Schaumburg Boomers owner named Sportsman of Year by Italian American Sports Hall of Fame
At a star-studded event in Elk Grove Village that included emcee Tom Dreesen and fellow honoree Priscilla Presley, Schaumburg Boomers owner Patrick Salvi was named Sportsman of the Year by the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame this month.
The festivities occurred at the organization’s 44th Annual Induction & Awards Ceremony that celebrated the centennial of the late boxer Rocky Marciano Dec. 15 at The Belvedere.
Salvi — also the managing equity partner and chairman of the personal injury trial law firm of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard — rebranded Schaumburg’s independent league baseball franchise a dozen years ago.
“Since he launched the Boomers in 2012, the Boomers have been named Organization of the Year four times, with 10 consecutive seasons leading the league in stadium attendance,” the Hall of Fame’s statement of recognition reads. “In 2023 alone, the Boomers drew over 220,000 fans, ranking third among all MLB partner leagues with over 40 teams.”
The honor also recognized his ownership of the Gary South Shore Rails Cats in a different independent baseball league from 2008 until he sold the team in 2022.
“Under his leadership, the team won four division championships, had 30 players signed to MLB organizations, and won the 2013 American Association Championship.”
Salvi’s Boomers took over the lease at its Schaumburg stadium — since renamed Wintrust Field — from the Schaumburg Flyers, a franchise that failed financially.
The village of Schaumburg owns the field, and Mayor Tom Dailly said the difference Salvi’s ownership has made is apparent.
“He’s certainly a committed owner and spent time and invested in the team,” Dailly said. “He’s also invested in the stadium. The video board is his. He didn’t have to do that. He’s been a great partner.”
Dailly also praised Executive Vice President and General Manager Michael Larson, citing the number of personal awards both men have won.
Salvi said Larson’s business acumen and Jamie Bennett’s skills as the Boomers’ one and only manager have been key to the team’s success.
“What I’ve learned over the years is that it’s important to hire very capable people,” he said. “You can’t micromanage. You’ve got to let them do their thing.”
Providing affordable entertainment that keeps the stands filled is perhaps more important for a minor league baseball team than championships on the field, Salvi said.
“But you don’t want to have a culture of losing,” he added.
The Boomers, however, have set both attendance records and championship records for the Frontier League, bringing home the trophy four times so far.
Though it took some time, the team’s efforts to overcome the reputation of the Flyers, the previous Schaumburg team, finally led to the stadium’s naming-rights agreement with Wintrust Financial Corp. in 2020.
And new levels of attendance have been reached recently since the Chicago Dogs in Rosemont have joined the relatively close-knit baseball market that includes the Boomers and the Kane County Cougars.
Though it’s rare for three minor league teams to operate so close together, it’s worked out for all of them, Salvi said.
“It kind of forces all of us to step up our game,” he added.
Salvi sold the Gary South Shore Rails Cats last year after deciding to focus solely on the growth potential of the Boomers.
At the same ceremony where Salvi was honored., Presley accepted the Tommy Lasorda Humanitarian Award in Sports and Entertainment.
The late NFL running back Franco Harris posthumously received the Mario Andretti Lifetime Achievement Award, while New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito was named the organization’s Rookie of the Year.
Ron Onesti serves as president of the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame, which inducted Sean Stellato, Lou Nanne, Missy Berteotti, Mario Massa, Giuseppe Rossi, Mike Rizzo, Lou Scripa Jr. and Ed Kelly during the same event.