For his contributions to baseball in Italy, Italian American Don Landolphi is being recognized as an Italian American Baseball Foundation Ambassador Award honoree. He will be honored at the annual IABF Gala on December 5 at Marina Del Rey in the Bronx.

Don began his journey to Italy in 1973 as a coach selected to help coordinate baseball clinics. Later, he was asked to return to the Italian National Team as an assistant.

He began his coaching career in 1962 at Brooklyn College in baseball and basketball. He had winning records at BC and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and finished his career as an assistant at St. John’s University with Joe Russo. Landolphi is the author of two books on baseball fundamentals.

As an assistant with Team Italy in 1975, the Azzurri won the European Baseball Championship for the first time, beating Holland.

He is an inductee of the Brooklyn College Hall of Fame and the American Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame. He is also a coach for the visually impaired, a game initiated by Italian ball players in 1998. He helped the U.S. team to a bronze medal in the first International Baseball for the Blind Tournament.

IABF established its Ambassador Award in 2022 and present the annual honor to people who make significant contributions to growing the game in Italy. Last year’s recipients were Dan Bonanno and Sal Varriale. Landolphi and Riccardo Fraccari, the president of the WBSC, will be honored.

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