Teams competed for bragging rights and prizes at the 13th Annual John Marzano Halfball Tournament in the schoolyard of the Christopher Columbus Charter School near 9th and Christian streets during the Italian Festival.
Nitty’s Tavern swept Frankford’s Finest in the best-of-three championship. Nitty’s, located on West Moyamensing Avenue, won the tournament for the second straight year.
The event represented a nostalgic swing back into yesteryear when urban games and halfball ruled the street corners and schoolyards, while honoring its namesake John Marzano. The late Marzano, known as “Johnny Marz,” grew up near 11th and Wharton streets and was a major-league catcher for several teams, including the Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers. In his post-baseball career, he became a baseball analyst for the Phillies and mlb.com. Marzano died in 2008 at age 45.
From left: Nitty Tavern’s Pat Russian, Tony Menniti, John Coghlan and John Sheridan and Frankford’s Finest’s Nick Berardinucci, Paul Bonewicz, Mike Leary, Ryan Leigh and Kevin Leary.
