Tommy Lasorda Day

Lasorda Legacy Baseball Author Roundtable at Fullerton Museum Center on September 22, 2022

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Roberto Angotti, Tollo, Italy-Fullerton, California Sister City International Ambassador, Laura Lasorda, daughter of Tommy and Jo Lasorda, and Felipe Ruiz, longtime personal assistant to Tommy Lasorda, moderate Lasorda Legacy Baseball Author Roundtable featuring an all-star cast on Tommy Lasorda Day, Thursday night, September 22, 2022 at 7:30 pm inside the Fullerton Museum Center Auditorium, 301 N. Pomona Avenue in Fullerton, California. Panelists include Zack Minasian, Steve Sax,  Jason Turbow and Chris Epting. Tickets are available by clicking HERE.

Lasorda University: A Recollection of My Summer of ’68 with Tommy Lasorda and the Ogden Dodgers by Zack Minasian is a fun look at a young Tommy Lasorda and his band of Dodger rookies in 1968 in Ogden Utah. The stories and laughs are nonstop as you learn the fate of the Ogden team that summer that included several future big league players. The book features Interviews with many of the former players who describe their Ogden experience and what is was like playing for Tommy Lasorda.

Steve Sax, known for his accomplished 14-year-career as a major league baseball player during which time he became Rookie of the Year, a two-time World Series champion with the Los Angeles Dodgers as well as a five-time MLB All-Star, is host of the popular Sax in the Morning podcast. Playing under inspirational Italian American managers Tommy Lasorda and Tony La Russa, Steve Sax gained invaluable life lessons through sports. After his playing career, he found success not only as a coach and broadcaster but also as a financial consultant, author, motivational speaker and executive/life coach.

Shift: Change Your Mindset and You Change Your World author and former Los Angeles Dodger Steve Sax

In addition to the full-length shows, listeners enjoy “Sax in the Morning” vignettes three days per week that focus on the motivation necessary to get one’s game plan for the day set with the right tone to accomplish the goals necessary for success. By starting the day with the right mindset and making the shift to persevere through challenges, “Sax in the Morning” helps listeners follow their emotional heart in order to reach their dreams and aspirations.

During the “Sax in the Morning” podcast, host Steve Sax speaks with leaders in the world of sports, business and finance to find out what makes people successful, passionate and joyful in their lives

Jason Turbow is the author of They Bled Blue, a chronicle about the 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers, Dynastic, Bombastic, Fantastic, the unbelievable saga on Oakland A’s owner Charlie Finley and The Baseball Codes, a book about the unwritten rules of baseball. In addition, he is the founder of the Pandemic Baseball Book Club.

Jason Turbow wrote They Bleed Blue, the story of the 1981 World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers

Chris Epting is the author of over 40 travel/history books, including James Dean Died Here, Roadside Baseball, Hello It’s Me, and Dispatches From a Pop Culture Junkie. He is also an award-winning travel writer and has contributed articles for such publications as the Los Angeles Times, Westways and Travel + Leisure magazine. In addition, Chris Epting is a memoirist and has co-written Def Leppard’s Phil Collen’s memoir, Adrenalized, the John Oates Memoir Change of Seasons, and Long Train Runnin’ with the Doobie Brothers.

 

Chris Epting has written over 40 books including Orange County Baseball, Images of America: Los Angeles’s Historic Ballparks, Roadside Baseball, and Images of Baseball: The Early Polo Grounds.

“Picturing America’s Pastime: Historic Photography from the Baseball Hall of Fame Archives” celebrates baseball through a unique selection of photographs from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s unmatched archive of baseball photos. Drawing on the Hall of Fame’s archive of more than 300,000 unique images, the Museum’s curatorial team highlights baseball history in this curated collection of rarely seen photos. The photographs reveal the rich relationship between the camera and the game. The Fullerton Museum Center is the first stop on this exciting traveling show For more information, visit the Fullerton Museum Center website or call (714) 738-6545.

“Picturing America’s Pastime: Historic Photography from the Baseball Hall of Fame Archives” is currently on display alongside the “Lasorda Legacy” exhibit at the Fullerton Museum Center

Come out early on Thursday afternoon, September 22, 2022 to check out the “Picturing America’s Pastime: Historic Photography from the Baseball Hall of Fame Archives” and the “Lasorda Legacy” exhibits at the Fullerton Museum Center. Then head outside from 4-9 pm for the Tommy Lasorda Street Fair with the world-famous beer gardens, food trucks, local vendors and live entertainment. After a Dodger dog and a cold beverage, make sure not to miss the Lasorda Legacy Baseball Author Roundtable beginning at 7:30 pm!

Roberto Angotti and Bobby Valentine enjoying the Lasorda Legacy Grand Opening at the Fullerton Museum Center on September 10, 2022

A.J. Morris joins Houston panel discussion following Italian American Baseball Family

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Team Italy starting pitcher A.J. Morris threw five no-hit innings in the 2017 World Baseball Classic against Venezuela featuring a loaded lineup of MLB All-Stars including Jose Altuve, Miguel Cabrera, Alcides Escobar, Freddy Galvis, Ender Inciarte, Carlos Gonzalez, Victor Martinez and Salvador Perez.

The Italian Cultural and Community Center in association with the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance and Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, are pleased to present the Russo Brothers National Italian American Foundation Film Forum Award-winning Italian American Baseball Family documentary on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 at 7 pm. Former Team Italy hurler and Cincinnati Reds pitcher A.J. Morris with join producer/director Roberto Angotti along with David Fanucchi (Author of Miracle on Grass: How Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda led Team USA to a shocking upset over Cuba, capturing the only Olympic gold medal in USA baseball history), SportsRadio 610 host Shaun Bijani and other prominent panelists for a discussion immediately following the movie screening.

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

In 2013, Angotti 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. The Artists’ Tribute to Italian Americans in Baseball exhibition opened with art and baseball memorabilia honoring such big-league players as Mike Piazza, Jason Grilli, Frank Catalanotto, Chris Denorfia, Nick Punto, 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. The film makes its world premiere followed by a live concert performance by Pato Banton at the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club on Sunday, April 24, 2022 in celebration of Festa della Liberazione. Limited tickets are available by clicking HERE.

Angotti recently 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 parents 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) will screened at the reciprocal Tollo sister city celebration in 2022.

Tickets for the upcoming Houston event featuring Italian American Baseball Family and the star-studded panel discussion at the Italian Cultural and Community Center on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 are available by clicking HERE.