November Program – Joe Quagliano and Mark Cardillo –
​Italian American Baseball Foundation
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Started in 2016 with its inaugural dinner honoring Hall of Famer Mike Piazza, the Italian American Baseball Foundation (IABF) is a registered 501c3 charity that is committed to the future of baseball & softball for Italian & Italian American youth on the high school, college and professional levels. The IABF remembers those who paved the way and brought the Italian American community recognition and respect. Names like Dimaggio, Berra, Rizzuto, Righetti, and Franco still resonate today among the young students of the game. The IABF is adamant about adding new names to the list of Italian American baseball greats, as well as expanding the game in Italy! 
Developing young talent both in the US and Italy is top priority. Each year the IABF sponsors several showcases and clinics that are conducted by former MLB players and top college coaches. They invite professional scouts and college recruiters to attend and evaluate the talent. The Foundation continues to work closely with several colleges and are deeply committed to helping those who qualify academically achieve a college education through baseball & softball.
The IABF also assists the Federation of Italian Baseball & Softball (FIBS) in securing the proper paperwork and documentation for Italian Americans to obtain Dual Citizenship with Italy in order play on the Italian national teams for the Olympics, World Baseball Classic and international youth tournaments.
The IABF further grows the game by donating equipment to individuals, teams, and leagues that qualify.  Helping families by giving their children the opportunity to have the proper equipment and play the game that we all love, is an important goal for the Foundation. 
The IABF has previously honored baseball greats, Mike Piazza, Bobby Valentine, and John Franco.  This year on December 4th, the IABF will be hosting its fourth annual dinner honoring the former Yankee great and new Phillies manager Joe Girardi.
President (and IAHC club member) Joe Quagliano and IABF Board member Mark Cardillo will be at our November 19th meeting to discuss the IABF and its activities and accomplishments.