Summary

Medal minted by Stokes in Melbourne, awarded to Mirella Zavattiero nee Bartolomé in 1955 to commemorate the Italo-Australian Migrant Association Women's Basketball Team's competition victory in the 1954-1955 season.

Mirella Bartolome was born in 1935 in Fiume, part of the Italian territories handed over to Yugoslavia in 1947. Mirella's family was displaced as a result and after four years in refugee camps in Italy and Germany, they migrated to Australian in 1952. The family stayed at Bonegilla Migrant Reception Centre in northern Victoria and finally settled in Melbourne where Mirella and her sister joined the Italo-Australian Migrant Association (IAMA) Women's Basketball Team and played competition basketball for a number of years.

Physical Description

Medal with obverse featuring figure in relief of female basketballer leaping for a suspended basketball and words BASKETBALL running along the circular edge. Reverse side features laurel wreath engraved in relief with words inscribed in the centre: I.A.M.A. "A" Grade. Runners Up 1955. Also a green, white and red striped ribbon (Italian national colours) folded twice and sewn at centre point. Round cream plastic presentation box with red fabric on interior base and donor name on white sticker attached to outside lid.

Obverse Description

Figure in relief of female basketballer leaping for a suspended basketball and words BASKETBALL running along the circular edge.

Reverse Description

Laurel wreath, engraved centre, I.A.M.A. "A" Grade. Runners Up 1955. Below, STOKES.

Edge Description

Circular indentation on opposite sides.

Significance

This medal contributes to the representation of women's sporting activity in Victoria, particularly significant in terms of the importance of sporting clubs in providing a community network for newly-arrived migrants.

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