in the SPORT MOVIES TV 2018 Festival in Milan, Italy. Submitted by Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball (FIBS) with Italian subtitles, Italian American Baseball Family features Lawrence Baldassaro, author of Beyond DiMaggio: Italian Americans in Baseball and Baseball Italian Style , as well as National Baseball Hall of Fame legend Tommy Lasorda. MLB past and present players Frank Viola, Nick Punto, Francisco Cervelli, Chris Colabello, Brandon Nimmo, and Gavin Cecchini are also interviewed in Italian American Baseball Family. Organized by the FICTS (Fédération Internationale Cinéma Télévision Sportifs) and recognized by the International Olympic Committee, SPORT MOVIES TV is a world-renowned festival dedicated to sports television and movies. The FICTS Worldwide Championship of Television, Cinema, Sport, Culture and Communication is the grand final of 16 World FICTS Challenge festivals spanning five continents. The SPORT MOVIES TV Festival kicks off at Milan s 17th century Palazzo Giureconsulti in Piazza Duomo on November 14, 2018.FICTS promotes the values of sport through images in 116 affiliated nations and is presided over by Professor Franco Ascani of the Italian Olympic Committee Commission for Culture and Olympic Heritage. The Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum Award-winning documentary Italian American Baseball Family is among the selected movies being projected during the six-day program. To watch the trailers and schedule of all screenings at some of the most prestigious venues in Milan, click HERE.  Of the nearly 1000 submissions from 65 countries in 51 sport disciplines, the selected works at SPORT MOVIES TV 2018 will bring together 174 directors and producers, 132 international journalists, and 127 broadcasters worldwide. Meetings, workshops, exhibitions, press conferences, award shows, and other special events will be presented in collaboration with Milan-area sports and cultural organizations. The FICTS International Jury, made up of ambassadors in the world of cinema, television, media, sport and culture, will deliberate on which productions to select for “Guirlande d’Honneur” (Oscar of Cinema and Sport Television), “Mention d’Honneur” (Honorable Mention), and “Special Awards” for each of the eight categories. The SPORT MOVIES TV 2018 Festival concludes on November 19, 2018. To learn more about the festivities, click HERE.  At the invitation of We the Italians founder and president Umberto Mucci, Italian American Baseball Family director and producer Roberto Angotti traveled to Italy to share his Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum Award-winning documentary with an enthusiastic audience at the Center for American Studies in Rome on September 26, 2018.From left to right: Luis Hernandez Aguila, John Cortese, Manuel Maglio, Marco Artitzu, Daniele Di Monte, Roberto Angotti, Leonardo Menoni, Niccolo Cinelli, Lemba Della Salandra, and Ettore GiulianelliAmong those in attendance were representatives from Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball (FIBS). FIBS Academy head coach and residence coordinator John Cortese was accompanied by pitching coach Luis Hernandez Aguila and seven FIBS Academists currently enrolled for the 2018/2019 academic year at the new FIBS Academy Acquacetosa on the campus of the CONI Giulio Onesti Olympic Training Center in Rome, Italy.From left to right: Roberto Angotti, Umberto Mucci, Marco Landi, and Stefano LuconiImmediately following the screening of the movie, Italian American Baseball Family producer Roberto Angotti was joined by FIBS Marketing and Communication Director Marco Landi and University of Padova Professor of American Studies Stefano Luconi for a panel discussion. We the Italians Umberto Mucci served as moderator and helped facilitate questions from the audience and responses from the panelists.Located in St. Louis Ballpark Village, FOX Sports Midwest Live! is a major gathering place and entertainment plaza with two levels spanning 20,000 square feet.Joe GaragiolaCiao St. Louis in association with Fox Sports Midwest Live! are proud to present a free showing of the Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum Award-winning documentary, Italian American Baseball Family, at Ballpark Village in downtown St Louis on July 22, 2018 at 7 pm. Immediately following the screening of the movie, director Roberto Angotti will host a Q and A discussion with Robert Garagiola, nephew of the late and great Joe Garagiola. In recognition of his major contributions to baseball and his outstanding broadcasting accomplishments, Joe Garagiola received the 1991 Ford C. Frick Award by the National Baseball Hall of Fame. A journeyman catcher for nine seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants, his interest in broadcasting piqued in 1950 when he tuned in to his team s radio broadcasts while convalescing from a shoulder separation. Following his retirement as a player after the 1954 season, he was offered a job with the St. Louis Cardinals broadcast crew. In the booth, Garagiola possessed a marvelous, easy-to-like approach to the game and a friendly, folksy manner. His progression behind the microphone included the Game of the Week, All-Star Game and World Series with NBC-TV throughout the 1960s, New York Yankees telecasts with such greats as Red Barber, Phil Rizzuto, and Jerry Coleman from 1965-67, NBC s Today Show from 1962-73, and California Angels telecasts in 1990.Garagiola went on to do television broadcasts for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame in 2004. The beloved Italian American from The Hill was also given his own star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame. He