Ernie DiGregorio
Basketball
Ernie DiGregorio, known as “Ernie D.,” was a legendary basketball guard at Providence College in the early 1970s. A consensus All-American, DiGregorio led the Friars to a Final Four appearance during his senior year and won the prestigious 1973 Lapchick Award as the nation’s top senior player. His playmaking and leadership made him a standout at Providence, where he gained national recognition before entering the NBA.
Selected third overall in the 1973 NBA Draft by the Buffalo Braves, DiGregorio quickly made an impact in the league. In his rookie season, he won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award after averaging 15.2 points and leading the league in assists (8.2) and free throw percentage (.902). DiGregorio set an NBA rookie record with 25 assists in a single game, a mark he still shares with Nate McMillan. He also led the league in free throw percentage again in the 1976-77 season. Known for his fast-break style of play, Ernie D. helped shape the evolving role of point guards in the NBA before injuries cut his career short after five seasons.
Following his NBA career, DiGregorio returned to Providence to earn his degree and later became the head coach for the Rhode Island School for the Deaf in 1982. He became a beloved figure in Southern New England, known for his charitable works and community involvement, including basketball clinics and mentoring young players. In 1999, he was inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame.
Ernie D.’s legacy was honored by Providence College in 2008 when his jersey was retired, and commemorative bobble-heads were given out to fans. He has since enjoyed a successful post-basketball career, including serving as a celebrity host at Foxwoods, selling his own pasta sauce, writing children’s books, and recently taking on the role of Director of Operations for the Buffalo 716’ers of the American Basketball Association. Throughout his life, Ernie D. has remained deeply involved in his community, inspiring others with his work ethic and generosity.
Mike Eruzione
Hockey
Mike Eruzione is best known for captaining the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team to a historic Gold Medal victory at Lake Placid, where his game-winning goal against the Soviet Union became one of the most iconic moments in sports history. A native of Massachusetts, Eruzione was a standout athlete in baseball, football, and hockey during high school, earning All-Scholastic honors in all three sports. At Boston University, he served as captain of the hockey team during his senior year, finishing as the third-leading scorer in BU history. Over his four years, his team won Eastern Collegiate Championships each year, and he was named Best Defensive Forward in the East every season. Eruzione was later inducted into the Boston University Athletic Hall of Fame.
Before his Olympic success, Mike Eruzione played on two U.S. National Teams and spent two years with the Toledo Goaldiggers of the International Hockey League (IHL). While in the IHL, he earned the McKenzie Award as the league’s top American-born player. In 1980, he was selected to the U.S. Olympic Team and was elected captain by his teammates. Following the team’s triumphant Gold Medal win, Eruzione and his teammates were inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame.
After his Olympic career, Eruzione transitioned to a successful broadcasting career. He worked as a commentator for the Madison Square Garden Communications Network and later for ABC Sports, covering the Winter and Summer Olympics from 1984 to 1988. In the 1990s, he served as a hockey commentator for CBS during the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics. In 1999, Sports Illustrated named the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team’s victory as the #1 sports moment of the century.
Today, Mike Eruzione remains active as a motivational speaker and spokesperson, traveling the country for major corporations and organizations. He is also the Director of Development for Athletics and Assistant Hockey Coach at Boston University. In addition to his work with BU, Mike serves as Vice President of Business Development for Gymamerica.com, a health and fitness website. He continues to live in his hometown of Winthrop, MA, with his wife Donna and their three children, staying deeply involved in fundraising for the U.S. Olympic Committee and other charitable causes.
Jim Fregosi
Baseball
Jim Fregosi was a standout infielder who played the majority of his career with the California Angels, having been selected by the team in the 1961 expansion draft after spending time in the Boston Red Sox system. A six-time All-Star, including five consecutive appearances from 1966 to 1970, Fregosi was known for his steady bat and occasional power, hitting double-digit home runs four times during his career. He consistently recorded over 140 hits each season from 1963 to 1970, earning MVP votes every year in that stretch. His best season came in 1967 when he finished seventh in MVP voting, bolstered by a Gold Glove, 171 hits, and a .290 batting average. Over his career with the Angels, Fregosi amassed 1,408 hits, 115 home runs, and a .268 batting average.
After the 1971 season, Fregosi was traded to the New York Mets, but he never regained his earlier form. The trade worked out well for the Angels, as they acquired Nolan Ryan in the deal. Fregosi would later return to the Angels organization, managing the team from 1978 to 1981. In 1989, he was inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame as the second player ever honored by the franchise. Nearly a decade later, the Angels retired his number 11, cementing his legacy with the team.
