Pat Croce
Encyclopedia
Pasquale "Pat" Croce is an American entrepreneur
, sports team executive and owner, author, and TV personality.
Croce began his career as a physical therapist
and was an athletic trainer
for the Philadelphia 76ers
for more than 10 years, originally hired to help thin 7'6" center Shawn Bradley
bulk up. He founded Sports Physical Therapists in 1984 and grew the business into a chain of 40 centers spanning 11 states before selling it in 1993 for $
40 million.
He became president of the Philadelphia 76ers
basketball
team in 1996 as part of a group led by Flyers founder Ed Snider
and Comcast Corporation that bought the team. Under their ownership, the Sixers went from last place in 1996 to the NBA Finals
in 2001. He appeared on the cover of Success
magazine as the first trainer to rise to an ownership position with a professional sports team. He has also been featured in Inc.
and Sales & Marketing Management.
His second book I Feel Great and You Will Too! was an autobiography that chronicled (among other things) his years at West Chester University and University of Pittsburgh
, meeting his wife Diane Croce, starting his own business, purchasing the Sixers, and his 1999 motorcycle accident. The book is laced with career and personal advice Croce has gathered through his life. Following its release, the book made the New York Times Best Seller list
. Croce has written other self-help books--110% (2001); Lead Or Get Off The Pot (2004); Pat Croce's Victory Journal (2002); and the Do It Now! Journal (2004)--three of which topped the New York Times best-seller list.
Croce is also the author of several books on pirates, including Pirate Soul (2006) and My Pop Pop Is A Pirate (2008). More recently, Croce has written and released an illustrated book, Blackbeard, and The Pirate Handbook (both released in 2011). He is currently working on a series of historic fiction books based on the lives of pirates such as Sir Francis Drake and Henry Morgan.
Since leaving the 76ers, Croce was a television commentator on The NBA on NBC
and was a Tae Kwon Do commentator for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games. In 2004, he hosted his own syndicated
self-help television show, Pat Croce: Moving In
, which premiered on September 13, 2004 and was canceled in 2005.
In January 2005, he opened the $10 million Pirate Soul Museum
in Key West
, Florida. The museum features authentic pirate artifacts, many from Croce's personal collection. In February 2006, he opened the pirate-themed Rum Barrel restaurant next to the museum. It was announced in February 2010 that the museum is being moved to St Augustine, Florida. The museum opened on December 8, 2010.
Croce also has interests in Island Dogs Bar in Key West and became majority partner in the iconic Green Parrot Bar, also in Key West, in May 2011.
Croce was one of the four judges for the second season of ABC's reality television series, American Inventor
, which ran from June to August, 2007.
As of January 2010, Croce is on the board of directors for Movitas, a mobile technology company focused on the hospitality industry.
Croce is currently focused on the success of the St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum. The museum is said to house the largest collection of authentic pirate artifacts in the world--more than 800--and has been featured prominently in regional news.
In October 2011, Croce financed and served on the monumental expedition that located the shipwrecks of Sir Francis Drake.
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
, sports team executive and owner, author, and TV personality.
Croce began his career as a physical therapist
Physical therapy
Physical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...
and was an athletic trainer
Athletic trainer
An athletic trainer is a certified, health care professional who practices in the field of sports medicine. Athletic training has been recognized by the American Medical Association as an allied health care profession since 1990....
for the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
for more than 10 years, originally hired to help thin 7'6" center Shawn Bradley
Shawn Bradley
Shawn Paul Bradley is a retired American and German basketball player who played center for the Philadelphia 76ers, the New Jersey Nets and the Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association. At tall, Bradley was one of the tallest players in NBA history...
bulk up. He founded Sports Physical Therapists in 1984 and grew the business into a chain of 40 centers spanning 11 states before selling it in 1993 for $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
40 million.
He became president of the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team in 1996 as part of a group led by Flyers founder Ed Snider
Ed Snider
Edward M. Snider is the American Chairman of Comcast Spectacor, a Philadelphia-based sports and entertainment company that owns the Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL, the Wells Fargo Center, the Spectrum, the regional sports network Comcast SportsNet and Global Spectrum, an international facilities...
and Comcast Corporation that bought the team. Under their ownership, the Sixers went from last place in 1996 to the NBA Finals
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
in 2001. He appeared on the cover of Success
SUCCESS (magazine)
SUCCESS is a business magazine in the United States published by SUCCESS Media, a company owned by VideoPlus L.P. According to the company the magazine is "designed specifically to serve the growing entrepreneur," and the magazine's primary focus is in providing information and content in the areas...
magazine as the first trainer to rise to an ownership position with a professional sports team. He has also been featured in Inc.
