John N. LaCorte; Founder of Italian Historical Society
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John N. LaCorte, 81, founder and former president of the Italian Historical Society of America. An indefatigable booster of Italian causes, LaCorte was credited with creating New York’s Columbus Day Parade and having the city’s longest bridge named for Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazano. He received more media attention in 1987 when he offered to give $1,000 to teen-age girls who maintained their virginity to the age of 19. Feminists protested the plan, and few teen-agers applied. On Wednesday in New York City of a heart attack.
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