Italian America Magazine - Fall 2021

Viva Le Bocce!

The World's Oldest Sport Continues to Thrive

The Streets of San Francisco Wept The Life and Legacy of Luisa Tetrazzini

The 57th Biennial Convention OSDIA Elects New Jersey Son President

The Truth that Trickled Out

Uncovering My Grandmother's Secret ! ly n O n

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ITALIAN AMERICA

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Find recipes and more at www.colavita.com

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FALL 2021

VOL. XXVI No. 4

Italian America

®

T h e O ff i c i a l P u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e O r d e r S o n s a n d D a u g h t e r s o f I t a l y i n A m e r i c a ®

FEATURES

10 16

AND THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO WEPT The Life and Legacy of Luisa Tetrazzini

By Julia Stier

VIVA LE BOCCE!

The World’s Oldest Sport Continues to Thrive

By Carla Gambrescia

22 28 ON THE COVER:

THE 57TH BIENNIAL CONVENTION OSDIA Elects New Jersey Son President

By Miles Ryan Fisher

THE TRUTH THAT TRICKLED OUT Uncovering My Grandmother’s Secret

By Laura DeStephano Ishler

Photo by krcmy

D E PA R T M E N T S 2 National News 3 Oggi 4 Regions 6 Mangia 8 Pagina Italiana

13 Bulletin Board 14 Our Story 15 Speakers Bureau 20 Book Reviews 26 OSDIA Nation

31 From the President's Desk 32 Foundation Focus 33 Fighting Stereotypes 35 The Last Word 36 Piacere

ITALIAN AMERICA is published by the ORDER SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF ITALY IN AMERICA 219 E Street NE • Washington, DC 20002 • Phone: (202) 547-2900 • Web: www.osia.org Editor-in-Chief: Miles Ryan Fisher mfisher@osia.org

Proofreaders: Peggy Daino, Marlene Palazzo

Writers: Anthony Sciarratta; Julia Stier; Charlie Sacchetti; Carla Gambrescia; Angelo Bianchi, Esq.; Laura DeStephano Ishler

To advertise: Contact ItalianAmerica@osia.org (202) 547-2900

Graphic Designer: Diane Vincent

Translator: Serena Lonigro

Italian America Magazine is a publication of the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America (OSDIA), the nation’s biggest and oldest organization for people of Italian heritage. To subscribe, see www.osia.org or call (202) 547-2900.

ITALIAN AMERICA

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NATIONAL NEWS

ITALIAN AMERICAN ISSUES AND EVENTS

Cleveland’s Little Italy Installs Rocky Colavito Statue On August 10, Cleveland Indians slugger Rocky Colavito celebrated his 88th birthday with the commemoration of his life-size statue in Cleveland’s Little Italy. The statue, which stands in Tony Brush Park, was installed by the Rocky Colavito Statue Committee as a way of memorializing one of Cleveland’s greatest and most beloved ballplayers.

(mark reinstein)

“It’s impossible to overstate just how much Rocky meant to a generation of Indians fans and to Italian Americans,” said Mark Sommer, a member of the Rocky Colavito Statue Committee. “Rocky always loved Cleveland and its fans, and it’s only fitting for him to be immortalized in Little Italy with a statue.”

Amidst a very emotional speech in which he paused to remark—“You see, that’s the Italian in you. You get very sentimental.”—Rocky Colavito paid tribute to the city he played in for eight seasons. “Cleveland is my favorite city in the whole wide world,” he said. “I’m really thankful and happy that God chose me to play in Cleveland.”

See this issue’s Piacere! page (page 36) for a special interview with “The Rock” himself.

OSDIA Facebook Live Series Kicks Off Season 4 On September 22, the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America (OSDIA) launched Season 4 of the OSDIA Live Interview Series. Its opening episode featured newly elected OSDIA National President Robert Bianchi, Esq., who spoke on the future of the Newly Elected OSDIA National President Robert A. Bianchi, Esq., talks about his organization. The fourth family history and the future of the Order. season will run for eight weeks and feature some exceptional guests, including University of Connecticut Women’s Basketball Coach Geno Auriemma on October 29 and Adriana Trigiani guest-hosting a special “Italian-American Children’s Book” episode on November 10.

The OSDIA Live Interview Series can be viewed on OSDIA’s Facebook and YouTube pages. Episodes air every Wednesday at 7 p.m. Past episodes and seasons can be viewed on OSDIA’s Facebook page as well. In total, the first three seasons garnered more than 550,000 views.

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Help OSDIA Surpass 1,000 Subscribers on YouTube!

Subscribe Now!

The “Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America” YouTube channel is running a campaign to surpass 1,000 subscribers by the end of the year. Help achieve the goal! Simply go on www.youtube.com and search “Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America.” The channel will be listed at the top, and all you have to do is click on the “Subscribe” button on the right side.

New content showcasing various aspects of Italian culture as well as the good work of the Sons of Italy Foundation will be posted on a weekly basis.

ITALIAN AMERICA

OGGI IN ITALIA

ITALY’S NEWS, POLITICS, AND CULTURE

Italy Claims Fastest Man in the World Lamont Marcell Jacobs, a relative unknown—even by his competitors—sprinted to Olympic Gold in the 100meter race in Tokyo last summer. Clocking a personal best time of 9.80 seconds, he surprised the field—and the world—by assuming the title of “World’s Fastest Man.” The title, which had been held for a decade by Usain Bolt, had not been held by a European since Linford Christie of Great Britain won gold in 1992.

Jacobs was born in El Paso, Texas, to an Italian mother and an American father (making him truly Italian American!). His parents had met while his father was stationed in Vincenza (Veneto region) while serving in the United States Army. After his parents separated, his mother took him with her to Italy when he was just six months old. It

Lamont Marcell Jacobs:

ITALIAN AMERICA

(Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)

was there, in the town of Desenzano del Garda (Lombardy region), that Jacobs grew up.

Upon winning gold, Jacobs expressed humility, especially knowing that his name would be new to many people.

“Hey, here I am,” he said, smiling.

In addition to winning the 100-meter race, Jacobs was also a part of Italy’s 4 x 100-meter relay team that also won gold at the Summer Olympics.

Italian Brothers Set Record for Largest Cherry Alberto and Giuseppe Rosso, brothers in a family that has grown cherries for more than a century, recently recorded the largest cherry ever grown, weighing 1.16 ounces.The cherry was grown in Pecetto Torinese, a town known for cherry-farming that is situated just outside Torino (Piedmont region).

This breaks the record that was set last February by a farmer from Ferrara (Emilia-Romagna region). Italy is one of the main cherry producers in the European Union and often is the leading producer, accounting for more than 100,000 tons of cherries annually. Most of the cherrygrowing occurs in the Puglia region followed by the regions of Campania, Emilia-Romagna,Veneto, and Lazio.

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REGIONS OF ITALY

ITALY’S TWENTY REGIONAL CAPITALS

Turin

Italy’s First Capital Turin, or Torino as it is called in Italy, is the capital of the Piedmont region situated along the western bank of the Po River, below the Susa Valley. Due to its position in the mountainous northwestern part of Italy, Turin is often referred to as “The Capital of the Alps.” Its origins lie in the Taurini, an ancient Celto-Ligurian people.

Serving as a capital is nothing new to Turin. It served as the Kingdom of Italy’s original capital from 1861 to 1865 and home to the royal family. Prior to that, it had served as the capital of the Duchy of Savoy and then the Kingdom of Sardinia ruled by the House of Savoy. Because it is the birthplace of several important figures involved in the Risorgimento, Turin is known as “the cradle of Italian liberty.”

FUN FACT: During the 1950s and 60s, Turin attracted so many southern Italians that it was said to be “the third southern Italian city after Naples and Palermo.

Turin’s political importance diminished during World War II, particularly because it was a main target for Allied bombings. However, during Italy’s postwar economic boom, Turin transformed into a major city for industry, commerce, and trade. Now, it comprises part of what is known as the “industrial triangle,” which also includes Milan and Genoa. One of Turin’s largest industries is the automotive industry, which was the city’s largest employer since before World War II. It serves as the headquarters for Fiat, Alfa Romeo, and Lancia.

Turin (Torino) Capital of: Piedmont Region Province: Metropolitan City

of Turin Population: 847,033 U.S. Sister Cities: Detroit, Michigan Salt Lake City, Utah

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Turin’s skyline, which prominently features the Mole Antonelliana protruding above the city along with the Alps towering in the background. (Fabio Lamanna) With its historical significance, it’s no surprise that Turin is rich with culture—including art galleries, museums, palaces, opera houses, and churches. Two of the most renowned museums are the Museo Egizio and the Mole Antonelliana while the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy, which is part of Turin’s historical center, is on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

Many of the city’s buildings showcase the Baroque style of architecture that was popular under the Kingdom of Savoy. One of the most visited landmarks is the Turin Cathedral, which is dedicated to the city’s patron saint, John the Baptist. It is here, in an extension of the cathedral called the Chapel of the Holy Shroud, where the Shroud of Turin is kept. The Shroud, which is a linen cloth that some say Jesus of Nazareth was wrapped and buried in after his crucifixion, bears an image in his likeness. Thousands of devoted followers make pilgrimages from everywhere in the world in order to see it during one of its rare public unveilings.

Of course, one of the main reasons Americans would be familiar with Turin is for having hosted the Winter Olympics in 2006. It also hosts two elite soccer teams: Juventus F.C., which is one of the most famous soccer clubs in the world, and Torino F.C. But no matter who you root for—or even if you don’t take in a game—there’s a lot to get excited about when visiting Turin.

ITALIAN AMERICA

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MANGIA!

Bruschetta with Honey Ricotta & Prosciutto

Baked Stuffed Mushrooms with Shallots & Breadcrumb

For the bruschetta: 1 loaf of Italian bread, cut into ½-inch slices 3-4 tablespoons olive oil 2 garlic cloves, peeled, sliced into halves Salt & pepper to taste

12 large white mushrooms 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling 1 shallot, peeled and minced 2-3 sprigs fresh Italian parsley, leaves minced ¾ cup breadcrumbs, preferably panko Salt & pepper to taste

For the topping: 1 15-ounce container of ricotta 2 tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon salt ¼ pound prosciutto, thinly sliced 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 2. Lay bread slices in one layer on a sheet pan. Brush lightly with olive oil. Rub cut sides of garlic onto top side of each slice. Toast in oven until golden, about 5 minutes.

3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine ricotta, honey, and salt. Mix well to combine.

4. Spread a layer of ricotta on each slice of toasted bread.

Rip the slices of prosciutto into smaller pieces, and add a few strips on top of each ricotta-topped bruschetta.

Serve.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Baked Stuffed Mushrooms with Shallots & Breadcrumb. (Photo by Chef Paulette)

2. Rinse the mushrooms briefly in cool water to clean off any loose dirt. Pat dry. Remove and mince the stems.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium sauté pan.

