D'Addario photographed JFK, Mohammed Ali, Katie Messer and thousands of others over 5 decades.
In a career that spanned five decades with The Republican's predecessors – the Springfield Union, Sunday Republican and Union-News – Vincent S. D'Addario, who died Friday at the age of 81, was at the scene of all types of events, photographing thousands of important people, some famous, some your next-door neighbor.
D'Addario photographed, among other people and events, future president John F. Kennedy marching in the 1958 Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade, future heavyweight champ Mohammed Ali (then Cassius Clay) training at the Schine Inn in Chicopee, the construction of the Southwest dormitories complex at UMass and of the Holyoke Mall ... and 6-year-old Katie Messer learning the proper hand signals for riding her bike from Westfield police officer Richard Rix.
Important people, important events.
D'Addario, born in Holyoke, began his photojournalism career in the 1950s, and retired from the Union-News/Sunday Republican in 1992. His work earned him numerous regional and national awards, and his photographs were published in such national magazines as Sports Illustrated, Time, Life and Look. Last year, he was presented the Valley Press Club's Lifetime Achievement Award.
A small sampling of his work is included in the photo gallery accompanying this post.