MILWAUKEE – Bill Zito donned a white paper hat at Kopp’s Frozen Custard, the same one he wore when he worked as a teenager there, first at the deep fryer before moving up to burgers.

“That was a big deal when I became a burger guy,” the Florida Panthers general manager said after he, family and friends showed up at the restaurant unexpectedly and enjoyed a tub of red velvet Oreo, chocolate and vanilla goodness from the Stanley Cup on Wednesday.

It was a wonderful, fun moment in a day full of them for Zito, who spent his day with the Cup at various places around Milwaukee. Zito grew up in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, about 15 minutes north of the city.

“The people who are from Milwaukee kind of let you know that they are,” Zito said.

“I’m very proud of Wisconsin and Milwaukee, so it’s really wonderful in being able to take it to places like the Clinical Cancer Center at Froedtert, who helped our family for over a decade. The doctors there and the staff there, taking care of people. Come here, go to see the (NBA Milwaukee) Bucks and we had the opportunity to take it to one of the local ice cream parlors. It’s a lot of fun, right? There’s appreciation and thanks, but also just pure fun.”

Zito was named Panthers GM on Sept. 2, 2020, and they won the first Stanley Cup in their history when they defeated the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final on June 24. It was the second consecutive season the Panthers made it to the Final; they lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games in 2023. 

Zito’s first stops Wednesday were to the Milwaukee Admirals, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Nashville Predators and the Bucks. After that, Zito arrived at Froedtert to a large group of doctors and hospital staff awaiting him and the Cup.

What a guy https://t.co/WJHpdnjViL

— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) August 14, 2024

“We have 65-70 surgery residents, and they were the first to get here. The surgery club hockey team feels they should be in the NHL, so that’s part of it,” said Dr. Douglas B. Evans, chair of surgery at Froedtert. “I think we pride ourselves on treating the whole patient, not just the body but the mind and their emotions. The battle with cancer, everyone knows we have great successes, we have some failures, we do our best to learn from those failures, but having those little reprieves where we can think about great things, success, inspiration are absolutely wonderful.”

Zito then headed to the University School of Milwaukee, about 20 minutes north of downtown. Zito attended high school at USM at its former location in Whitefish Bay. After giving a short speech, Zito took photos with the boys’ hockey team and the girls hockey co-op team.

“When they won, we kind of started the rumors of maybe one day we’ll get a chance to see (the Cup). Maybe we’ll will be lucky enough for Bill to spend that day with us a bit,” USM boys hockey coach Corbin McGuire said. “It’s truly special he’s willing to share it with us, allow the boys to take their picture with it and see it up close and personal. That means a ton.”

It was also a chance for Zito reunite with some former USM schoolmates.

“When he was a kid, he was extremely intense, so retrospectively, I’m not surprised. He’s very goal oriented. He always knew where he wanted to be,” said Ned Purtell, who went to USM and is two years older than Zito. Purtell, who still resides in Milwaukee, went to the school on Saturday wearing a red “Bring On The Rats” Panthers T-shirt.

“None of it is a surprise but it’s so cool to watch Billy go through it. It’s pretty fantastic event. The fact he’d bring the Cup back here is a big deal for a town like Milwaukee.”

Zito enjoyed a half hour or so at his father William Zito Sr.’s home, having lunch and taking photos with family and friends with the Cup.

“It’s really special to bring it back home and his family’s all here,” Zito’s wife Julie said a few hours before they were closing out the evening with a private party. “Tonight’s going to be extraordinary. So many friends from all over, former clients of his, it’s going to be fun.

There were a few other quick stops: one to Klode Park not far from where he grew up where Zito said a sunken field used to be flooded to make an ice rink in the winter. The other to a local brewery, where employees had a few minutes to spend with the Cup.

Of course, there was one more sports venue to visit: American Family Field, home of the MLB’s Milwaukee Brewers, with whom Zito was a bat boy from 1981-83.

“I was fortunate enough to be a clubhouse guy here and a bat boy and work for (former Brewers GM) Mr. Harry Dalton, that ’82 team. I actually worked for Tony (Migliaccio, director of clubhouse operations and equipment manager), who’s still here, and it’s a wonderful way to say thank you.

“They say it’s great to get a gift, but it’s better to give a gift. Just to be able to show that level of respect and see the response of the guys when it comes in the clubhouse, it’s really special.”

Indeed, the Cup’s arrival grabbed the attention of several players, most of whom took photos of it and looked at the names of the past winners.

“First time seeing it up close and personal, being able to touch it, read the names on it, it’s pretty cool,” said right fielder Sal Frelick, who hails from Boston but grew up a Pittsburgh Penguins fan.

“I think it’s the best trophy in sports. I really do. There’s so much tradition behind it. You see the teams that win the Stanley Cup, everyone gets their day with it and take it to different places. It’s unique to the sport and unique to the trophy in general that you don’t get in other sports.”

It was a great day for Zito and family. One he wouldn’t mind repeating.

“Oh my God,” Zito said, shaking his head with a smile. “You hear the guys say, “oh, (winning one) makes me hungrier.’ And it does.”