Frank Viola: Former Italian / American Long Island Born Mets Twenty Game Winner (1989-1991)
Frank John Viola Jr. known as "Sweet Music" was born on April 19th, 1960, to Frank a radio station controller & Helen Viola. Frank Jr. had one sister Nancy & a brother named John. The family lived in East Meadow, NY on Long Island. The local Italian / American boy made out good & lived his dram coming home to pitch in for his favorite team. Viola said that his father would take him to see an average of ten Mets games a year. They would go to the Bronx for one game a year just to see that there was another team in town. In 1969 he remembered attending a baseball clinic where the Mets Jerry Koosman advised the youngsters not to throw curveballs until they got older. He remembered that advice although he did not become a pitcher until his final high school years. The six foot four, left hander went to East Meadow high school & became a local baseball star. St. John's University: Originally, he was planning on attending CW Post, which was a division