Advisory Council

ADVISORY COUNCIL

JOHN WEBB

The Chicago Cubs selected John Webb in the 1999 Major League Baseball draft. Webb pitched five seasons in the Cubs organization before signing with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2004. In his Major League debut with the Devil Rays, John pitched against the soon to be 2004 World Series Champions, Boston Red Sox. In an inning and a third, he gave up zero runs on two hits while striking out two.

During his professional career, Webb spent parts of two seasons in the Major Leagues, four in Triple-A, and two in Double-A. His minor league record includes a 4.12 ERA, 939 innings pitched, 668 strikeouts, and 332 walks.

For nine seasons Webb played MLB affiliated baseball with the Cubs, Devil Rays and Cardinals organizations. John also pitched for the Pensacola (FL) Pelicans of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball.

In 2002 John began the John Webb Foundation. The foundation raises funds through benefit golf tournaments and memorabilia auctions, for Pensacola’s Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital.

John founded First Pitch Academy during 1913 in Phoenix, Arizona. First Pitch, a non-profit youth sports organization, provides the fundamentals of baseball, physically and mentally, to all experience levels, from Little League to professional. John Webb is also a baseball consultant for Arizona Sports Medicine Center.

BERNIE CARBO

Bernie Carbo, a former Major League Baseball player, was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 1965 amateur draft. He played for the Indianapolis Indians in 1969 and 1970, and was named American Association Most Valuable Player. In 1970, he became Cincinnati’s regular leftfielder and hit.310 with 21 homers. In 1972, he played for the St. Louis Cardinals and was traded to the Boston Red Sox in 1974. Carbo clubbed twelve homers in 1974 and fifteen in 1975 as a fourth outfielder and designated hitter.

In 1975, he went 3-for-7 with pinch homers, including a three-run trip in Game 6. Carbo also played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Cleveland Indians, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Detroit Tigers farm system. In 2004, he was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame, and in 2012, he was named to the 100 Year All-Fenway Park Team. After retirement, Carbo played for the Winter Haven Super Sox and managed the independent Pensacola Pelicans. Today, he heads Diamond Club Ministry, lectures abroad, and conducts the annual Bernie Carbo Baseball Fantasy Camp.

AARON BROWN

Aaron Brown is a member of the Mordecai Brown family. He is a published author and multi-media designer. Aaron’s first artistic accomplishment came with his interpretation of “The Jackalope” in the independent film Legend Seekers.

Aaron is an accomplished web-based media producer, networking multiple communication platforms for maximum connectivity and distribution.

BRIAN BERNARDONI

Brian Bernardoni, a Chicago Cub fan and co-founder of the Way Out of Left Field Society, has a wealth of experience in baseball research and tour guides. He has been a tour guide for nearly two decades and is a member of the Emil Verban Society, the Emil Rothe Chapter of SABR, the Ballparks Committee, and the Old Timer’s Baseball Association of Chicago. Bernardoni is also a member of the Illinois Association of Realtors and serves as the Senior Director of Governmental Affairs and Public Policy. He has been a prolific fundraiser since 2003, raising over $1 million for non-profit and public action. He is a graduate of Chicago’s first FBI Citizens Academy and has served on the Executive Committee for the Eisenberg Boys and Girls Club, the National Advisory Committee for Prevent Child Abuse, and the Board of the Illinois Medical District Guest House.

LUIS LOPEZ

Luis Lopez is a Graphic Artist with over 30 years of experience in for-profit and non-profit design. Luis has designed for many of America’s major theme parks such as Disney, Six Flags and Sea World. He is currently designing art for several Minor League Baseball teams, including the Tennessee Smokies, Chattanooga Lookouts, the Charlotte Knights and more.

Luis’ passion for art combined with his love for the sport of baseball is why he has served on the Mordecai Brown Foundation Advisory Council since its inception. He lends his talent by creating the classic and traditional style that the foundation embodies.

Luis Lopez is a native of Brooklyn, New York and has resided in Pensacola Florida or the past 25 years. He is married with two children and is the Custom Art Director for Redletter9/Go Teez Clothing Company.

ADAM BATES

Adam Bates is originally from Altamonte Springs, Florida, where as a kid he became a life-long Atlanta Braves Fan and baseball card collector. Adam has officiated as an umpire in youth, High School, and College Baseball since 1994. Adam attended Auburn University, where he also worked for the university’s baseball team from 1996 to 1999.

