In order to continue his radio career at WESA, John transferred to California University of Pennsylvania.
He also became the station's sports director and would broadcast football and basketball matchups each week throughout the Monongahela Valley Area.
Barbero continued his English teaching career until 1976, when he was assigned as an acting assistant principal at Carroll Junior High School.
The team's success became well known throughout the world of softball and in honor of his many achievements, John became inducted into the Mid Mon Valley All Sports Hall of Fame on June 18, 2010.
His father, the late Thomas Barbero, a longtime educator and sports official in the Mon Valley, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1958.
The NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins hired John as the team's public address announcer for their games at the Civic Arena.
Barbero also performed this duty in an uncredited role in the 1995 Jean-Claude Van Damme movie Sudden Death.
On February 18, 2024 Barbero's voice Introduced Jaromir Jagr onto the ice during his Jersey Retirement ceremony.