NEW ORLEANS – Former New Orleans Privateers baseball student-athlete and assistant coach, Johnny Giavotella will be the national honoree at the 35
th Annual Louisiana American Italian Sports Hall of Fame Gala on Saturday. The event will take place at Harrah's New Orleans Hotel and Casino and begin at 5 p.m.
Giavotella played 182 games for the Privateers from 2006-08 and starred on the diamond. The second baseman holds a place in the record books in a multitude of categories and racked up a bevy of accolades in his time on the Lakefront.
In three seasons, Giavotella earned All-Sun Belt honors (twice), All-Region recognition from the American Baseball Coaches Association, and was named a First Team All-American in 2007 by the ABCA. He was also the Sun Belt Tournament Most Valuable Player in the same season.
For his Privateer career, Giavotella hit .363 with 32 career home runs, 46 doubles, and 13 triples. He drove in 172 runs and scored 203. His career slugging percentage was .601. He also stole 49 bases and drew 143 walks. He ranks in the top 10 in program history in all those categories.
Giavotella went on to an 11-year professional career. He appeared in 360 career games between Kansas City, Los Angeles (AL), and Baltimore. His career batting average as a pro was .290.
After retiring, Giavotella returned to the Lakefront as a student-assistant on the coaching staff for the 2019 season.
Individual tickets for the gala are available for those looking to attend. Visit
www.americanitalianculturalcenter.com.
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