As a young man I spent many days with my grandfather Antonio Iandolo.....In 1914 at the age of 18 my grandfather came to the United States from from a small farming village near Naples, Italy and as everyone of that era passed thru Ellis Island. His initial goal was to earn money for a water pump for the family farm back in Italy, he did and then he decided to settle in Brooklyn....He married, had a family and proceeded to work his tail off for the next 40 yrs to provide a better life for his children each of them became very successful in nearly every area of life.
It inspires me how many successful coaches come from my ethnic background and nearly everyone Lombardi, Izzo, Carnessecca, Massimino, Patino, Valvano, Paterno, Torre, Lasorda, LaRussa, Calipari, Billy Martin (name change), Berra, Parcells (mother's side), Valentine, Francona, Sciosia, Girardi, Auriemma and many others can be traced back to the same or similar area. My Dad went to church with Paterno, hung out with the Torre brothers and were very familiar with the Lombardi family! It is funny my grandfather worked and went to church everyday.....he had no time or passion for sports. I often wonder what he would have thought about a grandson who made it his lifes work?
I am very proud of my heritage and I am proud to live in a Country that provided an opportunity for my Grandfather and so many others like him....I worry very much that in Modern Day America we are losing sight of what this great country was founded on.....The next time you see a group of people protesting immigration please think about Ellis Island and the inscription on the Statue of Liberty! The next time someone makes you feel uncomfortable about your religious beliefs remind them of why the Pilgrims came to America and the "little thing" in the constitution about the seperation of church and state!
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