retired from broadcasting in 2013 and was named as the 2014 recipient of the Buck O Neil Lifetime Achievement Award, presented once every three years by the National Baseball Hall of Fame for positive contributions to Major League Baseball. Garagiola passed away at age 90 in 2016. The Arizona Diamondbacks wore a patch, a black circle with JOE written in white in the center with a catchers mask replacing the O, in his memory on their right sleeve for the 2016 season.Robert Garagiola, nephew of the late and great Joe Garagiola, will join director Roberto Angotti for a discussion on the Italian American Baseball Family experience immediately following the St. Louis premiere of the award-winning documentary on July 22, 2018.Yogi Berra and Joe GaragiolaOf the Italian American baseball players who grew up “On the Hill” in St. Louis, Yogi Berra and Joe Garagiola were the most famous. The rich baseball history of St. Louis will be revisited at a special screening of the Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum Award-winning movie, Italian American Baseball Family, on Sunday, July 22, 2018 at 7 pm at Ballpark Village, 601 Clark Avenue in downtown St. Louis. The documentary examines how the likes of Tony Lazzeri, Joe DiMaggio, Phil Rizzuto and Yogi Berra helped reshape America s perspective on Italian immigrants, and how baseball helped Italians assimilate into American popular culture. The move is based on the book Beyond DiMaggio: Italians Americans in Baseball by Professor Lawrence Baldassaro, who is also featured in the hour-long documentary. The film depicts the Italian American experience through American s favorite pastime and showcases Italian Americans who have circled back to Italy to help grow the game abroad by playing for Team Italy in the Olympics and the World Baseball Classic. Film director Roberto Angotti is excited about the upcoming screening. He said, “St. Louis has a rich Italian cultural heritage, and as a proud Italian American, I am delighted to share the film with lovers of baseball and history. Whether you are a fan of Ernie Orsatti, Yogi Berra, Joe Garagiola, Tito Francona, Sal Maglie, Vic Raschi, John Romano, Tony La Russa, Joe Girardi, Gary Gaetti, Ed and Scott Spiezio, Nick Punto, Daniel Descalso, or Adam Ottavino, there s something for everybody during our Italian baseball celebration in St.  Louis.” Chicago s iconic Wrigley FieldOn Saturday, June 2, 2018, Italian Americans have an opportunity to celebrate their heritage and Chicago’s rich baseball history through a screening of the Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum Award-winning film, Italian American Baseball Family at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights. The 2016 American Community Survey reveals that almost 17 million Italians live in the United States. With more than 500,000 Italian Americans living in greater Chicago, the city trails only New York and Philadelphia as the third largest thriving Italian epicenter in America. Chicago boasts a big and loyal baseball following with two professional Major League teams: the Cubs and South Side rivals White Sox. The city has a rich baseball history, of which outsiders may have little or no knowledge.Ping Bodie played for the Chicago White Sox from 1911-1914Chi Town s first major baseball player of Italian descent was Francesco Pezzolo, known to most as “Ping Bodie.”  Francesco was the son of Giuseppe Pezzolo, who emigrated from a small town near Genoa to New York City, and who worked long hours building the Brooklyn Bridge.  In 1876 father Giuseppe and mother Rosa moved the family west to a gold-mining settlement in Bodie, California. Francesco Pezzolo was born on October 8, 1887 in San Francisco, and to mask his Italian identity due to racial prejudices and injustices, he changed his professional baseball name to Ping Bodie. After joining the Pacific Coast League s San Francisco Seals in 1908, Ping Bodie soon became a Bay Area fan favorite and was nicknamed the Fence Buster . The Chicago White Sox could not help but notice Ping Bodie when he slugged 30 home runs in 1910 and subsequently signed him to a Major League contract. During his rookie season in 1911, Bodie hit .289 with four homers and 97 RBI. He became a Chicago baseball icon during his four years as a solid contributor to the White Sox. His popularity continued in New York later in his career when he became Babe Ruth s first Yankee roommate. Ping Bodie was a father figure for many other West Coast Italian American ballplayers and paved the way for those who followed him including Tony Lazzeri, Frank Crosetti, and the DiMaggio brothers. Chicago is not afraid to profess its love for the late and great Ron Santo. According to Lawrence Baladassaro s brilliant new book Baseball Italian Style , Ron s father, Louis Santo, was born in Foggia, Italy, and came to America as a teenager. His son Ron grew up in the heart of Garlic Gulch, Seattle s Italian district. Signed out of high school in 1959, just a year later 20-year-old Ron Santo made his MLB debut on June 26, 1960, when he had three hits and five RBI in a double-header sweep. In his 14 seasons with the Cubs, Santo was named to nine National League All-Star teams and won five consecutive Gold Glove awards (1964-68). He had four seasons with 100 or more RBI and hit 30 or more home runs in four consecutive seasons (1964-67). The 2012 Hall-of-Fame inductee hit 337 home runs and drove in 1,290 runs as a Cub, then played the final season of his career with the White Sox before retiring at age 34. He later became the Cubs radio color commentator in 1990 and held the position until his passing in 2010. A statue of