Sister Jean isn't the Ramblers Only Good Luck Charm

MAYWOOD, IL – When the Loyola Ramblers made it to the NCAA tournament, team physician Pietro Tonino, MD, decided to bring a keepsake from Loyola's 1963 championship season as a good luck charm.

Dr. Tonino's prized possession is a vintage TWA shoulder bag. One side of the maroon bag says "Loyola University Ramblers." The other side says "NCAA Basketball Champions." Inside is a commemorative photo of the 1963 NCAA championship team.

Before each game in this year's NCAA tournament, Dr. Tonino has placed the bag near the locker room exit, so the Ramblers see it as they take the floor.

"With this bag and Sister Jean, we've done pretty well so far," Dr. Tonino said, adding, "Sister Jean provides a whole different level of support. She's more celestial."

Dr. Tonino is an orthopaedic surgeon and Loyola Medicine's program director of sports medicine. Since joining Loyola in 1991, Dr. Tonino has attended hundreds of Loyola games as a team physician. He received the championship bag as a gift from Terry Light, MD, former chair of Loyola Medicine's department of orthopaedics and rehabilitation.

The bag has its own Twitter account, @LeetleRedBag.

Loyola's physicians provide comprehensive sports medicine services to all Loyola student athletes, including the Ramblers basketball team.

To speak with Dr. Tonino, contact Jim Ritter in Media Relations, 708-216-2445 jritter@lumc.edu.

To learn more about Loyola Medicine or find a physician, visit loyolamedicine.org.