Adam is the co-owner of American Sports Officials (ASO) in Winter Garden, Florida, which provides baseball umpires for all levels of games played throughout Central Florida. ASO also employs officials for numerous other sports.

Bates is the General Manager of the Winter Garden Squeeze, a team within the Florida Collegiate Summer League. Adam is involved in all aspects of baseball within his local community along with his wife Shea and their three children.

ADAM POLANSKY

Adam Polansky is a native of Orlando, Florida and graduated from Dr. Phillips High School in 2014. While at Dr. Phillips High School, Adam became passionate about youth centered community service events. He volunteered with the Little League Challenger Division and offered his own personal experiences in baseball as a player buddy, helping children to learn the basics of the game.

Following high school, Adam attended and played baseball at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida. Adam pitched for UNF’s baseball team, appearing in 13 games with 7 starts during his senior year. Adam graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Sport Management in 2018, making the Atlantic Sun Honor Roll in 2015-2016 and 2017-2018, along with the Dean’s List in 2018.

During his collegiate summer baseball seasons, Adam played for the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs of the Florida Collegiate Summer League in 2015 and the Terre Haute REX of the Prospect League from 2016-2018. Adam also served as front office staff for the REX.

TINA BURROWS

Tina Burrows philanthropy background includes working for the American Red Cross National Headquarters, as well as fundraising for both institutional and economic building projects. Tina is originally from Dublin, Ohio and is a true “baseball mom” and baseball enthusiast. Tina is a project manager is Raleigh, North Carolina, where she also resides with her husband Jim and their two children.

MICHAEL JACOBS, MD, MPH

Mike Jacobs is a retired Naval Medical Officer. During a 30-year Naval career, Dr. Jacobs served as USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN-72) Carrier Strike Senior Medical Officer, a Flight Surgeon for Marine Corps AH-1 Super Cobra and F/A-18 squadrons, and Team Physician for the U.S. Naval Academy football and baseball teams.

Born and raised in Southern California, Dr. Jacobs graduated from Harvard University where he was a 3-year starter and Honorable Mention All-Ivy League defensive back. He received his medical degree from the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine of the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland; the medical school affiliated with the National Institutes of Health. He completed a Surgery Internship as well as residencies in Family Medicine and Aerospace Medicine, in addition to completing a Masters Degree in Public Health.

Dr. Jacobs is currently a Staff Physician for the Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System in Pensacola, Florida. His wife, Susan, and their daughters Sarah and Michaela, support lovingly a passionate interest in baseball.

NICK CROOKS

Nick Crooks is a Certified Public Accountant and owner of Crooks & Associates, P.L.L.C., focusing on complex taxation, business consulting, and business valuations. Nick has significant expertise in business entity taxation including multi-state activity, individual taxation, foreign matter, cost segregations for real property transactions, and financial markets analysis.

Nick serves as the Director of Finance for Children of Destiny Nicaragua. He also enjoys serving in the mission field internationally. Nick graduated Summa Cum Laude from Eastern Washington University with degrees in both Professional Accounting and Finance while minoring in Economics. In his free time, Nick enjoys traveling, hiking and spending time with family.

BRUCE ROSSELLI

Bruce Rosselli, part owner and GM of Terre Haute REX of the Prospect League, is a collegiate wood bat summer league with twelve teams in five Midwest states. Under Rosselli’s leadership, the REX won two Prospect League Championships in 2015 and 2018. Rosselli holds a Bachelors of Business Management from Indiana Wesleyan University / Indiana State University and served as the Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Terre Haute Indiana from 2012 to 2013. He has extensive business management experience, including over thirty years with Eli Lilly and Co., as a member of the Board of Directors, International Public Relations, and Human Resources. Rosselli also owns and operates Rosselli’s Italian Restaurant and currently owns and presides over AllSportsSpeed.com, a speed training program for amateur and professional athletes in various sports.

Rosselli has also been a fourteen-time national team member of the United States Bobsled Team from 1985 to 2002, representing the United States in international competitions in Canada and Europe. He held the World Record for 4-man bobsled and was selected to represent all bobsled athletes for the United States Olympic Committee. In 1994, Rosselli received the Sagamore of the Wabash-Indiana Governor’s Award for sportsmanship during the Olympics and his service to the Just Say No To Drugs national campaign.