the beloved Cub player and broadcaster was resurrected outside Wrigley Field in 2011 to honor his legacy.Team Italy s Fabio Milano during 2006 World Baseball Classic lineup introductionsTeam Italy women s softball pitcher Maya Milano is daughter to former Team Italy pitcher Fabio Milano.There is one special Chicago Italian who has played for Team Italy in the Olympics and the World Baseball Classic. That unsung hero s name is Fabio Milano, a former pitching all-star who played for Team Italy in the 2001 World Cup, 2004 Olympics and the 2006 World Baseball Classic. Milano is also father to a pair of up-and-coming Team Italy softball stars. Maya and Kylie Milano. Another Chicago Italian who deserves a Hollywood Star for helping hundreds develop their craft is Paul Petricca, author of Hitting with Torque: For Softball and Baseball Players. Petricca along with The St. Joseph Club of Italian Americans are proud to present a “Celebration of Italian Baseball and Softball” on Saturday, June 2, 2018 at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell Street in Arlington Heights beginning at 11:00 am. The Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum Award-winning documentary, Italian American Baseball Family, will be shown.Chicago native Barth Morreale Jr. enjoyed a successful baseball career in Bologna, Italy.Brent ConsiglioImmediately following the screening of the movie, a Q A discussion with filmmaker Roberto Angotti and a panel of former Italian baseball players will interact with the audience in an engaging discussion on playing baseball internationally. Panelists scheduled to appear include: Fabio Milano, Joe Mazzuca, former Marlins prospect who played for Team Italy internationally from 2006-2014; Barth Morreale Jr., who began pitching in Bologna in 2006 and led his team to victory in the 2011 European Cup; and Brent Consiglio, who played in baseball in Poviglio after graduating from the University of Chicago in 2004.Angotti s film Italian American Baseball Family documents the Italian American experience on how Italians assimilated into popular culture through America’s favorite pastime, baseball, and how Italian Americans have circled back to Italy to help grow the game abroad by playing for Team Italy in the Olympics and the World Baseball Classic. He is excited to bring the movie to Chicago, where University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Professor Emeritus Lawrence Baldassaro (author of Beyond DiMaggio: Italian Americans in Baseball and Baseball Italian Style) was interviewed for the documentary at the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame and Ron Onesti was filmed at Piazza DiMaggio in Little Italy on Taylor Street. Angotti said, “Chicago has a rich Italian cultural heritage, and as a proud Italian American, I am delighted to share the film with lovers of baseball and history. Whether you are a fan of Ron Santo or Anthony Rizzo, there will be something for everybody during our celebration of Italian baseball and softball at the Metropolis.” Attendees are encouraged to participate in a silent auction featuring premium Chicago Cubs tickets, private pitching and hitting sessions and more. Tickets are available at the door. For more information, please contact Paul Petricca at 847-533-8474. Continue reading The Museo Italo Americano and the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club as well as the San Diego Little Italy s Amici House and Convivio are proud to co-present exciting nights in San Francisco (April 26) and San Diego (April 28) celebrating Baseball Italian Style . Special guests include renowned author Lawrence Baldassaro (Beyond DiMaggio: Italian Americans in Baseball and Baseball Italian Style) and award-winning filmmaker Roberto Angotti (Italian American Baseball Family). Professor Lawrence Baldassaro will sign all books purchased at these once-in-a-lifetime events. Lovers of history and baseball alike will be mesmerized with the newfound knowledge exchanged in San Francisco and San Diego. Beyond DiMaggio: Italian Americans in Baseball by Professor Lawrence Baldassaro was originally published in 2011.Engaging critically-acclaimed author Lawrence Baldassaro will present his new book Baseball Italian Style: Great Stories Told by Italian American Major Leaguers from Crosetti to Piazza, which brings together the memories of major leaguers of Italian heritage whose collective careers span almost a century from the 1930s until today. The men who speak in this collection, which includes eight Hall of Famers (Yogi Berra, Phil Rizzuto, Ron Santo, Craig Biggio, Mike Piazza, Tommy Lasorda, Tony La Russa, and Joe Torre), go beyond statistics to provide an inside look at life in the big leagues. Their stories provide a time capsule that documents not only the evolution of Italian American participation in the national pastime but also the continuity of the game and the many changes that have taken place, on and off the field. University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Professor Emeritus Lawrence Baldassaro will donate all royalties from his book, Baseball Italian Style, to the Jimmy Fund in Boston, which supports the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, raising funds for adult and pediatric cancer care and research. Purchase the book now by clicking HERE.Baseball Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda and Lawrence Baldassaro, who served as interpreter for Team Italy during the 2016 World Baseball ClassicImmediately following Professor Baldassaro’s lecture, the award-winning documentary, Italian American Baseball Family, will be shown. Director Roberto Angotti will introduce the film and