Saturday, March 19, 2011
Tom McAvoy, longtime team manager and member of ISC Hall of Fame (manager
category), passed away this morning at age 74 of pancreatic cancer in
Stillwater, NY.
Mac was inducted into the Hall of Fame in Quad Cities in 2009. Although he
was unable to attend the induction ceremony, a phone call and speaker set up
was included so attendees could hear Mac talk.
According to family members, funeral arrangements will be announced at a
later date.
Ken Hackmeister
Thomas J. McAvoy(Mac) passed away peacefully at home with his family by his side Saturday, March 19th, 2011 after a courageous 3 year battle against pancreatic cancer. Tom mentored many young men on life as well as softball and was able to attend softball tournaments across the USA, Canada, and the Caribbean for the better part of the last 30 years as a well known, well respected coach and manager and maybe more important, a second father who gave his all for his players, including his fatherly love and guidance on and off the softball diamond. Last summer, Mac was able to visit with alot of fastpitch friends and that time will always be cherished as his battle with cancer was well documented, as was his courageous outlook towards it. His love of life, with such a great passion for leadership, and knowledge of fastpitch and it's intricacies, made Mac larger than life to those who played for him. Mac loved softball and was involved for 5 decades locally, nationally, and worldwide. He will be sadly missed by his lifetime of softball friends, and was loved and admired near and far. Mac was extremely proud to be elected into the International Softball Congress' Hall Of Fame, class of 2009 in the manager's category, again, a tribute to a great leader.
In 1956, Mac began a career in professional baseball, where he became a pitcher for the Washington Senators' Baseball Club. His career, although very promising, was cut short after breaking his arm during a game in winter ball in Nicaragua in 1959. The following year and after rehabbing the arm, it broke again while warming up in the bullpen. Mac tried to rehabilitate the arm again, and after never regaining his original form was released by the Minnesota Twins in 1961. Mac was always proud that as a rookie, and even though only a spring training game, he struck out hitting wonder Ted Williams.
Tom was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. on August 12, 1936, the son of Edward and Gladys McAvoy. He was predeceased by his brother William McAvoy, and daughter Mary Kathryn
McAvoy Diaz. He is survived at home by his wife of 51 years Jean Taylor McAvoy and also his daughter Deborah(McAvoy) Gandron and son in law Leon of Mechanicville, N.Y. Tom is also survived by a grandaughter, Angelina Diaz, of Cifton Park. ..............................
Also survived by his many lifelong friends, neighbors, players and the softball world.
A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, March 26th at 4 PM at the DeVito-Salvadore Funeral Home, 39 So. Main St. , Mechanicville. Spring burial in Stillwater Union Cemetery .
Calling hours at the Funeral Home on Saturday from 1-4 PM.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to International Softball Congress Carrol Forbes Foundation, c/o Charles Smith, Treasurer, 10317 Sugarberry, El Paso , Tx 79925 , in respectful memory of Thomas J. McAvoy.
More about Tom from the ISC Hall of Fame
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Hello Al,
