Rick Casares
Football
Before the likes of Gayle Sayers and Walter Payton dazzled the crowds at Wrigley and Soldier Field with their athletic prowess and magnetic connection to the end zone, Rick Casares was the heart of the Chicago Bears’ ground attack. Casares was born on Independence Day, 1931, in Tampa and after moving to New Jersey, became a golden gloves boxing champion as a teenager. In high school, Casares’ football squads won two All-City championships. He also starred in basketball and track, earning All-State honors in basketball three times while also winning the state title in Javelin in 1950.
Casares received a football scholarship to the University of Florida and played five different positions including quarterback, halfback, fullback, punter and kicker while scoring Florida’s first ever touchdown in a bowl game at the 1953 Gator Bowl against Tulsa. He was also an All-SEC basketball player for the Gators and was even team captain during the 1952-53 season.
In 1954, the Bears selected Casares with their second-round draft choice. After a year in the Army, Casares suited up for the orange and blue in 1955 but saw his new squad drop into an 0-3 hole to start the year. Casares made sure the Bears wouldn’t lose a fourth straight, scoring his first two NFL touchdowns including an 81-yarder in a 38-10 victory over the Baltimore Colts.
The following season, Casares reached All-Pro status for the first time as he accumulated a league-high 1,126 rushing yards to go with 12 touchdowns. Casares’ heroics propelled the Bears into their first NFL Championship Game in 10 years. Although the Bears fell in the ’56 NFL title game, they did reach the promise land again in 1963, this time securing the NFL prize. Casares spent 10 seasons with the Bears and retired as the team’s all-time leader in rushing yards and touchdowns. He finished his storied career by spending 1965 with the Redskins and 1966 with Miami.
Casares is immortalized in the words of former teammate Mike Ditka who called Casares, “the toughest man to have ever played for the Chicago Bears.” He was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a “Gator Great.” He was inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in the 2009-2010 class.
Gary Gaetti
Baseball
Gary Gaetti had a remarkable 20-year career in Major League Baseball (1981-2000), known for his durability, power, and exceptional defense. Primarily a third baseman, he spent the first decade of his career with the Minnesota Twins, where he earned two All-Star selections, four Gold Glove awards, and helped lead the team to a World Series title in 1987. Gaetti was named MVP of the American League Championship Series that year, contributing key hits, including two home runs in Game 1 of the ALCS. He finished his career with 2,280 hits, 360 home runs, and a reputation as one of the toughest competitors in the game, having played more games at third base than all but two players in history.
Born in Centralia, Illinois, in 1958, Gaetti’s early love for baseball was fostered by his hard-working father, a railroad man who taught him the game. He excelled in both baseball and football in high school before deciding to pursue baseball full-time. After a strong college career, Gaetti was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the first round of the 1979 draft. He quickly made an impact, hitting a home run in his first Major League at-bat and going on to become one of the league’s most consistent third basemen. Over his career, he earned four Gold Gloves and became known for his gritty, blue-collar playing style.
Gaetti’s career saw both highs and lows. He struggled at times with consistency but enjoyed standout seasons, including 1986 when he hit 34 home runs and drove in 108 RBIs, and 1995, when he blasted a career-high 35 homers and earned a Silver Slugger award at 37 years old. Despite facing challenges later in his career, including struggles with the Angels and Royals, Gaetti rejuvenated his career with the Kansas City Royals in the mid-1990s, and later with the St. Louis Cardinals. In his final years, he contributed clutch hits for the Cubs in 1998, including a key home run in a tie-breaking game against the Giants to help the Cubs make the playoffs.
After retiring as a player, Gaetti transitioned into coaching, serving as the hitting coach for the Houston Astros and managing in the independent Atlantic League. Gaetti was inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame, cementing his legacy as one of the franchise’s greatest players. His former teammate, Kent Hrbek, summed up Gaetti’s legacy: “Gary wanted to win more than anybody. He wasn’t out there to make friends or headlines. He was just out there to win.”
Linda Mastandrea
Paralympics
Born in Chicago, Linda Mastandrea was diagnosed with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy at age three. Despite this challenge, she excelled academically, graduating in the top 10 of her high school class and earning a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois in 1986, followed by a Doctor of Law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1994. Though she couldn’t participate in sports during her childhood, she discovered wheelchair sports and disability advocacy in college, becoming a powerful advocate and athlete.
