battc1977.xml Christopher Battalino Papers A Guide to the Christopher Battalino Papers at the Connecticut Historical Society Compiled by Ruth Blair EAD conversion sponsored by The Connecticut Historical Society Connecticut Historical Society

1 Elizabeth Street Hartford, CT 06105

March 2000 Collection Overview US/CTH/BATTC/1977 Connecticut Historical Society Christopher Battalino Papers. 1929 - 1985 Christopher Battalino 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. 2 boxes; 25 folders; 0.8 linear feet Manuscript stacks Scope and Content

Collection consists largely of correspondence, including letters from George Grosch, his former handler, members of boxers associations, fans and sports writers and ephemera including programs and menus for testimonial banquets and books used by his wife, Lillian, on the care of infants.

Organization

Materials are organized into 3 series based on arrangement by the donor.

Correspondence Ephemera Papers of Lillian Rotondo Battalino Arrangement

Correspondence is arranged alphabetically.

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 he turned 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.

Series list Series 1: Correspondence Series 1: Correspondence 1929-1985 2 boxes BATTC/1977 -- I--II Series consists of letters written to and by Christopher Battalino. Folder I.A Archives Control File. Folder I.1 Correspondence with George Grosch, his former handler. 1929-1979 Folder I.2 Correspondence with Anthony Topagno. 1929-1933 Folder I.3 Correspondence with members of the Veteran Boxers Association Ring 49. 1971-1972 Folder I.4 Correspondence (newsletters) from the International Veteran Boxers Association Ring 11. 1972-1976 Folder I.5 Correspondence with the Young Italian-American Association, including copies of their constitution and by-laws. 1949-1963 Folder I.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 Folder I.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 Folder I.8 Fan Mail 1929-1934 Folder I.9 Fan Mail 1935-1949 Folder I.10 Fan Mail 1950-1959 Folder I.11 Fan Mail 1960-1965 Folder II.6 Christmas Cards, A-L, includiing 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, sprts editor of the Hartford, times, Nelle and C.J. Michaels, jewelers, and Ted Winis of the Hartford Times. Folder II.1 Fan Mail 1966 Folder II.2 Fan Mail 1967-1969 Folder II.3 Fan Mail 1970-1973 Folder II.4 Fan Mail 1974-1975 Folder II.5 Fan Mail 1976-1985 Folder II.6 Christmas Cards, A-L, includiing 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 Folder II.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 Series 2: Ephemera Series 2: Ephemera 1929-1978 5 folders BATTC/1977 -- II.8-10 Series consists of ephemera, including programs and menus for testimonial banquets and award dinners; driving and fishing licenses. Folder II.8 Memorabilia of the Battalino-Chocolate Fight 1930 Folder II.9 Programs for Testimonial Banquets and Award Dinners 1954-1978 Folder II.10 Licenses and Membership Cards 1930-1969 Folder II.11 Other Ephemera undated Folder II.12 Battalino Wedding Memorabilia 1929 Series 3: Papers of Lillian Rotondo Battalino Series 3: Papers of Lillian Rotondo Battalino 1930-1933 1 folder BATTC/1977 -- II.13 Series consists of announcement and congratulatory cards on the birth of their daughter, Christine Marie, and printed material on the feeding and dressing of infants. 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 Library Regulations.

Preferred Citation

"Item, Collection Title(Collection Code -- box #. Folder #), at the Connecticut Historical Society".

Processing Details

EAD instance compiled by Ruth Blair in March 2000, based on a donor's arrangement. EAD finding aid was created in XML using NoteTab Pro. Transformation to HTML was effected through application of XSL (WD19981216) using James Clark's processor, XT.

Accruals

The collection is open.

Accession Register Accession 96110 Date March 2000 Source Marie Battalino Peichert