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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...

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It has come to my attention that this is Italian Heritage Month. OK, it came to my attention via an email from my boss. So, you know what that means? Yep, time for another list. I pondered what list − great Italian-American inventors (DaVinci, Marconi, Mr. Noodle), great Italian-American singers (Bennett, Sinatra, Johnny Fontane), great Italian-Ame...

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There were a lot of Steelers jerseys in Eagles country on Tuesday morning - but for a special reason. There was street dedication for Steelers Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris in his hometown of Mount Holly, Burlington County. "He is Mount Holly's favorite son," said Mount Holly Mayor Chris Banks. Ridgway Street is now Franco Harris Way, and...

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With 2022 coming to an end, we reflect back on the personalities, icons, and celebrities we lost in the Italian community this year. These 20 men and women of Italian descent made important contributions in the areas of cinema, art, music, cuisine, fashion, journalism, commerce, and sport.  Ray Liotta (December 18, 1954 – May 26, 2022): The death o...

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Christmas Eve is officially “Franco Harris Day” in the City of Pittsburgh, Mayor Ed Gainey announced. “50 years ago today Franco Harris made the immaculate reception and led the way to the Steelers winning 4 Super Bowls,” said Mayor Ed Gainey. “Today we honor not just his talents on the field, but his success off of it. Pittsburgh will always remem...

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Franco Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers’ Hall of Fame running back, has passed away at age 79. Here’s a look at the NFL icon’s family and parents. Back in the day, Franco’s fans banded together and called themselves Franco’s Italian Army. They also wore World War II-inspired helmets with text written on them, to support the star. However, Franco’s paren...

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Franco Harris, the Hall of Fame Pittsburgh Steelers running back who was known for making a miraculous grab in the AFC Divisional Playoffs against the Oakland Raiders in 1972, has died. He was 72. Harris’ death came days before the Steelers were set to retire his No. 32 jersey and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the "Immaculate Reception" at Acri...

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At the end of each calendar year, we reflect on the events of the past 12 months, noting the moments that stand out. Sometimes we look back farther into our shared history and recall the decades, acknowledging milestone events. This year the region reflects on one of the most exciting plays in NFL history, the “Immaculate Reception,” which celebrat...

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This year will mark 50 years since Steelers fans witnessed the play that changed the franchise forever: The Immaculate Reception! With training camp underway for the Steelers, Pittsburgh's Action News 4 anchor Andrew Stockey caught up with the man who made the immaculate reception happen, Franco Harris. Half a century after making one of the most u...

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Despite the weather and light rain, there was a modest turnout at the Columbus Day Parade that was held on Saturday in Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield neighborhood. Pittsburgh Steelers great and NFL Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris served as the Grand Marshal. The parade started on Liberty Avenue near West Penn Hospital and continued through Bloomfi...

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