Standout Baseball Alumnus Forges a Career in Television Industry

When St. John’s Baseball pitching stalwart Tom Raponi ’76SVC lost his dream of playing the game professionally, he returned to St. John’s University and found his true path.

During Spring Training 1977, Mr. Raponi, a native of Astoria, NY, was a nonroster invitee for the Detroit Tigers. He pitched well but knew he wouldn’t make the big club. 

“I was sent down to minor league camp and was managed by future Hall of Famer Jim Leyland,” he said. “I came down with a sore arm and was removed from the lineup. I turned to my friends and said, ‘That’s it. I’m done.’”

Mr. Raponi earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Arts at St. John’s in 1976, and was recruited by legendary St. John’s Baseball Coach and Head Athletic Director John “Jack” Kaiser ’49C. He called Coach Kaiser and “before I knew it, I was the Assistant to the Director of Public Relations.” 

From there, Mr. Raponi eventually entered television airtime sales, spending nearly 40 years in the industry, becoming Vice President and General Manager for sister stations KTVU and KICU, both located in San Francisco, CA, and Vice President and General Manager for station WFXT in Boston, MA. Happily retired, he recently reflected on how baseball and St. John’s eventually led him to his life’s work. 

While attending Mater Christi Diocesan High School in Astoria, Mr. Raponi pitched all four years. “I was on varsity as a sophomore. In my junior year, I hurt my arm.” 

He bounced back from an injury to have a great senior year, and he also pitched for the Junior Yankees against the Junior Mets in Yankee Stadium. A scout from St. John’s attended the game.

“The thought of playing for Mr. Kaiser in that great program just got me,” he recalled. “I was really excited that my parents and grandpa would still be able to see me play in New York. That was a blessing.” 

Coach Kaiser offered Mr. Raponi a scholarship and he arrived at St. John’s in the fall of 1972. “The aura of playing at St. John’s, and for Mr. Kaiser—it was crazy. I still remember that day, walking onto that field. I looked around and said, ‘Wow. I can’t believe I get to play here.’”

Mr. Raponi pitched for the first intercontinental cup USA team that played in Rome, Italy, in 1973. “I was one of five pitchers who pitched a combined no-hitter in that competition,” he recalled. The team won a bronze medal in the competition.

During Mr. Raponi’s years, St. John’s Baseball was dominant, culminating in his senior year with a 33–7 record and an .825 winning percentage. That year, he was named Co-Captain with fellow teammate Dom Scala ’15TCB. 

During that season, Mr. Raponi received interest from several Major League scouts, but no offers, which disappointed him after going 11-3 with a 1.83 ERA for an overall 28-9 record. After graduation, he got a job pitching batting practice for the Yankees. 

“I was throwing in the bullpen for them, and one day at the stadium in late August my dad called,” Mr. Raponi said. “He somehow got through to the clubhouse and told me that the Director of Player Development for the Tigers wanted to sign me.” Thus began Mr. Raponi’s brief Major League odyssey.

In addition to Mr. Leyland, Mr. Raponi was under the tutelage of legendary Yankees World Champion and Tigers manager Ralph Houk, playing alongside future stars Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker. “I pitched well, but not as fast as I had been, probably in the high 80s.” 

His arm injury resurfaced, and with no surgical options at that time, his career was finished. “Mr. Houk was really kind when he gave me the news,” Mr. Raponi said. “I’ll never forget that.”

He added, “As you get higher and higher up the chain, you realize the talent level that you’re up against. You could be the best player in your town, your state, your region, and the competition gets stiffer.”

Mr. Raponi briefly found work pitching batting practice for the Yankees and New York Mets. “I was told I had an aptitude for sales and was advised to apply for a sales position.” 

He found a job at Johnson & Johnson, and while he was successful, Mr. Raponi didn’t enjoy the work. Then he returned to St. John’s.

In addition to his administrative role, Mr. Raponi taught two introductory classes in the Division of Mass Communication as an Adjunct Professor. He offered baseball clinics at the University for underprivileged local kids. “I still had these interesting opportunities after the professional baseball career was finished,” he stressed.

Mr. Raponi worked on commercials for a scholarship St. John’s was offering and connected with several television sales representatives. Eventually he was hired as a trainee at Katz Media Group, launching a successful four-decade career in the industry that made excellent use of his St. John’s degree.

After four years at Katz, Mr. Raponi was offered a position at the NBC affiliate in Denver, CO, to be their National Sales Manager, and there he met his wife, Renee. “In our business you have to move around a lot,” he noted, and the next several years saw him accepting positions of increasing responsibility at local stations in Albany, NY, and St. Louis, MO, before landing in San Francisco at KTVU. 

“I had a great 22 years there, working my way up from Director of Sales to General Manager, and attained my dream of running both stations in 2011.” He was “traded” to WFXT, where he spent the remainder of his career. Today he does industry consulting through his firm, Raponi & Associates. 

“If ever there was a business created for me, it was broadcasting,” he said. “There was a lot of teamwork and incredibly fierce competition. You must have a lot of knowledge, relationships, great sales acumen, and a great news product. You had to sell results, because you could not see what we sold you.”

Mr. Raponi said his time at St. John’s prepared him well for a future that wasn’t always clearly defined. “They call us student-athletes and not athlete-students, and that is because there will be a day when you take the uniform off for the last time. It’s great to have a solid foundation that allows you to move forward and use the tools from your education, and your competitive nature, in business.” 

He added, “The only thing you have is your reputation and ability to deliver. You had to ensure that, and I believe the training that I had at St. John’s—the background they gave me, the courses that I took, the teamwork on the field, and the ups and downs—is what allowed me to succeed.”