News

Blake Butera Named Assistant Field Coordinator for Tampa Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays named Italian American and Team Italy coach Blake Butera an assistant field coordinator for the 2023 season. Butera spent the previous season managing Class-A Charleston, adding minor league on-field coaching responsibilities to his baseball career.

Save the Date: Joe DiMaggio Awards Dinner on April 4, 2023

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The Italian American Baseball Foundation and Columbus Citizens Foundation will present the Joe DiMaggio Award to Baseball Hall of Famer and Team Italy Manager Mike Piazza and business leader Lou Tallarini. Proceeds from the April 4 event will support scholarships and youth development.

IABF Mourns Loss of Sal Bando

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Italian American Sal Bando, who died at 78, played 16 Major League Baseball seasons with notable careers in Oakland and Milwaukee. A four-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion, he later served eight years as the Brewers’ general manager.

Anthony Iapoce Named Manager of Toledo Mud Hens, Triple-A Affiliate of Tigers

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The Detroit Tigers and Toledo Mud Hens announced that Italian American Anthony Iapoce will manage the Tigers’ Triple-A affiliate in Toledo during the 2023 season. Iapoce most recently served as a minor league hitting coordinator with the Boston Red Sox and previously was a hitting coach for the Chicago Cubs.

Wayne Randazzo is New Angels TV Play-By-Play Voice

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Bally Sports West and the Los Angeles Angels named Wayne Randazzo the club’s new play-by-play announcer. Randazzo brings nearly 20 years of local and national broadcasting experience, including four seasons calling New York Mets games, while continuing his Friday Night Baseball role with Apple TV+.

2022 IABF Gala Speeches

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The 2022 IABF Gala honored Mike Piazza, Michael Kay, Mike Pagliarulo, Jim Small, and Vito Friscia with awards recognizing Team Italy, media, achievement, international leadership, and future potential. Frank Catalanotto, Tom Verducci, and others introduced the honorees.

Italian Americans Participate in Arizona Fall League

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The Arizona Fall League concluded in November after featuring several Italian American players. Participants included Jake Gozzo and Vin Timpinelli with the Glendale Desert Dogs, Blair Calvo and Mike Antico with Salt River, Bryce Teodosio with Scottsdale, and Jonah Dipoto and Alex Isola with Surprise.

IABF Featured on Yankees Magazine via YES Network

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YES Network featured the 2022 Italian American Baseball Foundation Gala on its Yankees Magazine program with Nancy Newman. The segment highlighted Michael Kay’s IABF Media Award and included family photographs showing generations of his Italian heritage through his mother’s side.

IABF Gala Featured on MLB Network

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IABF Gala Featured on MLB Network. Thank you to @MLBNetwork, who covered the 2022 IABF Gala and reported on the impact Mike Piazza and Team Italy are having on the game. The article centers on IABF Gala Featured on MLB Network and presents the available facts and context from the original update.

Mission Classic Trip Featured on Sky Spot

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The Italian American Baseball Foundation joined the Federation of Italian Baseball and Softball for Mission Classic, a historic trip to Italy. The journey offered Italian National Team players and coaches a culturally significant experience before the 2023 World Baseball Classic and was featured in a four-minute Sky Sport broadcast package.

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