The Italian American Baseball Foundation held its annual gala at the Marina Del Rey in the Bronx.
The star studded event featured the Commissioner of Baseball Rob Manfred who’s mother was Italian, former Yanks manager Joe Torre and the first Yankee to pitch a no hitter after Don Larson in the 1956 World Series Dave Righetti who no hit the Red Sox in 1983. I will never forget Rags striking out Future hall of famer Wade Boggs for the last out.
It was really nice to see one of the Yankees top prospects, Spencer Jones. This is a very impressionable young man who if he does on the field what the Yankees are hoping for, will become one of the faces of the organization.
New Hall of Famer and the great broadcaster for the Boston Red Sox Joe Castiglione was honored but the Yankees new radio broadcast team Susyn Waldman and Dave Sims totally wowed the audience. They looked and sounded great together. As a matter of fact they looked like they have been working together forever so it didn’t surprise me that they have been friends for many years. They told me that during the season they would actually call or text each other during games. In New York everybody knows the legend of Susyn. She has truly been a pioneer and I can honestly say that the great late Yankee owner George Steinbrenner was a big fan of Susyn and was very proud of her success.
I have know Dave Sims forever so I have known of his great qualifications and success as a Seattle Mariners Broadcaster.
Dave Valle , the former Mariners catcher and broadcaster use to call me to tell me how good Dave is and I would respond by saying… Who are you telling?… I was actually excited at the fact that I got to take the first picture of Susyn and Dave together.
I have to congratulate Carmine Gangone and Joe Quagliano for putting on a great show. This program serves as a program that has given unwavering support and good will both here and in Italy.
I am very familiar with baseball in Italy because Yankees special assistant Omar Minaya played professional baseball there and when he came back from Italy he was speaking fluent Italian. Marco Mazzieri who was honored with the ambassador award actually was teammates with Omar in Italy.
It’s rumored but I can’t get anyone to verify that the great baseball fan and wonderful actor Chazz Palminteri will be honored next year. If that’s true then I can’t wait for the 2025 gala, stay tuned!