When hot, add minced mushroom stems and minced shallot. Cook 2-3 minutes until shallot softens. Add the parsley and breadcrumbs. Stir until breadcrumbs absorb some olive oil, about 1 minute. Season lightly with salt & pepper.

4. Line a baking pan with foil. Drizzle a thin layer of olive oil.

Place the mushroom caps on pan and season lightly with salt. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Using a small spoon, fill each cap with filling.

5. Roast for about 15-20 minutes until mushrooms have cooked through and topping is golden. Serve warm.

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Bruschetta with Honey Ricotta & Prosciutto.

(Photo by Italian America Magazine)

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ITALIAN AMERICA FALL 2021 6

MANGIA!

Lemony Risotto with Asparagus 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth 1 dozen asparagus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, minced 1 cup Arborio rice ½ cup dry white wine Zest from 2 small lemons ½ cup grated parmesan Salt to taste 1. Heat the broth in a medium pot until warmed. Keep on a low heat burner throughout the cooking.

2. Cut off the woody ends of the asparagus. Then cut asparagus into bite-sized pieces. Reserve.

3. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan or sauté pan with at least 2-inch sides, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When hot, add the onion and sauté until softened but not colored. Add the rice and stir until the rice is coated with oil and butter and heated until hot. Add the wine. The pan will sizzle with steam. Allow wine to evaporate, stirring to prevent the rice from sticking.

Lemony Risotto with Asparagus. (Photo by Italian America Magazine) 4. Start adding broth to the pan, about 1 cup at a time— the amount should come to ½-inch above the rice level.

Continue to stir until broth begins to evaporate. Then add more broth little by little, continuing to stir until the rice becomes al dente—about 12-15 minutes.

5. About three-quarters through cooking, add the cut asparagus. Season rice with a little salt.

6. When al dente, add 2 tablespoons of butter, the cheese, and lemon zest. Stir to combine. The consistency should be creamy and still moist. Adjust seasoning with salt if necessary. Serve immediately.

If you like this recipe, check out The Easy Italian Cookbook by Paulette Licitra. You can also find her at www.ChefPaulette.net, where she offers cooking classes over Zoom.

ITALIAN AMERICA

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PAGINA ITALIANA

PER CHI STUDIA LA NOSTRA LINGUA

Se solo il tempo potesse parlare TRANSLATED BY SERENA LONIGRO

“Il tempo non è dalla mia parte,” sussurrò Nonno Saverio.

Le lancette erano staccate dal quadrante bianco macchiato del suo Omega Seamaster. Le sue dita unte picchiettarono sul quadrante dell’orologio mentre le lancette danzavano attorno al vetro. Erano passati quasi quarant’anni da quando aveva sentito un solo ticchettio. L’orologio gli era stato regalato in Sicilia dal fratello Ernesto, prima del suo viaggio in America.

Le parole di Ernesto echeggiarono nella sua mente: “Se solo il tempo potesse parlare, che cosa direbbe?”

Quella domanda rimase senza risposta ed Ernesto se n’era andato da molto tempo. Nonno Saverio non aveva mai capito cosa volesse dire Ernesto. Perchè il tempo dovrebbe parlare? Quando i suoi capelli passarono da un bel biondo riccio al bianco lucido e sottile, finalmente capì. Il momento fu dolceamaro.

essere serviti con del basilico fresco.

Cenarono in silenzio, la loro attenzione focalizzata sul sugo appena fatto. Nonno Saverio si versò un bicchiere di vino da una bottiglia di Sanpellegrino riutilizzata. Con i resti dell’uva ancora sul fondo della bottiglia verde, Nonno Saverio ne versò alcune gocce nel bicchiere di Nino.

“Ricorda, Nino, quando si mangia un pasto, ci sono solo il vino o l’acqua,” disse Nonno Saverio.

Nino annuì, la bocca coperta di sugo.

Dopo cena ammucchiarono i piatti nel lavandino, sparecchiando la tavola per una partita al gioco della Scopa.

Le carte volarono sul tavolo con facilità, scivolando lungo la copertura di plastica del tavolo e incontrando la punta delle dita di Nino, macchiate di sugo.

“Il senso della vita si può trovare in un semplice gioco della Scopa,” borbottava Nonno Saverio mentre dava le carte.

“Resta in silenzio, scegli saggiamente e vai per l’oro.”

Questi pensieri attraversarono la sua mente mentre affettava dei pomodori freschi del giardino. Con lo sguardo vigile, controllava suo nipote, Nino.

Nino guardava pigramente la televisione, cercando di dare un senso al giornalista italiano della Rai, che parlava più veloce del suono, mentre aspettava che fosse pronto il suo sugo fresco. Non sapeva che in un batter d’occhio, il tempo avrebbe bussato anche alla sua porta. Prima che la punta del coltello quasi arrugginito tagliasse la buccia dei pomodori rossi e maturi, nonno Saverio si bloccò. Tirando un sospiro di sollievo, si tolse il Seamaster dal polso.

Con la forza che gli era rimasta, si inginocchiò davanti a Nino e si mise l’orologio intorno all’avambraccio. Il polso di Nino era ancora troppo piccolo.

“Aggiusta questo orologio e ascolta quello che ha da dirti,” disse Nonno Saverio con serietà. “Quando hai stabilito cosa ti dice, passalo a tuo figlio.”

Nino ridacchiò. “Gli orologi non parlano, Nonno.”

Nino guardò il suo orologio rotto. Nel frattempo, i pomodori rossi succosi sobbollivano in padella, pronti per FALL 2021

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Un suono debole attirò l’attenzione di Nino. Era il ticchettio di un orologio.

“Nonno,” sussurrò Nino.

“Silenzio!” tuonò Nonno Saverio.

(Photo by Anthony Sciarratta)

“Ma.”

“Ho detto silenzio!”

Il ticchettio si fece più forte. Nino diede uno sguardo all’orologio solo per controllare che fosse ancora rotto.

Le carte volarono sul tavolo mentre passavano i momenti preziosi.

Nino non osò sfidare il nonno parlando. Tutto quello che voleva dire era che il tempo aveva parlato.

Quando la partita di Scopa stava terminando, Nino capì che Nonno Saverio non aveva sentito il ticchettio dell’orologio. Il tempo finalmente parlò, ma aveva parlato solo a lui.

Serena Lonigro was born and raised in Napoli. She graduated from the University of Naples “L’Orientale” with a degree in Foreign Languages and Literatures and now works in marketing and news media.

ITALIAN AMERICA

PAGINA ITALIANA

If Only Time Could Talk

BY ANTHONY SCIARRATTA

“Time is not on my side,” Nonno Saverio whispered.

The dial was torn from the stained white face of his Omega Seamaster. His oily fingers poked the face of the clock as the dials danced around the glass. It had been nearly forty years since he had heard a single tick. The watch was given to him in Sicily by his brother, Ernesto, before his voyage to America.

Ernesto’s words echoed in his mind: “If only time could talk, what would it say?”

That question remained unanswered, and Ernesto was now long gone. Nonno Saverio never did understand what Ernesto was trying to say. Why would time talk? When his hair turned from a beautiful curly blonde to a shiny flat white, he finally understood. The moment was bittersweet.

These thoughts swept through his mind as he sliced fresh tomatoes from the yard. With eyes in the back of his head, he watched his grandson, Nino.

Nino idly watched television, trying to make sense of the Italian newscaster on Rai, who talked at speeds faster than sound, as he awaited his freshly made sauce. He was unaware that in the blink of an eye, time would soon be knocking on his door as well. Before the tip of the near rusted knife cut the skin of the plumply red tomatoes, Nonno Saverio halted. Giving a sigh of relief, he took the Seamaster off his wrist.

With the strength he had left, he knelt before Nino and placed the watch around his forearm. Nino’s wrist was still too small.

“Restore this watch and listen to what it has to tell you,” Nonno Saverio said earnestly. “When you determine what it tells you, pass it on to your child.”

The cards flew across the table with ease, gliding along the plastic table cover and finding the tips of Nino’s saucestained fingers.

“The meaning of life can be found in a simple game of Scopa,” Nonno Saverio mumbled as he dealt. “Stay silent, choose wisely, and go for the gold.”

A faint sound caught Nino’s attention. It was the ticking of a watch.

“Nonno,” Nino whispered.

“Silence!” boomed Nonno Saverio.

“But.” “I said silence!”

The ticking got louder. Nino glanced at the watch only to see that it remained in its same broken state. The cards flew across the table while precious moments passed.

Nino didn’t dare defy his grandfather by speaking. All he had wanted to say was that time had spoken.

As the end of the Scopa game neared, Nino realized that Nonno Saverio did not hear the ticking of the watch.

Time finally spoke, but it spoke only to him.

Anthony Sciarratta (sciarrattapr@gmail.com) is a proud Italian American born and raised in New York. Naturally, his writing has many Italian themes influenced by his Sicilian heritage.

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Nino giggled. “Watches can’t talk, Nonno.”

Nino glanced at his broken watch. Meanwhile, the plumply red tomatoes bubbled in a pan, ready to be served after being topped with fresh basil.

They ate dinner in silence, with their attention focused on the freshly made sauce. Nonno Saverio poured himself a glass of wine from a reused Sanpellegrino bottle. With the remnants of the grapes still sitting at the bottom of the green bottle, Nonno Saverio splashed a few drops into Nino’s glass.

“Remember, Nino, when eating a meal, there is only wine or water,” Nonno Saverio said.

Nino nodded, his mouth covered in sauce.

After dinner, they piled the dishes in the sink, clearing the table for a game of Scopa.

ITALIAN AMERICA

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BY JULIA STIER

The final notes of Auld Lang Syne settled over a crowd of 250,000. With a voice crisp and clear, one woman— dressed in white and sporting a large feather in her cap— used her gift of song to celebrate the comeback of a city.

It was a night many would not soon forget.

It was on Christmas Eve in 1910 that people flooded the streets of San Francisco to hear a live performance by world-famous opera singer, Luisa Tetrazzini. The open-air concert, offered free of charge, quite literally shut down the city as Tetrazzini took the “stage” at Lotta’s Fountain on Market Street.

San Francisco had been slowly rebuilding. Just four years before, the Great Earthquake of 1906 devastated the city and its inhabitants, leaving both lives and buildings in shambles. As San Francisco recovered, one little songbird sought to raise the spirits of the city that had first welcomed her to America.

The 39-year-old Luisa Tetrazzini—a coloratura soprano and bona fide star during the Golden Era of Opera—captivated her audience, delivering what the San Francisco Chronicle would, over 100 years later, call “the most astonishing encounter between a performer and an audience in the history of San Francisco.”

Luisa Tetrazzini, circa 1910.

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But as monumental as this moment was, the concert almost didn’t happen—thanks to a binding contract, a willful starlet, and a dispute with one famed American composer.

ITALIAN AMERICA

Luisa Tetrazzini was born on June 29, 1871 in Florence, Italy, and was tutored in singing at a young age. In fact, Tetrazzini claimed that she began to sing before she could walk, as stated in her singing manual On the Art of Singing by Tetrazzini and Enrico Caruso.

