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bart giamatti
Click “Browse Players” below to tour all players, or click Italian American MLB Commissioner Bart Giamatti’s card to visit his page and read an excerpt from his poem “The Green Fields of the Mind


In the News: Read the Houston Chron article featuring Baseball Amore: “Website tracking Italian Americans in baseball adds Astros rookies“!


My research has uncovered 863 total Italian American MLB players/umpires/managers, each of whom have their own page on this site. Of these, I have acquired 769 individual player’s cards.

Every card on this site is a card I own!


Kudos to Ralph Russo for creating Baseball Amore, an impressive and extensive compilation of information about Italian American Major Leaguers.”
     Lawrence Baldassaro, author of ‘Beyond DiMaggio: Italian Americans in Baseball‘, and ‘Tony Lazzeri: Yankees Legend and Baseball Pioneer


Visit a Random Player:

Maud Nelson: born Clementina Brida in Italy, premier female pitcher of latter 19th and early 20th century, team owner

All-Time Italian American MLB Team:

View our All-Time Italian American MLB Team


New Theme Tour: Visit the Great Italian American MLB Player Nickname Tour

Recent site player additions: Joe Castiglione, Andre Pallante, John Brebbia, Jackson Holliday, Spencer Arrighetti, Nick Nastrini, Ricky Vanasco, Joey Loperfido, Kyle Manzardo, Brady Basso, Kyle Nicolas, David Festa, Hunter Feduccia, Gordon Graceffo, Zach Dezenzo, Samuel Aldegheri, Thomas Saggese and umpire Phil Cuzzi


We are proud to partner with the Italian American Baseball Foundation (IABF). The IABF is dedicated to to the future of baseball & softball for Italian & Italian-American youths on the high school, college and professional levels. While we move forward, IABF – and this site – help us remember those who paved the way.

Visit their homepage and learn more about the scholarships, events, awards, games and other ways in which the IABF enriches and honors IA baseball professionals and youth.

Visit player pages who have been honored by IABF here


Site Contributor Shout Outs:

Site Contributor Shout Outs:

Thank you to site fan Sam Law, who has provided regular check-ins on emerging players, including pointing out that John Brebbia, Andre Pallante and David Festa were missing from the site... they have been added!

Thanks to Gino Bianchi who, as a Nichols family friend, informed us that Kyle Nichols' mother is of Italian descent. He has been added.

Thanks to Michael Marsh, SABR.org researcher, who sent along the list of Italian American MLB Managers who have won an MLB league pennant... I've added that information to the site and also included the photo he sent from his card collection of these 14 pennant-winning managers.

Thank you to Daniel Serafini, who donated 9 new player cards to the site, including Joe DiMaggio, Rocky Colavito, Craig Biggio, Joe Pepitone and two Tommy Lasorda cards. Your contribution has made the site better!

As always ... thanks to Italian American baseball researcher Gene Leggitt for his continuing support of this site!!

Thank you Nina LiPetri, who remembered her "wonderful Uncle" Angelo LiPetri

Thanks to JC, who alerted us the heritage of Mark Teixeira, Matt Holliday, Mike Yastrzemski, Josh Towers and more, and the site EthniCelebs.com

Thanks to Merv Williams who remembered watching Joe Brovia play for LA in the PCL

Thank you to John Manis for his memory of getting to go to a Tarpons game in '77 as a reward at school and watching Frank Pastore interact with fans

Thanks to Michael Abatemarco who corrected the high school attended by Sal Campisi, which we were able to confirm on Baseball Reference...

Welcome to the site Linda DiLodovico, who is the niece of Wedo Martini - she is excited to share the site page with Wedo's children!

Thanks to Bernard who reached out to BA to inform us that Bob Giallombardo, who was his next door neighbor, passed away on Wednesday October 10/19/22 saying “Very nice guy. So sorry for his passing.” Thank you for letting us know Bernard.

Great comment by Jeff Torricelli about his family relationship to the great Phil Cavarretta

Thank you to Damon for pointing out Sam Haggerty's Italian heritage; he was prompted to contact us after hearing Sam's walk-up song ("The Godfather Waltz").

