This book is dedicated to:  The entire Vinci family, especially to my late Uncle Chuck, (February 28, 1933- June 13, 2018), the last American male to win an Olympic weightlifting championship.

Known to his family and friends as “Mighty Mouse”, Chuck won the 123-pound bantamweight championships in the 1956 and 1960 games. Chuck Vinci may only have been 4’11”, but his story is larger than life. He succeeded on sheer enthusiasm, dedication, faith and persistence. He’s the embodiment of the American Dream.  He personifies the Olympic spirit.

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I wanted to tell the story of not only my renowned uncle, Chuck Vinci, but also the story of the Vinci Family, who risked everything for a chance at the American Dream. The story presented here is a combination of true events and firsthand accounts from the lives of my grandparents and their eleven children, one of whom is Chuck Vinci Jr.

My grandparents carried their own weights throughout their lives, and they carried them with faith, dignity, perseverance and honor. They passed these traits down to their children. This isn’t just the story of my family, but of the countless number of Italians who made the voyage to America, to make a better life for themselves and their children and their children’s children. This story is based on facts, my family’s memories and some creative license. This book is for all Italian Americans.  

 

-Christine M. Lohmeyer (Pratt)