author Lawrence Baldassaro will be available for book signings immediately following the movie. Recipient of a grant from the National Italian American Foundation, the Italian Sons and Daughters of America and the Russo Brothers, Angotti documented the Italian American experience on how Italians assimilated into popular culture through America’s favorite pastime, and how Italian Americans have circled back to Italy to help grow the game abroad by playing for Team Italy in the Olympics and the World Baseball Classic. He is excited to bring the movie to San Francisco, hometown of Ping Bodie, Tony Lazzeri, Frank Crosetti, the DiMaggio brothers and so many others. Italian American Baseball Family traverses the U.S. cultural landscape and documents an ethnic group’s rise from adversity by celebrating its triumphs in breaking into a sport originally dominated by English, Irish and German immigrants. The film showcases both the hardships and accomplishments of legendary Italian American baseball players.Director Roberto Angotti and author Lawrence Baldassaro at the National Italian American Foundation 42nd Anniversary Gala on November 4, 2017 in Washington, D.C.The San Francisco Italian Athletic Club has served the Italian American community for over 100 years.To reserve tickets for the Thursday, April 26 event at the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club, 1630 Stockton Street in San Francisco s North Beach, call Museo Italo Americano at 415-673-2200 or click HERE. The fun begins promptly at 6 pm with complimentary antipasti and a no-host bar.Tickets for the Saturday, April 28 event at Amici House, located at Amici Park (250 Date Street at the corner of Union and Date Streets) in San Diego s Little Italy can be reserved HERE. The welcome reception begins at 6 pm. Guests will be escorted to the lecture and film screening at nearby Washington Elementary Auditorium. PITCHERS: Team Italy switch-pitcher Pat Venditte, who has proved himself worthy of playing in Major League Baseball after stints with the Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners, signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers in late November with an invite to 2018 Spring Training. The 32-year-old fan favorite was lights out in Arizona, where he appeared in more games than any Dodger pitcher (nine), threw more innings than any other Dodger reliever (10.1), and posted the lowest ERA (1.74) of any reliever who pitched more than eight innings this spring. The Omaha, Nebraska native allowed only two earned runs on seven hits, while walking three and striking out 13. Despite his remarkable statistics and stellar performance, Pat Venditte will have to wait patiently and pitch for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers before he makes his debut at Chavez Ravine in Los Angeles.MLB veteran Tommy Layne made 19 appearances out of the New York Yankees bullpen in 2017. The lefty reliever specialist signed a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox in February and appeared in eight 2018 Spring Training games. He pitched seven inning in relief and picked up one save with a 2.57 ERA and six strikeouts. The 33-year-old seasoned professional will start out the 2018 season playing for Triple-A affiliate Pawtucket Red Sox with hopes of being brought back to Boston, where he spent most of his MLB career from 2014-2016.In 2017 Sam Gaviglio made 12 appearances (11 starts) with the Seattle Mariners before being claimed off waivers by the Kansas City Royals, where he made another four appearances which included two starts. Overall, he went 4-5 with a 4.36 ERA. The Pacific Northwest right-hander was recently traded to the Toronto Blue Jays and assigned to Triple-A affiliate Buffalo Bisons. It won t be long before Sam Gaviglio makes his debut at Rogers Centre to give the Blue Jays added pitching depth.Blue Jays prospect Jordan Romano was named 2017 MiLB Organizational All-Star after pitching for the Single-A Advanced Dunedin Blue Jays and playing with future MLB stars Cavan Biggio, Bo Bichette, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. He amassed 138 strikeouts in 138 innings of pitching during the 2017 season, which included 26 starts (7-5, 3.39 ERA). Jordan Romano was invited to 2018 Blue Jays Spring Training, where he appeared in three games and pitched 2.2 inning of relief with a 3.38 ERA. Although he was assigned to Double-A affiliate New Hampshire Fisher Cats, it would not be a stretch of the imagination to see Jordan Romano join fellow Team Italy pitcher Sam Gaviglio in Buffalo en route to Toronto in 2018.After spending seven years in the Cleveland Indians organization and pitching for Double-A affiliate Akron RubberDucks in 2017,  Luis Lugo signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles in December. The crafty 24-year-old Team Italy left-hander, who was born in Venezuela, went 8-7 in 25 starts with a 4.35 ERA in 2017. He will be forwardly placed in the Orioles minor league system in anticipation of a breakout season to catapult him into MLB.Philadelphia Phillies pitching prospect Nick Fanti was outstanding during his 2017 season with Single-A affiliate Lakewood BlueClaws, where he was involved in two no-hitters. The former 31st-round 2015 Phillies draft pick threw a no-hitter with 12 strikeouts on July 17, 2017, just two months after he pitched 8.2 hitless innings with nine strikeouts on May 6, 2017.The 21-year-old Baseball America Low Class A All-Star ended his 2017 campaign with an outstanding 9-2 record with 2.54 ERA and 121 strikeouts in 120.1 innings of work. In 2018 expect Nick Fanti to make his way from the Single-A Advanced Clearwater Threshers up the ladder to