Jim Vitti
Encyclopedia
Jim Vitti is an award-winning author. He is best known for writing The Cubs on Catalina, which received the international Book of the Year Award from The Sporting News
and the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). This book was also named a finalist in the international Travel Essay category from ForeWord
magazine and was named one of the top 25 books of the year by The Casey Awards (named in honor of baseball legend Casey Stengel).
James Vitti has written numerous other books, including Publicity Handbook for Churches and Christian organizations (published by the Zondervan imprint of HarperCollins
) and a pair of novels (Southern Gold and A Little Piece of Paradise), published by Thomas Nelson/WORD Books.
His writing career also includes articles and columns for newspapers and magazines (such as the Sacramento Bee, Atlanta magazine, and The Rancho Cordova Grapevine
), TV commercials, websites, and print ads (for Coca-Cola, Apple Computer, the University of California, and Ford, among others) for numerous ad agencies (such as Ogilvy & Mather, J. Walter Thompson, and McCann-Erickson). He has won more than 50 industry awards, including an ADDY Best of Show, a direct marketing Best of Show, and international honors from the ECHO and CLIO Awards. He is a graduate of Cordova High School in Rancho Cordova, California (where he worked on the same student newspaper as screenwriter/director Neal Jimenez
), and the University of Oregon.
As an author and journalist, he has met with and interviewed numerous notable figures, including
He has also ghost-written for PGA legend Gary Player, former US Senator Sam Nunn, evangelist Billy Graham, former world heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield, attorney Gloria Allred, TV personality Bob Vila, and singer Lee Ann Womack.
He is a distant cousin of actor Michael Dante
(the stage name for Ralph Vitti), former major league baseball player Bob Saverine
, former Saturday Night Live writer Jon Vitti, and Los Angeles Lakers trainer Gary Vitti. His brother, Anthony, set an NJCAA football record in 1980 (since tied) by blocking three punts in a game (for Sierra College). Jim Vitti has two daughters, Amy and Jenny, and lives in Southern California.
In addition to writing, Vitti has also served as a political cartoonist for a suburban Gannett (parent of USA Today
) newspaper outside Atlanta, and has appeared as an actor in several television commercials, independent films (including Race, directed by Peter Coyote), and as an extra in the Warner Bros.
release, Personal Best. As the author of the Cubs book, he was featured in a PBS special about Catalina Island
.
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
and the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). This book was also named a finalist in the international Travel Essay category from ForeWord
Foreword
A foreword is a piece of writing sometimes placed at the beginning of a book or other piece of literature. Written by someone other than the primary author of the work, it often tells of some interaction between the writer of the foreword and the book's primary author or the story the book tells...
magazine and was named one of the top 25 books of the year by The Casey Awards (named in honor of baseball legend Casey Stengel).
James Vitti has written numerous other books, including Publicity Handbook for Churches and Christian organizations (published by the Zondervan imprint of HarperCollins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
) and a pair of novels (Southern Gold and A Little Piece of Paradise), published by Thomas Nelson/WORD Books.
His writing career also includes articles and columns for newspapers and magazines (such as the Sacramento Bee, Atlanta magazine, and The Rancho Cordova Grapevine
The Rancho Cordova Grapevine
The Rancho Cordova Grapevine-Independent, formerly the Rancho Cordova Grapevine, is the main newspaper of Rancho Cordova, California . This weekly publication has operated continuously since 1968.-History:...
), TV commercials, websites, and print ads (for Coca-Cola, Apple Computer, the University of California, and Ford, among others) for numerous ad agencies (such as Ogilvy & Mather, J. Walter Thompson, and McCann-Erickson). He has won more than 50 industry awards, including an ADDY Best of Show, a direct marketing Best of Show, and international honors from the ECHO and CLIO Awards. He is a graduate of Cordova High School in Rancho Cordova, California (where he worked on the same student newspaper as screenwriter/director Neal Jimenez
Neal Jimenez
Neal Jimenez is a screenwriter and film director. He is best known for the writing of his macabre 1980's film River's Edge. He was a member of the dramatic jury at the Sundance Film Festival in 1994...
), and the University of Oregon.
As an author and journalist, he has met with and interviewed numerous notable figures, including
- Professional athletes: Baseball Hall-of-Famers Ernie BanksErnie BanksErnest "Ernie" Banks , nicknamed "Mr. Cub", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and first baseman. He played his entire 19-year baseball career with the Chicago Cubs . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977.-High school years:Banks was a letterman and standout in football,...
and Frank RobinsonFrank RobinsonFrank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
, 1945 National League MVP Phil CavarrettaPhil CavarrettaPhilip Joseph Cavarretta was an American Major League Baseball first baseman, outfielder, and manager.Cavarretta spent almost his entire baseball career with the Chicago Cubs. He was voted the National League Most Valuable Player after leading the Cubs to the pennant while winning the batting...
, NBA Hall-of-Famer Oscar Robertson, NBA Coach Larry Brown, and more than 100 major league baseball players, professional football and basketball players, and Olympic athletes.
- Politicians: Ronald and Nancy Reagan, former Oregon governor Vic Atiyeh.
- Entertainers: Justine Bateman, Florence Henderson, Howard Hesseman, and Sigourney Weaver.
He has also ghost-written for PGA legend Gary Player, former US Senator Sam Nunn, evangelist Billy Graham, former world heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield, attorney Gloria Allred, TV personality Bob Vila, and singer Lee Ann Womack.
He is a distant cousin of actor Michael Dante
Michael Dante
Michael Dante is an American award winning actor of television, films and stage and a former professional minor league baseball player....
(the stage name for Ralph Vitti), former major league baseball player Bob Saverine
Bob Saverine
Robert Paul Saverine is a former Major League Baseball infielder/outfielder. He was signed by the Baltimore Orioles as an amateur free agent before the 1959 season and played for the Orioles and the Washington Senators...
, former Saturday Night Live writer Jon Vitti, and Los Angeles Lakers trainer Gary Vitti. His brother, Anthony, set an NJCAA football record in 1980 (since tied) by blocking three punts in a game (for Sierra College). Jim Vitti has two daughters, Amy and Jenny, and lives in Southern California.
In addition to writing, Vitti has also served as a political cartoonist for a suburban Gannett (parent of USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
) newspaper outside Atlanta, and has appeared as an actor in several television commercials, independent films (including Race, directed by Peter Coyote), and as an extra in the Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
release, Personal Best. As the author of the Cubs book, he was featured in a PBS special about Catalina Island
Santa Catalina Island, California
Santa Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The island is long and across at its greatest width. The island is located about south-southwest of Los Angeles, California. The highest point on the island is...
.
External links
- http://www.cubschronicle.com/wp/posts/2004/07/19/cubs-on-catalina-named-sporting-news-book-of-year/
- http://www.ecatalina.com/catalina-history-cubs.html
- http://flash.uoregon.edu/S04/alumnews.html