The sports community in St. John’s and across the province is in mourning today with the passing of Alexander “Duey” Fitzgerald Wednesday.
He was 84.
A west-end St. John’s fixture who bled the red and gold of the Holy Cross Crusaders, Fitzgerald was a member of seven Halls of Fame —the Softball Canada, Softball Newfoundland and Labrador, and St. John’s Softball Halls of Fame, the St. John’s Baseball and Newfoundland Baseball Halls of Fame, the Newfoundland Bowling Hall of Fame and the Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Hall of Fame.
“He took his sports responsibilities very seriously,” long-time friend Dee Murphy said of Fitzgerald. The two are former presidents of Softball Newfoundland and Labrador.
“But he was never taken up with his own importance.”
Like most who knew Fitzgerald, Murphy fondly remembers his old friend’s legendary wit.
“I remember one time he got a call from a president of a softball organization outside the city,” Murphy recalls. “Duey was the (provincial) umpire-in-chief at the time. The guy said there was a play in one of their games where there were two runners at third base, and there was a lot of controversy and he didn’t know what to do.
“Duey said, ‘I’ll you what to do. Fire the coach.’”
But there was more to Fitzgerald than humour. He was a former player and coach for Holy Cross in the St. John’s Senior Baseball League, and suited up for the St. John’s Capitals in all-Newfoundland play on five occasions.
Fitzgerald later took over the Caps’ coaching reigns.
After his playing and coaching days, Fitzgerald took up umpiring an officiated in local, provincial and national baseball play.
Following his hardball career, Fitzgerald got involved in softball and coached women’s teams locally and in national play. Just as he did in baseball, Fitzgerald took up officiating before becoming a softball administrator, eventually becoming president of the St. John’s senior men’s circuit and later head of the provincial association.
On a number of occasions, Fitzgerald helped Vince Withers chair national championships in St. John’s.
In 1990, Fitzgerald and Withers were the first Newfoundlanders to receive softball's highest honour —Softball Canada Hall of Fame induction.
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.”
Fitzgerald was also the first chairman of the provincial bowling Hall of Fame, and president of just about every bowling league that existed.
On the alleys, Fitzgerald was no slouch, either.
In the late 1950s, he, 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.
He was also involved with the St. John’s Capitals back in the Howie Meeker days, and for two years ran minor hockey in the capital city.
For good measure, he also served as secretary of the St. John's Senior Basketball League.
And if Holy Cross was near and dear to his heart, so were the New York Yankees.
“I am sure,” wrote Doug Moores, former chairman of the provincial Sports Hall of Fame, on the Caul’s Funeral Home website, “Duey is doing some kibitzing and storytelling with Thurman (Munson) and Yogi (Berra) and many other legendary characters whom he admired in his earthly life.”
In a 2009 Telegram interview, Fitzgerald acknowledged that today's athletes are better than those of yesterday. But he said the local interest is nil.
“People today can watch every baseball or hockey game on TV, and they're travelling more,” he said at the time. “I remember fellas taking their holidays to listen to the World Series on the radio.
“Now people are going up to watch a game at Yankee Stadium like they're going to St. Pat’s. Kids are bowling in B.C. when they're 10. We were lucky to get to Corner Brook.”
“He made an awful lot of friends,” Murphy said. “He treated everybody in such a way that they were delighted to be in his company.”
Fitzgerald leaves to mourn wife Shirley, and sons Andy (Jackie Guy) and Stephen (Lisa), and granddaughter Avery.
Visitation will be at Caul’s Funeral Home Saturday and Sunday from 2-4 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. Funeral will be held at St. Patrick’s Church 9:30 a.m. Monday.
