Bruce Carter – Rancocas Valley
Umpire – Lawnside, NJ
Bruce is entering into the Hall-of-Fame as an umpire but also had an impressive playing career while at Rancocas Valley HS. He batted .357 in 1969 and .383 in 1970.
He had a three year career at Glassboro State College where was named an All-American and was also his school’s Player-of-the-Year. He signed a pro contract with the New York Yankees and spent a year with the Class A Oneonta, NY team where he stole 38 bases. He retired from pro ball after that one year.
Bruce has been a member of the South Jersey Umpires Association since 1992 and is one of the most respected umpires in the state. His career has seen him work tournaments games from the earliest rounds through the state finals.
Kevin Fynan – Cinnaminson
Pitcher – Cinnaminson HS
Kevin was selected as an All-State pitcher in 1980, capping off a career that saw him named as All-Conference, All-County, All-South Jersey in his junior and senior years.
He went on to the University of Georgia and had a good career when graduating in 1985. He signed a contract with the Philadelphia Phillies and pitched in the organization from 1988 through 1990 with Class A Clearwater, Fl and with Class AA Reading, PA for a total of 80 games. His career ERA was a respectable 2.96.
After retiring from pro ball, Kevin returned home to play for Cinnaminson in the Rancocas Valley League where he was a 10-time All-Star and was twice named the MVP of the Bridgeton Invitational Tournament.
Ken Kraft – Rancocas Valley
Pitcher – Rancocas Valley HS
Ken graduated from Rancocas Valley HS in 1979. He was a three-time All-Burlington County selectee and ALL-GROUP IV AND ALL-SOUTH JERSEY IN his junior and senior years. At Burlington County College in 1980 and 1981, his career batting average of .370 gained him All-Conference and All-Region honors.
He signed a free-agent contract with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1982. His professional career took him from Bend, OR, to Spartanburg, SC, to Peninsula, VA, and Clearwater, Fl. His minor league honors included being named to all-star teams while at Spartanburg and Clearwater.
He retired from Pro Ball after the 1983 season and returned home to play in the Rancocas Valley League where he was named to the All-Star Team for 8 straight seasons.
Mark Michael – Gloucester Catholic
Pitcher – Gloucester Catholic HS
Mark is a 2000 graduate of Gloucester Catholic HS. At GCHS, Mark earned All-Conference, All-Parochial A, All-South Jersey and All-State honors in 2000. In 1999, he was All-Parochial, All-South Jersey and All-State. He helped lead the nationally-ranked Rams to state titles and Diamond Classic championships in 1998 and 2000. He was named the South Jersey and New Jersey State Player-of-the-Year along with selected to the high school All-American Team.
Mark went on to a good career at the University of Delaware before drafted in the 4th round by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2003. From 2003-2006, he rose from the NY-Penn League to the Florida State League with a record of 13-20 and an ERA of 4.11. Mark was named to the Midwest League All-Star Team in 2004 while playing at Peoria and was named by Baseball America as a Top Prospect. His career was cut short, however, by and injury and he chose to retire from pro ball.
Mike Rucci – Gloucester Catholic
Catcher – Gloucester Catholic HS
Michael, now of Williamstown, had hall-of-fame careers at both Gloucester Catholic HS and at Glassboro State College.
As the Rams catcher, he was All-State and All-South Jersey in 2000 and 2001. He was All-Parochial A in 1999, 2000, and 2001. These same years Gloucester Catholic put together back-to-back-to-back state titles and the Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic titles in 2000-2001. In 2000, Gloucester Catholic was named as the top high school team nationwide.
Rucci’s high school stats include 126 career hits, batting averages of .406, .477, and .523. Michael had 13 career home runs among his 37 career extra-base hits and 122 RBIs.
He was a member of the World Series champion Brooklawn American Legion Post 72 team in 2001 and the tournament MVP.
Rucci also holds nine offensive records at Glassboro State/Rowan University where he was a three-time All-American.
Paul Patsko – Willingboro HS
Pitcher – Willingboro HS
Paul, now of Mullica Hill, used his strong arm in his senior year at Willingboro HS to lead the Chimeras to the Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic and the Burlington County League Liberty Division Championships. In that 1977 season his statistics included 13-1 record with a 0.51 ERA in 110 innings. He gave up only 8 runs while striking out 102 and walking just 44. He also completed 11 games while tossing 4 shutouts. During that senior season, Patsko had a 40.2 scoreless inning streak.
In 1977 the Burlington County Times named Paul its Player-of-the Year, the Trenton Times All-Burlington County, and the Courier-Post All-Group IV and All-South Jersey Teams.
He took his talents to Trenton State College where his career took him to two NCAA D-III tournaments and being named to the All-Conference Team. Over his four years as a starter and closer, his record was 17-16 with a 2.59 ERA. In 2006 The College of New Jersey inducted him into its Hall-of-Fame.
Edward Cuneo – Gloucester Catholic HS
Coach – Gloucester Catholic HS
Ed graduated from GCHS in 1956 and went on to graduate from Tusculum (TN) College. He began his coaching career at the then newly opened Edgewood HS in 1962 where he coached baseball and basketball. His 1963 and 1965 teams won South Jersey Group II championships.
He focused on basketball at Edgewood and remained a teacher there before moving on to Atlantic Community College in 1972 and led them to a Regional title in 1975.
Cuneo left coaching after that season but returned to Edgewood in the 1980s to assist head coach Bob Lee when the team won the state Group III title in 1989. His career in sports includes being a scout for the Baltimore Orioles (1964-73), Kansas City Royals (1974-1977), Seattle Mariners (1978-1983).