Mike Eruzione

Mike Eruzione
Born	October 25, 1954 (1954-10-25) (age 57) Winthrop, MA, USA
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight	180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position	Left Wing
Shoots	Left
Played for	Toledo Goaldiggers Philadelphia Firebirds
National team	United States
WHA Draft	28th overall, 1974 New England Whalers
Playing career	1977–1980

Olympic medal record
Men's ice hockey
Competitor for the  United States
Gold	1980 Lake Placid	Team competition

Michael "Ritz" "Rizzo" Eruzione (pronounced /ɨˌruːziˈoʊni/; born October 25, 1954) is an American former ice hockey player who was the captain of the 1980 Winter Olympics United States national team that defeated the Soviet Union in the famous Miracle on Ice game.

Biography

Playing career

Eruzione was born in Winthrop, Massachusetts. He learned hockey playing for Youth Hockey of Winthrop as part of the GBYHL (Greater Boston Youth Hockey League). He graduated from Winthrop Senior High School in 1972, where he was captain of the varsity hockey team during his senior year. He then spent a year at Berwick Academy to fine tune his hockey skills in a New England Prep environment. After attending Berwick, Eruzione starred for Boston University, averaging over twenty goals a season for four years. Eruzione also played for Team USA at the 1975 and 1976 Ice Hockey World Championship tournaments. He then moved on to the Toledo Goaldiggers of the International Hockey League, winning the rookie of the year award in 1978 and leading the team to the Turner Cup championship in that year. After his second year in Toledo, Eruzione, who played forward, was named the captain of the 1980 Olympic hockey team, scoring the winning goal against the Soviets and helping the Americans win the gold medal against Finland. Eruzione's winning goal against the Soviet Union has become one of the most played highlights in American sports, and was voted the greatest highlight of all time by ESPN viewers in March 2008.

Post playing career

Eruzione retired from competition after the Olympics, despite contract offers from the New York Rangers, stating that he'd reached the pinnacle of achievement already. Eruzione then became a television broadcaster, grabbing the microphone at Rangers and New Jersey Devils games and for the NHL on USA Network and The NHL on FOX, and going on to comment at five Olympic Games, working for both ABC and CBS.

Eruzione returned to his alma mater of Boston University to be the assistant coach for the hockey team for three seasons, and where he currently works as Director of Special Outreach. He is a member of several halls of fame. Currently, he is a part-owner of the USHL Omaha Lancers franchise, which is located in Omaha, Nebraska, and a motivational speaker. He also helps the Winthrop High School ice hockey team during the winter.

On January 19, 2007, Eruzione appeared on the new version of the game show I've Got a Secret. His secret was that he was the captain of the 1980 U.S. Men's Olympic hockey team, but he failed to stump the panel, as his secret was guessed by Billy Bean.

In popular culture

In the 1981 made-for-TV movie about the 1980 U.S. Hockey team called Miracle on Ice, Eruzione is portrayed by actor Andrew Stevens.

In the 2004 Disney film entitled Miracle, he is portrayed by actor Patrick O'Brien Demsey. Demsey had played hockey at Fitchburg State College, but gave it up because of injuries and a desire to pursue an acting career.^[1] He saw the call for auditions the day before the auditions closed and won the part just days after his 24th birthday.^[1] To prepare for the role, he trained with the team Mike Eruzione coached at the time.^[1]

External links

• Mike Eruzione's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
• Mike Eruzione's U.S. Olympic Team bio
• USA Today Q&A

Olympic Games
Preceded by Midori Ito	Final Winter Olympic Torchbearer with the 1980 USA Men's Ice Hockey Team Salt Lake City 2002	Succeeded by Stefania Belmondo

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Patrick O'Brien Demsey's biography at the Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1379739

Persondata
Name	Eruzione, Mike
Alternative names
Short description	American ice hockey player
Date of birth	October 25, 1954
Place of birth	Winthrop, Massachusetts
Date of death
Place of death