MLB.CATCHERS: Team Italy is led by a dynamic duo of MLB veteran catchers, Francisco Cervelli of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Drew Butera of the Kansas City Royals, both known for being winners after calling quality games and coming through in the clutch. Francisco Cervelli was the hero on Pirates opening day at Detroit s Comerica Park on March 30, 2018. Home-plate umpire Tony Randazzo called Tigers Nicholas Castellanos safe in a close play at the plate for a walk-off win in the 10th inning. While his fellow Pirates headed straight to dugout with their heads down conceding defeat in extra-innings, Francisco Cervelli knew he had tagged the runner out before Castellanos had touched the plate so he appealed to the umpires for a courtesy review . In what became MLB s first controversial ruling of the 2018 regular season, the call was reversed and the game resumed. Detroit manager Ron Gardenhire went nuts, kicking dirt and getting ejected from his first game as Tigers skipper. Cervelli kept his cool and said, “In the past, we used to celebrate. Now, you ve got to wait, especially on plays like that. It s tough because they were celebrating. But I won, again.” The marathon contest lasted a Pirates opening day-record 5 hours and 27 minutes before Pittsburgh eventually beat the Tigers 13-10 in 13 innings. Francisco Cervelli orchestrated the barrage of pitchers from behind the plate while going 2-for-6 with 3 RBI. Pirates manager Clint Hurdle praised the Italian-Venezuelan catcher and said, We re a better team with Cervelli in the lineup and behind the plate. Truthfully, you have a pitching coach on the field. He and Yadier Molina are the two best I ve seen. They have a good touch and feel for the pitchers, and they also have a Plan B or Plan C they can go to when Plan A doesn t show up.”With MLB All-Star Salvador Perez on the disabled list for four-to-six weeks, Drew Butera was in the 2018 opening day lineup as the primary catcher for the Kansas City Royals. He went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored in the Royals 14-7 loss to the Chicago White Sox on March 29. 2018. Nick Leto, Manager of Arizona Operations for the Kansas City Royals is a believer in Team Italy catcher Drew Butera. He said, I think he is great. I am a big Butera fan. I think he helps us win on a nightly basis. A proven winner with a 2015 World Series ring to his credit, 34-year-old Drew Butera has caught two no-hitters in his career so far. Being able to handle pitches with grace rarely seen at the Major League level while producing a calming effect on his pitching staff, catcher Drew Butera kept lefty Francisco Liriano focused on every pitch which led him to a no-hitter while playing for the Minnesota Twins against the Chicago White Sox on May 3, 2011. Three years later as the Los Angeles Dodgers backup catcher Butera caught Josh Beckett’s no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies on May 25, 2014. As a result of the monumental accomplishments, he became only the fifth catcher in Major League Baseball history to catch a no-hitter in both leagues.Italian-born and developed catcher Alberto Mineo was claimed by the Toronto Blue Jays (Triple-A affiliate Buffalo Bisons) in the minor-league portion of the Rule 5 draft from the Chicago Cubs (Single-A affiliate South Bend Cubs) on December 14, 2017. The Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball (FIBS) Academy graduate played in a Chicago Cubs Spring Training game against Team Italy at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona on March 7, 2017. He entered the contest in the fifth inning as a pinch-runner for Kyle Schwarber and made one plate appearance later in the game for the Cubs. Alberto Mineo was assigned to Single-A Advanced affiliate Dunedin Blue Jays on April 1, 2018.Cesarre Astorri, a 19-year-old FIBS Academy graduate, signed a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics on January 8, 2018. The Italian catcher from Parma was assigned to the Arizona Rookie League Athletics. With two MLB veteran catchers and two up-and-coming MLB prospects on the horizon prepared to go to battle for Team Italy in the 2020 Olympics, the Azzurri have the potential to make an impact in Tokyo. Let s wish Francisco Cervelli, Drew Butera, Alberto Mineo and Cesarre Astorri the best so that they remain healthy and committed to the future of the game abroad.INFIELDERS: Sending a pitch from Los Angeles Dodgers’ ace Clayton Kershaw over the swimming pool in right field at Chase Field in Phoenix, Team Italy infielder Daniel Descalso gave the Arizona Diamondbacks an early 1-0 lead with his homer in the second inning on April 3, 2018. The D-backs went on to beat the 2017 National League Champions 6-1, and 31-year-old second baseman Daniel Descalso could not have been happier to have taken the three-time Cy Young Award-winning pitcher deep. “I think lefties are still allowed to get hits off him,” said Descalso. Last year in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) at Estadio Charros de Jalisco in Guadalajara, infielder Daniel Descalso was also an early catalyst for the Team Italy offense as he drove in each of the Italians first three runs against Venezuela on March 11, 2017. Two days later in the WBC tiebreaker rematch game against Venezuela, Daniel Descalso was once again responsible for Team Italy s go-ahead run with his RBI single in the first inning. Having been on the same 2011 World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals team that Team Italy coach Nick Punto played on under the leadership of Italian American manager Tony La Russa, Daniel Descalso is a proven winner and a consistent run producer. He