Ed's note: The below article was written by Wally about his friend and ours, TonyG.

Those were the days my friends. Between 1971 and 1986, Big John, Dr. Lee and Tony G (Giardina) made up a group that brought the popularity of Garfield Street paddleball to a level never before achieved.
            Since the early 1960's, the Hollywood Parks and Recreation Department sponsored events throughout the city including paddleball tournaments.
            "Big John" Imburgia, a Hollywood transplant then in his 70's, was a player and former 1924 Olympics boxer, saw a gap in the schedule and asked the city for permission to sponsor a tournament in January. The city warmly welcomed a local resident to cover the cost of purchasing the trophies and related expenses. The tournament was so successful that it was decided to add another sponsor, Dr. Lee Berk, a New York podiatrist and gentleman on and off the court. The event featured 16 top men's singles players. Big John's successful sponsorship had such an overwhelming number of entrants that the city started a third event ...The Tony G Open Men's Singles Event.
Those three men deserve the recognition and respect of all paddleball players, past and present. Were it not for them there would be a 1,000 car parking garage on the Garfield Court site. Because of their generosity, the popularity of the game zoomed rapidly. Having strength in numbers, in 1988 we successfully resisted the politicians' designs for a garage on the paddleball site. Thank you, you three.
          Waltham, Massachusetts proudly claims Tony Giardina as its native son. He can truly say... "been there...  done that." He's played pro football in Portland, Maine, was a light heavyweight boxer, owned race horses, is a Charles River Yacht Club member and owner of five holes-in-one in his golfing days. 
Life was good! But as is said... "all good things come to an end." Along came World War II and Tony G answered his country's call. He was assigned to the Army Combat Engineers and off he went with his buddy, Billy Peduto to do battle in Europe. The mission was always the same with their outfit leading the way, building pontoon bridges across the rivers of Europe, demolishing what had to be demolished in order for the infantrymen to cross and continue to the next battle. Tony was collecting purple hearts before he was collecting holes-in-one. The worst was yet to come.
          Having slogged his way through France, Tony G was about to become a hero in the biggest battle of the biggest war... The Battle of the Bulge, fighting side by side with general George C. Patton.
The Rhine was the river to cross. The assault plan found Tony in a boat with another combat engineer and eight infantrymen. They never made it. Within 20 yards of the river's bank, the Germans opened fire killing seven of the ten men in the boat. Tony G swam the rest of the way and another 30 yards up the river. The steep bank kept the Germans from getting a bead on him as he climbed up the bank and joined up with other soldiers. Out of harm's way??? No such thing in a war. Trying to go further into enemy territory, Tony G was hammered point blank with a burst of bullets, five of which found their mark on his back. Three went through and out the front.  One was later removed and one is lodged in his body to this day. Tony G remembers nothing beyond that point. He was picked up unconscious six hours later, laying among seven dead German soldiers. His Silver Star Citation, the nation's second highest military award , bears out the story. A huge hero. Throw him a salute next time you see him pass. He deserves it.
         His buddy, Billy, had been transferred to another outfit along the way due to a shortage of infantrymen. Both were shipped state-side. They met again in an Atlantic City hospital. Billy was blinded in action. Tony was measurably immobile due to the bullet wounds in his chest, back, lungs and neck. 
Billy can be seen walking The Broadwalk twice daily. For 30 years he has spent six months of the year in Hollywood. After the war, Billy played in golf-for-the-blind tournaments throughout the country and used Tony G as his caddy. Billy would relate measurements of a baseball field in order for Billy to imagine the distance. Billy thinks he has a chance of beating any pro, as long as they tee off at midnight! If he ever misses a green or left a chip shot short, it was your fault, not his.
     Tony G also spends six months of the year here and six in Waltham. While Billy strolls The Broadwalk, Tony heads for the Garfield Courts. He's big on backgammon now. After all, he's 84. His love for paddleball is reflected in the thousands of dollars he's donated to sponsoring the "Tony G Open."
Tony G...Generous...Gregarious...Great!
This writer has been privileged to be the tournament director for those 15 years. To all the sponsors, Thanks again!!
     Those were the days, my friends...we'll never see their like again

Below is a slide show of pictures of the Ceremony and plaque unveiling that took place honoring Tony G, February 11, 2006.