Her older sister, Eva, was a successful singer and likely inspired the young virtuoso to train. In 1890, Tetrazzini began studying voice at the Liceo Musicale, a secondary school that specializes in music and dance training.

Tetrazzini caught a lucky break when, only three months after starting at the Liceo Musicale, she made her professional debut in L’Africaine at the Pagliano Theatre in Florence. Her then-husband, Giuseppe Scalaberni, owned the theatre, and the two of them had often come to watch the show’s rehearsals. One night, the opera’s lead soprano called out sick, and it was decided that the night’s performance would be cancelled. However, in a turn of events reminiscent of the plot of Phantom of the Opera, Tetrazzini offered to step in and sing.

The stand erected for Tetrazzini’s free Christmas Eve concert at Lotta’s Fountain on Market Street in San Francisco. (San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library)

That night changed her life forever.

After her unconventional debut, Tetrazzini went on to perform the role for the Queen of Italy, Margaret of Savoy. This led Tetrazzini to perform on tour in Italy, after which her sister Eva’s husband, Cleofonte Campanini, a well-known conductor, was able to use his contacts so that Thousands in attendance take in Tetrazzini’s Christmas Eve performance. (San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library) Tetrazzini could begin performing abroad.

And perform abroad she did. Throughout the 1890s, razzini’s nine subsequent performances. Now a bona fide Tetrazzini toured Europe, Asia, South America, and Cenbeloved star in London, Tetrazzini would continue to tral America before finally making her North America debut sing at Covent Garden during their summer season from in 1904 in San Francisco.

1908 to 1912 in roles such In 1907, Tetrazzini re“This is the first place in the United States as Lakmé, Rosina, Violetta, turned to Europe for her Amina, Lucia, Leila, and debut at Covent Garden in where I sang, and I like San Francisco better Gilda.

London. There, she sang In 1908, she met Oscar than any other city in the world. I love no the role of Violetta in La Hammerstein—yes, that traviata during the house’s city more than this one. Where else could I Hammerstein, of Rodgers off-season. Although the and Hammerstein fame— sing outdoors on Christmas Eve?” house was only half full, and signed a contract with Tetrazzini’s performance him to perform at his Manearned her 20 curtain calls. hattan Opera House in New York City.

Thanks to the overwhelmingly positive reviews that ran in the papers the next day, the house was packed for TetITALIAN AMERICA

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Tetrazzini and San Francisco Mayor P.H. McCarthy on Verdi Day—March 23, 1914—at Golden Gate Park.

However, things got messy when the Metropolitan Opera bought the Manhattan Opera House. Hammerstein claimed that while the building had changed ownership, Tetrazzini was still under contract to perform for Hammerstein exclusively.

Not one to be told what to do, Tetrazzini left New York.

But Tetrazzini didn’t just cause a stir on stage, her own life was filled with enough passion, betrayal, and drama that one would not be wrong in thinking that the stories she enacted had rubbed off on her.

Married in 1889 to Giuseppe Scalaberni, Tetrazzini ran off with fellow singer Pietro Cesari only two years into the marriage. According to L’idea Magazine, the story goes that Tetrazzini got Scalaberni drunk, disguised herself as a sailor, and then took off for South America with Cesari by her side.

However, even that passionate tur n-ofevents was not enough to keep her sated. By 1904, her “constant bed-hopping” had Cesari “threatening to shoot the next rival.”

But Tetrazzini was always one step ahead.

When her next lover, tenor Giulio Rossi, left her a note in her dressing room, urging her to leave Cesari, Tetrazzini took his advice. She Luisa Tetrazzini and Enrico joined Cesari for dinner Caruso’s singing manual, On that night, then excused the Art of Singing. herself, claiming illness.

Little did he know that she had withdrawn all the money from their joint bank account and taken his revolver as she rendezvoused with Rossi and left the country that very night.

Meanwhile, when Tetrazzini left New York, threats of taking her to court followed her. Hammerstein wanted to sue Tetrazzini, invoking their contract and claiming that the only way Tetrazzini would be allowed to perform in the United States was for him.

On December 5, 1910, Hammerstein made good on his threat, and the two met in court.

Tetrazzini’s response won her the hearts of many. “I will sing in San Francisco if I have to sing in the streets. For I know that the streets of San Francisco are free.”

In another quote attributed to Tetrazzini, she declares her love for San Francisco.

“This is the first place in the United States where I sang, and I like San Francisco better than any other city in the world. I love no city more than this one. Where else could I sing outdoors on Christmas Eve?”

Many times, chefs would name dishes after famous customers who frequented their restaurants. This is believed to be the case with Chicken Tetrazzini, which was a casserole dish named for San Francisco’s beloved opera singer that consists of shredded chicken and mushrooms in a creamy sauce. (PI) FALL 2021

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Despite courts and contracts, on Christmas Eve of 1910, Tetrazzini, who had sung in lavish opera houses around the world, performed on the streets of the city she loved.

And the people of San Francisco wept as they applauded.

Julia Stier (julia.stier.freelance@gmail.com) is an LA-based actress and playwright. When she’s not in rehearsal, she loves to travel and write about her adventures.

ITALIAN AMERICA

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Do You Know Your Italian Roots?

If not, here’s your chance to win a Genealogy Research Project!

OPEN TO ALL CURRENT 2021 MEMBERS OF OSDIA! In honor of Italian American Heritage Month, the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America (OSDIA) is holding a “Family Photo” contest to win a genealogy research project donated by My Italian Family (valued at $3,000). Through the entire month of October 2021 and the first half of November 2021, all OSDIA members will be eligible to enter for a chance to win one of two available research projects: 1. Discover your family history all the way back to the late 1700s! The winner of the “5 Generations Back” Research Project will learn his or her ancestors’ names, occupations, where they grew up, and many more amazing historical details.

2. Reconnect to your living relatives! The “Living Relatives” Research Project will identify the winner’s Ancestor’s descendants in his or her town of origin in Italy. A great opportunity to discover potential Italian cousins.

Complete research results will be provided in both printed and electronic versions.

To enter this OSDIA-member contest, email an old photo of your Italian ancestors to NationalOffice@osia.org along with your name, address, lodge number (or specify that you are an at-large member), and a description of the photo. One entry per member. The contest will run from October 1, 2021, through November 15, 2021.

We extend very special thanks to Bianca Ottone, owner of My Italian Family, LLC, for generously donating the research project for this contest. Not the winner of the contest? Sign in to the Members Only community of OSIA.org for details about a special discount on research and other services from My Italian Family for Sons and Daughters of Italy members. Visit www.myitalianfamily. com for more information.

Send in your old family photo for the chance to win your Italian Family Tree (valued at $3,000)! * OFFICIAL RULES: Only current members of the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America (OSDIA) are eligible to enter. One entry per member. The photo submission must be emailed between October 1, 2021, and November 15, 2021. By submitting your photo, you authorize OSDIA to use, reproduce, exhibit, distribute, and publish this photo within the context of this competition and for any other lawful purpose, now or in the future, in any other medium including, but not limited to, television, print media, magazines, journals, books, articles, Internet and social media. You further acknowledge that you will not be entitled to payment, royalty or compensation for any use of this photo, now or in the future. The winner will be selected by December 3, 2021, and contacted directly by the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America. For a full Official Rules, please visit www.osia.org/familyphotocontest

Sons and Daughters of Italy Scholarships Applications Now Open!

Every year, the Sons of Italy Foundation (SIF) awards 1015 scholarships that assist outstanding Italian-American students with their college and graduate studies. Grants awarded are up to $20,000 per student, and all scholarship recipients are invited to be guests at the SIF’s annual National & Education Leaderships Awards (NELA) Gala. Each applicant will receive a one-year At-Large Membership to the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America, which includes a one-year subscription to Italian America magazine.

Scholarship information and application can be found on www.osia.org/programs/scholarships.

Contact scholarships@osia.org for questions or assistance.

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Scholarship recipients at the NELA Gala.

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OUR STORY

ITALIAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE

Keeping “In Touch”

BY CHARLES SACCHETTI

On June 26, 1979, my wife, Luann, and I were blessed with our first child: a beautiful, little daughter, Rosanne.

Everyone in the family was thrilled. She would have four loving grandparents to shower her with a ton of love. My parents had two granddaughters, from my sister and her husband, so the birth of our daughter was extra special for my wife’s parents, Fred and Rose Sorbello, who now had their first grandchild.

Rose was a loving lady who exuded femininity. She was the ideal motherin-law, never butting into our affairs.

While delivering her eulogy, I joked that my only complaint with her was that I could never tell “mother-in-law” jokes because she was so nice. Fred was a handsome, hard-working, gregarious man and also quite the kidder.

walk gave me time to reflect upon the events of the last week and to ponder my new responsibilities. On the way, I thought of Fred and said a quick prayer, thinking, ‘Boy, Dad, too bad you’re not around. Now you have a grandson who could really make use of a hammer.’

Soon after, we left for New Jersey.

After about a mile, I saw a fairly large object in the street, which I would have to avoid. Approaching it, my heart leapt, and I let out an audible “Whoa,” startling Rose. There, in the middle of the road, was a brand-new, shiny hammer. I kept driving, adrenaline pumping, and told Rose the whole story, from my walk to the store up to that very moment. She looked at me in amazement.

Was this a coincidence? Fifty-six Like Rose, Luann is a meticulous years of driving and I had never enhousekeeper, a surprise for anyone countered a hammer in the road. I who knew her as a child. Little Luann have, unfortunately, met up with a was a holy terror, grabbing everything nail or two. Naturally, this story passed in sight, knocking things over, jumpthrough the entire family the day it ing on furniture, and just generally occurred.

A recreated setting of a hammer getting into mischief. Her father saw lying in “Mary’s Garden” in the same Two decades later, Michael was a spot as the one that was left for his opportunity for a little “payback.” young man contemplating a proposal Michael, just before he proposed to He quickly stated his intention to Gina. of marriage to the love of his life, Gina. teach the baby how to run around the Despite his euphoria, he has natural house and perform feats of mayhem. anxiety about how his life will change forever. He decides At her first birthday party, he was true to his word. His to pop the question after Sunday mass at the Church of gift box contained a very realistic-looking toy hammer to the Sacred Heart in Riverton, New Jersey. be used by the baby after his “personal instruction.”

After mass, the young couple strolls into “Mary’s GarThree years later, our son, Michael, came along. Lu- den,” a scenic shrine dedicated to the Blessed Mother. His ann’s pregnancy was bittersweet as her Dad was engaged nervousness immediately disappears when he looks at a in a courageous battle with lung cancer. Fred died two nearby bench and sees … a shiny hammer just sitting there. months before our son’s birth, so Michael’s arrival was He then realizes that his “Pop-Pop” was giving him the greeted with emotions of every type. Rose came to our message: “Go for it, kid, and don’t worry about a thing.” house in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, to lend a hand while Luann was getting back on her feet.