can be effective off the bench as a pinch-hitter under pressure and come through in the clutch. In 35 pinch-hit plate appearances during the 2017 season, Daniel Descalso hit .231 (6-for-26)/.429 OBP/.462 SLG with two home runs and nine RBI, ranking fifth in the National League in on-base percentage and sixth in OPS (.890). At Chase Field, he hit .271 (49-for-181)/.371 OBP/.453 SLG with 7 home runs and 29 RBI in 69 games. Daniel Descalso had 2 walk-off hits, including his first career game-ending homer against his former team the Colorado Rockies on April 30, 2017. He also logged his first career inside-the-park home run against eventual World Series Champion Houston Astros on August 17, 2017. The nine-year MLB veteran is a tough out for pitchers in do-or-die situations because he is able to keep his at-bats alive by being patient at the plate until he gets a pitch he can do some damage with. As a dependable utility position player with versatility, Daniel Descalso can be put in the starting lineup as a second baseman, shortstop, third baseman, or left fielder. He can even be called upon for mop-up duty as a relief pitcher when a game is out of reach, and the team wants to rest its bullpen. During the course of his three career appearances on the mound, Daniel Descalso has retired all seven MLB hitters he has faced. In fact, he is about to set the record for the most career batters faced without allowing a baserunner. Only four other pitchers in major league history have faced more batters without allowing a hit or walk than Daniel Descalso. With a career 0.000 WHIP (walks plus hits per innings pitched), he needs one more out to tie the record and two more outs to become the most perfect pitcher in baseball history.Opting to get a major league baseball contract instead of returning to the minor leagues, Team Italy first baseman Chris Colabello remains an unsigned free agent. After being invited by the Chicago Cubs and the Texas Rangers for pro ball try outs, 34-year-old slugger Chris Colabello joined the 2018 Major League Baseball Players Association Free Agent Spring Training at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. The proud Italian American has since authored a new book with hitting instructor Bobby Tewksbary entitled Be A Hitter. Should Chris Colabello not sign a major league contract in the near future, he will reunite with Team Italy pitcher Alessandro Maestri and play for T A San Marino. Both players spent their formative years competing against each other in the Emilia-Romagna region. While Chris Colabello returned to his native Massachusetts to play high school baseball,  Alessandro Maestri remained in Italy to attend the Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball (FIBS) Academy and later became the first Italian-born and developed pitcher to sign a professional contract with the Chicago Cubs in 2006. Although Alessandro Maestri never pitched in the major leagues, Chris Colabello made his MLB debut (Minnesota Twins, 2013) and two years later led the Toronto Blue Jays to the 2015 American League postseason.Azzurri third baseman Alex Liddi is the face of Italian baseball. With the opportunity to spur the growth of the game in Europe by competing at the sport’s highest level, he has inspired young Italian players including Marten Gasparini, who begins 2018 with Kansas City Royals Single-A affiliate Lexington Legends. Alex Liddi traveled to New England during the offseason to work with Bobby Tewksbary on his swing, and it paid off as the first Italian-born and developed player to play in MLB (Seattle Mariners, 2011). The 29-year-old Italian hero was recently offered a minor league contact with the Kansas City Royals. In five 2018 Royals Spring Training games in Arizona, he hit .333 (2-for-6) with one home run. Alex Liddi will begin at Double-A affiliate Northwest Arkansas Naturals with hopes of returning to the Big Leagues in September when the 40-man roster kicks in.Versatile Team Italy utility player Rob Segedin can handle first and third base as well as left and right field. Acquired by the Los Angeles Dodgers from the New York Yankees in 2016, Rob Segedin performed well for Team Italy in the 2017 WBC. He displayed excellent defense in right field and hit .375 with a double, home run and two RBI in the international competition. Due to injuries which plagued him in 2017, Rob Segedin played in only 27 games between his short time for a quick espresso in Los Angeles and his limited stint with Triple-A affiliate Oklahoma City. He and Team Italy switch-pitcher Pat Venditte will both wear Oklahoma City Dodgers uniforms at the start of the 2018 season as they patiently await for Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to call them up to the major league level.Team Italy shortstop Gavin Cecchini played second base for the New York Mets during 2018 Mets Spring Training. He also learned how to become a third baseman so that he would be more valuable to the team while working to improve his swing. Based on his two home runs and two extra-base hits at 2018 Spring Training, it appears Gavin Cecchini has added some pop to his stroke. He will continue to make progress under the guidance and supervision of Triple-A affiliate Las Vegas 51s hitting coach Joel Chimelis at the start of the 2018 season. There is no doubt Gavin Cecchini will make his way back into MLB soon and join Team Italy outfielder Brandon Nimmo on the New York Mets roster.Drew Maggi signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians last November and never looked back. Hitting at a remarkable .342 clip (13-for-38) with 11 runs and four RBI during 2018 Indians Spring Training in Arizona, the 28-year-old