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‘Sports Animal’ rejuvenates Potesta’s career
By Greg Gulas
AUSTINTOWN
As a minor league baseball broadcaster, WNIO-AM 1390’s Ron Potesta says his 10-year career was a major league experience.
The Leetonia native’s journeys took him from Lubbock, Texas to Vero Beach, Fla., to Elmira, N.Y.
Much to his disappointment, Potesta didn’t realize his dream of becoming a major league broadcaster.
Instead, an opportunity to serve as host of his own sports talk show on “The Sports Animal” has rejuvenated his broadcasting career.
Speaking to the Curbstown Coaches at Monday’s luncheon, Potesta said his three-hour afternoon show has been well-received by area fans since it debuted in October.
Potesta said his broadcasting career parallels that of the famous “Field of Dreams” icon, Archibald Wright “Moonlight” Graham (Burt Lancaster).
“About 26 years ago, ‘Field of Dreams’ was released and to me remains one of the greatest baseball movies of all-time,” Potesta said. “I’ve always likened my baseball broadcasting career to that of Moonlight Graham’s baseball career, whose character was based on a real person.”
Like Graham, Potesta had one brush with the major leagues.
“It came on a Sunday afternoon when the Chicago Cubs’ Sammy Sosa was on a rehab assignment in Jackson, Tenn.,” Potesta said. “Unbeknownst to me, the Cubs had been rained out and their flagship station, WGN, decided to air our game from Pringles Park,
“Sosa had a double in four times at bat and the day was really fun,” Potesta said. “Barring a miracle, that might be as close as I will get to the majors and I’m fine with that.”
Potesta went from broadcasting in the Independent League (Lubbock Crickets in 1998; Abilene Prairie Dogs in 1999 and Elmira Pioneers in 2000-01) to working the Los Angeles Dodgers’ High-Class AA affiliate in Vero Beach (2002).
He then worked with the Chicago Cubs’ Class AA entry (West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx) from 2003-08 while finishing with the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Class AA affiliate Altoona Curve in 2009.
He added that Minor League Baseball is very creative and its players play as if it is their very last game.
“The promotions at the minor league level are innovative, quite unique and they must be in order to draw fans to the park,” Potesta said. “Players give their all on a nightly basis because they want to make it to the show.
“It really was fun to be a part of that atmosphere for over a decade.”
As a sports talk show host, Potesta noted that he’s gotten a new lease on his professional life.
“I’ve been doing the show now for five months and must say that our area has some very passionate fans,” Potesta said. “The callers are knowledgeable and care about the teams and players that they follow.
“I am grateful to Bill Kelly and the staff at I-Heart Media for giving me the opportunity to come back home,” Potesta said. “They recognized the need for a local sports show and since I started my sports radio career at 1390-AM, I’m proud to say that my career has now come full circle.”