Mike Adamle
Football Player, Sports Broadcaster
Former football player and sports broadcaster, Mike Adamle grew up in Kent, Ohio and graduated from Theodore High School in 1967. His father, Tony Adamle played football in the 1940’s & 1950’s with the Cleveland Browns. Taking a page from his father’s playbook, Adamle went on to play collegiate football for Northwestern University. During his time as a Wildcat, Adamle was team captain, All American fullback and the Big Ten MVP in 1970. Adamle still holds the school record for most rushing yards in a game, 316, against the Wisconsin Badgers, a record set in 1969.
After graduating in 1971, Adamle went on to play 6 seasons in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets and Chicago Bears. After retiring from playing football professionally, Adamle went on to have a successful broadcasting career. He joined NBC Sports as a radio host and sideline reporter. During his six years with NBC Sports, Adamle also hosted SportsWorld and pre-game shows.
Adamle became the co-host of American Gladiators from 1989-1996 and co-hosted International Gladiators with the UK and Australian hosts. In addition to his hosting duties, Adamle was a contender in the celebrity show. Returning to sideline reporting in 2001, Adamle joined KNBC’s Fred Roggin on NBC’s primary XFL broadcast team. He also covered the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics.
In 2008, Adamle joined the World Wresting Enteretainment (WWE) and WWE RAW as an interviewer. He then went on to be the General Manager for RAW Brand. Adding to Adamle’s extensive resume, he became the play by play announcer for the Chicago Rush Arena Football League and broadcast Rush games for Comcast SportsNet Chicago and WGN. Adamle has completed two Ironman Triathlons, his first in Lake Placid in 2003 and most recently in 2009 at 60 years old.
Suffering from epilepsy himself, Adamle is active in the Epilepsy Foundation, where he is currently a member of the Greater Chicago division’s board and was given the Personal Achievement Award at the 2007 Richard N. Rovner Awards Dinner. Early this year, Adamle announced he was diagnosed with dementia and signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. It is believed that the past 19 years of epileptic seizures resulted from his concussions in football. Adamle is now actively involved in the Concussion Legacy Foundation and hopes to serve as an example of someone continuing to live their best life despite symptoms of the disease.
Acerra Brothers
Acerra Baseball Team
Long Branch New Jersey natives, The Acerras, who fielded a semi-pro baseball team with a total of 12 brothers, were coached by their father, Louis “Pop” Acerra Sr. during the team’s amazing 14 year existence from 1938-52. Louis and his wife, Elizabeth had 17 children in all. The team consisted of Alfred & Edward as catcher, James & Robert on the mound, Charles on first base, Louis Jr. at second base, Fred at shortstop, Richard at third base and rounding out the team Paul, Joseph, William & Anthony in the outfield.
The Acerra baseball team formed officially in 1938 under Pop’s guidance and over the next 14 years, played throughout the East Coast, including Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut. The sibling squad even challenged the New York Yankees to an exhibition in 1948. The team stayed together through a number of events, including World War II, in which 6 brothers enlisted at different times. Members of the team turned down college scholarships and offers to play professional baseball in order to keep the family team together. Alfred, the catcher, continued to play after losing sight in one eye. Along the way, the Acerra’s received a great deal of national media attention, appearing in magazines such as Life and Look and in the 1947’s edition of Ripley’s Believe it or Not.
The age difference between oldest brother, Anthony, to the youngest, Louis Jr. was 25 years. While being scouted by major league teams, their playing ages were as young as 17 and as old as 40. For 22 consecutive years The Long Branch High School baseball team fielded an Acerra brother.
With only 16 other known “all brother” baseball teams, no other has played as long or accomplished as much as the Acerra Brothers. The brothers appeared on Bill Brandt’s “Inside of Sports” radio program during his nightly “Once in a Lifetime” feature, City League champions 4 out of 6 years and two time runners up and were honored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997 over Father’s Day weekend. Although now all deceased, there were 7 living brothers who attended the honor in Cooperstown.
The amazing story of this all-brother team is truly one for the books. So much so that in 2012, author Audrey Vernick wrote about their history in a colorful depiction of their lives in Brothers at Bat.
“This just touches the surface of a family that stayed a family, behind all the baseball and athletic achievements. A family that never allowed sibling rivalry and infighting or success to tear them apart. Their team was a reflection of something greater, something that 14 years, many hardships, the lure of professional contracts, and even a World War could not destroy” –James M. Acerra (Son of James A. Acerra, Pitcher)
Doug Bruno
Basketball Player and Coach
The former DePaul basketball player, Doug Bruno, is the head coach at his alma mater. Born and raised in Chicago and a product of Quigley South High School, Bruno has transformed DePaul women’s basketball into a steadfast national power.
