The Foundation of West Tampa


 By Adam Jahr
 In a community such as
West Tampa, there are people
on whom the community has
been built. They are the bed-
rock on which our foundation
has been set. Without these
men and women of irreproaca-
ble character, unquestionable
loyalty and sense of honor,
our communities cannot stand.
So every year we devote space
to introduce you to a few. Let
us introduce you to three more.
 ******
 Sam Salemi, Sr.
 Most people probably were
not too happy when they first
met Sam Salemi, Sr. Not be-
cause he's not a nice guy,
but because a visit to Mr; Sa-
lemi meant your vehicle was
banged up.
 Salemi, Sr., founder of
Salemi's Body Shop, estab-
lished a reputation in West
Tampa as the go-to man for
body work. After a rich child-
hood playing baseball at Mac-
Farlane and Cuscaden Park,
where he holds the title for
most runs batted in, Salemi
Sr. became an apprentice to
his uncle, who taught him the
trade of body work until he
was drafted by the U.S. Army
/ i T


 Sam Salemi
 during WWII
during WWII. He was sent to
Camp Landing, Florida, for
basic training then spent his
19 months serving in Florida
and Alabama as an infantry
instructor.
 "I was lucky I didn't have
to go overseas," he says, then
jokes, "My training: that's why
the war ended so quick."
 While serving in the U.S.
Army, Salemi Sr. hitchhiked
back to Tampa all the time to
visit Grace "Dolly" Saladino,
whom he ended up marrying.
They've now been married for
66 years and have three chil-
dren, six grandchildren, seven
great-grandchildren and an
eighth on its way.
 Some of his children and
grandchildren currently run
Salemi's Body Shop. "I just
come in, sit around 'til about
nine, nine-thirty, then go play
my dominoes," says Salemi,
Sr. who is "retired" but stops
by the shop every day to keep


 1948 Italian Club Baseball Team (above)
1949 Tip Top Auto Painting Baseball Team (below)



 .-  ,.. ,:" .
 tgJ 7 F
 ~Bk~.: hr


from spinning his wheels. "If I
didn't come to work every day,
what would I do?" he asks.
"Stay home?"
 He's proud that he was able
 to establish Salemi's Body
 Shop in 1966 after 30 years of
 working at Ferman Auto. "To
 know your family will be well
 provided for is the greatest ac-
 complishment a man can brag
 about." To this day, the busi-
 ness relies on the reputation
 for good, honest work that he
 founded.
 "Be honest with people," he
 says, "that's the main thing.
 You say one lie, you gotta tell
 two lies to cover the first one
 and before you know it, you're
 the biggest liar in town. You
 get more out of people by be-
 ing nice than being a horse's
 ass.
 "We do beautiful work," he
 continues. "We get cars that
 was fixed some other place. I
 really don't know how they got
 by with it. They leave screws
 off ... it's unreal."
 After Salemi, Sr. finishes
 his rounds of dominoes to
 keep his mind alert, he makes
 his way back home to spend
 time with his wife. Sam and
SGrace, both 84, watch Grace's
television programs together,
and Sam cares for her even
catering to her late-night re-
quests. "She's always telling
me, 'Baby, can you get me
 (Continued on page 3)


 SUNTRUST

 Leo Alvarez
 Vice President
 Branch Manager
 4545 N. Himes Ave.
 Tampa, FL 33614
 813.879-6074
 leo.alvarez@suntrust.com

Page 2 Section B/LA GACETA/Friday, May 6,2011


1948 Baseball team holding trophy (above)
 1956 West Tampa Baseball team
 that went to State Tournament (below)


 West


 Tampa



 Proud of the Past

Committed to the Future





 From













 Daniel M. Hernandez, P.A.

 Attorney at Law


 'Proud to be part of
 West Tampa's Renaissance"


902 N. Armenia Ave.
Tampa, FL 33609


Office: (813) 875-9694
 Fax: (813) 876-4155