Saturday, January 16, 1999
Lono’s career has been
By Al Chase
buono in Italy
Star-BulletinTransport yourself ahead to the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. It's a sunny afternoon and you decide to attend the United States-Italy baseball game.
Following the national anthems, the announcer begins to give the starting lineups. Some of the collegians playing for the U.S. are familiar, having competed against Hawaii at Rainbow Stadium.
Finally, the announcer says, "and pitching for Italy, No. 21, left-hander Joel Lono."
What?
The same Joel Lono who was a quarterback at Kamehameha?
The same Joel Lono who was an all-Western Athletic Conference selection for the Rainbows as a pitcher in 1984?
It may sound far fetched, but it could happen.
"It's difficult, but not impossible. A lot of people are behind him," said Parma baseball team president Rossanano Rinaldi, Lono's employer this past season.
"It would bring great satisfaction to him and to the Italian team if he is approved."
The application process started more than a year ago and is being handled by Elena Orsi, Lono's girlfriend of seven years, who has just finished law school.
"The process would give me residency. It would be a dual passport and that would give me more opportunities there," said Lono, who will return for his 11th season in Italy next month.
"Elena took 15 booklets of information that basically was my whole life story in statistics in Italy to Rome. The Italian Baseball Federation is all for it because they need pitching.
"I hope to hear any time now whether the petition is accepted or not. Elena keeps telling me it has passed another level. The president of Italy makes the final decision.
"In 10 years I feel I've helped Italian baseball. I'd be one happy camper if it works out. I just want the opportunity, even if it is with another country. If I can't play in the Big Leagues, then I can say I played in the Olympics."
What began as a one-year trial in 1989 has developed into a long-lasting, financially rewarding relationship between Lono and Italian baseball. The opportunity to play in Italy materialized at just the right time.
Lono, a 12th round draft pick by Cincinnati in 1984, pitched 41/2 years for the Reds before being released early in the 1988 season. He signed with the Miami Marlins, then an independent team in the Florida State League.
A scout from Milan signed Richard Richardi, a Miami teammate, then asked him if he knew of anyone who could pitch and also play in the field.
Richardi answered "Joel Lono."
"Milan called me and said they would pay me this amount of money. Are you interested?" Lono recalls. "I asked where Milan was at. You study about the Roman Empire in high school but forget. I figured, 'What the heck. I've got nothing to lose. I'll try it for a year.' If it didn't work out, then I would have to go and find a real job like everyone else.
"I got there and didn't even know how to order a pizza. They asked if I wanted a margarita. I thought they meant a drink, but that's what they call cheese pizza."
He also thought a year in Italy might help him get back into American baseball. He was aware of other Americans who had taken this route.
But, Milan asked him back after the first year and the second year. In three seasons with Milan he was 37-14 with 455 strikeouts and a 1.93 earned run average. After the third season, management said he was too old and sold his contract.
First Collecchio (1992-93), then Bologna ('94-95), then Modena ('96-97) and finally Parma ('98-99) thought Lono still was capable of being effective on the mound and in the field.
When he signed with Parma last year, the "too old" whispers were heard again.
"A lot of people said that but I had seen him play and I was convinced he could compete at the top level for another two, three years," Rinaldi said. "Joel is very serious about his work and he proved me to be right."
This past summer Lono pitched a complete game in the Cup of Champions title game, defeating Holland's champion, 3-1, in Barcelona. Parma had won the Italian championship in 1997 to qualify for the Cup, but lost the seventh game in the semifinals of the league playoffs this year.
Another noteworthy accomplishment happened late in the 1998 season when he became the all-time strikeout leader in Italian baseball with 1,421. Although there was discussion concerning a pitcher who played right after World War II having more, Lono is officially recognized as the leader. And he passed a former Milan and Bologna teammate, Roberto Radaelli, to do it.
"Radaelli taught me the spitter," Lono, 38, said. "I had to develop the fork ball to eliminate suspicion.
"The umpires there aren't very good. Our college umpires are better. One time, on a wild pitch, I saw the umpire just hand the catcher a new ball and the catcher tagged the guy out trying to score from third."
Since American pitchers can only take the mound Friday for league games (league series are held on the weekends with league and European Cup game played midweek), Lono plays center field, first base or is the designated hitter in other games.
He hit over .400 the two seasons he played for Collecchio and has never seen his batting average fall below .300.
Although most of his managers have spoken some English, when the game starts, it's all Italian, but no longer a problem for Lono.
"I can speak Italian pretty good now, but I don't read or write it."
He says baseball doesn't get the same media coverage as soccer, basketball and volleyball although the McGwire-Sosa home run race was in the papers every day last summer. Parma's weekend games are shown tape-delayed during the week.
If there is a hint of rain, everyone is thinking cancelation.
"They don't have tarps, just small plastic sheets to cover the plate and mound," Lono said. "Some clubs use big sponges on the infield when it rains. If the game is really important, they bring in a helicopter (to dry the field)."
He has never had arm problems and says staying in shape is not a problem but a challenge. A 5-foot-11, 175 pounder at UH, Lono is now 6-0 and tips the scales at 215.
"My younger brother, Kalai, is always challenging and pushing me and my nephews kid me about getting handles. I'm not skinny like I was at UH," he said.
"I still think I have five more years. Every time I have a good year and help keep the club up there, I say I'm going back. I have no regrets playing there. It's been good. I think I have more friends there than here."
In his 10 years, he has played against every player with Hawaii ties who has competed for an Italian team -- David Masters, Thad Reece, Garrett Nago, Rich Olsen, Keith Komeiji and Matt Apana.
Lono receives a decent salary and clubs pay for a foreign player's apartment, utilities, air fare, car and offer performance incentives.
Right now, he would just like to hear that his petition for residency has been approved.
The alumni contingent made its annual one-night pilgrimage to "practice" at Rainbow Stadium last night in preparation for tomorrow's 3 p.m. doubleheader against the Hawaii Rainbows. What they're doing
Yes, they took their turns in the batting cage, but also talked about the old days, families, jobs and how the '99 'Bows would do.
Here's a look at what those competitors of yesteryear are doing today (years played in parentheses).
Darren Blakely (96-98): Working out here prior to reporting to the Anaheim Angels for spring training.
--By Al Chase, Star-Bulletin
