Alton's Jim Hart Fan Club Keeps Football Memories Alive In Naples
A dedicated group from Alton meets weekly in Naples, maintaining strong connections with former Cardinals quarterback Jim Hart and local football traditions.
ALTON — A group of longtime Alton fans has maintained a unique connection with former St. Louis Cardinals quarterback Jim Hart through a fan club that has been meeting regularly in Naples, Florida, over the years.
Steve Tassinari, a member of the Alton Jim Hart Fan Club, said Floyd Raglin, a former Alton High School football star, informed him that Hart was living in Naples. Tassinari reached out to Hart to attend one of their weekly gatherings, and the club took off from there.
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The other members of the Alton Naples Jim Hart Fan Club have been Dave Carlson, Bob Dixon, Jim Brown, Sam Villa, Mike Funk, Bob Abbot, Steve Mottaz, Paul Maley, Steve Pope, Fred Whitworth and Steve Daniel, plus many guests.
The fan club often gathers for lunch every Thursday during the winter months in Naples. Tassinari said Hart has attended these lunches regularly over the past several years.
“We meet every Thursday in the winter. Jim normally makes most of them,” Tassinari said. “Everybody buys a different lunch, and we take pictures every week.”
Hart accepted the invitation with open arms to meet with the group and has since become a friend to the members.
“He said ‘great’ and came over,” Tassinari recalled. “We have continued to have lunch. I now consider him a good friend.”
The fan club’s discussions often focus on Hart’s football career and stories about the St. Louis Cardinals. Tassinari said Hart told them he never had a fan club during his playing days, so this is a novelty for him.
The Alton Jim Hart Fan Club in Naples, Fla., preserves a piece of local sports history through its ongoing connection to Hart, reflecting the enduring impact of his career on the community.
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