He has guided the Blue Demons to 15 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances—a feat only the NCAA elite of Connecticut, Notre Dame, Stanford, Tennessee and Oklahoma can also claim. Since his return in 1988, DePaul has won 614 games, competed in 22 NCAA Tournaments and four Sweet Sixteen’s (2006, 2011, 2014, 2016). Bruno is the fourth active Division I head coach to reach the 600-win plateau.
Bruno has worked with athletes at the highest level through his involvement with USA Basketball. Since 2009, Bruno has been an assistant coach for the USA Women’s Basketball National Team. He has helped lead the USA to FIBA World Championships in 2010 and 2014, and to its fifth and sixth straight Olympic gold in London in 2012 and again in Rio in 2016. He is the only coach to be recognized twice as USA Basketball’s Developmental Coach of the Year. Bruno’s influence on the game also extends to the WNBA, where he currently assists the Chicago Sky as a consultant to the professional franchise.
For all of his success, Bruno has been recognized as the conference Coach of the Year numerous times, was a WBCA National Coach of the Year finalist three times and has been selected BIG EAST Coach of the Year three of the last four years. In 2005, Bruno was selected as Conference USA’s Coach of the Decade. The Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) has named him Coach of the Year on 22 occasions.
Coach Bruno has been inducted into the DePaul Athletics Hall of Fame, the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame and the IBCA Hall of Fame. He was honored with the Chicago Catholic League Man of the Year Award in 2017, the Leonardo Da Vinci Outstanding Achievement in Education Award by the Sons of Italy. He received the Carol Eckman Award in 2008, presented annually to an active WBCA coach who exemplifies Eckman’s spirit, integrity and character.
A true leader among his peers, Bruno completed a two-year term as President of the WBCA beginning in the summer of 2007. He is the Chairman of the WBCA/State Farm All-American Committee and is the East Regional representative for the NCAA Division I Tournament selection. He serves on the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Committee, the Wade Trophy Committee, represents District I on the WBCA Ethics Committee and has served as a conference captain.
For 40 years, Bruno has been involved with growing the game of women’s basketball through his Doug Bruno Girls Basketball Camps. He has mentored over 75,000 young athletes, and many of his former campers have gone on to successful careers in every walk of life.
John Carpino
Baseball, Los Angeles Angels President
John Carpino was named the eighth President of Major League’s Baseball’s Los Angeles Angels in 2009. The Chicago native was born at Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital on West Division and attended Our Lady of the Angels School before moving to Elmwood Park in 1969. After graduating from the University of Arizona, John worked at both Arlington Park and Sportsman Park to help defray college costs before meeting current Angels owner, Arte Moreno, in the mid 80s. This would soon begin his career in the billboard industry which took him from Arizona, back to Chicago, to Phoenix, and eventually Los Angeles.
As one of the initial executives that Arte Moreno appointed after taking ownership of the Club in 2003, the 2017 season marked Carpino’s 14th with the team. He oversees all areas of baseball operations, sales, marketing, finance and communications. As the person in charge of business operations, he has helped the Halos welcome over three million fans for 15 consecutive seasons. John was also an integral part of the 2010 MLB All-Star Game, hosted at Angel Stadium for a record third time, and was involved in the negotiations of the 3 billion dollar television agreement with FOX Sports.
Under his leadership, Angel Stadium has become one of the premier destinations in California for non-baseball events including concerts such as The Rolling Stones, U2, Kenny Chesney, Katy Perry and more. In addition to his role with the Team, Carpino oversees AM830 Radio; the home of Angels Baseball, Anaheim Ducks Hockey, and Notre Dame Football in Southern California.
He has helped lead the Angels to unprecedented financial growth in the sponsorship and ticketing divisions. Since his arrival, the Angels have had 7 post season appearances and rank 5th in attendance with over 44 million Fans. In 2009, ESPN Magazine Rated the Angels #1 Team in all major sports and they have finished as the #1 MLB Franchise in 9 of Carpino’s first 11 years. In 2014, the Orange County Register published a front page headline, “The Angels are the Best Run Franchise in MLB”.
His vision and creativity have emphasized the Angels’ heritage with a reintroduction of the Angels Hall of Fame and the celebration of the Angels 50th Anniversary. Popular giveaways have been paramount to the excitement that surrounds the game experience. During John’s time with the Angels, they have set several Guinness© World Records including “the Most People Wearing Wrestling Masks” and have developed theme nights such as “Christmas in June,” featuring a Santa Rally Monkey in 2017. His efforts to create a brand that connects socially and remains in sync with current trends remains an unwavering goal while focusing on fan engagement.
