List of Italian Americans in sports
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For other Italian Americans, see List of Italian Americans.
A List of Italian Americans in sports.
[edit] Athletes
- Luis Monti, athlete
- Mary Lou Retton (born 1968), Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics (original family name was Rotunda, changed by her grandfather)
[edit] Baseball
- Yogi Berra (born 1925), born Lawrence Peter Berra. Former catcher and manager in Major League Baseball. The Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Yogi Bear was named after him.
- Craig Biggio (born 1965), baseball player
- Ken Caminiti
- Roy Campanella (1921-1993), Baseball Hall of Fame (Italian father)
- Frank Catalonotto (born 1974)
- John Cangelosi
- John Cerutti
- Gino Cimoli
- Rocky Colavito
- Tony Conigliaro
- Frank Crosetti
- Tony Cuccinello
- John D'Acquisto
- David Dellucci
- Mark DeRosa
- Matt DeSalvo
- Joe DiGangi - Yankees bullpen catcher
- Dom DiMaggio {born 1917), baseball player
- Joe DiMaggio (1914-1999), Baseball Hall of Fame Considered the greatest Italian-American athlete ever
- Vince DiMaggio (1912-1986), baseball player
- Sal Fasano (born 1971)
- Carl Furillo, baseball player
- John Franco, relief pitcher
- Terry Francona, manager
- Tito Francona, baseball player
- Gary Gaetti
- Joe Garagiola, baseball player
- Jason Giambi (born 1971)
- Jeremy Giambi (born 1974)
- Joe Girardi
- Tony Graffanino
- Jason Grilli (born 1976), baseball pitcher
- Tommy Lasorda
- Tony La Russa, born Anthony La Russa, Jr. (born 1944), manager in Major League Baseball.
- Tony Lazzeri
- Ernie Lombardi
- Paul Lo Duca (born 1972) catcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the Washington Nationals.
- Sal Maglie, born Salvatore Anthony Maglie.
- Billy Martin, born Alfred Manuel Martin (1928-1989), baseball player and manager
- Lee Mazzilli
- Leo Mazzone
- Lou Merloni
- Doug Mirabelli( born 1970) Currently a backup catcher for the Boston Red Sox.
- Rich Monteleone
- Don Mossi (born 1929)
- Chad Mottola
- Mike Napoli Catcher for the Los Angeles Angels
- John Orsino
- Mike Pagliarulo
- Tom Pagnozzi
- Joe Pepitone
- Sam Perlozzo
- Andy Pettitte - Part Italian and Part French.
- Mike Piazza (born 1968)
- Carl Pavano
- Vic Raschi
- J.P. Ricciardi (born 1959), General Manager for the Toronto Blue Jays
- Dave Righetti
- Phil Rizzuto (1917-2007), born Fiero Francis Rizzuto.
- Marius Russo
- Mike Scioscia
- Jason Simontacchi (born 1975) Currently pitcher for the St.Louis Cardinals
- Joe Torre- Manager of the LA Dodgers
- Bobby Valentine
- Ron Villone
- Frank Viola
- Barry Zito
[edit] Basketball
- Mike D'Antoni (b. 1951), basketball coach
- Mike Fratello (b. 1947), basketball coach
- Tom Gugliotta
- Jason Kapono (mixed Italian/Polynesian)
- Tom Izzo (b. 1955), basketball coach
- Hank Luisetti, Stanford star who was first player to use a jump shot[citation needed]
- Rick Pitino (b. 1952), basketball coach
- Jim Valvano (1946-1993), basketball coach and sportscaster
- Dick Vitale (b. 1939), basketball coach and sportscaster
[edit] Billiards players
- Willie Mosconi, born William Joseph Mosconi (1913–1993), billiards player.
[edit] Bodybuilders
[edit] Boxers
- Lou Ambers (1913-1995), born Luigi d'Ambrosio, boxer.
- Carmen Basilio
- Battling Battalino
- Tony Canzoneri (1908-1959) boxer[1]
- Primo Carnera, heavyweight boxing champion during the 1930s and later pro-wrestling champion.
- Frank Columbu, boxing champion and later bodybuilding champion.
- Cus D'Amato (1908-1985) boxing manager and trainer[2]
- Angelo Dundee (born 1923 as Angelo Merena), boxing trainer.
- Lou Duva (born 1922), boxing trainer.
- Arturo Gatti
- Tony Galento
- Frankie Genaro
- Joey Giardello (born 1930 as Carmine Orlando Tilelli), boxing star during the 1950s and 1960s.
- Rocky Graziano
- Pete Herman (1896-1973), born Peter Gulotta, one of the all time great bantamweight boxer world champions.
- Harry Jeffra (born 1914 as Ignazio Guiffo)
- Rocky Kansas (1895-1954), born Rocco Tozzo, boxer.
- Fidel La Barba
- Jake LaMotta, (born 1921), boxer.
- Vinny Maddalone
- Paulie Malignaggi
- Ray Mancini
- Rocky Marciano (1924-1969), boxer, only heavyweight champion to retire undefeated.
- Joey Maxim (1922-2001), born Giuseppe Antonio Berardinelli, boxer, world light heavyweight champion.
- Willie Pastrano
- Vinny Paz (born 1962), multiple world champion, born as Vinny Pazienza.
- Willie Pep (brn 1922 as Gugliemo Papaleo)
- Mike Rossman (Italian father)
- Johnny Wilson (1893-1985), born Giovanni Panica, boxer.
- Young Corbett III, born Raffaele Capabianca Giordano (1905 - 1993), world welterweight boxing champion.
