He moved to San Diego at age six, and while he was raised a boogie-boarding beach kid, Zito took to training at 12 years old.

The sporty superstar learned his skills by former San Diego Padre, Randy Jones, practicing weekly with his childhood idol.

“He was famous for spitting tobacco on my shoes when I would screw up, so we tried to minimize mistakes.”

Luckily, all those tobacco-spitting threats paid off.

Zito is now part of a World Series winning team.

“It was surreal.  I think a lot of the guys didn’t really comprehend the impact until we got home.  That’s when things really set in; when you realized how important it is to your career and to the city of San Francisco.”

During his first couple seasons, Zito lived in San Francisco’s Marina District, often frequenting Bobo’s, a savvy little steakhouse.

He now has a place in Marin County, but plans on planting roots in Northern California’s Pacifica.

“I like to live by the ocean.”

Sorry ladies, but Zito enjoys long walks on the beach and savoring the sunset with his girlfriend of seven months.  (Even though he’s known her for three years.)

However, he was still willing to share his must-have in a misses.