by Italian American Club of Las Vegas

Ray Boom Boom Mancini exceeded all expectations. Almost 100 people, including Ray's wife and two sons, other boxers and members of the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame, 10 people from the Arizona American Italian Club, Federated Italo Americano, Sons of Italy and the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club, joined our Club to attend Saturday's luncheon at Carmine's to honor Ray Mancini's induction into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.

Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame president (and Club member), Rich Marotta (and six members of his family --including his 90 year old mother) suggested the event and did a great job of helping organize it and setting the stage for Ray's from the heart talk about his life, his passion and what being Italian American means to him. When it was over, Rich said, "there was so much emotion in this room!".

The event started a bit late because of Ray's travel arrangements. Expecting 40 people, we were snuggly seated in the Terrazzo Room. A great 4-course lunch was served to too many people and too few seats. The energy was high with anticipation, fueled by the great food and common thread of being Italian. And, then Ray's entrance ignited the emotional event.

As we moved to the big dining room to seat everyone, it was wild; people scrambling to say hello to Ray (who was as gracious as one could be).

Then, before Rich spoke the representatives of the Clubs paid him tribute and presented him with a plaque. I'm lucky that I was able to share the stage with those presenting such heartfelt tribute. Ann Potenza from LA, Jay Fuller from Phoenix, our Tony Ricevuto, and San Francisco's Leo Pierini set the stage for Rich Marotta, hall of fame broadcaster to be the stemwinder for Ray.

And then Ray spoke; and everyone laughed (hard), and felt pride in being Italian American, and remembered their own parents and grandparents who came over from Italy, and considered the importance of keeping our Italian American heritage alive. Watch it here