Konerko Article

[RockRaines]

In Cranston, cheers for a grandson named Konerko

 

Peter and Madeline DiPiro say they're proud of all their grandchildren, but are following closely the exploits of the White Sox first baseman who yesterday hit a homer against the Red Sox.

 

09:04 AM EDT on Wednesday, October 5, 2005

 

BY BARBARA POLICHETTI

Journal Staff Writer

 

CRANSTON -- Like any good grandparents, Peter and Madeline DiPiro like to watch their grandson play baseball.

 

Journal photo / Ruben W. Perez

 

Peter DiPiro, of Cranston, is pretty happy yesterday as his grandson Paul Konerko rounds first base after hitting a home run for the Chicago White Sox.

 

But this is not a matter of cheering from the bleachers at a Little League game. This is the big time.

 

The DiPiros' grandson is Paul Konerko, first baseman and cleanup hitter for the Chicago White Sox.

 

So yesterday, deep in the heart of Red Sox Nation, the DiPiros were happily rooting for the White Sox as they watched the first game of the American League Division Series from the den of their Cranston Street home.

 

"Come on Paulie, do something," Madeline DiPiro urged as she watched her 29-year-old, 6-foot, 2-inch grandson step up to the plate. "Come on."

 

"Paulie" didn't disappoint his grandparents and he didn't disappoint Chicago. He batted in two runs in the lopsided game that saw his team best the Red Sox, 14-2. His home run in the third inning had his grandparents fielding phone calls from jubilant relatives, and had sports announcers saying, "You have Providence, Rhode Island, to thank for that."

 

"He's a great kid," Madeline DiPiro, 86, said. "He's very quiet and very low-key."

 

While the DiPiros were beaming at Konerko's performance yesterday, it was clear that they are equally proud of all five of their grandchildren. Their sunny ranch house is filled with family pictures -- generations past and present -- and there is hardly any baseball paraphernalia to be found.

 

"If we have any baseball cards or anything, we usually give them away to friends who have children or who are baseball fans," said Peter DiPiro, 87, who retired from the Cranston Fire Department as its deputy chief in 1982.

 

"We have Paul," Madeline DiPiro said. "That's enough."

 

The couple, who have been married 62 years, point to their gently sloping backyard in the Oaklawn neighborhood and recall how a young Konerko played back there -- swiping away at balls with a big yellow plastic bat.

 

The young ballplayer spent the first few years of his life in Johnston until his parents -- Elena and Henry Konerko -- moved him and his older brother, Peter, to Norwich, Conn. A short time later, the family moved to Scottsdale, Ariz., where Konerko had a stellar high school baseball career.

 

A close-knit family, the DiPiros said that distance didn't stop them from going to ballgames in Connecticut or keeping tabs on their athletic grandson who, when he was younger, played hockey with almost the same passion he had for baseball.

 

They visited Arizona often, and said they remember when Konerko was the Los Angeles Dodgers' No. 1 draft pick in 1994 shortly after graduating from Chaparral High School. He spent a couple of years playing in the minor leagues and started playing major-league ball for the Dodgers in 1997.

 

A year later, he played briefly for the Cincinnati Reds before being traded to Chicago, where he wears number 14 and had an impressive batting record with 40 home runs this season and 100 RBI during the regular season.

 

The DiPiros, who both come from the Knightsville section of Cranston, are gentle baseball fans, saying they hate to see any nice players do poorly. They readily credit other teams' players and cheer for any pros that they know have been friendly with Konerko.

 

"Oh, he's a nice young man," Madeline DiPiro said when the Red Sox' Tony Graffanino -- a former White Sox player -- stepped up to the plate yesterday. "He was in Paul's wedding party."

 

The couple said that they try to never miss a game, and purchased satellite TV service to watch the White Sox play. Mrs. DiPiro's maiden name was Sinapi and the couple said that there is a large family fan base for Konerko in the area.

 

Still, they remain fairly philosophical about winning or losing, saying that it's family first and then baseball.

 

"You have a hard time keeping me away from the TV when Paulie's playing," Madeline DiPiro said. "But he's not going to get a hit every time he's up. I just like to see him do his best."

[Queen Prawn]

That was a sweet article. Thanks for posting!

[Bubba Philips]

That was a sweet article.  Thanks for posting!

Paulie went to Hockey camp according to one of my friends who was at that camp the kids called Paulie ,"goose". I wonder if 38000 people yelling goose would inspire him more than PauliePaulie.