Circa 1993, Italy, Dodger President Peter O’Malley with Aldo Notari, the newly-elected president of the International Baseball Association. Notari, from Italy, was President, Italian Baseball and Softball Federation and served as International Baseball Federation President from 1993-2006, when he passed away at age 73.
Biography
Aldo Notari
Aldo Notari of Italy is the former President of the International Baseball Federation, succeeding USA’s Dr. Bob Smith, from 1993-2006, another period of growth for the federation. Notari had served as IBA 3rd Vice President with Dr. Smith. When Guus Van de Heijden of the Netherlands passed in 1987, Notari was elected President of the Confederation of European Baseball (CEB) and served through 2004. Dodger President Peter O’Malley and Notari were together on numerous occasions throughout the world. Notari participated in meetings for the important Extraordinary Baseball Congress of the Association International Baseball Amateur (AINBA) at the Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles, September 10-12, 1979 and was one of nearly 100 representatives who visited Dodger Stadium as a guest of O’Malley.
October 19, 1992, The Stadium Club, Dodger Stadium. Dodger President Peter O’Malley and Aldo Notari, Italy, Vice President, International Baseball Association (IBA) and President of the Confederation of European Baseball (CEB), discussing international baseball over lunch during executive meetings of the IBA, October 17-20.
When baseball was included as a gold medal sport for the first time, it was at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Notari was present to celebrate along with Dr. Bob Smith, O’Malley, Rod Dedeaux and other international baseball leaders. Peter hosted the International Baseball Association executive meetings, October 17-20, 1992 at Dodger Stadium and Notari was in attendance. On March 15, 1993, Notari was invited to Dodgertown, Vero Beach, Florida by Peter to attend meetings, along with Dr. Smith, Bowie Kuhn, Carlos Garcia (Nicaragua) and Alonzo Perez (Mexico). Notari, Garcia and Perez were all vying for the IBA presidency later that year to succeed Dr. Smith. Notari was elected as the first IBA President from Europe and moved the headquarters to Lausanne, Switzerland, renaming the IBA to the International Baseball Federation (IBAF). The Dodgers traveled to Taipei, Taiwan for the 1993 Friendship Series becoming the first MLB team to play in Taiwan. On October 29, 1993, Peter; Notari; C.K. Chen, Commissioner, Chinese Professional Baseball League; Bowie Kuhn, Major League Baseball Commissioner (1969-1984); Bill White, National League President; Rod Dedeaux, legendary USC head baseball coach; and Eiichiro Yamamoto, President, Baseball Federation of Japan were invited to the Presidential Palace in Taipei to be greeted by Lee Teng-Hui, President of the Republic of China & Taiwan Nationalist Party. Peter and Notari both participated in opening ceremonies of the XXIII Amateur World Baseball Championship in Managua, Nicaragua alongside Nicaragua President Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, who threw the ceremonial first pitch.
June 2, 1995, Dodger Stadium, (L-R) Dodger President Peter O’Malley; Anita DeFrantz, IOC Executive Board member; and Aldo Notari, IBAF President. Notari played professional baseball for the Parma, Italy club and later became its team president. He was an advocate for the development of European baseball. Olympic rowing bronze medalist DeFrantz is a longtime IOC member and Executive Board member who twice served as an IOC Vice President.
November 11, 1996, International Baseball Federation (IBAF) President Aldo Notari and Dodger President Peter O’Malley observe the construction site of a new baseball complex, Quadrifoglio in Parma, Italy. Notari was the first European to hold the international baseball presidency. His involvement in international baseball includes his support for baseball in the Olympic Games and the development of the World Baseball Classic.
Photo by di Pier Luigi Vasini, Parma, Italy. All Rights Reserved.
November 3, 1999, (L-R) Aldo Notari, President, International Baseball Federation (IBAF); Reynaldo Gonzalez, of Cuba and first Vice President, IBAF; and Peter O’Malley. The trio attended the Opening Game of the Intercontinental Cup in Sydney, Australia.
Notari was at Dodger Stadium on June 2, 1995 to meet with Peter and they enjoyed a Dodger game with Anita DeFrantz, IOC Executive Board member. On November 10-12, 1996, O’Malley visited Parma, Italy where Notari took him on a tour of “Quadrifoglio” an impressive baseball complex then under construction. O’Malley and Notari were on the cover of “Tutto Baseball Softball” magazine with a feature story about the complex and O’Malley’s visit. Notari participated in July 4, 1998 dedication ceremonies for O’Malley Little League Field and Dodger Baseball Field, both privately built by Peter, in Corkagh Demesne Park, Clondalkin, West Dublin, Ireland. Notari and Peter were in Sydney, Australia for the Opening Game of the Intercontinental Cup on November 3, 1999 and IBAF meetings. Notari passed in office on July 26, 2006 and was succeeded by Acting President Tom Peng of Taiwan until Harvey Schiller was elected IBAF president and served from March 2007-2009.