Mike Eruzione

Mike Eruzione
Born	Michael Anthony Eruzione (1954-10-25) October 25, 1954 Winthrop, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Ice hockey player, broadcaster, author, motivational speaker
Years active	1970s–present
Known for	Captain of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, scored winning goal in "Miracle on Ice"
Notable work	The Making of a Miracle

Michael Anthony "Rizzo" Eruzione (, , born October 25, 1954) is a retired American ice hockey athlete, most famously recognized as the captain of the 1980 Winter Olympics U.S. squad that triumphed over the Soviet Union in the legendary "Miracle on Ice," where he netted the decisive goal. He co-wrote the acclaimed book The Making of a Miracle: The Untold Story of the Captain of The Gold Medal-Winning 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team, released by HarperCollins.

Early life and playing career

Eruzione was born in Winthrop, Massachusetts into an Italian-American household. He honed his hockey talents in local youth leagues and served as captain of his high school varsity hockey team. Following a preparatory year at Berwick Academy, he enrolled at Boston University, where he consistently scored over twenty goals per season under the guidance of coach Jack Parker, who likened him to "Pete Rose on skates".

He represented Team USA at the Ice Hockey World Championship tournaments in 1975 and 1976 before spending two seasons with the Toledo Goaldiggers in the IHL. In 1978, he was honored as IHL Rookie of the Year and led the Goaldiggers to claim the Turner Cup championship. Returning to Team USA for the 1979–80 campaign, Eruzione was appointed captain of the Olympic team, delivering the winning goal against the Soviet squad and helping secure gold against Finland. His game-winning goal is regarded as one of the most memorable moments in American sports history, hailed by Sports Illustrated as the top sports moment of the twentieth century and voted ESPN’s greatest highlight ever.

Questions about his amateur status arose due to his earlier professional contract with Toledo, raised by NHL Players' Association director Alan Eagleson, but Eruzione dismissed these concerns, underscoring the authenticity and honor of their Olympic achievement.

Post playing career

Among the five players on the 1980 U.S. Olympic roster who were not selected in the NHL draft, Eruzione initially showed interest in pursuing a professional career, mentioning potential opportunities with teams like the Hartford Whalers. Despite receiving contract offers from the New York Rangers, he chose to retire following the Olympics, feeling he had reached his career peak. He contributed as a technical advisor for the 1981 film Miracle on Ice, acknowledging that no film could fully replicate the actual experience.

Eruzione transitioned into broadcasting, providing commentary for games involving the Rangers and New Jersey Devils and working on broadcasts such as NHL on USA and NHL on Fox. He also covered five Winter Olympic Games for ABC and CBS networks. Reflecting on his decision not to play professionally, he expressed no regrets and felt confident in his skills through his broadcasting work.

He later returned to Boston University to serve as an assistant coach for three seasons and currently holds the position of Director of Special Outreach. Eruzione has been inducted into multiple halls of fame and is part-owner of the USHL's Omaha Lancers. In addition, he engages in motivational speaking and supports Winthrop High School’s ice hockey program.

In 2002, Eruzione reunited with his fellow 1980 Olympic teammates to light the cauldron at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. On January 19, 2007, he appeared on the revived game show I've Got a Secret, where contestant Billy Bean correctly identified his secret—that he captained the 1980 U.S. Men's Olympic hockey team.

In 2012, Eruzione’s hometown rink—the Lawrence Larsen Hockey Rink in Winthrop, Massachusetts—was renamed Larsen Hockey Rink at the Mike Eruzione Center.

The Making Of A Miracle

On January 28, 2020, HarperCollins released Eruzione's book titled The Making of a Miracle. The publication swiftly climbed to No. 6 on the Wall Street Journal best-seller list and secured the No. 4 spot on Publishers Weekly. Co-written with Neal Boudette, a fellow alumnus of Boston University, the book provides a detailed narrative of the U.S. Olympic hockey team's gold medal triumph, highlighting the unexpected victory against the Soviet Union in the renowned "Miracle On Ice" match. The memoir also delves into Eruzione's family history and chronicles his progression through collegiate and minor league hockey leading up to the 1979 Olympic trials. His intention was to reveal more about his life beyond that legendary goal at Lake Placid.

In popular culture

In the 1981 television film Miracle on Ice, actor Andrew Stevens took on the role of Eruzione.

The 2004 Disney production Miracle cast Patrick O'Brien Demsey as Eruzione. Demsey, who played college hockey himself, secured this role shortly after turning 24 and prepared by training with a team coached by Eruzione.

Eruzione lent his voice portraying himself in an episode of American Dad!, where his character verifies Roger's claim of being part of the 1980 U.S. hockey squad.

In the animated series Archer, Mike Eruzione is mentioned as an emblematic figure of American hockey success.

Furthermore, Eruzione served as the host for the 1981 pilot episode of Starcade, a game show centered around video games.

Politics

Eruzione has shown support for both major political parties in the United States, casting his vote for Barack Obama in 2008 and for Donald Trump in 2016. During the 2012 election cycle, he briefly spoke at the 2012 Republican National Convention, endorsing candidate Mitt Romney.

In 2020, Eruzione and thirteen members of the 1980 Lake Placid team encountered criticism after appearing at a Trump campaign rally in Las Vegas while wearing red Keep America Great hats. Eruzione later expressed remorse over this incident, clarifying that the team had been invited solely for a private photograph and were unprepared for being brought onstage. He admitted to lacking political awareness at the time, stating, "I wasn’t thinking... I don’t follow politics."

Awards and achievements

Award	Year
All-ECAC Hockey First Team	1974–75, 1975–76
All-ECAC Hockey Second Team	1976–77

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1971–72	Winthrop High School	MIAA		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1972–73	Berwick Academy	MPA		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1973–74	Boston University	ECAC		31	21	19	40	14		—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	Boston University	ECAC		32	27	29	56	20		—	—	—	—	—
1975–76	Boston University	ECAC		30	21	27	48	18		—	—	—	—	—
1976–77	Boston University	ECAC		34	23	41	64	18		—	—	—	—	—
1977–78	Toledo Goaldiggers	IHL		76	30	56	86	43		17	8	13	21	12
1978–79	Toledo Goaldiggers	IHL		74	27	45	72	28		3	1	2	3	2
1978–79	Philadelphia Firebirds	American Hockey League		6	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1979–80	United States men's national ice hockey team	Intl		43	18	23	41	20		—	—	—	—	—
ECAC totals				127	92	116	208	70		—	—	—	—	—
IHL totals				150	57	101	158	71		20	9	15	24	14

International

Year	Team	Competition		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1975 World Ice Hockey Championships	United States men's national ice hockey team	World Ice Hockey Championships		9	1	2	3	4
1976 World Ice Hockey Championships	United States	WC		10	0	0	0	0
Ice hockey at the 1980 Winter Olympics	United States	Ice hockey at the Winter Olympics		7	3	2	5	2
Career senior totals				26	4	4	8	6

External links

• USA Today Q&A