Celebrating remarkable people who got their start right here in the Queen City. 

Mel Lewis: Born: May 10, 1929 – Buffalo, NY 

Born Melvin Sokoloff to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents on Buffalo’s East Side, Mel Lewis picked up his father’s drumsticks as a boy and never put them down. By 15 he was playing professionally, and by the time his career peaked he was widely regarded as one of the greatest jazz drummers who ever lived. Known for his philosophy that the drummer’s job is to serve the music — not steal it — Lewis built his legendary sound around dark Turkish cymbals and an understated touch that made every band around him sound better. Buffalo gave him his first stage; jazz gave him the world. 

Chris Sacca: Born: May 12, 1975 – Lockport, NY (Buffalo Area) 

Raised in Lockport just outside of Buffalo by an attorney father and a SUNY Buffalo State professor mother, Chris Sacca grew up with a restless, problem-solving mind that eventually took him all the way to Silicon Valley. After earning his law degree from Georgetown, he joined Google in 2003, won the company’s highest honor — the

Founders’ Award — and helped build some of the early internet infrastructure we rely on today. He went on to become one of tech’s most celebrated early-stage investors and a fan favorite “Guest Shark” on Shark Tank. A kid from Western New York who helped shape the modern tech world. 

Rob Gronkowski: Born: May 14, 1989 – Buffalo, NY

Few players in NFL history have dominated their position the way Buffalo-born Rob Gronkowski did. A first-round pick by the New England Patriots in 2010, “Gronk” became the gold standard for tight ends — a rare combination of elite receiving ability, punishing blocking, and unstoppable physicality that made him Tom Brady’s most dangerous weapon. He broke the NFL record for touchdowns by a tight end in a single season in 2012, won multiple Super Bowl championships, and earned four Pro Bowl selections before retiring as one of the greatest to ever play the game. Buffalo raised him right.

Thurman Thomas: Born: May 16, 1966 – Houston, TX (Buffalo’s Own) 

Drafted by the Bills in 1988 and quickly becoming the heartbeat of one of the most exciting offenses in NFL history, Thurman Thomas is as much a part of Buffalo’s identity as Lake Erie and chicken wings. The 1991 NFL MVP powered the Bills through their legendary run of four consecutive Super Bowl appearances, amassing over 12,000 rushing yards and 4,400 receiving yards in a career that earned him a Pro Football Hall of Fame induction in 2007. “Once a Bill, always a Bill,” he said — and Buffalo has never stopped claiming him as one of its greatest champions. 

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