Local author recounts life as major league insider

BY COLLEEN LUTOLF
Staff Writer

CHRIS KELLY staff Angelo Saverino talks about his life in the world of major league baseball in his book, "The Heart of the Order," at his Brick home Friday. Brick resident Angelo Saverino has been a spy, an actor, a magazine executive, a sports agent and has even dabbled in local politics.

Now 63, Saverino can add "author" to the list.

In his first book, "The Heart of the Order," Saverino describes how in 1974 he went from a Teaneck dad wanting to impress the PTA president of his kids' Catholic school to managing a fundraising exhibition basketball team composed of New York Yankees greats like Ron Blomberg, Elston Howard, Gene "The Stick" Michael and Roy White - to name a few.

"It's about taking a chance and fulfilling your dreams," Saverino said about his book to be released May 15 by Publish America, a print-on-demand publishing company.

The one-time event Saverino hoped would raise funds for St. Anastasia's School was such a success that the New Jersey Major League All-Stars' organizers asked him to take over promotions for the league.

With the new position came the privilege of owning the "black book" full of 40 major leaguers' addresses and phone numbers - a milestone for a lifelong Yankees fan like Saverino, born and raised in East Harlem, N.Y.

"A fluke" is how Saverino describes his initiation into the world of the major leagues.

But Saverino was used to flukes taking him to unexpected places.

When he joined the Air Force in 1960, Saverino was awakened one night by officers, taken to an undisclosed location in Texas, and told he would be conducting spy work for the U.S. military in Istanbul during Vietnam.

"It was good work," he said.

Working with the Yankees would be even better.

For two years, from 1974 through 1976, November through February, Saverino worked promotions part-time for the New Jersey Major League All-Stars, he said.

The team would play anyone for a fundraiser - dads, teachers, doctors; one night the league even played the Playboy Bunnies, Saverino said.

"They never lost a game," he said. "A couple of nights people got into fights and we had to leave. But it was pretty successful."

Yet Saverino was replaced at the end of the second season.

Instead of calling the baseball life quits, Saverino employed the use of his little black book and struck out on his own to form his own exhibition team.

He quit his job with Scholastic magazine, joined business forces with former L.A. Dodgers player and Mets coach Jeff Torborg, and was soon handling contracts for major ballplayers through his promotions company All Star Sport Enterprise.

"We did promotional work, PR work, whatever combination they [the players] wanted," he said.

"The book is about taking a gamble, taking a chance," Saverino said. "I was very comfortable and protected at Scholastic. I made more money running the baseball operation than what I was making at Scholastic, but I had to write my own check every week. It was a big step. Finally I said, 'This is what I'm going to do.' "

Saverino continued working as an agent through the 1990s, until "mega agents" negotiating multibillion-dollar contracts put him out of work, he said.

"My only regret is that I probably got into it too soon," he said. "One hundred thousand was the biggest contract I ever negotiated. That's about an hour's work for some of these guys now."

But Saverino wasn't finished pursuing his dreams.

A "friend of a friend" introduced him to actor Nick Puccio, who introduced him to acting coach John Eyd.

Saverino has been cast as a public defender on Law & Order and has several movie roles to his credit.

Saverino's name spans far beyond Brick's borders, but locals may know Saverino as a member of Brick's Zoning Board of Adjustment. He was also a local housing authority commissioner.

A self-taught promoter, Saverino also successfully managed the 1989 Ocean County Freeholder campaigns of Paul Brush and Mark Troncone, Democrats who won seats in an overwhelmingly Republican county.

He also served as the executive director of the Ocean County Democrats for four years, he said.

"I'm not involved in politics anymore, thank God," Saverino said.

He's too busy writing.

Although Saverino only began writing two years ago, he is now working on his third book, "The Silent Bullet."

His second book, "The Seven Turns of the Key," a novel, has already been adapted for film. Saverino spent a recent trip to Sicily scouting for shot locations.

"One of the messages of my book is to take that chance that others wouldn't take," he said.

More information about Saverino and upcoming book signings can be found at www.angelosaverino.com.