ED ABBATICCHIO DAY: On this day 125 years ago Ed Abbaticchio made his professional baseball debut. It’s believed that Ed was the first Italian American to play pro baseball when he debuted for the Phillies on September 4, 1897.

He went on to play for 14 seasons and helped the Pittsburgh Pirates win a World Series in 1909.

There have been hundreds, if not thousands, of Italian Americans who have followed in his steps to the big leagues.