Charles Sacchetti (Worthwhilewords21@gmail.com) is the Three days later, it was time to take her back home to author of two books, It’s All Good: Times and Events I’d Never Want to Change and Knowing He’s There: True New Jersey. Earlier that morning, I decided to stroll to Stories of God’s Subtle Yet Unmistakable Touch. the shopping center to pick up a few things. The half-mile FALL 2021

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SPEAKERS BUREAU

LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR CULTURE & HISTORY

Sons & Daughters of Italy Speakers Bureau Need a speaker for your club meeting or a special event? Contact these experts directly. Some may require travel expenses and/or honorariums. For a complete list of speakers, visit www.osia.org and click “Speakers Bureau” under the tab labeled “Programs.” To apply as a speaker, contact Miles Fisher at mfisher@osia.org Don’t forget: You can host speakers over Zoom!

• ALABAMA Author Barbara Barcellona Smith speaks about writing, Italian culture, and her children’s book, Let’s Eat Snails! She has worked in radio, television, and corporate marketing, and also worked in the public school system, teaching English as a Second Language.

She incorporates a fun and engaging 30-minute author video into her speaking engagements. Book signing.

Contact: (334) 477-3735 Email: barbara.barcellona. smith@gmail.com Website: barbarabarcellonasmith.com Will also travel to: Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee

• OHIO Author Gerardo Perrotta speaks about Italian themes on U.S. Postage Stamps and conducts a travelogue called Calabria by Stamps. He has published a book, Phila-Italy Americana: Italian Themes on United States Postage Stamps, and has given several live audience presentations on Italian-related themes at the University of Cincinnati OLLI (Learning in Retirement) Program. He is also an instructor of Italian at the Amici School of Languages in Cincinnati.

Contact: (513) 451-8701 Email: perrotg@yahoo.com

• CALIFORNIA History and Italian teacher Mark Nemetz Tedesco speaks about the magic of the city of Rome—its stories, people, and history—and his recent book—She Seduced Me: A Love Affair in Rome. Book signing.

Contact: (760) 773-7259 Email: markfnemetz@ gmail.com Website: https://www.marktedesco.com

• PENNSYLVANIA Managing Director of Little Italy Productions Joseph Puglisi speaks about topics related to the creation of a feature film—such as writing a script, hiring a cast and crew, acting in a film, and marketing a film. He is Executive Producer, writer, and actor for the recent feature film That’s Amore.

Contact: (724) 316-5635 Email: j.puglisi@comcast.net Website: Facebook-Joe Puglisi Will also travel to: Anywhere

• CONNECTICUT Lecturer, Instructor, and Genealogist Toni Anastasio McKeen speaks about various cities and areas in Italy (such as Matera, Pisa, Rome, Venice, Amalfi Coast, Sicily), history of the Renaissance and the great masters (writers, sculptors, painters, architects), and many Italian and Italian-American men and women who have made long lasting contributions to the world in science, music, banking, and inventions. She plans and leads small groups to Italy every year, giving personalized tours rich in the culture and history of the country. Contact: (203) 431-9973 Email: tonimckeen47@hotmail.com Will also travel to: West Chester County • NEW YORK Author and College Writing Instructor Maria Giura, Ph.D. speaks about “Writing the Italian in Your Memories” and conducts an hour-long teaching workshop. She is the author of the awardwinning memoir Celibate and the award-winning poetry collection What My Father Taught Me. She has more than a decade of teaching experience. Workshop and Book Signing. Contact: (718) 979-1272 Email: mariagiura1@gmail.com Website: https://www.mariagiura.com ITALIAN AMERICA

• WASHINGTON Clergyman and Professor Rutherford Johnson speaks about numerous topics, including Italians as the Forgotten Minority, Italy before the Savoy Kingdom and Republic, the Pontifical States, Ancient Roman Society, Italy as an ancient cultural melting pot, the Renaissance and Baroque, and more. He has a Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky in Agricultural Economics and a Master of Liberal Arts from Harvard University Extension School. Email for a complete list of topics with full descriptions.

Email: AulaSMW@aol.com Website: www.rutherfordjohnson.com Will also travel to: Anywhere • ITALY Italian and Italian History Teacher Virna Chessari speaks about literature and her bilingual Italian/English poetry collection entitled The Ulysses Butterfly (La farfalle di Ulisse).

Email: ulyssesbutterfly447@gmail.com Website: https://www.facebook.com/virna.chessari.5 FALL 2021 15

BY CARLA GAMBRESCIA

No portrayal of the Italy that we have in our collective imagination is complete without a scene of older men playing bocce in a town square.

Bocce has long been a part of Italian life, dating back to the early days of the Roman Republic. But despite our reflexive association of bocce with Italy, its lineage can actually be traced back to Ancient Egypt, thousands of years earlier. Tossing balls toward a target is the oldest game known to man.

An Egyptian tomb painting circa 5200 B.C. depicts two boys playing a game with rocks that looks remarkably like bocce. The game’s popularity likely spread throughout Palestine and Asia Minor and, by 800 B.C., into Greece. The illustrious physician, Hippocrates, noted in his writings that the game’s athleticism and spirit of competition rejuvenated both the mind and body. And, as with so much else, the sport was adopted by the Romans from the Greeks.

Representations of bocce can be found in ancient artwork.

During the Punic Wars, circa 246 B.C., Roman soldiers used fruits or coconuts to play games of bocce, an entertaining way for them to pass the time. Later, hard olive wood was used to carve out balls of uniform size. The rules of the game as we play it today

A bocce court built in former times.

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A family playing bocce in Buenos Aires, Argentina (circa 1902), where many Italians immigrated

are thought to have been established back then. Easy and versatile, the game caught on, spread throughout the Empire, and was enjoyed as a “democratic sport” that could be played anywhere and everywhere by everyone from all walks of life—the young and the old, men and women, peasants and patricians. It was embraced by Emperor Augustus and other Roman statesmen.

But the times were changing. During the late Middle Ages, Europe was governed by the feudal system, and the popularity of bocce among the peasants became a matter of concern for the ruling class—so much so that in 1319 A.D. Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV issued a decree restricting the game to landowners and nobility, exclusively.

The reasoning behind the ban was that bocce represented a distraction for the workers, and its popularity was also thought to interfere with local security. The ban also made it mandatory for able-bodied men to instead practice archery in their free time so that they would be prepared to defend the territories of the landowner in the ITALIAN AMERICA

event of an armed conflict. This also applied to craftsmen like bow-makers and arrow-makers. In a futile attempt to discredit these bans, several doctors from France’s University in Montpellier claimed that playing bocce had a therapeutic benefit in treating rheumatism (and they were probably right!).

During the Renaissance the sport flourished as a favorite pastime of Italian courts and among the privileged classes up and down the peninsula. It was enjoyed by poets, scholars, and the cognoscenti (persons having superior

knowledge in a particular field). Both Leonardo and Galileo were known to be bocce enthusiasts.

Its popularity continued to grow among the privileged classes throughout Europe and was particularly embraced by French and English nobility—Henry VIII and, later, his daughter, Elizabeth I, were avid players. In 1511, Henry VIII even levied a tax on bowling greens to ensure that the game could only be played by the landowners. Bocce was not, however, the only sport to face such embar-

A typical recreational bocce court with a flat surface and wooden sides. (photostocklight) FALL 2021 17

U.S. Postal Service Introduces Bocce Stamp

An outdoor bocce park in Milan. (Paolo Bona)

goes, as other classist prohibitions on sports such as tennis and soccer were common throughout the continent at this time.

But the popularity of bocce continued to flourish. Sir Francis Drake, best known for his circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition, was even said to have refused to interrupt his bocce game despite a threatening naval advance by the Spanish. “First we finish the game, then we’ll deal with the Armada,” he said to those trying to hurry him along.

prohibit clergyman from playing the game, proclaiming bocce an instrument of gambling and therefore a tool of the devil. Even the Venetians, with their famous laissez-faire attitude toward almost all pleasurable pursuits, ended up condemning bocce publicly on December 11, 1576. Violators were punished with fines and imprisonment. It is generally believed that this official condemnation was likely a consequence of the difficulty in taxing an activity that could pop up spontaneously in any square.

In addition to the prohibitive taxes, there was also a strong denunciation issued by the Catholic Church to discourage the laity and to officially

In spite of all these bans, the seemingly innocuous act of tossing balls toward a target endured. Up to the time of the Risorgimento, Italians

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On August 12, 2021, the United States Postal Service introduced a set of stamps celebrating the recreational backyard games that Americans play. The Backyard Games Forever stamps consist of eight games—including badminton, cornhole, croquet, flying disc, horseshoes, tetherball, and pickup baseball, in addition to bocce. The stamps were dedicated during a ceremony at the Great American Stamp Show 2021 that took place at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois.

“Stamp collecting has become a great American tradition, just as the backyard games we’re celebrating today have become American traditions,” said Judy de Torok, USPS Corporate Affairs Vice President.

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in remote rural regions still played bocce, often competing clandestinely in underground bocce courts to evade the attention of the law.

It was the great man of the people, Giuseppe Garibaldi, also an enthusiast and avid proponent of the sport, who lifted bocce out of the shadows while he was unifying Italy. In 1896, during a broader resurgence of popularity, the first Bocce Olympiad was held in Athens, and the game has been a part of international sports ever since.

Shortly afterward, bocce leagues were formed throughout Europe, first in France and then in Italy (specifically northern Italy). These two countries paved the way for international interest in bocce as a formal sport, and today, Italy and France are the most prominent competitors in the annual

World Bocce Championship.

Bocce got a further boost in global exposure by the great wave of Italian immigrants that brought the game with them to America at the turn of the 20th century. Eager to hold onto touchstones and traditions from the life they left behind and to establish new social and community bonds, they continued to play bocce in their new neighborhoods.

Even serious American history buffs may not be aware that George Washington enjoyed playing bocce so much that he built his own court at Mount Vernon in the 1780s; or that an early American playing field was Bowling Green at the southern tip of Manhattan; or that the oldest bocce membership organization in

the United States is San Francisco’s Aquatic Park Bocce Club.

Today, there are hundreds of other clubs and leagues in the United States, with well over a hundred thousand active members. The United States Bocce Federation says interest in the sport is on rise, with more than 25 million Americans playing it casually. It is second only to soccer as the world’s biggest participant sport.

So one can say that bocce in the United States, and worldwide, is on a roll.

Carla Gambescia (Carla@LaDolceVitaU.com) is a lecturer, photographer and author of La Dolce Vita University. Visit her websites: ladolcevdu.com and postcardsfromtheboot.com.

Bocce for Beginners!

The traditional game of bocce is played on clay, natural soil, or asphalt courts that are approximately 70-90 feet long and 8-14 feet wide.The walls of the court are typically made of wood or stone. Bocce balls are traditionally made of wood as well, though some are made of metal, baked clay, or plastic.

