Earlier today, the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) announced that Tony DeMarco (58-12-1, 33 KOs) would be inducted with the Class of 2019. Induction weekend will take place June 6-9 of next year at the IBHOF’s headquarters in Canastota, NY. A resident of Boston’s North End neighborhood, DeMarco, known throughout the boxing world as “The F...

One of this area's most accomplished baseball players was selected to join a hall of fame. No, not that Hall of Fame, the one into which Peoria native Jim Thome was inducted earlier this year. But it's still a pretty formidable hall. Former big-league player and former and probably future big-league manager Joe Girardi, the pride of East Peoria, wa...

Welcome to the “The Grid,” the Chicago Sun-Times’ in-depth look at Chicago neighborhoods. Today’s stop: Little Italy. Located four miles west of downtown Chicago, Little Italy was the first stop for many Italian immigrants arriving to the city in the late 1800s and early 1900s.  Filled with family-owned shops, restaurants and churches, it was the h...

Former Columbia University men’s soccer player and Cosmos owner Rocco B. Commisso will be inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in Chicago Saturday, Nov. 3. Commisso, the founder, chairman and CEO of Mediacom, will be enshrined alongside former New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi, MMA legend Gina Carano and Illinois high...

The National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame has a stellar crop of inductees and honorees on tap for its 41st annual gala on Nov. 3 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. (312-226-5566) The NIASHF Class of 2018 includes Gina Carano, Rocco B. Commisso, Joe Girardi and Gene Pingatore. Perry Mandera will be honored as the Sportsman of the Year. The progra...

Gene Pingatore still can’t quite believe that in November he’ll be among the inductees into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame. “I am totally honored and extremely humbled,” he says. “When you think about it, I’m a high school coach. And here I go to the hall of fame with all my heroes who are there — Joe DiMaggio, Rocky Marciano. It...

The National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame is proud to announce inductees and honorees for the 41st Annual Induction & Awards Gala to take place at a dinner on Saturday, November 3, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. The program will be emceed by 2016 Baseball Hall of Famer Mike Piazza and New York Mets Radio Announcer Wayne Randazzo. The NIASHF...

The National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame is proud to announce inductees and honorees for the 41st Annual Induction & Awards Gala to take place at a dinner on Saturday, November 3rd, in the Crystal Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.  The program will be emceed by 2016 Baseball Hall of Famer Mike Piazza and New York Mets Radio Announcer...

Ciao from Rome, welcome to the #103 magazine of We the Italians! I'd like to start this editorial by celebrating all the Italian American soldiers who lost their lives, in all the American wars: Monday May 28 is Memorial Day. To pay my respect, this year I've interviewed somebody who not only beautifully represents the Italians who have fought or s...

It is a rare occasion for a referee or umpire to be lauded and celebrated. In fact, it is only the best of them who get to experience such support and fanfare. Count Larry Maggi, one of the top high school wrestling officials in the state, as being on one of those special people. Maggi, long-time WPIAL wrestling rules interpreter and 1968 graduate...