Standout high school centerfielder Josh Colaizzi
Among all the athletic luminaries honored at the 2024 Chicago Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame ceremony gala in November, Josh Colaizzi was the only one too young to enjoy a celebratory glass of wine. Colaizzi, 17, took home the evening’s Future Star Award for all the baseball accomplishments he’s managed to rack up as a teen. Colaizzi, a cente...
Alla Boara, Italian folk Ensemble
Alla Boara, an Italian folk ensemble from Cleveland consisting of female vocalist, percussion, acoustic bass, guitar, trumpet/flugelhorn and accordion/piano, will perform on Sunday, February 16 at 3:00 p.m. in the Ohio University Southern Riffe Rotunda in Ironton, (OH). Admission is $15 with cash or check payable to the “Ironton Council for the Art...
Packers legend Vince Lombardi was the original “DEI” defender
You know who supported “DEI” (diversity, equity, and inclusion) long before it was ever an acronym? Vince Lombardi. The football legend famously created a “prejudice-free culture” in Green Bay. When Lombardi took over the Packers, they had one black player. He immediately added 12 more and hired Emlen Tunnell — the first Black assistant coach in th...
Sports Hall of Fame celebrates major milestone at gala
The National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame celebrated its 45th annual gala on Nov. 15 at Belvedere Banquets in Elk Grove Village. More than 700 attendees witnessed the induction of NBA star Chris Corchiani, ESPN national correspondent Sal Paolantonio, NFL pioneer Bruno Banducci, wrestling great Lou Albano, baseball pioneer Philomena Gianfran...
'Impractical Jokers' comedian coming to Springfield's historic Gillioz Theater in 2025
One of the original "Impractical Jokers" will stop at Springfield's historic Gillioz Theatre this March. Joe Gatto will perform at the Gillioz Theatre, 325 Park Central East, on March 1. Gatto is a comedian known for his role in the truTV show "Impractical Jokers," which depicts "scenes of graphic stupidity among (four) lifelong friends who compete...
How Caitlin Clark celebrated her 23rd birthday: Impacting society and her Indiana Fever
The most famous jersey on the Indiana Fever roster is no doubt one that sports the No. 22. Caitlin Clark has always had that number on her back as it is her birth date. Since she was born in January, that meant it was her birthday which now makes her a 23-year-old. Growing another year after a stellar debut WNBA season meant she became one of the m...
Italian Bowl coming back to Toledo in June
The Italian Bowl is coming back in June and this year, it is expected to be even bigger than it was in 2023. “Why Toledo? Why are people flying thousands of miles?” the answer was simple, “Why not?” For the second time in two years, the Italian Bowl will be back in the Glass City. After the success in 2023, organizers again answered the call to hos...
New Philharmonic starts 2025 with Donizetti’s ‘The Elixir of Love’
What is the best way to start 2025? It is to attend a concert featuring the music from one of the most popular operas in the world and to escape the cold weather by immersing in the warmth and passion of wonderful Italian music. New Philharmonic, the only professional orchestra based in DuPage County, is starting the new year with a concert present...
Caitlin Clark credits Italian roots for gaining resilience through failures: "It gave me that competitive fire"
Caitlin Clark has rapidly become one of the most popular atheletes in the world of sports. She took the WNBA by storm, shattering records and making a big impact for the Indiana fever. Then again, her easy-going and down-to-earth nature off the court is in contrast to her tough persona on it. Notably, that might come from her family. In an appearan...
Italian American athletes grace sports Hall of Fame mural in Dunning
The wall of a North Harlem Avenue building in Dunning inspired Ron Onesti as he searched for a new home for the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame — and for a large canvas to promote American athletes of Italian descent. “One of the reasons I bought that building was because of that wall,” says Onesti, president of the Hall of Fame. “Tha...
Italian American Caitlin Clark Named 'Athlete Of The Year'
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark was named as TIME Magazine's 2024 Athlete of the Year on Tuesday (December 10). Clark, 22, whose dominant collegiate career at Iowa led to a spike in popularity for women's basketball, was selected No. 1 overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft and won the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year award, leading the Fever to a playoff be...
A Hitter’s Perfect Game: A Tribute to Rocky Colavito
In a testament to the strength of Rocky Colavito’s legacy, his passing made front page news on The New York Times. Colavito, a Bronx native and Yankee alum but a Cleveland Indian through and through, was 91 years young when he passed away in his home in Bernville, Pa., on Tuesday. The slugger made the cover of TIME magazine in 1959, he hit 374 home...