Hugo Traverso touted as ‘next Al Michaels’
Hugo Traverso’s St. John’s CYO team is undefeated and closing in on a championship, but the Healdsburg youngster has no designs to become the next Steph Curry.
His goal: become the next Al Michaels.
Traverso, 10, added another nugget to his sportscaster resume last month when he was a winner in a KNBR radio contest and was able to interview three members of the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park.
The contest required contestants to submit a question they would ask members of the Giants, and Traverso came up with this gem: “What advice would you give a young Little Leaguer like me on physical, mental and nutritional training?”
The KNBR folks considered it a winner, and that is why on Feb. 10 Traverso found himself asking his question of catcher Nick Hundley, outfielder Hunter Pence and first baseman Brandon Belt during the Giants’ Fanfest.
“Nick Hundley said put spinach in some smoothies so you can’t taste it and it is really healthy,’’ Traverso said. “Hunter Pence said, ‘Always be positive. If you are always positive and you get to your game you will feel momentum.’ Brandon Belt said the same thing, that ‘you should always be positive and eat healthy.’’’
The Giants didn’t realize it but they were in the company of a kid with big dreams of regularly asking questions of pro athletes.
“I want to be a sportscaster when I grow up,’’ Traverso said. “I think it would be cool to be up there in the booth.”
Don’t count him out. His obsession with sports and the guys who announce them is palpable.
“At two years old he would get the sports pages and run off with them,’’ said his mom, Elizabeth. “At six years old he came down the stairs and said he was going to Syracuse because it is the best school to become a sportscaster.”
The university refers to itself as Sportscaster U, so Traverso did his research, even at age six.
Who knows? Some day the list of Syracuse grads may include Hugo Traverso along with Mike Tirico, Bob Costas, Sean McDonough, Dick Stockton and over 300 others.
Traverso’s daily routine involves reading the sports pages before he goes to school.
Then, when not practicing baseball or basketball, he is devouring all the sports info he can on the internet or watching TV.
He even has his own business card: Hugo’s Sports Information & Services.
And, why not, he has already had a regular job … in pre-kindergarten.
“At St. John’s they would let him get up and give a sports report,’’ his Mom said. “For 10 minutes he would give the rundown of every sport.’’
Traverso has already seen what he calls his ideal NBA match-up.
“It was Warriors-Celtics,’’ he said. “109-105. January 27.”
Some day he would like to see his other two visions of athletic excellence: Patriots-Niners and Giants-Red Sox. His mother went to school in the East, and has ties in the Boston area. He said every five years they go back, and this is the year. Of course he will be taking in a Red Sox game. This year the opponent is the Toronto Blue Jays.
The last time he went, well. “It was May 28, 2013, and I caught a foul ball. The Red Sox played the Phillies and lost 3-1.”
Traverso likes to send mail to favorite people. He has written the Pope, Barack Obama and Donald Trump, among others. His latest?
“I just finished writing Al Michaels,’’ he said.
Michaels should write him back. Some day Traverso may have his job.
