Nettuno: From the Shores of War to the City of Baseball
By NANCY BERMAN
NETTUNO, ITALY
In 2023, I traveled to Nettuno, Italy as a newly appointed member of the U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad. It was my first official outing with the commission. I joined then-Chair Starlet “Star” Jones Lugo on a visit to this beautiful seaside city just south of Rome. I expected to learn about the important American history connected to World War II in the region. What I did not expect was to discover a story that would become one of the most meaningful projects of my time on the commission.
Nettuno’s connection to the United States began during World War II, when American troops landed on the nearby shores as part of the Allied effort to liberate Rome from Nazi occupation. The fighting was intense and costly. Today, the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial stands as a solemn reminder of those sacrifices. The cemetery contains the graves of 7,858 American service members who gave their lives in the Italian campaign and remains one of the most significant American military cemeteries in Europe.
During that first trip, Star and I visited Fort Sangallo, which today houses a museum dedicated to the Allied landings and the wartime history of the region. We also visited the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial, where we participated in a special ceremony recognizing two Jewish American soldiers who had mistakenly been buried beneath Latin Crosses rather than Stars of David. While this was not the official headstone replacement ceremony, it was an important moment acknowledging the error and honoring the work of Operation Benjamin, an organization dedicated to identifying Jewish American service members buried under incorrect markers and ensuring they receive the recognition they deserve. Since that visit, the official replacement ceremonies have taken place, correcting the historical record and honoring those soldiers according to their faith.
As meaningful as those experiences were, what truly surprised me was discovering another American legacy that had taken root in Nettuno decades earlier.
During World War II, American servicemen stationed in Nettuno introduced local residents to their favorite pastime: baseball. What began as informal games played between soldiers and curious Italian spectators gradually evolved into organized teams and leagues. The Nettuno Baseball Club was founded in 1945, and by 1947 baseball had become an established part of community life. The American soldiers eventually returned home, but the game remained. Over the decades, baseball became so deeply embedded in the culture of Nettuno that today the city is affectionately known throughout Italy as “The City of Baseball.”
The people of Nettuno never forgot who brought them the game. What started on makeshift fields during wartime became part of the city’s identity. Baseball was passed from one generation to the next, creating an enduring connection between the people of Nettuno and the American servicemen who helped liberate their city. More than 80 years later, that connection remains alive.
The sport continues to thrive there today. The Nettuno Baseball Club competes at the highest level of Italian professional baseball and has captured more national championships than any other team in the country. It is one of the crown jewels of Italian baseball and a powerful reminder of how deeply the game has become woven into the fabric of Nettuno’s identity.
I was fascinated by the idea that a small seaside town in Italy had embraced America’s pastime for generations. Here was a living piece of American heritage, preserved not in a museum display case, but on baseball fields, in local clubs, and through families who continued to play, teach, and celebrate the game introduced by American soldiers.
During that first visit, I met Melanie Resto, then director of the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial and today the cultural ambassador and liaison for the Municipality of Nettuno. We immediately connected over a shared passion for preserving and telling this unique story. Since that first meeting, Melanie and I have continued working together with local government officials and baseball leaders in Nettuno to ensure that the connection between the Allied landings and the city’s baseball heritage is not forgotten.
One of the projects we are currently working on is “From the Landing to the Legacy: Nettuno, City of Baseball,” an initiative designed to further tell the story of how American soldiers brought baseball to Nettuno and how that legacy continues today. The goal is to help future generations understand the remarkable connection between the Allied landings and the city’s identity as Italy’s “City of Baseball.”
When I returned to Nettuno in 2024, one of the highlights of my trip was spending time with members of the city’s baseball community and interviewing veteran Nettuno baseball players for a future documentary project. I wanted to hear their stories firsthand. I asked them about their memories of the game, what baseball meant to them growing up, and how they viewed the unique connection between their city and the United States.
What struck me most was that these conversations were never just about baseball. They were about community, family, friendship and gratitude. Many of the players spoke about the pride they felt in being part of a tradition that began with American servicemen more than 80 years ago. They understood that baseball’s roots in Nettuno were unlike those in most places around the world. For them, the game represented a living link to the Americans who helped liberate their city and introduced a sport that would become part of its identity.
Listening to their stories reinforced something I had come to appreciate throughout this journey: The legacy of the American troops who landed in Nettuno was not confined to monuments, cemeteries or history books. It continues to live on every time a child picks up a glove, every time a local team takes the field, and every time the people of Nettuno proudly refer to their home as “The City of Baseball.”
As I spent more time in Nettuno, the idea for a Sister City relationship with Cooperstown began to take shape. The connection simply made sense. Cooperstown is the home of baseball. Nettuno is a city that has embraced and preserved America’s pastime for more than 80 years. It seemed like a natural partnership.
In 2024, I reached out to Cooperstown Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh to ask whether she would consider a Sister City relationship with Nettuno. I am grateful that leaders in both communities immediately recognized the potential of the idea. During my return visit to Nettuno that year, local officials announced and celebrated the proposed partnership. What followed over the next two years was a collaborative effort by leaders and citizens on both sides of the Atlantic to transform the idea into reality.
This spring, that vision officially became a reality. Following Cooperstown’s approval of the agreement over Memorial Day weekend, Nettuno’s City Council unanimously approved the Sister City partnership and formally recognized baseball as an official cultural heritage of the city.
The celebration in Nettuno was extraordinary. The council chambers were filled beyond capacity. Large screens were set up outside so residents could watch the proceedings. Former players, families, children and community leaders gathered together to witness the vote. For the people of Nettuno, this was never merely a government agreement. It was the recognition of an 80-year friendship that began with American soldiers and endured through generations. There were cheers, tears and tremendous pride throughout the city.
The story is far from over. Plans are already underway for future projects, including a monument honoring the American baseball legacy in Nettuno and the installation of an official Sister City sign recognizing the partnership between Nettuno and Cooperstown. The U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad hopes to help make that project a reality. Together, these efforts will help ensure that future generations understand how a wartime connection between American servicemen and a small Italian city evolved into a friendship that continues more than 80 years later.
As these projects move forward, there are opportunities for individuals, families, foundations, and companies who believe in preserving history and strengthening cultural ties between nations to become part of the story. Many Americans have family roots in Italy. Others simply appreciate the sacrifices made by the men who fought for freedom and the lasting connections they created. Their support can help ensure that this remarkable chapter of American and Italian history continues to be shared with future generations.
When I first arrived in Nettuno in 2023, I thought I was visiting a city with an important American past. I left realizing I had discovered a city that still carries a piece of America’s heart. Three years later, seeing Nettuno and Cooperstown officially united feels less like the creation of a new relationship and more like the recognition of one that has existed all along.
Nancy Berman is a member of the U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad and the founder and designer of NANDANIE, a luxury women’s neckwear and accessories brand. She lives in Huntington Woods, Michigan, and is the mother of three children. Through her work with the commission, she has been involved in projects preserving American heritage overseas.