Team Italy utility player with eight seasons under his belt in the minor leagues made a favorable impression on manager Terry Francona. With a stacked lineup and an all-star cast infield, the Tribe s skipper has no room on his Big League roster for third baseman Drew Maggi at this time. He was placed on the restricted list for the Triple-A affiliate Columbus Clippers on April 4, 2018.During a Spring Training minor league game against the Chicago White Sox at the Cincinnati Reds minor league training facility in Goodyear, Arizona on March 17, 2018, Team Italy s Leonardo Seminati went 2-for-4 with a single and a double, Grande Leo Seminati lived up to his name. He s going to be big, said Billy Hamilton when asked about the promising 19-year-old Cincinnati Reds prospect. Fast forward from the moment FIBS Academy graduate Leo Seminati signed a professional contract with the Cincinnati Reds on July 2, 2017, and most would agree that Grande Leo has traveled light years ahead of expectations. Just ask MLBPipeline.com reporter Jonathan Mayo, who wrote Italy s Seminati exceeding expectations at Reds instructs .  MLB scouts scratched their heads in disbelief when Team Italy first baseman Leonardo Seminati stole the show by hitting several bombs over the Marlins Park wall in the 2016 Power Showcase Home Run Derby. It was not long after his command performance in Miami that scout Sal Varriale made the call to the Cincinnati Reds front office. Baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin, who served as MLB International Ambassador and currently works in player development for the Cincinnati Reds, was well aware of Seminati s power potential and approved of the signing of Grande Leo . Working with Cincinnati Reds minor league coach and former MLB first baseman Donald Lutz, Team Italy slugger Leo Seminati looks to become the complete ballplayer offensively and defensively in the 2018 Arizona Rookie League. OUTFIELDERS: When New York Mets manager Mickey Callaway pulled Team Italy outfielder Brandon Nimmo aside and told him he would be the leadoff man for the Mets on 2018 Opening Day, the 25-year-old Wyoming native could not have been afforded a better opportunity to make a name for himself in Major League Baseball. ”He’s a worker. He’s so prepared, and he works,” said NY Mets skipper Mickey Callaway. ”You get a player like that and the results are going to come. I’m really proud of him for the way he goes about his business. Very impressive. He’s locked in every pitch. Those are the type of players you need to win.” Brandon Nimmo has certainly paid his dues to gain entry to compete with the game s elite in MLB. Last year he hit .260 with five home runs and 21 RBI in 177 at-bats for the New York Mets. During 2018 Mets Spring Training in Florida, Brandon Nimmo auditioned for the leadoff hitter position and made the strong case for an Opening Day roster spot. Batting .306 with 11 extra-base hits, three home runs and 11 RBI in Grapefruit League play, he earned the right to be the first name listed on the New York Mets lineup card. Brandon Nimmo has not disappointed so far this young 2018 regular season. He is currently htting .375 (3-for-8) with one double, three walks and four runs scored. Brandon Nimmo was a first-round draft pick by the New York Mets in 2011. Scouts admired him for being a very patient hitter at the plate and for rarely swinging outside the strike zone. His selective approach to hitting continues to this day in MLB as witnessed by his 15.3% walk rate and .379 OBP in 2017. The Team Italy outfielder fits the mold of a perfect leadoff hitter candidate, and he should relish in that spot should he be given the chance to play every day.Chicago Cubs Italian American manager Joe Maddon knows how special a player Team Italy outfielder John Andreoli truly is. Despite successful campaigns at the upper level of the Chicago Cubs minor leagues from 2013-2017, he was always cut short of making the Big League club as a result of being overshadowed by a star-studded Cubbie outfield and eclipsed by up-and-coming prospects. John Andreoli spent his final three years playing for Triple-A affiliate Iowa, where he hit .258 with 65 doubles, 21 triples, 31 homers, 142 RBI and an incredible 101 stolen bases. Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon praised John Andreoli in the 2017 World Baseball Classic (WBC) after Team Italy scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat host Mexico, 10-9, at Estadio de Beisbol Charros de Jalisco. John Andreoli was the difference in the game as he drove in the winning run with a walk-off single and hit a home run earlier in the first inning. Maddon said, I m so happy for him, he s such a good kid. He works so hard, he cares so much. A few days before the WBC I saw him bear down in front of one of our video computers looking at pitchers he might face in the tournament. So I give him a lot of credit. It s absolutely great. Playing for Team Italy in the 2017 WBC, John Andreoli went 6-for-16 with five runs, seven RBI and three home runs. With little chance of making the MLB roster in the Cubs organization, the 2011 Chicago Cubs 17th-round draft pick elected free agency on November 6, 2017. Despite having to leave the team that drafted him out of the University of Connecticut, John Andreoli enjoyed his time talking with veterans Ben Zobrist and Anthony Rizzo about hitting with two strikes and playing with the likes of Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber and Addison Russell. Cubs manager Joe Maddon told the team s TV broadcasters that John Andreoli plays with his hair on fire. No doubt the Chicago skipper hated to see him leave the organization, but