In a little over a month, a multitude of Canadians will come together to witness the ice hockey events at the Milano-Cortina Winter Games. Enthusiasts of the sport may be aware that Italy is one of the 12 nations competing for gold in the men’s ice hockey category, while the host country’s women’s team is among eight contenders.
What many fans may not realize is the deep-rooted and historical connection between Italy’s hockey program and Canada, particularly northern Ontario. Aldo Maniacco, a native of Sault Ste. Marie who passed away last year, was among the players from the region who represented Italy in the men’s Olympic team in 1956, marking the first time the country hosted the Games, held in Cortina d’Ampezzo 70 years ago.
With a goal to field a strong team, players of Italian descent from Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Timmins, and Thunder Bay were scouted by the Italian national team in the years leading up to the 1956 Games. These individuals obtained Italian passports and relocated to their ancestral homeland in pursuit of professional athletic careers and aspirations of competing on the global stage.
Several players from northern Ontario, including Maniacco, Carmen Tucci, Bernie Tomie from Sault Ste. Marie, and Ron Furlani from Sudbury, successfully made it to the 1956 Olympic team. Others like Florio Guarda from Timmins and Ron Dotter, Don Lato, and Dickie Gioia from Sault moved to Italy to play hockey but did not secure spots on the Olympic roster.
Decades later, Maniacco’s family, led by his granddaughter Brye-Anne Maniacco and in-law Bill O’Donnell, is actively preserving the legacy of these players, known as the Cortina Canadians, through historical research with plans to create a comprehensive documentary.
The Italian hockey team concluded the 1956 Olympics in seventh place out of 10 teams, which remains Italy’s best Olympic finish in the sport. Despite being relegated to the consolation round, Italy ended the tournament on a high note, winning all three remaining games.
Italy made a significant decision not to include North Americans on its national team in the 1964 Olympics, resulting in a disappointing 14th-place finish out of 15 teams that year. However, two decades later, players of Italian heritage from the Western Hemisphere were reintegrated into Italy’s hockey program, with strong representation from northern Ontario.
Tom Milani and Robert De Piero from Thunder Bay played for the Italian team in the 1980s, while Gene Ubriacco from Sault coached the national team in 1992. John Parco from Sault participated in Italy’s 2006 Olympic hockey team in Turin, scoring against Canada’s goalie, Martin Brodeur.
The enduring legacy of these players is still evident today, as emphasized by O’Donnell, underscoring their substantial impact on the sport. While most players from the 1956 team have passed away, three individuals, including Tomie, continue to be part of the living legacy.
Maniacco’s family is currently seeking funding from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund to develop a documentary on the Cortina Canadians, emphasizing its significance as a Canadian narrative that all citizens can take pride in.