Great to hear from visitor Paul Tennihan who remembers going to Essex Catholic High School with Bob Molinaro - thanks for sharing!

Mille Grazie to Herb Tamres who posted about his time at Lafayette High School together with Bob Aspromonte, Sandy Koufax and Al "The Bull" Ferrara.

Thank you to Michelle Ceccarelli for her memories of her father-in-law's brother, Art Ceccarelli.

Big thanks for the info on Justin Verlander's Italian Heritage from Twitter user @Shawn_Spradling - it seems that Justin's maternal grandmother is Italian-American, with both her parents from Italy.

Thanks to site visitor C. D'Angelo for alerting us to Gerrit Cole's Italian heritage!

See additional contributors on our "Shout Out" page


All-time Italian American MLB Player Positions:


Take a “Theme Tour”

Theme Tours are Direct links between thematically-related players/cards:

Current MLB Italian American Players


Visit Italian American National Baseball Hall of Fame Players


View all Topps Cards Designs (1951 to Present) thru IA Players


Tour all Italian American MLB All-Star Players


MVP/Cy Youngs: Players who have won either a Cy Young or MVP Award


The Great Italian American Player Nickname Tour


Visit all the MLB players that were Born in Italy


See players Born in New York City (and LI)


Browse Italian American MLB Players Born in San Francisco/Oakland/Sacramento CA


Players who were Born in NJ


Players born in Chicago


View all the Italian American Players in the Jazz song: "Van Lingle Mungo"


Military Service during Wartime: IA Players who served during a War for the US


Italian American Sports Hall of Fame members


Italian American MLB Managers


Italian American MLB Umpires


Brooklyn/LA Dodgers


New York Yankee players


New York/San Francisco Giants players


St. Louis Cardinals players


Chicago Cubs players


Boston Red Sox players


Chicago White Sox Players


Cleveland Indians/Guardians Players


Cincinnati Reds Players


Philadelphia Phillies Players


Detroit Tigers Players


Atlanta/Milwaukee/Boston Braves Players


Pittsburgh Pirates Players


Phila/KC/Oakland Athletics Players


MLB Players interviewed by historian Lawrence Baldassaro on his podcast "Baseball Italian Style" You can visit the Baseball Italian Style website here


Women in Pro Baseball/AAGPBL


Pacific Coast League (PCL) Hall of Famers


Italian American Baseball Foundation (IABF) Award Honorees


Italian Heritage Unsure: Players on this site that may/may not have Italian Heritage


Take the Baseball Amore MLB player Nickname Quiz


Request Player Additions:

If you notice any players that are missing from this site, please drop me a note through my suggest a player form and I will update.

Report Site Corrections

If there’s a player listed here that you don’t think has Italian American heritage, or you spot an error of any type, please let me know through my contact form.


Download Excel Sheets for All Italian American Players, and Tour Lists


Further Reading

If this topic interests you, you might want to check out these books:

Check out “Beyond DiMaggio: Italian Americans in Baseball” by Lawrence Baldassaro, Dom DiMaggio (forward). I read it, and it was very interesting, from both the sport and cultural points of view.


Another great read is Larry Baldassaro’s latest book: “Tony Lazzeri: Yankees Legend and Baseball Pioneer”


Another great book is “Reaching for the Stars: A Celebration of Italian Americans in Baseball” by Larry Freundlich (Editor)


…and another… “Baseball Italian Style” by Lawrence Baldassaro


Love New York, baseball and fiction? Check out award-winning Bronx-born author Mike Delucia‘s work on Amazon:

Being Brothers tells the story (screenplay style) of young Jackie Amato, a kid from the Bronx, growing up during the seventies
“What do a 4 foot 5 inch eccentric billionaire, a Japanese karate master, and a rogue Hall of Fame pitcher have in common? They create the greatest baseball player of all time… And her name is Ryan.”
Madness is the intriguing story of Hank Luisetti, the predawn of March Madness, and how modern basketball was born.