The game is between two teams of one to four players (typically the same amount of players on each team).

Each team has four bocce balls. A small white ball called the pallino, or jack, is placed at one end of the court.

Both teams bowl their balls from the other end of the court. The objective of the game is for the team to get its bocce balls closer to the pallino.

One team starts the game with one of its players bowling a ball with the intention of getting it as close to the pallino as possible. A player on the other team then bowls a ball. The following turn is determined by which team has the ball that is closest to the pallino, with the team that does not taking the next turn. Each ensuing turn continues in this fashion—going to whichever team does not have the ball that is closest to the pallino—until one team has used up all their balls. At that time, the other team then bowls all of its remaining balls. Players may try to strategically strike other balls on the court, including the pallino.

The team with the ball closest to the pallino receives one point per each ball they have that is closer to the pallino than that of the other team’s closest ball. The team that scores then begins the next round with the first bowl. Games are played up to a set point total—typically 12, 15, or 21.

Of course, there are many variations to the game of bocce, like the surface of play, the alternating of turns, the distance to the pallino, or the final set point total. But whether it’s played on a court, in the backyard, or on the beach, it’s important to remember the reason that the game of bocce has survived for thousands of years—simply because people love to play it!

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BOOK REVIEWS

FALL 2021

UNDER THE LIGHT OF THE ITALIAN MOON

By Jennifer Anton

On the eve of World War I, Nina is just ten years old with an entire life ahead of her. She grows up in Fonzaso, a town in the Veneto region.

And while much of Under the Light of the Italian Moon is set against the backdrop of Mussolini’s subsequent rise to power and the onset of World War II, the story focuses on themes that transcend any specific time period—themes such as childbirth and child loss, womanhood, and family.

“It came down to getting documents in order. Paperwork. How many fates lay on desks in office trays hoping to make it to the top of the pile before the decision-makers went home for dinner. Every minute lost to a toilet break or a long lunch meant another day a family stayed apart. Destinies decided in mundane pauses.”

Nina’s mother, Adelasia, works as a midwife, aiding pregnant women in the surrounding villages, and inspires Nina to follow in her footsteps. Meanwhile, the man that Nina marries, Pietro, leaves for America in search of opportunity. He finds this in the coal mines of Joliet, Illinois, and begins saving money to bring Nina and their children over.

The novel vividly illustrates Mussolini’s rise, which initially comes with positive changes—such as domestic grain production, the building of the Autostrade, and programs for families and orphans. This, however, gradually gives way to changes that reflect a steady erosion of rights—such as taxes levied against unmarried men and the collection of gold wedding rings to help fund war in Africa.

As the horrors of World War II mount, the novel steadily shines a spotlight on family, both in the struggle to survive and the struggle to build a better life. Nina endures these struggles in the only way a mother can and hopes that one day it will lead her and her children back to Pietro. Through Nina’s life, author Jennifer Anton captures the resilience of women in the face of tragedy and sorrow.

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LAST SUMMER IN THE CITY

By Gianfranco Calligarich Last Summer in the City is an unromanticized and gritty novel in which the main character, Leo Gazzara, takes readers through his wayward summer of despair in Rome. Through Gazzara’s narration, Rome becomes a very humanized place, one that—like any city—is not perceived as being nearly as majestic when you live there. Through this, author Gianfranco Calligarich gives a very honest feel for the streets of Rome and daily life.

Leo, who works for the newspaper Corriere dello Sport, weaves his Alfa Romeo through Rome as he tries to find himself and gain his footing in the world of adulthood.

It’s always the teeth that betray that a person was born poor, the teeth and the eyes, and Graziano had known a lot of hunger during the war. They’d had to operate on him twice before they’d discovered that what gave him those pains in his stomach was simply the memory of the hunger he’d experienced as a child.

He pursues a summer love, Arianna, a character whose personality is charmingly reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn’s Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Together, they frequent many recognizable places—from Piazza Navona to Piazza di Spagna—as Arianna’s capriciousness constantly lures Leo in before casting him back out.

While Leo can be despondent, aimless, and at times indulgent, he feels strikingly real, a character that is neither embellished nor glorified. It is in this vein that the overall mood and literary writing style of the novel bears a stark resemblance to John Fante’s Ask the Dust, a work which later greatly influenced Charles Bukowski.

With main characters whose actions and narration share such similarity, Last Summer in the City and Ask the Dust mirror each other in many ways. Any reader who has appreciated Fante’s work will appreciate Calligarich’s, which certainly stands on its own merit as a fine literary novel.

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On The Bookshelf Books by and about Italian Americans

A

tuscan treasury Recipes My Nonna Taught Me

by Francena Hall

Celebrate Italian Heritage Month with a copy of my cookbook Recipes My Nonna Taught Me for the special sale price of $10 (regularly $13) and FREE Shipping.

My cookbook is filled with several recipes

Stories of love, courage and adventure from award-winning author

Paul SalSini Amazon.com

using fresh garden vegetables for fall including zucchini and eggplant.

dedicated to My nonna who inspired Me to cook.

Send $10 to:

Francena Hall 125 Boyce Road Centerville, OH 45458 937-433-7313 fslyd@aol.com

My cookbook makes a wonderful stocking stuffer or hostess gift. Your cookbook collection is not complete without a copy of my cookbook.

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THE 57TH BIENNIAL CONVENTION

OSDIA Elects New Jersey Son President A UG U ST 14 , 20 21

In its 116th year, the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America® (OSDIA) officers gathered in Jersey City, New Jersey, to elect the leaders who will forge the future of the oldest and largest national organization for people of Italian heritage. Robert A. Bianchi, Esq. of New Jersey was elected as OSDIA’s 38th National President and sworn in on August 14. He will assume leadership from Immediate Past President Nancy DiFiore Quinn.

“We came into a tremendous challenge last year … personally, professionally, and as an organization,” President Bianchi said in his acceptance speech. “And I applaud Nancy because … we showed the power of what (technology) can do. And we showed the power of what a great leader like Nancy can do when she allows the talent in the organization to help out.”

OSDIA’S NEW NATIONAL OFFICERS Joining OSDIA National President Bianchi are the following officers: • Joseph A. Boncore, Esq. of Massachusetts, National First Vice President • Michael G. Polo of Connecticut, National Second Vice President • Thom A. Lupo of New York, National Third Vice President • Dr. Mark S. DeNunzio of Florida, National Fourth Vice President • Tony Bisceglia Anderson of Northwest, National Fifth Vice President And • Frank Gattuso, Esq. of New Jersey, National Orator • John Saladino of Massachusetts, National Recording Secretary • Louis R. Santoro of New Jersey, National Financial Secretary • Joseph Rondinelli of New York, National Treasurer • Lynn Lawrence-Murphy of California, National Historian • Rev. R. Adam Forno of Florida, National Chaplain National Past President Joseph Sciame of New York was appointed and elected to continue serving as President of the Sons of Italy Foundation® (SIF), OSDIA’s philanthropic arm. Established in 1959, the SIF has contributed more than $166 million to scholarships, medical research, disaster relief efforts, cultural projects, veterans’ causes and other special projects.

OSDIA National President Robert A. Bianchi, Esq., with his father, Angelo Bianchi, who served two-terms as CSJ President. (Photo by Mary Kovach) FALL 2021

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Immediate Past State President Robert M. Ferrito of New York was appointed and elected to continue serving as National President of the Commission for Social Justice® (CSJ), OSDIA’s anti-defamation arm. The CSJ fights the stereotyping of Italian Americans. He plans on launching an aggressive campaign to preserve Columbus Day.

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OSDIA National Officers take an oath to uphold the principles of the Order. (Photo by Lisa Marie Falbo)

“My father used to say this to us as kids because I grew up in a coal-mining region where you couldn’t find anyone Italian, he said, ‘You may be the only person that someone meets today of Italian-American heritage— how are you going to present yourself in the world?’”

Adriana Trigiani, Opening Address of the 57th Biennial Convention

A view of the Manhattan skyline from Jersey City. (L. to R.) OSDIA National President Robert A. Bianchi, Esq., Lisa Marie Falbo, OSDIA National 4th Vice President Dr. Mark S. DeNunzio, Mary Kovach, and Justin Smith.

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OSDIA National President Robert A. Bianchi, Esq., with his wife, Michele, and father, Angelo. (Photo by Lisa Marie Falbo)

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OSDIA’S 38TH NATIONAL PRESIDENT Robert A. Bianchi Bob Bianchi is the National President of the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America (OSDIA), the highest position attainable in the Order.

OSDIA Past National Presidents hold up the Order’s banner.

(L. to R.) Daniel J. Longo, Joseph A. Russo, Philip Boncore, Esq., Joanne Strollo, Vincent Sarno, Paul S. Polo, Joseph J. DiTrapani, Nancy DiFiore Quinn, and Joseph Sciame.

Not Pictured: Vera Ferrara Girolami, who attended via Zoom.

(Photo by Lisa Marie Falbo)

The full 57th Biennial Convention will be a virtual event on Columbus Day week of October. OSDIA will present the Marconi Award to Award-Winning Actor Gary Sinise and the Sports Award to Former Major League Baseball Player and Manager Bobby Valentine. The Vincenzo Sellaro Award will be presented to OSDIA National Past Presidents Vera Ferrara Girolami and Vincent Sarno at the Plenary Session in Charleston, South Carolina, this February.

OSDIA’s State Presidents Barbara Fumosa Wisniewski, California John Carochi, Colorado Neil Velleca, Jr., Connecticut Joseph Facciolo, Delaware Tony Cianciotta, Florida Paul Loparco, Illinois/Wisconsin Denise Furnari, Massachusetts Anita Lombardi Riley, Maryland Dan Matuella, Nebraska Diane Santoro, New Jersey Michelle Ment, New York Linda Anderson, Northwest David Corsi, Ohio Nancy Timperio Porcelli, Pennsylvania John J. Bonaventura, Rhode Island Larry Brennan, Virginia Richard Viglianco, West Virginia

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President Bianchi is the founding law partner at The Bianchi Law Group, LLC, located in Parsippany, New Jersey (https://bianchilawgroup. com). Bianchi leads a team of former prosecutors who represent those criminally charged with crimes in Federal, State, and Municipal Court(s).

On May 10, 2007, Robert A. Bianchi, Esq., was nominated by the Governor of the State of New Jersey to serve as the Morris County Prosecutor. As the chief law enforcement officer of Morris County, Bianchi was in charge of all prosecutions and police agencies in the county.

President Bianchi is a National TV Legal Analyst and appears regularly on numerous national TV outlets. He is also a host/anchor at the Law & Crime Network, a Dan Abrams production. He can be seen at https://lawandcrime.com.

Robert A. Bianchi, Esq., graduated from Seton Hall Preparatory School in 1981. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree, Magna Cum Laude, in American Studies/History from Providence College in 1985. He continued his education and earned his Juris Doctor degree from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1988 and was admitted to the New Jersey State Bar as an Attorney at Law in 1988.