Mike Manganello
Horse Riding Jockey
Mike Manganello, a multiple graded stakes winning jockey, was born in the Dutch Point section of Hartford, Connecticut, the second of six children born to Lillian and Anthony Manganello. Mike shined shoes and sold newspapers to earn money to ride horses at a local park. That’s where his love of horses was born.
At the age of 15, he boldly walked into the office of Art McGinley, Hartford Time’s Sports Editor and told him that he wanted to become a jockey. Mr. McGinley saw that he had a small build with a fine pair of hands and sent him to Narragansett Park to see Odie Clelland, one of the better trainers at New England tracks and a good tutor for aspiring jockeys. Under the guidance of Odie, he learned every aspect of racing as well as caring for horses. Mike rode his first winner at Fair Grounds Race Course aboard Will Step, March 3, 1960. That was the first of over 2500 wins during his career as a jockey.
The highlight of his career and every jockey’s dream, was winning the 1970 Kentucky Derby aboard Dust Commander. Other notable races he won include the Ohio Derby, Hawthorne Derby, Bluegrass Stakes and was the Fall Championship winner a record five times at Latonia Race Track. As a long-time fan favorite at Florida Downs in Oldsmar, Florida, Mike set a season record with 75 wins in 1969, and by 1975 had won five riding titles. He also won seven riding championships at the three tracks in the Cleveland area during the late 1960’s. As of 2016, he ranks number twenty as an All-Time Win Leader at Churchill Downs.
Seeking a change of pace in 1979, Mike began his career as a thoroughbred trainer. He trained for notable owners he had previously ridden for such as George Steinbrenner, Ann and Lloyd Ferrentino, and Preston Madden. By the middle of 1984, he returned to riding and continued until he stopped in 1991 to become a racing official. Mike would spend another twenty-five years officiating races as a thoroughbred Steward before retiring in 2017.
Often described as one of racing’s nice guys, he remains close to Verna Lehmann, owner of Dust Commander and his trainer Don Combs. In 2013 the remains of Dust Commander were buried at the Kentucky Derby Museum. Only four other race horses share this honor. Mike makes frequent appearances at tracks and charity events.
Barry Zito
Baseball
Born in Las Vegas, Nevada Barry Zito spent 15 seasons in the Major Leagues, pitching for the Oakland Athletics and the San Francisco Giants. Although drafted three times while in college, Zito ultimately signed with the Oakland Athletics as a first round draft pick in 1999.
Zito made his major league debut in July 2000 and proved successful his rookie season, finishing 5th in American League Rookie of the Year voting and making his post season debut against the NY Yankees, outpitching Roger Clemens. Zito would spend the next six year with Oakland. During that time, he was a 3x All Star (2002, 2003 & 2006). In 2002, Zito was arguably the best pitcher in baseball winning the Cy Young Award with a 23-5 record. He led the league with 23 wins, was second in winning percentage (.821) and third in both ERA (2.75) and strikeouts (182).
Following his seventh season with the Oakland Athletics, Zito signed with the San Francisco Giants in 2007. He posted double-digit wins in his first three seasons and in 2010 he helped San Francisco win their first World Series championship since the team moved West in 1958. After sitting out part of the 2011 season with a foot and ankle injury, he came back in 2012 and flourished, finishing with an illustrious 15-8 record, his best season in a Giants uniform. In October, Zito helped lead the Giants to their second World Series title in San Francisco history by going 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA in three postseason starts. In his first career World Series start, he outdueled Tigers’ ace Justin Verlander in Game 1, setting the stage for San Francisco’s sweep to their seventh World Series title in franchise history.
Since his retirement in 2015, Zito is throwing the heat towards his music career. Growing up surrounded by music, his father Joe composed and arranged music for Nat King Cole in the early 1960’s and arranged for the Buffalo Symphony Orchestra. His mother, Roberta was also a musician who sang in a choral group and with Nat King Cole and his band. Although he always had a passion for music, it wasn’t until he played guitar in his sister Sally’s band during the off seasons that he began to think about music professionally. Zito released his first EP, titled “No Secrets” this past January. The collection contains 6 songs all written or co-written by Zito.
A philanthropist, Barry Zito founded the charity Strikeouts for Troops in 2005, whose mission is dedicated to giving back to military heroes while providing the ‘comforts of home’ and lifting the spirits and morale of injured troops and their families.
