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Franco's Italian Army By Nicholas Ciotola • Curator, Italian American Collection
knows that the As expected, the rookie EveryoneSteelers' colors are black from Penn State performed and gold. In the 1970s, admirably and, by mid-season, however, the most dedicated had rushed for 100 yards or Steelers fans wore red, white,and more in six consecutive games. green. Franco's Italian Army It was then that the city's Italian marched onto the Pittsburgh Americans learned of Harris' sporting scene just as the Steelers Italian heritage and created a were embarking on their suc- fan group inhis honor. cessful quest for four Super Bowl Franco's Italian Army made victories. But Franco's Italian its debut at a November 12, Army was more than a football 1972, home game between the fan club; the Italian Americans Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs. who comprised its ranks were Wearing surplus helmet liners using professional sports as the painted withItalian flags and the vehicle to express nostalgia for words "Franco's Italian Army," the Italian neighborhoods of army members paraded into their youth, and pride in their Three Rivers Stadium and estab- Italian immigrant past. lished a cheering section below The catalyst for this interest- the press boxes in stadium sec- ing aspect of Pittsburgh's sport- This Franco's Italian Army helmet (actually the inside liner) tions 29 and 30. Over the next worn by John Danzilliis displayed in the History Center's ing history was running back five seasons, this unlikely loca- Points InTime exhibit. Franco Harris, who would tion served as the hub of the become one of the greatest city's football fanaticism. players in the history of professional football. Born March 7, Armymembers relied on distinctive Italian American symbol- 1950, in Fort Dix, N.J., Harris was the third child born to an ism when cheering for the Steelers, a practice that reveals the African American serviceman and an Italian immigrant war intersection of ethnic pride and sports spectatorship. The bride. After a stellar high school football career, Harris was quintessential symbols, of course, were the red, white,and green recruited by Joe Paterno and accepted a fullscholarship to play colors of the Italian flag, used not only on helmets, but also on at Penn State. Four years later, in 1972, the Pittsburgh Steelers banners produced for display at the stadium. drafted Harris in the firstround. Italian American food was another important aspect ofFranco's Italian Army.Prior to each home game, army members gathered
10 WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | WINTER 2001-02
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to prepare hoagies of salami, prosciutto, capicolla, and provolone as halftime snacks. Imported Italiancheeses, pepperoni, olives, and wine were consumed in great quantities, as were regional Italian dishes likebaked manicotti and stuffed eggplant prepared by the wives ofarmy members. The army also imported aspects ofItalian American folklore into their cheering section. Many members carried horn-shaped amulets used to place the malocchio, or "evileye," on opposing teams. Italian folklore was so central to the Italian Army's antics that when Franco Harris made his famous Immaculate Reception, some army members commented that it was most certainly the result of an army-initiated malocchio curse. Almost immediately after its formation, Franco's Italian Army Representatives of Franco's Italian Army at a Pittsburgh charity event, c. 1973. attracted national media attention. By the end of the 1972 season, From left: Armand Zottola, Al Vento, Jr., the army began to market armbands, T-shirts, sweatshirts, flags, AlVento, Sr., Franco Harris, Dominic and seat cushions toraise money forcharity. As a result, the stands Stagno, and Tony Stagno. of Three Rivers Stadium were regularly awash inred, white, and green. Armymembership, meanwhile, grew into the thousands as moreItalian Americans chose to express their ethnic pride through sports. By December 1972, the army had even recruited Frank Sinatra as an honorary member.
WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA 12 HISTORY |WINTER 2001-02 Frank Sinatra gets inducted into Franco's Italian Army in Palm Springs, Calif.,December 1972.
Non-Italians reacted to this phenomenon in a number of ways. Pittsburgh's Polish Americans formed the Polish Armed Forces, thus allowing the descendants of another prominent ethnic group to also express ethnicity through sports. The city's Slovak Americans, meanwhile, created a fan group inhonor of Jack Ham and named the group Dobre Sunka, or "Great Ham." Whereas Americans ofEuropean descent reacted to this widespread display of ethnicity by emulating Franco's Italian Army, the city's African Americans openly challenged the Italians' claiming ownership ofFranco Harris —a man who,after all,was part black. Franco's Italian Army was quite unlike fan