Chicago, Illinois : A person who should be mentioned alongside Michelangelo
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
The American film *Somebody Up There Likes Me* (1956) is unforgettable to me. Not only is the content superb, but it stars the late Paul Newman—one of my absolute favorites—and marks the film debut of the late Steve McQueen, another of my all-time favorites.
It saddens me that in Japan today, there is a rapidly growing number of young people who ask, "Who is Paul Newman?" or "Who is Steve McQueen?" I wonder if young people in the United States are more familiar with Paul Newman and Steve McQueen than their Japanese counterparts.
*Somebody Up There Likes Me* is a biographical film about Rocky Graziano, an Italian-American boxer who became the world middleweight champion in the late 1940s.
The movie features an incredibly stylish line of dialogue. It is spoken by a trainer trying to encourage Rocky Graziano, who is feeling down after getting caught up in a minor incident in the mid-1940s: "You're the world's most popular Italian with the possible exception of Michelangelo and Frank Sinatra."
I imagine you would agree that it is a truly stylish line. Unfortunately, in Japan these days, many people fail to grasp the significance of this remark. An increasing number of young people ask, "Who is Sinatra?" There are even some truly clueless youths who ask, "Who is Michelangelo?" I wonder how it is in the United States?
Just to clarify, Frank Sinatra was an Italian-American and a legendary popular singer who had already achieved massive fame by the mid-1940s. Michelangelo, of course, needs no introduction.
That said, I do think there is a slight issue with this stylish line. It pairs Michelangelo with Sinatra—but why not Major League Baseball player Joe DiMaggio? Joe DiMaggio was also an Italian-American; he became a massive celebrity in 1941 after achieving the immortal record of 56 game hitting streak. Sinatra was born in 1915 and DiMaggio in 1914—just a year apart. By the mid-1940s—the era when a trainer famously offered words of encouragement to Rocky Graziano—both men had already risen to superstardom while still in their twenties.
So, why Sinatra instead of DiMaggio? To put it bluntly, I suspect that even a Major League superstar who achieved an unbreakable record couldn't quite match an entertainment superstar in terms of sheer popularity. I believe a major factor was the way throngs of young women were captivated by the handsome Sinatra's smooth, sweet voice. It goes to show that, then as now, young women exert an immeasurable influence on society.
However, I believe DiMaggio is also a great figure who deserves to be mentioned alongside Michelangelo.
As a brief aside...
Sinatra shares a curious connection with baseball. He was born in Hoboken, New Jersey—a city famous as the site of the first organized, competitive baseball game.
That was a long preamble, but now for the main topic.
In the summer of 2018, I visited Chicago for the first time in a long while and took the opportunity to visit the "National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame". I was particularly interested to see how Joe DiMaggio was represented there.
The Hall began as the "Italian American Boxing Hall of Fame" before expanding to cover all sports, so I knew Rocky Graziano would certainly be honored there. I was curious to see which of the two—DiMaggio or Graziano—was given more prominence. Of course, they weren't the only ones I was interested in. I also wanted to see how other athletes—particularly those associated with Major League Baseball—were being honored.
When I visited in 2018, the "National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame" was located in the "Little Italy" district on Chicago's West Side (it appears to have since moved to the city's Northwest Side).
"Little Italy" is the area where many Italian immigrants settled to begin their new lives in the United States. Shops displaying signs in Italian were strikingly numerous.
Upon arriving at the Hall of Fame, I immediately realized that the issue regarding DiMaggio and Graziano had been easily resolved. Across the street from the Hall of Fame building lay a park-like space named "Piazza DiMaggio," featuring a statue in the center that depicted DiMaggio in the middle of a full swing. There is no need to spell out what this signifies.
Incidentally, a plaque at "Piazza DiMaggio" briefly recounted how many Italian immigrants had settled in "Little Italy" to start new lives, and noted that DiMaggio—the son of Italian immigrants—was a magnificent baseball player.
The Hall of Fame was a lovely three-story building, though not particularly large. Its many windows were a distinctive feature. At the time of my visit, a large banner displaying the names of the new inductees hung on the building's exterior wall—Joe Girardi, for instance. He is a former Yankees catcher who also served as the team's manager for a decade, from 2008 to 2017.
Admission was $5 for adults, but $4 for seniors like me. Once inside, I found spacious exhibition halls spanning two floors, featuring numerous photographs and uniforms of athletes from various sports—baseball, basketball, American football, ice hockey, ice skating, and boxing. Baseball and boxing were particularly prominent among them; naturally, there were exhibits dedicated to DiMaggio and Graziano.
There were quite a few figures from Major League Baseball featured in the exhibits—a diverse group that included those who had passed away, retired players who were still alive, and active players. Let me cite a few examples: a large photograph of Tommy Lasorda; a display featuring a magazine cover starring Joe DiMaggio alongside a photo of his younger brother, Dom DiMaggio; a display pairing photos of Joe DiMaggio and Yogi Berra; a section showcasing photos and playing-era uniforms of Joe Torre, Mike Piazza, and Jim Fregosi; and a display dedicated to Anthony Rizzo, who was starring as the Chicago Cubs' first baseman back in 2018.
The exhibits dedicated to each of the figures were magnificent and truly impressive, leaving me thoroughly satisfied; I felt from the bottom of my heart that visiting this hall of fame was a wonderful decision.
As I took my time examining each display, a thought suddenly crossed my mind: "Come to think of it, that man is Italian-American too, yet he doesn't seem to be honored in this Hall of Fame, nor does there appear to be any exhibit dedicated to him."
Next time, I plan to write about that man.
(If I've made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I'll try to make corrections or additions.)