The Dagos of Baseball

Synopsis: Around the turn of the century, Pietro Berra and Giovanni Garagiola arrived two years apart to their new lives in America. Coming from the same village in Italy, they met up in St. Louis, Missouri, where both were employed at a pottery factory. After saving their money, they both purchased homes in "Dago Hill," an Italian neighborhood. Pietro was the first having been here two years earlier. He brought his new wife, Paulina to the new country. Soon they started a family. Giovanni brought Marie, his new wife, and soon they started a family. The family grew up across the street from each other. Both families and many neighbors intermingling. Larry had three older brothers and a younger sister while Joe had a younger brother. Joe was born nine months after Larry. All of the neighbor kids played sports of all kinds. There were soccer games, football games, baseball games, boxing, and many other sports at the local YMCA. Many times the kids constructed their own ball fields. Money was scarce and sports equipment was whatever could be scrounged together. The neighborhood children come up with several ways to make money for their team. Selling newspapers and cigarettes on a street corner and scooping up horse manure were common ways to make money. Coming from hard-working fathers, Larry and Joe were expected to follow their example. Perseverance kept the boys in the game. By the time the boys were sixteen, they are scouted by major league clubs. The Cardinals were the first to sign Joe. Reluctantly they agreed to take Larry. Larry, feeling slighted turned down their offer. Later to be signed by the Yankees. They both went on to great careers, Joe playing in the 1946 World Series and Larry playing in the