La Gazzetta Italiana Easter 2016 | Page 2

Welcome to La Gazzetta Italiana Benvenuto! It’s finally springtime and I give global warming a B for a “not so bad” winter. The April showers and warming temperatures that bring May flowers melted what little snow was left and the grass has turned from its grainy and ivory/brown color to what I choose to call a spectacular Irish green. That means weed and grass cutting time, but that beats cold temperatures and shoveling snow. Springtime also means gardening and I have to decide what seeds and vegetable plants will dominate my home garden. Naturally I do my tomatoes (Beefsteak, Roma and San Marzano), some Kentucky Wonder green beans, my tasty summer/fall Swiss Chard with ivory-like stalks, some Black Magic Zucchini, and a couple of those Sicilian zucchini (the kind where the vines climb up nearby trees and are long enough to hide the dangling baseball bat). But springtime is more than cutting grass, raising gardens and chasing off deer, it’s also a time to take in the joys of major league baseball. I go as far back as League Park when Hal Trosky (#7) used to hit line drives over the right field fence onto Lexington Ave. If anyone retrieved the ball those days, they got a free ticket to a game, just like we got for perfect school attendance. In the passing years, switching over to what was the mostly empty lakefront Municipal Stadium, I cheered on Tribe greats like Rapid Robert Feller, Bob Lemon, Mike Garcia, and Early Wynn. No one counted their pitches up to 100 and brought in relievers, Mossi or Narleski. They pitched against real superstars who, if they were playing today, the owners wouldn’t have enough money to pay them. In today’s dollars, I wonder what the paychecks would be for the likes of “Jolting Joe” DiMaggio of the New York Yankees, “Splendid Splinter” Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox, “Hammering” Hank Greenberg of the Detroit Tigers, Stan “The Man” Musial of the St. Louis Cards, and, of course, Tribe Hall of Famer Bob Feller. Springtime is the perfect time to start with an entirely fresh outlook on life. Be thankful to take in the fresh air, warmer temperatures, weeding and cutting the grass, and recalling memories and enjoying a ballgame. See! It’s great to be alive even if it’s the bottom of the seventh of our lifetime! We prayerful y support faith, guide hope, and foster remembrance of loved ones. Your Trusted Family of Catholic Cemeteries All Saints, Northfield All Souls, Chardon Assumption of Mary, Brook Park Calvary, Cleveland Calvary, Lorain Elmhurst Park, Avon Holy Cross, Akron Holy Cross, Brook Park Holy Trinity, Avon Resurrection, Valley City Saint John, Cleveland Saint Joseph, Avon Saint Joseph, Cleveland Saint Mary, Berea Saint Mary, Cleveland Saint Mary, Cuyahoga Heights Saint Mary, Elyria Saint Paul, Euclid SUBSCRIBE TO LA GAZZETTA ITALIANA Take out a subscription to La Gazzetta Italiana! It's a great gift idea... Sign up today at www.LaGazzettaItaliana. com.... Share with family and friends! SUBSCRIBE ONLINE Catholic Cemeteries Association DIOCESE OF CLEVELAND Faith, Hope and Remembrance www.clecem.org ­2 Paul Sciria, Managing Editor LA GAZZETTA ITALIANA | APRIL 2016 THIS MONTH'S CONTRIBUTORS Jennifer Spitalieri Ben Lariccia Serena Scaiola Anne Robichaud Pamela Dorazio Dean Tony Marotta Stella Compiseno OTHER WRITERS IN THIS ISSUE www.LaGazzettaItaliana.com Computer Tablet Margie Miklas Prof. Philip DiNovo Ilaria Massacesi Smart Phone LA GAZZETTA ITALIANA | APRIL 2016 ­3