Inc. (magazine)
Inc. magazine, founded in 1979 and based in New York City, is a monthly publication focused on growing companies. The magazine publishes an annual list of the 500 fastest-growing private companies in the U.S., the "Inc...
and Sales & Marketing Management.
His second book I Feel Great and You Will Too! was an autobiography that chronicled (among other things) his years at West Chester University and University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
, meeting his wife Diane Croce, starting his own business, purchasing the Sixers, and his 1999 motorcycle accident. The book is laced with career and personal advice Croce has gathered through his life. Following its release, the book made the New York Times Best Seller list
New York Times Best Seller list
The New York Times Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. It is published weekly in The New York Times Book Review magazine, which is published in the Sunday edition of The New York Times and as a stand-alone publication...
. Croce has written other self-help books--110% (2001); Lead Or Get Off The Pot (2004); Pat Croce's Victory Journal (2002); and the Do It Now! Journal (2004)--three of which topped the New York Times best-seller list.
Croce is also the author of several books on pirates, including Pirate Soul (2006) and My Pop Pop Is A Pirate (2008). More recently, Croce has written and released an illustrated book, Blackbeard, and The Pirate Handbook (both released in 2011). He is currently working on a series of historic fiction books based on the lives of pirates such as Sir Francis Drake and Henry Morgan.
Since leaving the 76ers, Croce was a television commentator on The NBA on NBC
The NBA on NBC
NBA on NBC was a weekly presentation of National Basketball Association games on the National Broadcasting Company television network from 1955 to 1962, and again from 1990 to 2002. The NBA on NBC succeeded the NBA on CBS...
and was a Tae Kwon Do commentator for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games. In 2004, he hosted his own syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
self-help television show, Pat Croce: Moving In
Pat Croce: Moving In
Pat Croce: Moving In was an American television show that ran in syndication during the 2004-2005 season. The program was produced and distributed by Sony Pictures Television....
, which premiered on September 13, 2004 and was canceled in 2005.
In January 2005, he opened the $10 million Pirate Soul Museum
Pirate Soul Museum
The Pirate Soul Museum is a museum dedicated to pirates artifacts.The museum was located at 524 Front Street, Key West, Florida, United States. It was announced in February of 2010 that the museum is being moved to St Augustine, Florida. It reopened there on December 8, 2010...
in Key West
Key West
Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida on the North American continent at the southernmost tip of the Florida Keys. Key West is home to the southernmost point in the Continental United States; the island is about from Cuba....
, Florida. The museum features authentic pirate artifacts, many from Croce's personal collection. In February 2006, he opened the pirate-themed Rum Barrel restaurant next to the museum. It was announced in February 2010 that the museum is being moved to St Augustine, Florida. The museum opened on December 8, 2010.
Croce also has interests in Island Dogs Bar in Key West and became majority partner in the iconic Green Parrot Bar, also in Key West, in May 2011.
Croce was one of the four judges for the second season of ABC's reality television series, American Inventor
American Inventor
American Inventor is a reality television series based on a competition to be named America's best inventor. It was conceived by UK entrepreneur Peter Jones, who appears on the British version of the somewhat similar programme Dragons' Den, a format originated in Japan where it is owned by Sony....
, which ran from June to August, 2007.
As of January 2010, Croce is on the board of directors for Movitas, a mobile technology company focused on the hospitality industry.
Croce is currently focused on the success of the St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum. The museum is said to house the largest collection of authentic pirate artifacts in the world--more than 800--and has been featured prominently in regional news.
In October 2011, Croce financed and served on the monumental expedition that located the shipwrecks of Sir Francis Drake.
Books
- Conditioning for Ice Hockey: Year 'Round (co-authored with Bruce C. Cooper, 1983)
- Stretching for Athletics (1984)
- A Baseball Player's Guide to Sports Medicine(forward by Mike Schmidt, 1987)
- I Feel Great and You Will Too!(co-authored with Bill Lyon, 2000)
- 110% (2001)
- Lead or Get Off the Pot!!(co-authored with Bill Lyon, 2004)
- Pirate Soul – A Swashbuckling Journey Through the Golden Age of Pirates (2006)
- My Pop-Pop is a Pirate (2008)
- Victory Journal (2002)
- Do It Now Journal (2004)
- Blackbeard (2011)
- Pirates of St. Augustine (2011)
- The Pirate Handbook (2011)
External links
- PatCroce.com - Official site