In partnership with the Italian American Baseball Foundation, the New York Mets are set to host an Italian Heritage Day on September 17th when the club goes up against the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field. According to IABF’s website, the game will feature special recognition for the Italian community, with a portion of every ticket sold through the link attached going to support the Italian American Baseball Foundation’s Scholarship Fund. With these funds, the organization awards college scholarships to deserving student-athletes who express pride in our culture and heritage.
While an event to honor Italian American heritage in a state like New York where the ethnic group is so prevalent seems only logical, the Italian American Baseball Foundation had a harder time securing this celebration with the Amazins than you might expect.
IABF was successful in working with 20+ other MLB teams to host similar events, but the New York Mets were initially non-communicative during the organization’s outreach process despite having celebration nights lined up for several groups such as Filipino Heritage, Black Legacy, Pride Night, Irish Heritage, Korean Heritage, Japanese Heritage, Women’s Equality, Taiwan Day, Jewish Heritage, and Hispanic Heritage Nights.
It had been the second consecutive season that the group tried to organize an Italian Heritage game with the Mets but was unable to do so. Frustrated by the team’s lack of responsiveness, IABF issued a statement holding them accountable, stating that “It’s an outrage that one of the teams in New York has decided to exclude Italian Americans from a heritage game at their ballpark.”
Finally, the group prompted Italian Americans on Twitter to take action, asking:
“Want to see an Italian Heritage game in Queens? Email anyone on the Mets’ sales, marketing, and promo team you can find. And then call the front office. Tag them on social media. Hold them accountable and let’s make this happen. Italian American baseball fans in New York deserve better.”
This call to action was not left unanswered. A large volume of tweets from Americans of Italian descent expressing their displeasure over the entire situation ensued, leading the Mets to reconsider IABF’s proposals that had previously fallen on deaf ears.
Regardless, the two organizations hope to hold Italian heritage celebrations for years to come as part of the team’s collection of “Celebration Nights” each season.
With the first celebration of Italian culture by the Mets in years now set for September 17th, that weekend promises to be a fun one for Italian Americans in the NY area. After the game, which is scheduled for 1:40 PM EST, fans can take the subway over to Mulberry Street in Little Italy for the ethnic enclave’s famed Feast of San Gennaro. For two weeks in September each year since 1926, the street is filled with live music, games, and of course, food vendors selling Italian favorites that will make you feel right at home.
If you can’t make the Mets game or the feast, the team’s cross-town rival New York Yankees will host their own “Italian Heritage Cap Games” from September 5th-10th. Several other teams in cities with large populations of Italian Americans will host their own versions of these celebrations as well, including the Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, and Boston Red Sox, with events scheduled for July 6th, August 7th, and August 29th, respectively. For a complete list of all the Heritage games being held in collaboration with the Italian American Baseball Foundation, please visit https://iabf.foundation/heritage-games/.
For other festivals and feasts dedicated to celebrating Italian culture, one of the largest Italian American organizations in the country known as the Italian Sons & Daughters of America has compiled a comprehensive list complete with dates and locations that can be found here.
