An operation of history and memory. The thread of memories, friendship, esteem and sharing of work resurfaces in the daily life and secrets of an editorial office. There is this and more in the book (Minerva Edizioni) “The four Giannis. Brera, Clerici, Minà, Mura and the sport of Repubblica” written by Giuseppe Smorto, from Reggio, former editor-in-chief, deputy director and director of the online edition of the newspaper founded by Eugenio Scalfari.
«I had always had in mind to dedicate a work to these four immortal colleagues with whom I had the immense fortune of working and growing», begins the author, chatting on “Spazio Open” with the publisher Franco Arcidiaco and the journalist Antonio Marino. These are the times in which “La Repubblica” was born as a newspaper of culture, opinion and politics but when Eugenio Scalfari decides to open up to sport, he does so by drawing on the biggest names in journalism in the sector.
«Peppe Smorto outlines mythical figures of journalists who were great writers and knew how to talk about sport in a very different way from that of today», recognizes Franco Arcidiaco. «People dreamed by reading what Gianni Brera wrote. This book is “dangerous” – observes Antonio Marino – because it offers the opportunity to discover a new way of understanding and describing life, in a clear, clear and no-frills way. Figures that “forced” us to read and today reading – together with beauty – can perhaps save the world.”
And here is Giuseppe Smorto: he dreamed of a life as a psychoanalyst but has always been a journalist. A scholarship propelled him to “Repubblica” and, step by step, it was his path to success. With one fixed point: always keep its roots solid; his love for Calabria, for “his” Lazzaro where he keeps many friends. And a testimony of this affection also shines through in the docufilm “Semidei” dedicated to the Riace Bronzes in which he was co-author.
With the naturalness of someone who lived through those times, Giuseppe Smorto leads the guests gathered at Spazio Open onto the terrain covered by the four journalists. Life, works and miracles are rediscovered by those who are proud to have worked in their shadow. Anecdotes, arguments, teasing, even some slaps and, again, Smorto brings their style to the pages, their way of describing the champions, the team members, life. With one certainty: sport is not just entertainment, but law, the supreme form of dialogue and encounter. «Each of these figures has transferred a human heritage to me; a life lesson. Especially Gianni Mura, after whom we have just named a sports library in Milan. And the four “Gianni” have one thing in common: that of not being conformists.”
The setting is therefore that of an editorial team that should not have existed. «Sport and images were not initially contemplated. Repubblica should have been a purely written newspaper, but in reality – recalls Giuseppe Smorto – Eugenio Scalfari soon understood that, without sport, you wouldn’t go far. Because sport is a glue, it breaks down barriers and it is the universal language that everyone understands.” Yet, the book goes beyond nostalgia. «It contains, above all – concludes Giuseppe Smorto – a message to be addressed to future generations. My hope is that four more “Giannis” will be born. Because if it is true that languages have changed, it is also true that good writing is always needed.”