Mr. Bianchi’s father, Angelo Bianchi, was the president of OSDIA’s Commission for Social Justice for two terms and has been a member of OSDIA for decades. Angelo always inspired his family to be proud of their Italian heritage and is the author of “I am an Italian American” which has been reproduced domestically and internationally for many years and hangs on the walls of many famous dignitaries throughout the world.

Mr. Bianchi is married to Michele Barrett Bianchi, who is also an OSDIA member and a retired medical assistant. Michele has always been supportive of her husband’s dedication to the Order and has accompanied him on many journeys in support of the work that OSDIA performs. They live with their lovely terrier/beagle mix, Holly—also known as “The Legal Beagle.”

Robert Bianchi Media Kit: bit.ly/RABMediaKit Robert Bianchi TV Appearances: bit.ly/RABPlayList

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“I am an Italian American”

By Angelo Bianchi, Esq.

I am an Italian American. My roots are deep in an ancient soil drenched by the Mediterranean sun and watered by pure streams from snow-capped mountains.

I am enriched by thousands of years of culture. My hands are those of the mason, the artist, the man of the soil. My thoughts have been recorded in the annals of Rome, the poetry of Virgil, the Creations of Dante, and the philosophy of Benedetto Croce.

I am Italian American and from my ancient world, I first spanned the seas to the New World. I am Cristoforo Colombo.

I am Giovanni Caboto known in American history as John Cabot, discoverer of the mainland of North America.

I am Amerigo Vespucci, who gave my name to the New World, America.

First to sail on the Great Lakes in 1679, founder of the territory that became the State of Illinois, colonizer of Louisiana and Arkansas, I am Enrico Tonti.

I am Filippo Mazzei, friend of Thomas Jefferson, and my thesis on the equality of man was written into the Bill of Rights.

I am William Paca, signer of the Declaration of Independence.

I am an Italian American. I financed the Northwest Expedition of George Rogers Clark and accompanied him through the lands that would become Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan. I am Colonel Francesco Vigo.

I mapped the Pacific from Mexico to Alaska and to the Philippines. I am Alessandro Malaspina.

I am Giacomo Beltrami, discoverer of the source of the Mississippi River in 1823.

I created the Dome of the United States Capitol. They called me the Michelangelo of America. I am Constantino Brumidi.

In 1904, I founded in San Francisco, the Bank of Italy now known as the Bank of America, the largest financial institution in the world. I am A.P. Giannini.

I am Guglielmo Marconi, the discoverer of wireless telegraphy and radio. I am the true inventor of the telephone.

I am Antonio Meucci of Staten Island, New York.

I am Enrico Fermi, father of nuclear science in America. First enlisted man to win the Medal of Honor in World War II, I am John Basilone of New Jersey. I am the founder of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart and the first U.S. citizen to be canonized a saint.

I am Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini.

I am an Italian American. I am the million strong who served in America’s armies and the tens of thousands whose names are enshrined in military cemeteries from Guadalcanal to the Rhine.

I am the steel maker in Pittsburgh, the grower in the Imperial Valley of California, the textile designer in Manhattan, the movie maker in Hollywood, the homemaker and the breadwinner in 10,000 communities.

I am an American without stint or reservation, loving this land as only one who understands history, its agonies and its triumphs can love it and serve it.

I will not be told that my contribution is any less nor my role not as worthy as that of any other American.

I will stand in support of this nation’s freedom and promise against all foes.

My heritage has dedicated me to this nation. I am proud of my full heritage, and I shall remain worthy of it.

I am an Italian American.

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OSDIA NATION

OSDIA LODGES AT WORK

SOUTH CAROLINA

WASHINGTON

Seeking to counter the effects of lost membership during and after COVID-19, Myrtle Beach Lodge #2662 decided to hold an aggressive Membership Drive last April. Using their own building—complete with a dining room, bar, kitchen, and bocce courts—to promote the lodge, members launched an advertising campaign utilizing as many etc.— were served buffet style, and free resources as possible. at least one long-term member was A four-person Membership Com- seated at each table. A silent video mittee placed announcements on highlighting the lodge’s many activiCraigslist, put flyers on bulletin boards ties looped on a large television. Each in neighborhood amenity centers, table had a small photo album showposted on their Facebook page and ing lodge members at work and play.

On May 15, 2021, Grand Lodge of the Northwest Immediate State Past President Rosetta Stella Beyersdorf and Jeff D’Amelio were honored with The Rosellini Award, which is presented at the Grand Lodge of the Northwest Convention every two years. The award is named for Governor Rosellini, who served the State of Washington as its 15th Governor from January 14, 1957 – January 13, 1965.

He remains the only Italian American to serve in this position.

website, and put weekly announcements on NextDoor.com (a free nationwide social networking service for individual neighborhoods in which posts made to the website are available only to other NextDoor members living in the same neighborhood). They also posted to numerous Myrtle Beachbased websites such as the Chamber of Commerce, local event calendars, etc.

The only paid advertising included a $60 Facebook boost for local users and $400 to run several ads in the local newspaper the week of the event.

On the day of the Membership Drive, members greeted each visitor and showed them around the building and grounds. Heavy hors d’oeuvres— wings, meatballs, sausages & peppers,

After all attendees had an opportunity to eat, visit, and ask questions, a brief presentation was given. First, the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America’s video about the Order’s history—Triumphant Journey—was shown. Then members were assigned to speak briefly about lodge activities and benefits—such as weekly dinners and pasta nights, bocce/dart/golf leagues, fundraising tournaments, special events, and the local and national charities the lodge supports.

The event lasted two hours, and by the end of the evening, nearly every visitor in attendance had signed up …

44 new members in one day! In addition to that, about two-dozen people in the following two months came in to join, saying their friends had been in attendance and recommended that they sign up, too. Thanks to the hard work of the Membership Committee and the participation of many volunteers, the Myrtle Beach Lodge gained about 70 new members and surpassed its pre-pandemic numbers!

Myrtle Beach Lodge members host nearly fifty visitors (and now-members) at their Membership Drive last April.

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The Rosellini Award was created in 2011 by now-OSDIA National 5th Vice President Tony Anderson. Its very first recipient was John Croce.

Rosetta Stella Beyersdorf and Jeff D’Amelio proudly hold their awards at the Grand Lodge of the Northwest Convention.

Have you or your lodge done something remarkable that makes a difference to your community or promotes our heritage and Italian studies? If so, send details including your lodge’s name/ number, a brief write-up, and digital photos of 300 dpi to Editor Miles Fisher at mfisher@osia.org ITALIAN AMERICA

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

VIRGINIA Before their monthly meeting and dinner, Roma Lodge #254 of Virginia Beach set up a table at the front of the stage inside their lodge displaying 13 flags in honor of the American soldiers who were killed by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan on August 26. Yellow ribbons were tied around the potted trees standing beside the table and will be kept there until all Americans stranded in Afghanistan are brought home.

The Roma Lodge also held a moment of silence during their Labor Day Picnic in honor of these brave soldiers.

A display featuring 13 flags and the pictures of those military members lost in Afghanistan honor their memory.

(L. to R.) Roma Lodge members Marie Siebeking; Paul Siebeking, USN (Ret.); and John Gossner USN (Ret.).

PENNSYLVANIA Members of Celebrando Il Nostro Retaggio Lodge #2786 of Williamsport were on hand to commemorate a statue honoring the accomplishments of Carl Stotz, the man who invented Little League. The statue was installed at Original Field in Williamsport, home of the Little League World Series. It recognizes the many positive aspects of Little League—including cooperation, teamwork, volunteerism, and democracy. The project was conceived and completed by The Silvio Laccetti Foundation, which seeks to increase public awareness of specific social and educational needs and highlight individual accomplishments in fields often overlooked.

Members of Williamsport’s OSDIA Lodge #2786 at the statue dedication ceremony with Silvio Laccetti (far right).

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“Through his hard work, dedication, and persistence, Carl Stotz created Little League,” said Founder Silvio Laccetti. “He made his vision, embodying the fantasies of so many kids, a reality. He deserves his place as a great leader.”

Silvio Laccetti pays a visit to Lodge #2786 following the ceremony.

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BY LAURA DeSTEPHANO ISHLER

I never knew my Nany’s secret. Nobody was hiding it from me, but I never asked, so no one ever told me. I was born in St. Marys, Pennsylvania, in the 1950s, when families were governed by their parents. Children were loved but were not the center of the universe. Parents didn’t share grownup information with their kids. I was eight years old when my parents brought home my new baby brother with no advance warning to me. No one explained much to me, yet I still can’t believe I didn’t notice Nany’s secret. Then again, I never got to know Nany well for the simple reason that she spoke no English, and I spoke no Italian.

Nany was my father’s mother, an Italian immigrant from Troia, a town in the Puglia region. She had sparkling blue eyes and soft blonde hair, although for most of her life her hair was fiery red. For my birthday, she gave me little boxes of Italian candy with a special card signed in her beautiful handwriting.

When Nany came to visit, I often had my nose in a book. My library card was my best friend. Nany would look at my book, smile at me, and tousle my hair. How sad it must have been not to be able to converse with your own granddaughter.

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The author, Laura, being held as a baby by Nany and Grandpa (Giuseppe) in 1957.

My memories of Nany are fading, but I remember one afternoon, when I was a teenager and Nany opened my bedroom door. My Jim Croce album was playing on the stereo. He was singing “Operator,” a song about a love who had run off with the singer’s best friend. When he got to the mournful chorus—“Oh no, no, no, no”—Nany echoed him. “Oh no, no, no, no.” We burst out laughing. Music and “no” meant the same thing in both our languages.

Nany died when she was 80 and I was 17. Nine months later, my father died in an accident. I never got the chance to learn more about Nany from my father.

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Years later, I started asking questions to my extended family, and truth trickled out. At the age of 22, Nany fled World War 1 to join her siblings in the United States. She left sunny southern Italy for the brutal winters of rural northern Pennsylvania. Two months later, she married the man that her brother had chosen for her. By all accounts, they had a long and happy marriage. Grandpa died when I was two, so I never got to know him, either.

They spent their entire married life living in Johnsonburg, a small mill town in Pennsylvania that was three-quarters immigrant—Italian, Polish, and Slovak.

The immigrants got along fairly well and learned a few words to communicate with each other. One family friend noted: “The problem was the other 25 percent. They were WASPS. Not only were they in charge, but there were times when crosses burned in the county to terrorize the Catholic immigrants.”

Nany’s daily life was typical of most wives in those days.

She was a homemaker and not afraid of heavy labor. With a child on her hip, she lugged groceries from the market up the steep hills to her home. She hauled firewood, ran her laundry through a wringer, cooked, sewed her family’s clothes, grew vegetables, and cared for the chickens.

She taught her children to kneel and pray. Her house was immaculate, though the neighbors were scared she would burn it down with all the prayer candles she lit.

