John Branca (far right) with Howard Weitzman (center), one of the most influential attorneys in the nation, and Dan Petrocelli, one of the country's Top 10 Trial Lawyers... all fans and supporters of Club 42.
JOHN BRANCA
The catalyst for the creation of Club 42 came from the relationship between Jackie Robinson and Ralph Branca on the 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers as celebrated in the movie “42”.
Ralph Branca was one of Robinson’s biggest supporters and friends.
He ate with him when they traveled, encouraged him to partake in activities with the rest of the team, and proudly stood beside him
when Robinson first took the field on opening day in 1947.
Ralph’s nephew, John Branca, who lives in Los Angeles and has an 11 year old son, Dylan (pitcher), is providing the seed capital to build Club 42 as a tribute to his uncle and the legacy of Jackie Robinson.
A partner in the law firm of Ziffren Brittenham LLP, Branca has represented an unprecedented 29 members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, including Aerosmith, The Beach Boys, The Bee Gees, The Doors, Fleetwood Mac, Berry Gordy, Michael Jackson, Leiber and Stoller, The Rolling Stones, and Carlos Santana. Since 2009, he has also served as co-executor of the Michael Jackson Estate.
In addition to other charitable work, Branca sits on the Board of Advisors of UCLA Athletic Dept., UCLA Law School, UCLA Law Entertainment and the UCLA/Pauley Pavilion Renovation Committee.
Coach Johnny (right) with Club 42 Co-Creator and Angel, John Branca (with his son Dylan in photograph).
JOHNNY BUC LOCKWOOD
Coach Johnny is dedicated to helping people and kids of all ages reach their goals.
Having lived a diverse life while pursuing a variety of academic, athletic, creative and entrepreneurial challenges for the past three decades, Johnny brings a no-nonsense approach to his coaching.
He’s learned the value and importance of pursuing his dreams, setting goals, understanding and overcoming obstacles, while maintaining vision and direction.
As a former troubled teen, Coach Johnny was assisted by a life coach and mentor who guided him from failing out of high school to achieving academic, athletic and personal success. Accepted at Andover after turning his wayward teen life around, John was recruited to play varsity hockey and baseball at The University of Vermont where he graduated with a BA in English. A few years later he became a Research Fellow at The Institute of Politics at Harvard.
Feeling restless with academia, Johnny ventured off to NYC to pursue his passions: starting a band and establishing a Wall Street-based wealth management business. He succeeded in both endeavors. His band signed a record contract and played in venues around the country, while his wealth management business attracted and worked with Forbes 400 clients.
After ten years of success, Johnny moved to Los Angeles to expand his career into the entertainment industry. Subsequently, he followed his passion to live in Tuscany, Italy where he created an internet company and played semi pro baseball in The Italian League. Once back in Los Angeles, this five year sojourn inspired him to write a book about his adventures and launch his coaching business, working with young kids on the baseball field and young adults striving to be more successful in their life and careers.
Today, based in Santa Monica, Johnny divides his time between coaching newly sober student athletes, helping to get a positive handle on life and learn to succeed in all areas, and working as a consultant to the Michael Jackson estate and it’s estate manager, John Branca.
MELISSA MACKINNON BOWDEN
Melissa grew up as the 5th of 6 kids... 3 of them brothers... all die-hard Boston Red Sox fans, who taught her the game of baseball in the back yard and grilled her daily on sports stats. In a household where baseball and hockey equipment, along with her brother's teammates that outfitted the gear, outnumbered dolls and dresses by 10-1... Melissa was never afraid to step up to the plate.
Melissa is now a passionate baseball mom to her 11 year old lefty pitcher son, Jack, as well as a veteran entreprenuer. From the time Jack could sit, Melissa began playing catch with him... eagerly readying him for his first position on a baseball team at age 4. Realizing that she wasn't going to get the assistant coaching job, she happily took on "Team Mom" roles before parceling that off to focus on her "Team Movie Producer" calling. Melissa rarely misses a game and thinks of her Pacific Palisades baseball team as "family".
Outside of baseball, Melissa is also a mother to a 7 year old daughter who dances, plays tennis and guitar, and performs in musical theater.
She is a serial entreprenuer in the digital media sector who has built 2 of her own companies and sold one of them (a digital music company) to a publicly traded online music retailer... or more appropriately... she Turned Bubble Gum into Gold.
Here's to doing it again... Go Club 42!