Ralph Branca
Baseball
Ralph Branca, born in 1926 as the 15th of 17 children in Mount Vernon, New York, made his MLB debut at 18 in 1944. On April 15, 1947, he stood beside Jackie Robinson during pregame ceremonies as Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier. Branca’s brother, John, voiced concern over possible threats to Robinson’s life, but Ralph responded, “Then I would’ve died a hero.”
Branca had his best season in 1947, finishing with a 21-12 record and a 2.67 ERA, earning his first of three consecutive All-Star selections. Over 12 MLB seasons, he posted an 88-58 record. However, Branca is most famously remembered for giving up the game-winning home run to Bobby Thomson in the 1951 National League playoff, which secured the Giants’ victory over the Dodgers.
Denise DeBartolo-York
49ers Co-Chair
Denise York, alongside her husband John, has played a pivotal role in the success of the San Francisco 49ers, both on and off the field. As Co-Chair of the 49ers, she brings a wealth of experience from her family’s long history with the team, having been involved in 49ers football since her father, Edward J. DeBartolo Sr., purchased the team in 1977. Denise has been instrumental in shaping the organization’s legacy, overseeing 53 playoff games and five Super Bowl victories. Her leadership journey also includes a significant tenure as President of the Pittsburgh Penguins, where she revitalized the franchise and led them to their first Stanley Cup victory in 1991, becoming only the third woman to have her name on the prestigious trophy.
Denise’s impact extends beyond sports into business and community leadership. She and John have worked together to uphold the 49ers’ celebrated history while fostering relationships with the NFL, other team owners, and the league’s Commissioner. Denise also serves on the Pro Football Hall of Fame Committee, ensuring the league’s continued support of the museum that honors the sport’s greatest stars, including 29 members of the 49ers. Her contributions to the NFL’s broader health and safety initiatives, as well as her role in the league’s international outreach, underscore her dedication to the sport.
Denise has also prioritized education and community service. Through the 49ers Foundation, she has driven efforts to support youth in the Bay Area, particularly in education. The 49ers EDU program, which she championed, offers free STEAM education to over 300,000 students, fostering an early interest in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. Her commitment to education is further reflected in the 49ers STEM Leadership Institute, which has supported hundreds of local students, achieving a 100% graduation rate among its first cohort. The program’s success has earned multiple accolades, including the Golden Bell Award for excellence in learning and engagement.
Denise’s philanthropic work extends far beyond the Bay Area, with her personal support for various causes, including at-risk youth programs, cancer research, and community development. She is deeply involved in mentoring and providing financial assistance to underserved students and families. Her dedication to creating positive change is also evident in her support for local and national organizations like the United Way and Mercy Health Foundation. Under Denise and John’s leadership, the 49ers organization has become renowned for its community impact, with players, staff, and alumni volunteering thousands of hours each year to support local causes and initiatives.
Mike Fratello
Basketball
Mike Fratello enjoyed a successful 16-season NBA coaching career, winning 667 games and leading teams like the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Memphis Grizzlies. After retiring from coaching in 2007, he transitioned to broadcasting, joining the YES Network in October 2008 as an analyst for Brooklyn Nets games. Known as the “Czar of the Telestrator,” Fratello earned widespread acclaim for his insightful analysis, winning a New York Emmy in 2015 and being part of the YES Network team that won the 2014 Emmy for Best Live Sports Series. He was also nominated for multiple New York Emmy Awards from 2012 to 2017 for his work on YES broadcasts. In addition to his role with the Nets, Fratello works with Marv Albert on NBA telecasts for TNT and contributes to NBA TV.
In the summer of 2014, Fratello took on an international coaching role as the head coach of the Ukraine National Team during the FIBA World Cup Championships in Spain. His coaching helped Ukraine qualify for the World Cup, following their impressive sixth-place finish in the 2013 FIBA Eurobasket Finals. He had also coached Ukraine in the 2012 Eurobasket 2013 Qualifying Tournament, leading the team to the finals.
A native of Hackensack, New Jersey, Fratello’s NBA coaching career spanned from 1983 to 2007, during which he posted a 667-548 regular season record. He had his most notable success with the Atlanta Hawks, leading them to five playoff appearances in seven seasons and earning NBA Coach of the Year honors in 1986 after guiding the team to a 50-32 record. After leaving the Hawks in 1990, Fratello served as an analyst for NBC Sports from 1990-93, providing commentary for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics featuring the original “Dream Team.”
Fratello’s coaching career continued with the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he led the team to four playoff berths over six seasons, and the Memphis Grizzlies, whom he coached from 2004 to 2007, making the playoffs in both of his full seasons with the team. Beyond his coaching and broadcasting roles, Fratello’s basketball journey began in collegiate coaching, with assistant positions at Rhode Island, James Madison, and Villanova before stepping into the NBA. He is a graduate of Montclair State University.
Angelo Poffo
Wrestling, Fitness Expert
A champion wrestler and fitness expert that broke the Naval sit-ups record. Angelo Poffo was born on April 10, 1925 in Chicago. Poffo’s parents immigrated to the US from Italy, and he did not learn to speak English until first grade. He graduated from Downers Grove High School in 1943.
Poffo enlisted in the Navy during World War II, where he developed an intense fitness regimen. He soon set his sights on the Naval record for most sit-ups performed consecutively. On his first attempt, he performed enough sit-ups to break the record, but was told that he had used the wrong sit-up style. He made a second attempt on July 4, 1945, at the Naval Destroyer Base in San Diego, California. Using official Naval sit-up form, he executed 6,033 sit-ups in 4 hours, 10 minutes, shattering the old mark by a wide margin. This amazing feat was later featured on Ripley’s “Believe It Or Not!”
