August, 1st 2005
Continuing to build and foster the Italian
American tradition of excellence, the National Italian American Sports Hall
of Fame is proud to announce the Hall of Fame class of 2005. Celebrating
athletic achievement, unwavering integrity, community service, and
dedication to the values of our shared Italian American heritage, the 28th
Annual Induction Ceremony Gala Dinner on November 5th, 2005 will pay tribute
to four standout members of the sporting world worthy of joining the
distinguished members enshrined in the Hall.
Jennifer Capriati, tennis prodigy and current standout on the Women's
WTA Tour, became the youngest-ever player to reach a pro final at 13 years,
11 months old at her Tour debut at Boca Raton. Continuing her stellar young
career, Capriati reached the semifinals of the 1990 French Open at age 14,
and the following year she became the youngest-ever women's semifinalist at
Wimbledon. In 1992, Capriati won an Olympic gold medal by defeating Steffi
Graf in Barcelona, Spain. She has won 14 singles titles and one doubles
title over the course of her career, including wins at the French and
Australian Opens in 2001 and a successful defense of her Australian Open
title in 2002.
John Conti, prominent alumnus and former football star at the
University of Detroit, was inducted into the University's Hall of Fame in
1984. Mr. Conti played football from 1943-1945 while serving in the United
States Army, a true Army of One on the line at 6'1", 300 lbs. Conti's
game-changing domination continued in college, where he served as Captain of
the 1949 Missouri Valley Championship Football Team at the University of
Detroit. Following a stint with the Detroit Lions, Conti served as football
coach at St. Martin and St. Paul high schools in Detroit. He has since
received the University Alumnus Award, the Athletic Director's Ring, and the
University of Detroit Athletic Department Support Award.
Dan Pastorini, Pro Bowl Quarterback and accomplished race driver on land
and water, played in the National Football League for 12 seasons for the
Houston Oilers, Oakland Raiders, Los Angeles Rams, and Philadelphia Eagles,
leading the Oilers to consecutive AFC Championship Game appearances in
1978-79. While quarterbacking for the Oilers, Pastorini also set four world
records in Unlimited Drag Boat racing. His boat "The Quarterback Sneak" was
the first to break the 8-second elapsed time barrier and later broke the
world record four different times. As one of the premiere drivers on the
NHRA Top Fuel Circuit, he won his first national event at the NHRA Southern
Nationals in 1986 and finished 7th in NHRA Championship Points. Pastorini's
best career elapsed time was 5.18 seconds, topping out at 287 mph. He was
the third man to break the 270-mph barrier in a Top Fuel Dragster.
Mike Piazza, hard-hitting catcher for the New York Mets, was drafted
in the 62nd round of the 1988 amateur draft before dazzling players and fans
alike on his way to winning the National League Rookie of the Year award
with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1993. Piazza is an 11-time All-Star, and won
10 consecutive silver slugger awards from 1993 to 2002. Piazza has
established himself as one of the best hitting catchers in the history of
the game, and has gone on to surpass Carlton Fisk for most home runs by a
catcher, with a total of 387 over the course of his 14 season career in the
major leagues.
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