in the end it was the best thing for the Italian American grinder. In January the Seattle Mariners signed John Andreoli to a minor league contract with an invite to 2018 Spring Training. He played in 19 Cactus League games before being assigned to Triple-A affiliate Tacoma Rainiers. John Andreoli was the leadoff hitter in his first game playing for the Tacoma Rainiers on April 5, 2018. The 27-year-old prospect stands to have a chance for a promotion to the Seattle Mariners for his MLB debut when the 40-man roster takes effect on September 1, 2018.Team Italy switch-hitter Marten Gasparini, who signed for $1.3 million with the Kansas City Royals in 2013, is the key player baseball insiders believe will follow in Alex Liddi’s footsteps as the second Italian-born and developed player in the Big Leagues. He is still heralded as Europe’s top MLB prospect and is progressing every day up the ladder in the minor leagues. Nick Leto, Manager of Arizona Operations for the Kansas City Royals, was instrumental in the Royals’ signing of Marten Gasparini. Leto said, “There’s great belief in Marten’s ability. It’s a process. All players develop differently. There’s no question about Marten s ability, it’s just time and reps. Switch-hitting is a really difficult skill to develop. Marten has experienced a lot of things for the first time since signing a professional contract. His intelligence, maturity, and awareness are going to allow these lessons to stick and be applied. There’s no doubt Marten will be a major league player, not a just a player, a special major league player, a championship player. Adapting to his new position in the outfield from shortstop, Marten Gasparini played for Single-A affiliate Lexington Legends in 2017. He got a taste of the Big Leagues when he made two appearances in 2018 Royals Spring Training games alongside Team Italy slugger Alex Liddi, who homered against the San Francisco Giants on March 23, 2018. Marten Gasparini began the 2018 season playing Single-A ball in Lexington, where he was sandwiched between Kansas City Royals top prospects Michael Gigliotti and Nick Pratto in the lineup on April 5, 2018. As the team s designated hitter in the two-hole, Marten Gasparini went 1-for-4 with a triple. Look for big things to come for the talented and promising Team Italy outfielder.  Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) Department of Modern Languages andLiteratures Program in Italian and Department of Physical Education and Athletics, incollaboration with the CWRU Film Society and CWRU Spartan Baseball, are proud to present a “Celebration of Italian American Baseball” on Wednesday, March 28, 2018 at Strosacker Auditorium beginning at 7:30 pm. The Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum award-winning documentary, Italian American Baseball Family, will be shown. Immediately following the screening of the movie, a Q A discussion featuring filmmaker Roberto Angotti along with a panel of renowned Cleveland Indians historians and authors will interact with the audience in an engaging discussion on the Italian American Cleveland Indians.The late and great Tito Francona with son and Cleveland Indians manager Terry FranconaRecipient of a $7,500 grant from the National Italian American Foundation, the Italian Sons and Daughters of America, and the Russo Brothers, Angotti documented the Italian American experience on how Italians assimilated into popular culture through America’s favorite pastime, baseball. He is excited to bring the movie to Cleveland, hometown to Italian Sons and Daughters of America President Basil Russo and the Russo Brothers. Angotti said, “Cleveland has a rich Italian cultural heritage, and as a proud Italian American, I am delighted to share the film with lovers of baseball and history. Whether you are a fan of Lew Fonseca, Johnny Berardino, Rocky Colavito, Tony Cuccinello, Mickey Rocco, Johnny Romano, Don Mossi, Tom Candiotti, Mike Napoli, or Tito and Terry Francona, there will be something for everybody during our celebration of Italian American baseball at CWRU.”Angotti will be joined by panelists Scott Longert, Joseph Wancho, and John McMurray. Filmmaker Roberto Angotti is the English language editor for Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball (FIBS) www.FIBS.it/en and a Top 10 MLB.com Fan website www.MLBforLife.com. Author Scott Longert has written The Best They Could Be: How the Cleveland Indians became the Kings of Baseball, 1916-1920 and No Money, No Beer, No Pennant—a book about the Cleveland Indians and their ups and downs during the Great Depression. Joseph Wancho was the editor of Pitching to the Pennant: The 1954 Cleveland Indians and has recently authored You Think You’re a Cleveland Indians Fan? Stars, Stats, Records, and Memories for True Diehards. John McMurray has been published in the New York Times, Baseball Digest, the Baseball Research Journal, and other publications and is Chair of Society for Baseball Research (SABR)’s Deadball Era Committee as well as its Oral History Committee. He recently won the SABR Analytics Conference Research Award for Historical Baseball Analysis and Commentary. Strosacker Auditorium is located at 2180 Adelbert Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44106 on the campus of Case Western Reserve University. Parking is available in the Veale Athletic Center Parking Tower, located at 2138 Adelbert Rd. Tickets are FREE and can be found at https://goo.gl/8Gkcp9 For further information about the event, please contact denise.caterinacci@case.edu in the CWRU Department of Modern Languages and Literatures or phone (216) 368-6062.

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