Nany and Grandpa with three of their four children by their house in Johnsonburg. Sam DeStephano (author’s father, back row), Jenny DeStephano (far right), and Joe DeStephano (in front). Their oldest child, Umbert, is missing from this photo, circa 1942, because he was in the war.

Nany was a strong and determined woman, but she wrestled with her own private pain. She wanted a larger family and wept as she was unable to have more children.

One day, the local constable accidentally poured salt on her wound. He banged on her door and demanded to speak to her. A baby with red hair had been found in the river. The constable was questioning all the women in town who had red hair.

Nany exploded. How dare he think she would do something so evil. Nany grabbed his gun from his holster and hit him with the butt end of it. Then she threw him—and his gun—out of her house. The constable never bothered her again.

Nany (Lucietta Marasco DeStephano) holding her nephew.

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Of course, the WASPS did not associate much with the immigrants. They barked out their orders to the immigrant men who worked at the paper mill, the town’s main industry. The bosses had no contact with the immigrant women, who spoke only to each other and thus had no opportunity to learn English. Many women did not FALL 2021 29

learned Nany’s big secret. It started out with my innocent comment to Lucy.

“I wish I had beautiful handwriting like my Nany,” I said.

Lucy paused a moment and then gently said, “Your Nany could not read or write. Neither English nor Italian.

She never went to school.”

My heart broke. How could Nany live eighty years without the written word? How did she survive? I was her granddaughter who loved to read and became the first in the family to go to college. Yet my Nany could not read or write? Why had I never known that? Why didn’t she have the chance to go to school?

No one could answer those questions for me.

Company A of The U.S. Army 804th Tank Destroyer Battalion, who fought in the Italian Campaign during World War II. The photo was taken in the Alps in May 1945 after the German surrender. In the center of the middle row, is Nany’s son, Sam DeStephano, age 19. Sam is the author’s father. allow their children to speak English at home because it was viewed as disrespectful. After all, who knew what the children would be saying to each other, even potentially mocking their own parents.

When Nany’s oldest child, Umbert, went into first grade, his teacher called him a “dumb Wop” because he couldn’t speak English. Little Umbert diligently learned enough English so he could teach his younger siblings and spare them from humiliation.

I scoured the library to find some answers. Books opened my eyes to the history of southern Italy. For hundreds of years, the area was overrun by foreign invaders.

Most of the inhabitants were peasants who were not allowed to own land. They lived like serfs, working all day for pennies. Few boys had the opportunity to go to school, and almost no girls did. Political efforts to unite the north and the south had only made it worse. High taxes, malaria epidemics, and natural disasters added to the grinding poverty and unemployment. During the early 1900s, an estimated one-third of the population immigrated to America to escape starvation.

Now some things made sense. We had received what had been denied to her.

In 1942, Nany sat on the front porch with her neighbor and boasted that her son (my father), Sam, would be graduating from high school. Her joy was short-lived as both of her older sons, Umbert and Sam, were drafted.

Sam was sent to fight in Italy, and Nany was terrified he would be fighting against his cousins who lived there.

After I learned about Nany’s illiteracy, I began wondering how many other secrets were disappearing with each generation. I went to an area historical society and was shocked to find no stories about the lives of the Italian immigrants—a complete void. All their stories were being lost.

Johnsonburg was hit hard by the draft. Nany’s niece, Lucy, recalled how the draft board officials came into her classroom when she was a junior in high school and gave some boys an early graduation diploma so that they could be sent off to war. Thankfully, Nany’s sons both came home safely. But the war was not over for them. For years, Nany had to gently use a broom handle to awaken them in the morning, as they would thrash violently in their sleep.

So now I talk to the children of those immigrants—children who are all in their 90s. I want to gather the stories of their lives and the memories of their parents.

As I learned more about Nany, I found joy in getting to know my extended family who shared memories of her with me. But I will never forget the morning when I

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An African proverb says, “When an old person dies, a library is burned to the ground.” Half a century ago, Nany smiled warmly as I read my books. Today, I record her story, so her legacy will not be lost.

Laura DeStephano Ishler (wjsctj@outlook.com) is a Christian, Penn State graduate, and retired Social Services Supervisor. Her stories have appeared in “Woman’s World,” “Chicken Soup for the Soul,” and “Wanderings.”

ITALIAN AMERICA

FROM THE NATIONAL

WHAT NATIONAL DOES FOR YOU

From the President’s Desk

By Robert A. Bianchi, Esq.

Dear Sisters and Brothers: Again, I am honored that you have bestowed the confidence in me to take OSDIA in new and innovative directions while maintaining our love and respect for our traditions.

I could not be happier with the team at the National Office; the Committees we have put in place; and for the leadership team that is creating fresh goals, agendas for new projects, and metrics to measure our results. Of course, it is all driven to bring value to those who are currently members and those who may be interested in what we have to offer.

These past few weeks since my election have been filled every day with imputing management processes in place, putting quarterly goals that can be measured into action, and putting organizational processes into place so that we can be consistent and seamlessly transition from administration to administration.

And, we have a team put together to create fun projects that not only will encourage membership but also be interesting to our current members so the Grand and Subordinate Lodges can use them to bring value to their members.

I am also ecstatic about what our Committees are now doing. We have tasked them to come up with plans to ensure that we are making measurable results. And, we have three new committees (along with the value of all of our other committees) that I feel are essential to the well-being of OSDIA—the Woman’s Action Committee, the Business Development Committee, and the Grand/ Subordinate Lodge committee.

You will be learning of my vision for these committees as we move forward. But suffice it to say, they will make sure we empower Women, Businesses, and Grand Lodge sectors of our organization. Additionally, we are also working on creating novel and innovative revenue streams and membership projects.

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My brothers and sisters, as proud Italian Americans who share a vision to promote our culture and great heritage, we also have issues that need to be addressed, not only to stem the tide of losing membership, but also to make us rise again in all the values we share. We will do this by building VALUE. We will do this by COMMUNICATING better. We will do this by invoking our greatest asset: YOU!!!

We have so much talent already, but we have a lot to do, and we are always looking for those who wish to assist us in any way possible. So, if you know someone who can help, let’s bring them on board! I don’t care about the position they hold or even if they are a member of OSDIA. If they want to help us and have a skillset we can use, let’s do it!

I know that what we are doing is unique and new to OSDIA in so many regards. But to be clear, what we are not doing is abandoning our traditional ways of operation. To the contrary, what we are doing is implementing new ideas that are complementary to our traditional ways.

These concepts are not at odds with one another, but rather, they are a force multiplier.

So, all hands-on deck as we move into the future, while maintaining our traditions and culture that we should all be proud of!

Lastly, it would be amazing if you could go to “Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America” on YouTube and subscribe to the OSDIA channel. We are looking to reach 1,000 subscribers before the end of the year. We would love to have you, your family, and friends help us make that goal a reality.

Thank you, and my blessings for you and your families so that you may be happy, healthy, and well!

Fraternally,

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THE SONS OF ITALY FOUNDATION ®

HELPING THOSE IN NEED

The Foundation Focus

By Joseph Sciame, President

For this issue of our well-respected Italian America magazine, I would like to share a few thoughts about the scholarship support that the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America (OSDIA) offers and its importance in a society that stresses higher education.

I do this as a former practicing financial aid administrator in higher education for half of my career, and who once attained the highest position as chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), an organization of over 10,000 advisors in the field at that time.

Yes, we of the OSDIA have come a long way from the time of our grandparents and great-grandparents in 1905, when they worried about such things as the mortuary needs of the citizenry, as well as the orphans and widows.

One can only imagine those days, for they were told the streets were paved with gold, but soon learned that there were no such streets and, unpaved as they were, that they were the ones who would pave them.

Today, however, we are “pavers” so to speak of another type of gold, in that education is something that can never be taken away from the person and does not devalue. We of OSDIA have definitely evolved from concerns of mortuary needs to a time when our dollars can be expended for higher education.

To that end, I, with the help of so many others at the Grand Lodge and Local Lodge levels, commenced a study to estimate the amount of annual scholarship support—in total—given at the national, state, and local levels of the OSDIA. For it is something remarkable just how much of a difference our Order and its members make in the lives of our Italian-American students.

Education & Leadership Awards (NELA) Gala, we awarded $100,000 to some very worthy students! And not to be outdone, OSDIA’s Grand Lodges and Local Lodges have awarded well over a half million dollars to students in their states, cities, and towns.

As I conclude this message of hope and solidarity in our mission, we create what National Past President Peter R. Zuzolo would remind me of: SYNERGY. The sum of our parts is greater than any one of us! To that end, each one of YOU is a part of that success and heritage. We have helped our fellow Italian Americans since 1905 and now that help is in the form of higher education support.

Sons of Italy Foundation Scholarships Apply Now! Every year, The Sons of Italy Foundation (SIF) awards 10-15 scholarships that assist outstanding Italian-American students with their college and graduate studies.

Grants awarded are up to $20,000 per student.

Each applicant will receive a one-year At-Large Membership to the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America, which includes a one-year subscription to Italian America magazine.

To date, we have learned that well over $650,000 in scholarships was awarded this past year. Such an extraordinary annual amount is a testament to how our support for higher education has grown through the decades.

Scholarship recipients will get special recognition at the SIF’s 33rd Annual National Education & Leadership Awards (NELA) Gala next May.

At the national level, it was in the early 1990s that the Supreme Lodge was only able to come up with a small amount of $10,000, which was then matched by Grand Lodges to raise a total of $20,000. Today, we can proudly say that at the 2021 Sons of Italy Foundation’s National

www.osia.org

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Scholarship information and application can be found on: For questions or assistance, contact scholarships@osia.org

Deadline to Apply: February 28, 2022 ITALIAN AMERICA

THE COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE ®

FIGHTING DEFAMATION

The CSJ Perspective

By Robert M. Ferrito, President

Happy Columbus Day and Italian Heritage Month! I hope that everybody enjoyed a wonderful Columbus Day celebration this year and will continue celebrating our heritage through the rest of the month—and the remainder of the year as well!

I’m pleased to report that, one year into the formation of the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations (COPOMIAO), we have gained such momentum through our unity. Between the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America (OSDIA), National Italian American Foundation, Italian Sons & Daughters in America, UNICO, Italian American One Voice Coalition, and others, we have come together in a way that has produced results and strengthened our voice to protect our holiday, Columbus Day. There were several victories for Columbus Day and Columbus statues this past year, and one of the most triumphant was the recent victory in Philadelphia. After Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney unilaterally removed Columbus Day—with no due process or public forum—our group sprang into action, filing a lawsuit against the mayor and the city. Mayor Kenney also ordered Philadelphia’s Columbus statue in Marconi Plaza to be removed, which a Common Pleas Court Judge denied on the grounds that such an order has no legal basis. South Philadelphia’s Columbus statue will stay exactly where it is!

