Playing major league ball was a dream of pitcher Joe Sperone, a Broomall native and Cardinal O’Hara graduate, writes Brian Seltzer for KYW Newsradio.
He never got to the major leagues, but he played some banana ball this past weekend at Citizens Bank Park.
As far as he and his father are concerned, it was a dream fulfilled.
Sperone played college ball and got the attention of some MLB scouts, but an MLB career never materialized.
Then in 2024, his dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer.
“It was both of our dreams for me to play pro ball, do whatever in my life with baseball,” Sperone said.
So when he was invited to try out for the Savannah Bananas for their “Banana Ball” tour, he went for it.
Banana Ball has trick plays, dances, skits, and gags in between innings.
He won a spot on the Texas Tailgaters, one of the three teams that play against the Bananas, with one game played this past weekend at Citizens Bank Park. His parents were there.
Topping it all, his father was given a clean bill of health a year after his cancer diagnosis.
“It’s truly the best life I could be living,” Sperone said.
Read more of Joe Sperone’s story in KWY Newsradio.
Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on DELCO Today in July 2025.
