One of the most well-known St. John’s and Newfoundland and Labrador sporting icons passed away Wednesday evening. Alexander “Duey” Fitzgerald was 84-years-old.
Synonymous with Holy Cross, Fitzgerald was a member of seven Halls of Fame: the Softball Canada, Softball Newfoundland and Labrador and St. John’s Softball Hall of Fame, Newfoundland and St. John’s baseball Halls of Fame, Newfoundland bowling Hall of Fame and the Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Hall of Fame.
In 1990, Fitzgerald and Vince Withers were the first Newfoundlanders to receive softball's highest honour — the Softball Canada Hall of Fame.
For the record, however, Fitzgerald maintained he was the first.
“F before W,” he told The Telegram years ago. “I went in a half-hour before Vince.”
In the late 1950s, Fitzgerald, Jack Cranshaw, Jim Carey and Robin Short Sr. of Holy Cross set a team bowling record with a 3,614 four-man score, a record which still stands today.
Cranshaw rolled a record 1,153.
All four have since passed away. Carey, who was also a Holy Cross baseball great, died just last month, at age 85.
Fitzgerald leaves to mourn his wife, Shirley, and sons Andy and Steve and their families.
Wake and funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.