Harry Pezzullo
Golf
Pezzullo is celebrated for his lifelong commitment to golf, both as a player and administrator. After competing on the PGA Tour from 1935 to 1942, he moved to Illinois, where he made a significant impact as a golf administrator. Pezzullo served as president of the Illinois PGA from 1954 to 1968 and was re-elected for another term from 1973 to 1974. He also held the position of vice president of the PGA of America in 1958-59. In 1958, he was named the PGA of America’s Professional of the Year, its highest honor.
Pezzullo was instrumental in shaping many of the Illinois PGA’s current tournament programs, including the Pro-Assistant event. He was also a key figure in bringing golf legends to Illinois in the 1960s, attracting top players like Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Arnold Palmer, and Gene Sarazen to teach at clinics and golf schools. In 1984, he became just the second golfer inducted into the Chicago Sports Hall of Fame, further cementing his legacy in the sport.
In his later years, Pezzullo continued to contribute to the game, serving as the director of golf at BallenIsles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. His dedication to growing the game and helping others enjoy golf has left a lasting mark on the sport.
Rick Pitino
Basketball
Rick Pitino is a Hall of Fame basketball coach renowned for his remarkable success across multiple programs and his impressive achievements in the NCAA Tournament. With a career spanning over 32 years, Pitino has compiled a 770-271 overall record and a 54-19 record in NCAA Tournament play, a winning percentage of .740, ranking him among the top active coaches. He is the first coach in NCAA history to win national championships with two different schools, capturing titles with Kentucky in 1996 and Louisville in 2013. Pitino also made history by being the first coach to lead three different schools (Providence, Kentucky, Louisville) to the NCAA Final Four, a feat he achieved in an unmatched seven Final Fours.
Pitino’s coaching career includes 20 NCAA Tournament appearances, with his teams winning 12 tournament championships and posting a 47-16 conference tournament record. His teams consistently performed well, with 24 of his 31 teams winning 20 or more games, and eight surpassing 30 victories. At Kentucky, he went 17-1 in SEC Tournament play, and at Louisville, he won three Big East Tournament titles. Pitino also coached 29 players who went on to play in the NBA, with his 1996 Kentucky team featuring seven future NBA players.
Pitino is widely recognized for his ability to rebuild and elevate programs, guiding Providence to the Final Four in 1987, and later leading Kentucky to four Final Fours in the 1990s, including three in 1996, 1997, and 1998. His Louisville teams made the Final Four in 2005, 2012, and 2013, with the 2013 championship marking the pinnacle of his career at the school. As of 2016, Pitino’s 770 wins rank 27th on the all-time list for NCAA victories. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.
In addition to his college coaching success, Pitino gained valuable international experience coaching the Puerto Rico national team and Panathinaikos BC in the EuroLeague. Known for his high-energy coaching style and ability to develop winning teams, Pitino became the youngest Division I head coach at just 25 when he took over at Boston University in 1978. Throughout his career, Pitino has become synonymous with success, innovation, and leadership in collegiate basketball.
Paul Tagliabue
Football
Paul Tagliabue served as the Commissioner of the NFL from 1989 to 2006, overseeing a transformative period for the league. Under his leadership, the NFL expanded both domestically and internationally, secured unprecedented television and broadcasting deals, and experienced substantial growth in revenues and global reach. Tagliabue’s tenure marked the NFL’s rise to become the benchmark for success among sports leagues worldwide, setting a high standard for both profitability and organizational development.
During his time as commissioner, Tagliabue successfully negotiated a groundbreaking $3.6 billion television deal in 1990, the largest in history at that point. He also spearheaded the expansion of the NFL, leading to the addition of two new teams, the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Carolina Panthers, in 1995. Furthermore, in 1991, he launched the World League of American Football (later NFL Europe), which became the first sports league to operate on two continents, laying the groundwork for the NFL’s international operations.
Tagliabue’s leadership also prioritized labor relations, with the NFL and the NFL Players Association signing a historic Collective Bargaining Agreement in 1993. This agreement, which guaranteed over $1 billion in benefits for players, was the first of two long-term CBAs signed during his tenure, ensuring labor peace and stability in the league. His administration also supported the construction of more than 20 new stadiums, creating a state-of-the-art infrastructure for the NFL and further enhancing its marketability.
Under Tagliabue, the NFL embraced technological advancements, including the creation of a league-wide internet network and the NFL TV Network. His efforts helped secure the largest television contracts in entertainment history, totaling around $25 billion. Prior to becoming commissioner, Tagliabue worked as an attorney for the NFL at Covington & Burling in Washington, D.C., where he gained deep insight into the league’s legal and business operations. His vision and leadership solidified the NFL as the dominant force in professional sports.