These are the kind of initiatives and results we can achieve when we work together. Through COPOMIAO, we have established this joint effort, and I promise you that, under my watch, OSDIA and its Commission for Social Justice (CSJ) will always play a prominent role in the organization. Just a couple weeks ago, as part of a Columbus Day campaign to educate and influence our representatives, your CSJ assembled, printed, and mailed out a letter to every member in the United States Congress on behalf of COPOMIAO. I’d like to offer a special thanks to our National Office for making that happen!

Through COPOMIAO, we have developed a new Columbus brochure to educate others on the significance of the explorer’s life and the importance of the holiday that honors both him and our Italian heritage. They are available for free (up to 200) to all organizations, lodges, and clubs. If you would like to request brochures, please email us at csj@osia.org and include your name, address, and the quantity you’d like.

Finally, I would like to encourage you to use the donation slip below and make whatever contribution you can afford. As you can see—whether it involves filing a lawsuit to protect our rights, mailing letters to all members of Congress, or producing an educational brochure—it all requires funding. Please consider making a donation this fall in the name of Columbus Day and Italian Heritage Month!

Sempre Avanti!

YES!

I would like to help Save Columbus Day and keep Columbus Statues standing.

Please accept my tax-deductible donation to support the Commission for Social Justice’s mission.

To donate online, visit www.osia.org/csj To donate by phone, call the National Office at (202) 547-2900 $10

$25

My check for the total amount of $

$50

$100

$

is enclosed.

(Please make check payable to the “Commission for Social Justice”)

Mail to:

ITALIAN AMERICA

Commission for Social Justice 219 E Street NE Washington, DC 20002 FALL 2021 33

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Send your check for $20.00 payable to Italian America Magazine to: GIFT SUBSCRIPTION Italian America Magazine 219 E Street NE Washington, DC 20002 STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION (required by Act of August 12, 1970: Section 3685, Title 39, United States Code). ITALIAN AMERICA MAGAZINE (ISSN 1089-5043) is published quarterly at 219 E Street, NE; Washington, DC 20002.

The annual subscription price is $20. The complete mailing address of Known Office of Publication is located at 219 E Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. The general business offices of the publisher and the editor are at same address as above. Publisher: Order Sons of Italy in America, same address as above. Editor: Miles Ryan Fisher, same address as above. Owner full name is Order Sons of Italy in America, 219 E Street, NE; Washington, DC 20002. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees and other Security Holders Owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: None. Tax status: has not changed during preceding 12 months. Publication Title: Italian America.

Issue Date for Circulation Data below: SUMMER 2021. The extent and nature of circulation is: A. Total Number of Copies (Net press run). Average number of copies of each issue during preceding 12 months: 28,050. Actual number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date: 26,750. B. Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions. Average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months: 27,456. Actual number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date: 26,152. C. Total Paid Distribution. Average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months: 27,456. Actual number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date: 26,152. D. Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County. distribution by mail, carrier or other means. Average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months: 300. Actual number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date: 200. E. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution. Average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months: 300. Actual number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date: 200. F. Total Distribution. Average number of copies of each issue during preceding 12 months: 27,756. Actual number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date: 26,352. G. Copies not Distributed. Average number of copies of each issue during preceding 12 months: 294. Actual number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date: 398. H. Total. Average number of copies of each issue during preceding 12 months: 28,050. Actual number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date: 26,750. I. Percent Paid. Average number of copies of each issue during preceding 12 months: 98.92%. Actual number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date: 99.24%. I certify that the statements made by me above are correct and complete. Filed August 27, 2021. Miles Ryan Fisher, Editor-in-Chief.

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Have You Checked Out Your OSDIA Member Benefits?

The Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America offers its members a range of special discounts on Italian products, genealogy research, travel, healthcare, specialty items, and other services.

To view your Member Benefits, log on to www.osia.org and click on “Member Benefits” listed on the left.

If you are a Lodge Member and do not have a Username/Password, please contact your Grand Lodge or Subordinate Lodge about setting one up.

If you are an At-Large Member and do not have a Username/Password, please contact NationalOffice@osia.org about setting one up.

ITALIAN AMERICA

Italian America®

Italian America Magazine is produced by the national headquarters of the Order Sons & Daughters of Italy in America®, 219 E Street NE, Washington, DC 20002.

Tel: 202/547-2900.

Email: nationaloffice@osia.org Editor-in-Chief Miles Ryan Fisher Director of Finance Adam Jacobs Program Director Emily Knoche Managing Director Justin Smith Administrative Assistant Stephanie Strickland Italian America® is the official publication of the Order Sons & Daughters of Italy in America® (OSDIA), the largest and longest-established organization of American men and women of Italian heritage. Italian America provides timely information about OSDIA, while reporting on individuals, institutions, issues, and events of current or historical significance in the Italian-American community nationwide.

Italian America (ISSN: 1089-5043, USPS: 015-735) is published quarterly in the winter, spring, summer and fall

by OSDIA, 219 E Street NE, Washington, DC 20002.

Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C., and at additional mailing offices. ©2015 Order Sons & Daughters of Italy in America. All rights reserved. Reproduction by any method without permission of the editor is prohibited.

Statements of fact and opinion are the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily imply an opinion on the part of the officers, employees, or members of OSDIA. Mention of a product or service in advertisements or text does not mean that it has been tested, approved or endorsed by OSDIA, the Commission for Social Justice, or the Sons of Italy Foundation. Italian America accepts query letters and letters to the editor. Please do not send unsolicited manuscripts. Italian America assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Annual subscriptions are $20, which are included in dues for OSDIA members. Single copies are $4.95 each.OSDIA MEMBERS: Please send address changes to your local lodge. Do not contact the OSDIA National Office.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Italian America, 219 E Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Subscriptions are available through the OSDIA National Office, 219 E Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002. OSDIA membership information is available at (800) 552-OSDIA or at www.

OSDIA.org. Archives are maintained at the Immigration History Research Center, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minn. Printing by Printing Solutions Inc., Sterling, Va. To advertise: Contact ItalianAmerica@osia.org (202) 547-2900. Also see www.osia.org for advertising rates, specs, demographics, etc.

ITALIAN AMERICA

BY MILES RYAN FISHER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, ITALIAN AMERICA MAGAZINE

When my grandfather died, a decade after my grandmother, I was comforted in knowing that I hadn’t left any questions unasked. I’d been blessed with time—many years of adulthood—in which I could ask anything that came to mind. And in return, he’d been blessed with time—many years of old age—in which he could share anything he wanted to about his life and our family history.

And share, he did. Whenever I visited him and it was just the two of us, he would tell me things that he hadn’t shared with anyone. Maybe it was because of our close relationship. Maybe it was because I was young enough to be removed from those affected. But with me, he felt comfortable revealing things that could have very well been kept secret—things that exist in the corners of every family’s history. Everything he shared would have been lost upon his final breath.

Still, I wondered what he may not have shared—stories or explanations that he didn’t feel were important or that he simply forgot. More so, I wondered what it would be that I would one day realize I wished I’d asked him and didn’t.

Then one day, it appeared. I’d found an article online about my greatgrandmother—my grandmother’s mother—Erma Cicchetti. She’d been a trailblazer of sorts, a female architect back in the 1940s and 50s, when few architects were women. She designed 35 houses in Ithaca, New York, ones that—like my grandparents’ house—were known for their unique layout.

No two were the same design. She also supervised the construction sites and would even cook Italian dinners for the crews—many of them Italian immigrants like she was.

Then I read the sentence: “Although she was not trained as an architect, Cicchetti had a natural eye for design.”

I thought about what my mom once told me—that Erma had only an eighth-grade education. That’s when I wondered the obvious: How did she manage to become an architect with an eighth-grade education? Then I wondered the other obvious: How did it not occur to me to ask this?

Now it was too late—I was too late—to ask my grandfather, the last person who would have known the answer.

When I realized this, a sadness sank in for what was lost—answers to questions such as this that would continue to surface. Certainly, there would be more. But then I thought of all my grandfather was able—and willing—to tell me when he was still alive. And amidst the sadness, I felt grateful for all the answers he gave me, especially to questions I would have never known to ask.

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PIACERE! PLEASED TO MEET YOU, ROCKY

Rocky Colavito Rocco “Rocky” Colavito was a Major League Baseball outfielder, who is best known for his playing days with the Cleveland Indians (1955-1959) and Detroit Tigers (1960-1963). He was one of the league’s prolific power hitters (374 career home runs) and became the first Indians player to hit 40 home runs in back-to-back seasons.

He also boasted a rocket arm in right field and is the first American League outfielder to have perfect 1.000 field percentage for an entire season. In 2006, he was inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame.

Rocky was born in The Bronx and has been married to his wife, Carmen, since 1954. Both of his parents, Rocco and Angelina, were born in Bari, Italy.

You’re held in high regard for having always made time for autograph seekers. Talk about where your commitment to fans—and especially to young fans—came from.

The one guy that made me think the way I do was Rudy York. Actually, let’s go back one. Charlie Keller was such a gentleman. He rubbed my hair when I asked for an autograph. I just thought the world of him—I didn’t want to wash my hair for a week!

On the other side, Rudy York was just miserable and wouldn’t sign. And I was the only one chasing him! I made up my mind that if I ever got to the big leagues, I would never do that. Never. At the end of the game, my wife knew—give me two hours to get home for dinner.

One hour to get out of the clubhouse and one hour to sign for every kid who lined up.

What pitcher did you have the most difficulty facing and why?

Now that question has been asked to me a thousand times, and I’ve always answered it the same way. If I came in the ballpark, and I was coming in at the mezzanine or the upper deck, and I looked down on the field to see this pitcher pitching, you couldn’t tell if he was winning 5-0 or losing 5-0—his demeanor was always the same.

He had a great curveball. Great changeup. Great slider.

And a better-than-average fastball. Nobody ever gave him credit for his fastball. He is what I call sneaky fast. With an easy motion, the ball would jump on you. His name was Whitey Ford.

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If you hadn’t been a ballplayer, what would you have done for a living?

You know what, that’s a tough question. The reason I say that is because, in my mind, I never thought about being anything but a Major League baseball player. A lot of kids say I want to be a fireman, a policeman, a lawyer, or whatever—I never thought about being anything else.

My dedication was to be Major League baseball player, and I was going to be it no matter what.

This August, a Rocky Colavito statue will be installed in Cleveland’s Little Italy.What does this mean to you and what has the city of Cleveland meant to you?

I’ll tell you what it means to me: It means the world to me. I am overwhelmed that they would want to put up a statue of me. It’s a wonderful thing that they’re honoring me. After all these years, you would think they would forget—but they didn’t. Cleveland is a wonderful city, and anybody who gets a chance to play there will soon find out.

Leave us with some words to live by.

I’ll tell you what I try to do, and I recommend it to anybody who will listen. Always be fair in everything you do. Think about what is right and what is wrong, and by all means, stand by your conviction of being fair. Color has no bearing. Nationality has no bearing. Looks have no bearing. Always try to be just and fair to everyone. That’s my motto. I don’t even have to think about that.

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