[edit] Figure skaters
[edit] Football
- Pasquale "Pat" Abbruzzi
- Alan Ameche
- Mark Bavaro
- Joe Bellino
- Angelo Bertelli
- Tony Boselli
- Tedy Bruschi (Italian Father)
- Nick Buoniconti
- Gino Cappelletti
- John Cappelletti
- Jason Fabini
- Anthony Fasano
- John Gagliardi
- Franco Harris (Italian mother) best known for "Immaculate reception"
- Larry Izzo (Italian father) linebacker and special teams captain for the New England Patriots
- Lou Little
- Vince Lombardi, (1913-1970), legendary football coach.
- Dan Marino (born 1961), Hall of Fame quarterback for the Miami Dolphins.
- Joe Montana (born 1956), widely considered one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the NFL.
- Leo Nomellini
- Bill Parcells, football coach
- Joe Paterno, legendary football coach for Penn State.
- Brian Piccolo
- Greg Schiano
- Paul Tagliabue, former NFL commissioner
- Vinny Testaverde
- Dick Vermeil, football coach
- Gino Marchetti
- Adam Vinatieri, football kicker for Indianapolis
[edit] Golfers
- Mark Calcavecchia
- Fred Couples (Father changed family name from Coppola)
- Chris DiMarco
- Gene Sarazen
- Ken Venturi
[edit] Horse racers
- Eddie Arcaro, (1916 - 1997) thoroughbred horse-racing jockey.
[edit] Ice hockey players
- Tony Amonte
- Tom Barrasso
- Bates Battaglia
- Rick DiPietro
- Mike Eruzione
- Brian Gionta
- Cammi Granato
- Tony Granato
- Mike Modano
- Tony Tuzzolino
[edit] Martial arts
[edit] Race car drivers
- Marco Andretti (born 1987), son of Michael Andretti. IRL IndyCar Rookie of the Year.
- Mario Andretti (born 1940), race car driver.
- Michael Andretti, 1991 IndyCar champion, son of Mario
- John Andretti, NASCAR driver, nephew of Mario.
- Ralph DePalma (1884–1956), racecar driving champion.
[edit] Rugby
- Carlo MacDonald (Italian-Born mother) (born 1991) Currently playing win for the Scarlet Knights.
[edit] Skiing
- Julia Mancuso (born 1984) alpine skier; won a gold medal in the Giant Slalom race at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.
[edit] Soccer
- Bruce Arena, former head football coach for the United States men's national soccer team.
- Carmelo D'Anzi, played professional soccer in Italy, Mexico and U.S.A.; won 7 championships and 5 leading scoring titles during his career.
- Frank Borghi, played for the U.S. national team in the 1950 World Cup.
- Paul Caligiuri, played for the U.S. national team in the 1994 World Cup.
- Charlie Colombo, played for the U.S. national team in the 1950 World Cup.
- Robert Contiguglia, former President of the United States Soccer Federation.
- Gabriel Ferrari, striker prospect for Italian club, Sampdoria. Has stated intention to play on American national teams.
- Armando Frigo, American-born player in Serie A.
- Patrick Ianni (born 1985) soccer defensive midfielder, plays for Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer[3]
- Pablo Mastroeni, born in Argentina of Italian descent.
- Tony Meola, starting goalkeeper for the U.S. national team during the 1990 and 1994 World Cups.
- Gino Pariani, played for the U.S. national team in the 1950 World Cup.
- Giuseppe Rossi, born in the United States to Italian immigrant parents, he also holds citizenship from Italy and plays for Italian national teams.
- Sal Zizzo, Hannover 96 winger playing for American national teams.
[edit] Swimmers
- Matt Biondi (born 1965), Olympic swimmer.
[edit] Tennis players
- Jennifer Capriati, professional tennis player
[edit] Wrestlers
- Hulk Hogan (On father's side. Birth name is Terry Bollea)
- Lou Albano
- Ashley Massaro, current WWE Diva.
- Primo Carnera
- Sal Graziano, former ECW wrestler
- Steve Lombardi
- Joey Marella was a professional wrestling referee. He was the son of legendary wrestler Gorilla Monsoon.
- Gorilla Monsoon, born Robert Otto Marella.
- Lisa Moretti (born 1961 as Lisa Mary Moretti), best known by her stage name of Ivory, professional wrestler.
- Chuck Palumbo, born Charles Ronald Palumbo, professional wrestler.
- Angelo Poffo
- Lanny Poffo, known as "Leaping Lanny" or "The Genius", son of Angelo Poffo, brother to Randy Savage.
- Mark Copani, half-Italian, half-Arab wrestler best known for his Muhammad Hassan character in WWE.
- Paul Roma
- Eve Torres, current WWE Diva
- Romeo Roselli
- Mike Rotundo best known as "Irwin R Schyster", wrestled with the WWF from 1991 to 2004.
- Bruno Sammartino (born 1936 as Bruno Laopardo Franceso Sammartino), former professional wrestler.
- Peter Senerca former professional wrestler also known as Tazz.
- Nunzio, born James Maritato, professional wrestler.
- Johnny Stamboli
- "Macho Man" Randy Savage, born Randy Poffo.
- Santino Marella, born Anthony Carelli, current WWE wrestler under Raw Brand.
- Vito LoGrasso, professional wrestler.
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ [1] "Italian American boxer Tony Canzoneri"
- ^ [2] "'Cus' D'Amato (an eccentric Italian/American..."
- ^ [3] "ITALIAN IANNI: U.S. defender Patrick Ianni told reporters that this game will be interesting for him as he has a 75 percent Italian background. His grandparents are from Milan and Turin and he grew up an Italian soccer fan, cheering for AC Milan. "When I found out we were playing Italy I thought it was cool because of my background. It will be interesting, but the truth is it doesn’t really matter who we play really at this point. We just want to win."
