Fédération Internationale Cinéma Télévision Sportifs

A heartfelt tribute to Italian American Baseball Family hero Larry Baldassaro

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Italian American Baseball Family filmmaker Roberto Angotti and baseball historian Professor Lawrence Baldassaro won the Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum Award at the National Italian American Foundation 42nd Anniversary Gala in Washington, D.C.

In honor of the late and great Larry Baldassaro (June 25, 1943 — September 8, 2026), we pay tribute to the unsung hero of the National Italian American Foundation Russo Brothers Film Forum award-winning Italian American Baseball Family. Throughout the hour-long documentary, which is based on Professor Lawrence Baldassaro’s Beyond DiMaggio: Italian American in Baseball, the renowned-author is prominently featured in the film as he takes viewers on guided history lesson on how Italians assimilated into American popular culture through the game and highlighted the many Italian Americans’ contributions to baseball.

The grandson of Italian immigrants, Lawrence Baldassaro grew up in Chicopee, Massachusetts, where he played high school, American Legion, and semi-pro baseball as a devoted fan of Ted Williams and the Boston Red Sox. Baldassaro was a professor emeritus of Italian and former director of the Honors College at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. He circled back into the game by writing about it for the Milwaukee Brewers – and eventually recognized a void he could fill. He said, “I discovered at that time, very little had been written about Italian Americans in baseball, in spite of an incredible history that goes back to the 1920s.”

Roberto Angotti and Chris Colabello (interviewed and featured in Italian American Baseball Family) with a signed copy of Baseball Italian Style by Professor Lawrence Baldassaro

Immediately following the release of his book, Beyond DiMaggio: Italian American in Baseball, in 2011, Professor Lawrence Baldassaro was awarded the Leonardo da Vinci Award of Excellence by the Order Sons of Italy in America Grand Lodge of Illinois and Wisconsin. His follow-up, Baseball Italian Style: Great Stories Told by Italian American Major Leaguers from Crosetti to Piazza (2018), used first-person accounts from Italian-American baseball players. Baldassaro’s interviews were conducted from 1993-2017 and included conversations with players from a variety of different generations. Not only did these audio recordings provide a look at the human side of the game, but they also examined the many ways in which life as a big leaguer changed over time. Included in the invaluable collection are eight Hall of Famers: Yogi Berra, Craig Biggio, Tony La Russa, Tommy Lasorda, Mike Piazza, Phil Rizzuto, Ron Santo, and Joe Torre. Also featured is MVP award winner Ken Caminiti, MLB All-Stars Anthony Rizzo, Joey Votto, and Barry Zito as well as coaches, managers, umpires, and front-office executives.His final book, Tony Lazzeri: Yankees Legend and Baseball Pioneer, earned him a 2022 SABR Baseball Research Award for “outstanding research projects that have significantly expanded our knowledge or understanding of baseball.”

Roberto Angotti, Pier Piancastelli, Loredana Auletta, Larry Baldassaro, and Tom Cesarini at Amici House following a screening of Italian American Baseball Family and a presentation by Professor Baldassaro in San Diego’s Little Italy

Baldassaro was also the editor of Ted Williams: Reflections on a Splendid Life, The Ted Williams Reader, and co-editor of The American Game: Baseball and Ethnicity. In addition to writing about baseball, he published essays on Italian literature, film and politics in American and Italian journals and served on the Executive Council of the Dante Society of America. Perhaps one of his greatest joys was serving as interpreter for Team Italy in the inaugural 2006 World Baseball Classic. He will forever live in the hearts of many here in America and abroad. He had a profound influence and impact on the lives of thousands, including mine…grazie mille Larry! We will never forget our mentor. Forza #Italia!!!

Italian American Baseball Family with Italian subtitles was submitted by Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball (FIBS) and later selected as a finalist for the FICTS (Fédération Internationale Cinéma Télévision Sportifs) Worldwide Championship of Television, Cinema, Sport, Culture and Communication in Milan, Italy

Award-winning director Roberto Angotti presents double feature at Naples Italian American Foundation on February 13, 2023

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(Basil Russo, Roberto Angotti, John Viola and Maria Bartiromo at the 2017 NIAF Gala) 

Roberto Angotti is a cultural historian, writer, film director, curator, and radio DJ who blends his love of baseball, Italian American arts and culture, and music into multi-media creations. His film, Italian American Baseball Family, tells the story of how Italian Americans assimilated into popular culture through America’s favorite pastime, baseball, and how Italian Americans have circled back to Italy to grow the game by playing for Team Italy in the Olympics and the World Baseball Classic. His film features interviews with renowned baseball historian Lawrence Baldassaro, and MLB notables Tommy Lasorda, Frank Viola, Nick Punto, Francisco Cervelli, Brandon Nimmo, Chris Colabello and Gavin Cecchini.

