Italian Americans have been a part of the rich fabric of Major League Baseball for over a century. Ed Abbaticchio, considered to be the first Italian American to play professionally, made his debut with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1897. His career is fascinating and worth an article of his own.

Perhaps Francesco Stephano Pizzolo, who eventually changed his name to Ping Bodie to counteract the many indignities Italian Americans were facing in the United States at that time, is the first Italian-American to make an impact. Bodie made his debut with the White Sox in 1911, with 97 RBI as a rookie, and when he joined the New York Yankees in 1918, he became the first Italian American to wear pinstripes, delighting the many Italians who lived in New York City.