The Lowell Area Historical Museum is offering a weekly feature to explore local history. The ABCs of Lowell History continues with a look at Zzano’s. a name that was synonymous with pizza and baseball. To learn more about Lowell history, visit the museum website to explore its collection of local artifacts and records.

The name Zzano’s was known for two things – pizza and baseball.

Anthony “Tony” Stormzand opened his pizza shop first at 313 E. Main. This building was known as the old Music Hall which became the Masonic Temple. It was a three story building, the oldest building on Main Street at the time. The second and third floors housed the Masonic Temple and Zzano’s occupied the first floor. In May of 1971 the roof collapsed in a storm. The city condemned the building and though repairs were attempted, for Zzano’s Pizza, a move was in order. The restaurant moved across the street to the old Lowell State Savings Bank building at 218 E. Main and was placing updated advertisements the next week.

The name ‘Zzano’s Pizza’ was perhaps well known nationwide more for baseball than for the Lowell restaurant. Tony Stormzand not only played baseball nearly his entire life, but he sponsored teams for decades. The Zzano’s Pizza baseball teams were winning teams. The Grand Rapids and Lowell news articles proclaimed their winning seasons and successful tournament play. League sponsorship included; the Grand Rapids Senior Baseball League, Tri- County League, Grand Rapids City Majors and men’s and women’s teams in the Lowell YMCA adult softball league. Zzano’s teams played against greats who had played in the professional Major leagues and Hall of Famers from the Negro League. Even today you can find Zzano’s games on YouTube.

The men who played for Zzano’s were a family. In 1992, three of the Zzano’s players had played together for 37 years, and were still leading the league! One man who had been with Zzano’s for decades was Allan Baird. Al both played and managed for the Zzano’s team. Terry Bocian, Athletic Director and Baseball Coach Emeritus for Aquinas College, had this to say, “Al Baird and Tony Stormzand gave many young men the opportunity to enjoy the competition and camaraderie of baseball.”

Following Tony Stormzand’s death in 2003, a large donation in his memory was given to the Lowell schools, specifically “for kids who couldn’t afford to play baseball.”