At the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) 42nd Anniversary Gala in November 2017, the movie was screened and won the Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum Award. Most recently, the film received international accolades when it screened and was selected as a Finalist at the World FICTS (Fédération Internationale Cinéma Télévision Sportifs) Sport Movies & TV Challenge 2018 in Milan, Italy. Other film screenings have taken place in Rome, Chicago, Cleveland, Las Vegas, San Francisco, San Diego, Fullerton and St. Louis at Fox Sports Midwest Live!

Angotti is an official Team Italy media representative for Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball (FIBS), and he reports first-hand from international competitions such as the World Baseball Classic and other tournaments. He was first inspired to write about baseball in Italy and the USA, Italian American arts and culture, and music through his blog: http://www.MLBforLife.com.

In 2013, he curated the Artists’ Tribute to Italian Americans in Baseball in San Diego, California. This exhibit paid homage to Italian American baseball players and Team Italy players and coaches from the World Baseball Classic through artwork from renowned artists of Italian descent. Artists’ Tribute to Italian Americans in Baseball opened with art and baseball memorabilia honoring such MLB luminaries as Mike Piazza, Jason Grilli, Frank Catalanotto, Chris Denorfia, Drew Butera, Anthony Rizzo, Chris Colabello, and Alex Liddi. 

A graduate of the prestigious Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California with a bachelor’s degree in Film Studies, Angotti began his filmmaking career with documentaries on The English Beat and UB40. As a radio deejay on KNAC in Long Beach and KROQ in Los Angeles, he launched the career of Grammy nominee Pato Banton in America. Angotti enlisted the services of Pato Banton on his latest film, Introducing Team Italy Manager Mike Piazza, to produce a musical odyssey documentary on the iconic career of the National Baseball Hall of Famer and the new leader of the Italian national baseball program.

Angotti served as international sister city ambassador between Fullerton, California and Tollo (Abruzzo), Italy in honor of long-time Orange County, California resident Tommy Lasorda and the birth place of his father. Sabatino Lasorda, in Italy. Italian American Baseball Family was featured at the Tommy Lasorda Day celebration in Fullerton on September 22, 2021. In addition, the film (with Italian subtitles) was screened at the reciprocal Tollo sister city
celebration in 2022.

Be sure to join the festivities on Monday, February 13, 2023 at the Naples Italian American Foundation, 7035 Airport Pulling Road in Naples, Florida. Doors open at 5 pm. Dinner is included with admission. For tickets and further information, click HERE or call (239) 597-5210.

Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum Award-winning documentary selected as finalist at International FICTS Fest 2018 World Championship in Milan

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Roberto Angotti‘s Italian American Baseball Family has been selected as a finalist in the SPORT MOVIES & TV 2018 Festival in Milan, Italy. Submitted by Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball (FIBS) with Italian subtitles, Italian American Baseball Family features Lawrence Baldassaro, author of “Beyond DiMaggio: Italian Americans in Baseball” and “Baseball Italian Style”, as well as National Baseball Hall of Fame legend Tommy Lasorda. MLB past and present players Frank Viola, Nick Punto, Francisco Cervelli, Chris Colabello, Brandon Nimmo, and Gavin Cecchini are also interviewed in Italian American Baseball Family.

Organized by the FICTS (Fédération Internationale Cinéma Télévision Sportifs) and recognized by the International Olympic Committee, SPORT MOVIES & TV is a world-renowned festival dedicated to sports television and movies. The FICTS Worldwide Championship of Television, Cinema, Sport, Culture and Communication is the grand final of 16 World FICTS Challenge festivals spanning five continents. The SPORT MOVIES & TV Festival kicks off at Milan’s 17th century Palazzo Giureconsulti in Piazza Duomo on November 14, 2018.

FICTS promotes the values of sport through images in 116 affiliated nations and is presided over by Professor Franco Ascani of the Italian Olympic Committee Commission for Culture and Olympic Heritage. The Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum Award-winning documentary Italian American Baseball Family is among the selected movies being projected during the six-day program. To watch the trailers and schedule of all screenings at some of the most prestigious venues in Milan, click HERE.  worldfictschallenge_2018-930x658

Of the nearly 1000 submissions from 65 countries in 51 sport disciplines, the selected works at SPORT MOVIES & TV 2018 will bring together 174 directors and producers, 132 international journalists, and 127 broadcasters worldwide. Meetings, workshops, exhibitions, press conferences, award shows, and other special events will be presented in collaboration with Milan-area sports and cultural organizations.

The FICTS International Jury, made up of ambassadors in the world of cinema, television, media, sport and culture, will deliberate on which productions to select for “Guirlande d’Honneur” (Oscar of Cinema and Sport Television), “Mention d’Honneur” (Honorable Mention), and “Special Awards” for each of the eight categories. The SPORT MOVIES & TV 2018 Festival concludes on November 19, 2018. To learn more about the festivities, click HERE.