From 1990 to 1999, Linda represented the United States at two Paralympic Games, three World Championships, the Pan American Games, and the Stoke-Mandeville Wheelchair Games. She won 15 gold and 5 silver medals in wheelchair track and set multiple national, world, and Paralympic records.
After retiring from competition, Linda pursued a career in law, specializing in disability rights and civil rights. She has represented people with disabilities who faced discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, and government services. Additionally, Linda has taught disability law and lectured on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) across the country. She co-authored Sports and the Physically Challenged: An Encyclopedia of People, Events and Organizations in 2006.
Linda has received numerous accolades, including being the first female Paralympian inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame. She was named to Crain’s Chicago Business Forty Under 40 and has won awards like the International Olympic Committee’s President’s Disabled Athlete Award and the David Award from the Italo-American National Union. She was also recognized as an Outstanding Woman Leader in Sports by the YWCA of DuPage, Illinois.
An active leader, Linda serves on several boards and committees, including AT&T’s Advisory Panel on Access and Aging, the City of Chicago’s Building Board of Appeals, the IPC Legal and Ethics Committee, and the board of Access Living. She also served on the Chicago 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games presentation team, where she had the honor of presenting alongside President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Mayor Richard M. Daley.
Dave Righetti
Baseball
Dave Righetti, a standout pitcher of the 1980s, earned recognition as one of baseball’s top closers and later solidified his legacy as a successful pitching coach. Righetti began his career as a starting pitcher for the New York Yankees, winning American League Rookie of the Year honors in 1981 after finishing with an 8-4 record and a 2.06 ERA in 15 starts. He made history in 1983 by throwing a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on July 4. The following year, he transitioned to a closer role and began an impressive streak of recording at least 24 saves per season for eight straight years.
Righetti’s postseason success with the Yankees in 1981, his two All-Star selections in 1986 and 1987, and his back-to-back Rolaids Relief Man of the Year awards in those years highlighted his dominance on the mound. In 1986, he set a Major League record with 46 saves, becoming the first pitcher to both throw a no-hitter and lead the league in saves. By the time he left the Yankees in 1991, Righetti held franchise records for appearances (522) and saves (224). He went on to finish his career with 252 saves after signing with the San Francisco Giants.
After retiring as a player in 1995, Righetti transitioned to coaching, becoming the Giants’ pitching coach in 2000. Under his guidance, the Giants consistently boasted one of the league’s top pitching staffs. In 2013, Righetti was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in recognition of his outstanding career.
Mario Trafeli
Speed Skating
Mario Trafeli, a Detroit native, began short track speedskating at age 14 after being inspired by friends. His passion for sports and his desire to prove that Italian-Americans could succeed with integrity in competitive arenas motivated him to push his skating career forward. By age 15, he was nationally ranked and went on to make history as the youngest, first Detroit native, and first Italian-American to win the North American Outdoor Speedskating Championship.
Over his 12-year skating career, Mario won the Michigan Indoor title six times, set numerous state records, and triumphed in major tournaments like the Silver Skates in Detroit, St. Louis, and Chicago. He also claimed victories in the prestigious Race of Champions at Madison Square Garden in 1952 and 1954. Mario set five national speed records and won more than 40 tournaments.
Alongside his skating, Mario pursued higher education, earning a degree from the University of Detroit Dental School while playing quarterback for Wayne State University’s football team. He also served as a Navy dentist, continuing to compete in speedskating. In 1960, he returned from a four-year retirement to win the Michigan Veteran’s title and set additional records.
After retiring from competitive skating, Mario became a referee and served as a Michigan delegate to the ASU convention. He was inducted into the Michigan Amateur Sports Hall of Fame in 1982 and received a State Senate Resolution for his contributions to Michigan athletics. In 2010, he was inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame as its first speedskating member and later into the National Speedskating Hall of Fame.
Beyond skating, Mario has pursued a variety of interests, including owning and training thoroughbred horses, golfing, and playing tennis. At age 48, he took up tennis and has since achieved top rankings, including as the USTA Midwest Singles and Doubles Champion. Reflecting on his skating career, Mario said it brought pride to his family and city, providing unforgettable experiences and opportunities.