ESPN MLB News:


Visit some of our favorite non-Italian-American Players:


Navigate This Page: All Time Team | Theme Tours | Books | Links | MLB News


Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball” (Jacques Barzun)


Visit the BaseballAmore imagined 1970’s Beatles Albums Page

37 thoughts on “Welcome to Baseball Amore! Celebrating Italian American MLB players & cards

  1. Stoney Gaddy says:

    Joe and Joe on the art of on-deck preparation and showmanship. A couple of my favorite baseball personalities growing up. Joe Garagiola was one of the most prolific voices of baseball in the 1970s and 1980s. Of course, Joe Torre was a great ball player and an even better manager.
    Here’s a great pre-game video clip from the 1975 All-Star game in Milwaukee.
    https://youtu.be/1ej809nJH5E

  2. Sam Law says:

    He’s on his way!!!

    And he better be Italian, or else I don’t know who an Italian is.

    The Astros are promoting Spencer Arrighetti.

    He’s scheduled to make his Major League debut tomorrow in Kansas City.

  3. Sam says:

    Room for one more today?

    The Dodgers are planning to recall right-hander Ricky Vanasco.

    And, according to the Italian American Baseball Federation he’s Italian, too!

  4. Sam Law says:

    Joey Loperfido will reportedly be called up for Houston’s Tuesday game against Cleveland.

    I can’t remember an Italian player being as anticipated as he is, including Piazza.

  5. Sam Law says:

    Kyle Manzardo will be recalled by Cleveland today.

    He should be Italian, as according to the Italian American Baseball Federation they have information on him.

    Manzardo is ranked the #52 prospect overall by MLB.COM.

  6. Sam Law says:

    Just a quick question:

    Could Jack Alu be Italian-American?

    He played 51 games for Washington last year.

    He may never play MLB again, but Alu is a Sicilian name.

  7. Sam Law says:

    The Oakland A’s have called up Brady Basso for the third time this year.

    He has yet to get into a game, but if he does it will be his MLB Debut.

  8. Sam Law says:

    A right handed pitcher with the surname of Festa is on his way to the Show.

    But it isn’t Team Italy alum Matt Festa, who is currently shoving for the Mets AAA team.

    It’s David Festa, the Twins #5 prospect according to MLB.com, who is scheduled to make his big league debut Thursday against Arizona.

  9. Sam Law says:

    Hello again!

    One day after Festa, another right-handed pitcher could make his Major League debut today.

    CBS Sports is reporting that the Cardinals are calling up Number 8 prospect Gordon Graceffo.

    He may not play immediately because he’s being added to their bullpen. But, he’s going to the Show.

  10. Richard Robbins says:

    What would baseball in America be without the influence and contributions of the Italians?

    From Joe DiMaggio to Yogi Berra to Tommy Lasorda, the impact of these hundreds of players and coaches on the sport here where it originated is a representation of America’s status as a melting pot that gives and takes from lots of different cultures.

  11. Sam Law says:

    I know he’s on the site, but I have to post about the beautiful start—and W—by Samuel Aldegheri against the defending champions.

    What a performance.

    And there is reason to believe other Italian players may join him at the highest level someday.

  12. Sam Law says:

    I know he’s on the site, but I have to post about the beautiful start—and W—by Samuel Aldegheri against the defending champions.

    What a performance.

    And there is reason to believe other Italian players may join him at the highest level

      1. Sam Law says:

        Hey Paesan!

        Bryce Teodosio is on his way to Anaheim.

        All season I have wondered if he has Italian heritage, and could be added to this page, but it didn’t matter because he remained in AAA.

        The surname Teodosio can be Italian. Hopefully he is.

    1. BaseballAmoreRR says:

      I haven’t found anything to suggest that Bryce Teodosio has Italian heritage…
      I also can’t find anything on Ryan Gusto’s heritage, and the surname has a large footprint in the Philippines, double that of Italy. I will be keeping an eye out for more info on these two…
      In the meantime, I finally got a page up for Phil Cuzzi, longtime MLB umpire.

  13. Sam Law says:

    You’re welcome.

    Now, it certainly isn’t ironclad, but if you do a search for “Bryce Teodosio” and “Italian” his name should come up on a page for the Italian American Baseball Foundation for Italian players who participated in the Arizona Fall League a few years back. But I’ll keep looking for he and Gusto.

    Thanks for the reply.

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