Table of Contents
Christopher Battalino Papers
A Guide to the Christopher Battalino Papers at the Connecticut Historical Society
Collection Overview |
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| Repository : | Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, Connecticut |
| Creator : | Battalino, Christopher |
| Title : | Christopher Battalino Papers. |
| Dates : | 1929 - 1985 |
| Extent : | 0.8 linear feet (2 boxes) |
| Abstract : | Collection consists of correspondence, including fan mail and Christmas cards, of featherweight boxing champion of the world and of papers of his wife, Lillian Rotondo Battalino. |
| Location: | Ms Battc1977 |
| Language: | English |
Biographical Sketch
Christopher "Bat" Battalino was born in Hartford in 1908, the son of Carminuccio and Emilia Battaglini. His father came from Italy in 1891. Christopher quit Brown School after the fifth grade to work in a tobacco factory. He got his boxing start in amateur bouts and went all the way to the national amateur featherweight championship before turning pro in 1927. He won the world professional championship as a featherweight from Frenchman Andre Routis in September 1929 at the Velodrome in East Hartford.
He married Lillian Rotondo of Hartford in April 1929. At the wedding reception he received a Connecticut Humane Society medal from Major Batterson as a tribute to his bravery in saving a three year old child from the waters of the Park River a few weeks before.
"Bat" won 58 of 88 professional fights, his only knockout defeat coming at the hands of Billy Petrolle in New York in 1932. He retired from the ring in 1940. He died at Hartford Hospital on July 25, 1977 leaving a wife and two daughters.
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Scope and Content
Collection consists largely of correspondence and ephemera. Correspondence includes letters from George Grosch, his former handler, members of boxers associations, fans and sports writers. Ephemera includes programs and menus for testimonial banquets and books used by his wife, Lillian, on the care of infants. The materials are organized into three series based on arrangement by the donor.
Series I: Correspondence is arranged alphabetically and consists of letters written to and by Christopher Battalino.
Series II: Ephemera contains programs and menus for testimonial banquets and award dinners; driving and fishing licenses.
Series III: Papers of Lillian Rotondo Battalino consists of announcement and congratulatory cards on the birth of their daughter, Christine Marie, and printed material on the feeding and dressing of infants.
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Restrictions
Access Restrictions
There are no restrictions on access to the collection.
Use Restrictions
Use of the material requires compliance with the Connecticut Historical Society's Research Center regulations.
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Subject Headings
Personal Names
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Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Item, Collection Title, Collection number (Box #, Folder #). Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, Connecticut.
Processing Details
Finding aid updated to EAD 2002 in December 2010.
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Contents:
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Return to the Table of Contents I. Correspondence |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Correspondence with George Grosch, his former handler. 1929-1979 | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 | Correspondence with Anthony Topagno. 1929-1933 | |||||||||
| 1 | 3 | Correspondence with members of the Veteran Boxers Association Ring 49. 1971-1972 | |||||||||
| 1 | 4 | Correspondence (newsletters) from the International Veteran Boxers Association Ring 11. 1972-1976 | |||||||||
| 1 | 5 | Correspondence with the Young Italian-American Association, including copies of their constitution and by-laws. 1949-1963 | |||||||||
| 1 | 6 | Correspondence, A-L, including letters from Walter Batterson, mayor of Hartford, Thomas Donohue, Connecticut state athletic commissioner, Josephine Drago, his teacher at Brown School and ray Lord of the Police Athletic League of Norwich, Conn. 1929-1977 | |||||||||
| 1 | 7 | Correspondence, M-Z, including letters from Mansfield Training School thanking him for the interest he showed in working with students at the Special Olympics in 1969, from William Mortensen, mayor of Hartford, appointing him to the reception committee for Joe Louis's visit to Hartford in 1944, from F.W. Riggs inviting him to Elmer Major's retirement party, and from the Winsted Evening citizen inviting him and Kid Kaplan to a testimonial dinner fro wrestler Salvo "Toto" Lovetere. 1933-1975 | |||||||||
| 1 | 8 | Fan Mail 1929-1934 | |||||||||
| 1 | 9 | Fan Mail 1935-1949 | |||||||||
| 1 | 10 | Fan Mail 1950-1959 | |||||||||
| 1 | 11 | Fan Mail 1960-1965 | |||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 2 | 6 | Christmas Cards, A-L, including cards from Mr. and Mrs. Walter Batterson showing the Hartford, Conn., skyline in 1930, Ed Hurley, Hartford boxing promoter, Mrs. and Mrs. Louis Kaplan, former world's featherweight champion, Albert Keane, sports editor of the Hartford Courant, Art McGinley, sports editor of the Hartford, times, Nelle and C.J. Michaels, jewelers, and Ted Winis of the Hartford Times. | |||||||||
| 2 | 1 | Fan Mail 1966 | |||||||||
| 2 | 2 | Fan Mail 1967-1969 | |||||||||
| 2 | 3 | Fan Mail 1970-1973 | |||||||||
| 2 | 4 | Fan Mail 1974-1975 | |||||||||
| 2 | 5 | Fan Mail 1976-1985 | |||||||||
| 2 | 6 | Christmas Cards, A-L, including cards from Mr. and Mrs. Walter Batterson showing the Hartford, Conn., skyline in 1930, Ed Hurley, Hartford boxing promoter, Mrs. and Mrs. Louis Kaplan, former world's featherweight champion, Albert Keane, sports editor of the Hartford Courant. 1929-1936 | |||||||||
| 2 | 7 | Christmas Cards, M-Z, including cards from Art McGinley, sports editor of the Hartford Times, Nelle and C.J. Michaels, Jewelers, and Ted Winis of the Hartford Times. 1929-1936 | |||||||||
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Return to the Table of Contents II. Ephemera |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 2 | 8 | Memorabilia of the Battalino-Chocolate Fight 1930 | |||||||||
| 2 | 9 | Programs for Testimonial Banquets and Award Dinners 1954-1978 | |||||||||
| 2 | 10 | Licenses and Membership Cards 1930-1969 | |||||||||
| 2 | 11 | Other Ephemera undated | |||||||||
| 2 | 12 | Battalino Wedding Memorabilia 1929 | |||||||||
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Return to the Table of Contents III. Papers of Lillian Rotondo Battalino |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 2 | 13 | Assorted items | |||||||||