Following the threatening weather situation caused by Hurricane Milton in Florida, the first group of Club Italia LA28 pitchers and catchers will depart from Rome for Surprise, Arizona, where they will train at the Kansas City Royals Spring Training Facility.
The Olympic Camp is supported by the SFIAC Foundation, an official FIBS partner who is not new to the movement and has made a significant commitment to the Federation by pledging its support and embossing its logo appears on the Team Italy jersey sleeves during the College Series at the University of Tampa
The SFIAC Foundation, the non-profit branch of the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club founded in 1917, has elevated the community, culture and history of North Beach, where the DiMaggio and other influential Italian families resided.
The mission of the SFIAC Foundation is to strengthen the community of North Beach and its activities by sponsoring events focused on the Italian culture in which it has its roots, and by investing in initiatives that promote business and create new opportunities.
The traditional ‘Festa Italiana’ in early June, a street festival accompanied by the historic associated foot race, the ‘High School Sports Awards’ and the Italian language lessons are the most famous and traditional activities of the SFIAC Foundation.
SFIAC Foundation President Bill Isetta said, “Our collaboration with FIBS is in line with the main objectives of the Foundation to involve the Italian community and support Italian initiatives. North Beach has a rich history of baseball and we look forward to supporting the journey of Club Italia towards LA28.”
FIBS President Andrea Marcon commented, “Today a collaboration has been established between FIBS and the SFIAC Foundation to create and support the path towards the Los Angeles Games, It also has a long-term goal of establishing a point of reference, specifically on the West Coast of the United States, for the university path of Italian athletes/students. I sincerely thank President Bill Isetta, Executive Director Nicolas Figone and the entire organization for this important opportunity.”
The San Francisco Italian Athletic Club (SFIAC) in historic North Beach has been a longtime friend of Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball (FIBS). On April 26, 2018 the SFIAC in association with Museo Italo Americano hosted FIBS English Language Website Editor Roberto Angotti for the Bay Area premiere of his National Italian American Foundation Russo Brothers Film Forum Award-winning documentary, Italian American Baseball Family. Joining the “Baseball Italian Style” Celebration at the SFIAC on this special night was 2006 World Baseball Classic Team Italy Interpreter Lawrence Baldassaro, who authored Beyond DiMaggio: Italian Americans in Baseball, Baseball Italian Style, and Tony Lazzeri: Yankees Legend and Baseball Pioneer.
On April 24, 2022 the SFIAC welcomed back Roberto Angotti for the Bay Area premiere of his follow-up documentary, Introducing Team Italy Manager Mike Piazza, and hosted a dinner in honor of the group of young Italian and Italian-American players, who were in town for a series of games/showcases against College of Holy Names, San Jose State University, Sonoma State University, San Francisco State University and the University of San Francisco.
Other honorees included 2017 World Baseball Classic Team Italy infielder Daniel Descalso, American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer John Noce, pitching coach Rob Biagini, father of 2023 World Baseball Classic pitcher Joe Biagini and coaching coordinator Matt Brown. The SFIAC also recognized prominent Bay Area Italian American college baseball coaches Brad San Filippo (San Jose State University), Tony Ragusa (Sonoma State University), Tony Schifano (San Francisco State University) and Craig Gianinno (University of San Francisco).
SFIAC FOUNDATION WEBSITE
Marco Landi