Poffo first displayed his wrestling skills by winning the YMCA Wrestling Championship with Duncan YMCA. He became a professional wrestler in 1950 and quickly became one of the most successful wrestlers in DuPont Network’s Wrestling. The highlight of his career came in 1953, when he defeated Wilbur Snyder to capture the United States Championship. For the next six years, Angelo was a major figure in the golden era of wrestling.
Poffo was inducted into the National Italian Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. He is the father of fellow 2003 inductee Randy “Macho Man” Savage.
Randy “Macho Man” Savage
Baseball, Wrestling
A talented baseball player, he followed his father’s lead to become one of wrestling’s brightest stars
Randy “Macho Man” Savage has combined athletic skill and a flair show-stopping charisma to become one of the most popular and successful wrestlers in history. Born November 15, 1952 in Sarasota, Florida, Savage is the son of wrestling legend and fellow inductee Angelo Poffo, and the brother of “Leaping” Lanny Poffo. Always a talented all-around athlete, Savage first displayed his talent in a brief career as a professional baseball-player, with minor league stints with the Cincinatti Reds, St. Louis Cardnials, and Chicago White Sox.
Savage made his professional wrestling debut in 1973, and won the Gulf Coast Tag Team Title with his brother Lanny in 1976. After winning two NWA Mid-America titles in 1978, Savage joined his father’s International Championship Wrestling promotion in 1979, defeating his brother later that year.
In 1985, Savage moved to the World Wrestling Federation, where he enjoyed instant fame. In 1986, he won the Intercontinential title, and soonafter adopted his famous nickname “Macho Man.” In 1988, Savage defeated Ted DiBiase at Wrestlemania IV in Atlantic City to win the WWF title. Three years later, at Wreslemania VII, Savage was defeated by the Ultimate Warrior in a “retirement match.” He returned to the ring in a blaze of glory, earning a victory over Ric Flair to re-capture the WWF title at Wrestlemania VIII. In an epic match at Wrestlemania X in Madison Square Garden, Savage scored a victory over Crush in a falls count anywhere match. In November of 1995, he won the WCW title in “World War III,” a 60-man, winner-take-all battle royal. After losing to Ric Flair a month later, Savage regained his title in early 1996.
Randy Savage has used his wit and charisma to make an impressive transition from wrestling to acting. He is an immensely successful pitchman for Slim Jim, and appeared in an episode in the popular sitcom “Mad About You” in 1999. Savage next appeared in the 2000 comedy “Ready to Rumble,” with several other wrestling greats. In 2002, Savage played the very entertaining role of Bone Saw McGraw in “Spider Man,” the top-grossing movie of the year.
Gino Torretta
Football
Gino Torretta concluded a remarkable collegiate career by winning the prestigious Heisman Trophy in 1992, bringing the honor back to the University of Miami. By the start of the 2002 season, Torretta still held the school records for career passing yards (7,690), completions (555), and total offense (7,722 yards). He also set a mark for 123 consecutive pass attempts without an interception.
The 1992 season was poised to be Torretta’s crowning achievement, but it began with adversity when Hurricane Andrew devastated South Florida just days before the season opener against Iowa. Despite the emotional toll, Torretta led the Hurricanes to a 24-7 victory over the Hawkeyes, throwing for 433 yards and two touchdowns. One of the defining moments of his career came in a dramatic win over Florida State. With Miami trailing 16-10 and just over nine minutes left in the game, Torretta orchestrated a 58-yard drive, giving the Hurricanes the lead and securing the victory.
In his final year, Torretta dominated the Heisman voting, surpassing San Diego State’s Marshall Faulk and Georgia’s Garrison Hearst. The Heisman win capped an extraordinary season in which Torretta became the most decorated player in Miami football history. He earned the Maxwell Award (best overall player), the Davey O’Brien Award (top quarterback), the Unitas Award (top senior quarterback), and was named a consensus All-American, along with winning numerous Player of the Year honors.
Torretta’s 1992 season remains one of the most decorated in college football, cementing his legacy as a Miami legend and a true Heisman standout.
Bobby Valentine
Baseball
A multi-talented athlete that became an immensely popular and successful manager and baseball personality. Bobby Valentine was born on May 13, 1950 in Stamford, CT, and excelled in athletics at an early age. He was a three-sport star in High School, and is the only three-year All-State gridiron player in Connecticut history.
Valentine was selected in the first round of the 1968 draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers and enjoyed a ten-year major league career. He worked as a minor league infield instructor before being named to the coaching staff of the New York Mets in 1982.
In 1985, he was named manager of the Texas Rangers, and was named UPI Manager of the Year in 1986. In his time with the Rangers, he had more wins and more total games managed than any previous manager in team history. Valentine became the manager of the New York Mets in 1996 and led the team to five straight winning seasons. In 1999 and 2000, he led the Mets to consecutive post-season appearances for the first time in team history, and managed the team in the famous “Subway Series” of 2000.
He has served as a baseball analyst for ESPN and was the manager of the Boston Red Sox during the 2012 season. In 2013, Valentine was named the athletic director of Sacred Heart University in Connecticut.
Valentine was inducted to the National Italian American Hall of Fame in 2003, along with his father-in-law, Ralph Branca.
