New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito has taken the NFL world by storm over the past few weeks. He initially received popularity for his viral hand gesture celebration, which honors his heritage as an Italian-American.
Today, we are going to remember some of the most iconic and notable Italian-American athletes who have made an impact on American professional sports.
Joe DiMaggio
Joe DiMaggio is a legendary New York Yankees outfielder who still managed to post Hall of Famer numbers despite missing three years of his big-league career for military service.
An All-Star each season he played (13 years), DiMaggio finished his career with a superb .325/.398/.579 slash line. He hit 361 total home runs, leading the league in homers twice. DiMaggio also won three MVP awards during his career.
The individual accomplishments were unquestionably fantastic, but DiMaggio also played for a Yankees ball club that knew how to win. In fact, DiMaggio won nine World Series throughout the course of his time in MLB. His No. 5 is retired by the Yankees, a decision that is very understandable since DiMaggio had one of the best all-around careers in MLB history.
Outside of baseball, DiMaggio was a true celebrity. He even married famous actress Marilyn Monroe, but the two later divorced. He also starred in television shows and was well-known not just in sports, but among non-sports fans as well.
Joe Montana
Another Joe checks in on our list, as Joe Montana is one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play in the NFL. Montana is still arguably the best QB ever, but most people would place Tom Brady above him. Nevertheless, Montana isn't far behind.
He won two MVP awards during his time in the league. Montana was known for his elite accuracy, leading the league in completion percentage five different times. He also led the league in touchdowns twice.
Montana found a lot of success with the San Francisco 49ers, earning four Super Bowl victories in his career. An eight-time Pro Bowler, Montana will always be remembered as an NFL legend.
Yogi Berra
Yogi Berra was one of the most popular athletes in the history of American sports, not just baseball. He offered his support to an Italian-American foundation as well.
On the field, Berra was an excellent catcher for the New York Yankees. Berra was a three-time MVP, 18-time All-Star and 10-time World Series champion as a player. (He won three more as a coach, giving him 13 total championships.) He finished his career with an impressive .285/.348/.482/.830 slash line and 358 home runs.
Berra's statistics were strong for any player, but spectacular for a catcher. His ability to hit while playing one of the most difficult positions in baseball was tremendous.
He spent 18 years playing for the Yankees. He would end up playing his final season in 1965 with the New York Mets, but Berra will always be remembered for his time with the Yankees.
Dan Marino
Marino was a star quarterback for the Miami Dolphins, spending his entire career with the team. Marino played from 1983-1999 and ultimately made nine Pro Bowl teams. He also won the MVP in 1984, just his second season in the league.
Marino led the league in passing yards five times, touchdowns three times and total completions six times.
Marino was one of the most popular players in the NFL while he played. He also helped the Dolphins compete on a consistent basis. Although they were unable to win a Super Bowl, Marino's Dolphins were almost always in the playoff picture.
Mario Andretti
Andretti was born in an Italian territory which is now part of Croatia. However, he and his family later came to the United States, settling in Pennsylvania.
Andretti was a superstar motorsports driver. He won multiple championships during his career, including a Daytona 500 win in 1967 and the Formula One World Championship in 1978.
Roy Campanella
Campanella began his career in the Negro Leagues, as his parents were African American and Italian. Jackie Robinson would become the first African American to play in MLB in 1947, and Campanella received his opportunity not long after in 1948.
He spent 10 years with Robinson's Brooklyn Dodgers, emerging as one of baseball's best catchers and making eight All-Star teams during that time. Campanella won three MVP awards and led the league in RBI in 1953. He was a power threat who offered the ability to also hit for a strong average.
Rocky Marciano
Marciano was a boxer and a world heavyweight champ. He would hold onto the title for four years, becoming one of the most respected fighters in the sport.
Marciano was literally unstoppable. He retired with a 49-0 record. Marciano earned 43 wins via KO. Other boxers simply did not have an answer when fighting Marciano.
He retired from the sport in 1955 after originally making his debut in 1947. Although his career in the sport was fairly short, his legacy is still discussed among boxing fans today. He also served as the inspiration for Rocky Balboa — another great Italian-American athlete, but a fictional one and therefore not eligible for this list.
Phil Esposito
Finally, we conclude our list with one of hockey's greatest stars of all-time, Phil Esposito.
Esposito played for three different teams during his career, spending nine years with the Boston Bruins. He also played for the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers. The Hall-of-Famer led Boston to two championships during his time with the team.
He led the league in goals scored for six consecutive seasons while with Boston. He also led the league in points five times.
Esposito would finish his career with 717 goals and 1,590 points. His career, which lasted from 1963-1981, is still regarded as one of the best careers in the history of the sport.
