Baseball Friendships Within and Across Color Lines: A Guided Tour of the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center
Saturday, December 11, 2021, 11am-12pm (in-person event at the Yogi Berra Museum on the Montclair State University campus
Info: location for directions – Convenient parking is available in the lot directly across from the Museum.
Participants are welcome to continue to visit the Museum after the one-hour program
Introduced by: Dr. Teresa Fiore (Inserra Chair, Montclair State University)
Tour led by: Jenny Pollack (Education Director, Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center)
RSVP required: Alyssa Zinola at zinolaa@montclair.edu (or call: 973-655-5465)
LIMITED TO 30 PEOPLE: RSVP SOON! NO COST ATTACHED!
The tour focuses on the immigration narrative of Yogi Berra’s parents who came to the U.S. from Italy in the early 20th century, and the subsequent challenges and opportunities the future Hall of Famer faced as an Italian American playing our national pastime. The program explores the stories of other Italian American players, examining friendships in baseball that crossed lines of culture and race.
Highlights include:
● Growing up on “The Hill” – the Italian American neighborhood of St. Louis, MO
● Yogi’s close friendship with Joe Garagiola, fellow Italian American, baseball player and Hall of Fame sports announcer
● Yogi’s special connection to (fellow St. Louis native) Elston Howard, the New York Yankees’ first African American baseball player, former Negro Leaguer and Yogi’s catching mentee
● Discussion of other barrier-breaking Italian Americans in sports and entertainment, including Joe DiMaggio, Phil Rizzutto, Tony Bennett and Dean Martin
Organized and fully sponsored by the Inserra Endowed Chair at Montclair State University
In partnership with the Office of Annual Giving and Alumni Engagement
In collaboration with the Italian Program (Dept. of World Languages and Cultures)
Picture description: Yogi Berra (left) and Elston Howard (right), New York Yankees baseball players.
Tiny url: tinyurl.com/baseballMSU