Joe O'Donnell

ICL Legend Joe O’Donnell Dies at 79

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Intercity League Legend Joe O’Donnell passed away this Sunday afternoon, surrounded by his loving family. Joe was the manager of Everett’s McKinnon Club before taking over the Hosmer Chiefs in 1968, leading them to eight Intercity League titles over the next sixteen years. Joe was a charter member of the ICL’s Hall of Fame, inducted with the first class in 2010.
Here are the arrangements:

Joseph J. O’Donnell, of Boston, died peacefully at home surrounded by his family on January 7, 2024.Beloved husband for 53 years to Katherine (Kelliher).

Loving father of Kate O’Donnell and her fiancé Ryan Glines of Boston, Casey Buckley and her husband Michael of Brookline, and the late Joey O’Donnell.

Devoted “GoGo” to Blair and JD Buckley. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph I. and Teresa (Cavicchi) O’Donnell, and his brothers Neil and Dennis O’Donnell. He is survived by his sister-in-law Mary O’Donnell, brother-in-law Richard Kelliher and his wife Joan, nephews Dennis, Jonathan, Timothy, and Alexander O’Donnell, Paul Kelliher, niece Janet Elwell, and many grand nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Memorial Church
(1 Harvard Yard, Cambridge)
https://memorialchurch.harvard.edu on Friday, January 12th at 12pm noon. Parking will be available in the Soldiers Field Parking Garage at Harvard Business School (accessed via Kresge Way off of Western Ave). Shuttles will be provided from Soldiers Field Parking to Memorial Church, and back, beginning at 10:30am. The Celebration of Life will be live-streamed in Klarman Hall (at HBS), as well as online, with the link to be announced soon.

A reception will immediately follow the Memorial at the Williams Room at Harvard Business School, filled with all of Joe’s favorite foods.

Please omit flowers. Any gifts in memory of Joe should be directed to The Joey Fund, at www.joeyfund.org or via The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (220 North Main Street, Suite 104, Natick, MA 01760. Tel: 508-655-6000).

Ernie Ardolino

ICL Hall of Famer Ernie Ardolino Passes Away at 85

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Ernie Ardolino, who was an original founder and the first player-manager of the Hosmer Chiefs in 1958, passed away on Saturday at age 85. He spent many years as an ICL umpire as well. Ernie was inducted into the Intercity League Hall of Fame in 2013.

Ernie’s obituary is below. He will be missed.

ARDOLINO, Ernest A., Sr., of Malden, passed away peacefully on December 16, 2023. Beloved husband of the late Anna J. (Puleo). Loving father of Diane Brown of Newport Beach, CA, Lauri Buonopane and her husband Steve of Bedford, Ernie A. Ardolino, Jr. of Melrose, and Elana Ryan and her husband Bobby of Peabody. Proud ‘Grandnpa’ and ‘Papa’ of Brittany, Shelby, and Cassidy Brown, Michael and Sophia Buonopane, Aliana, Ayla, and Aadryana Ryan, and Aiden and Andrew Ardolino. Former husband of the late Lorraine Galasso Smith. He is also survived by many loving nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives and dear friends. Mr A. will be forever missed by the all who knew him throughout his many years of coaching and teaching.

Visiting Hours will be held from the Immaculate Conception Church, 600 Pleasant St., Malden on Wednesday, December 20th from 4-7PM. His Funeral Mass will be celebrated from the Church on Thursday, December 21st at 10am. Relatives and friends invited. Burial will follow in Forest Dale Cemetery, Malden. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Arlington Catholic High School, 16 Medford St, Arlington, MA 02474.

HERE ARE THE 2023 ICL AWARD WINNERS

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Here are the 2023 ICL Award Winners. Congratulations!!!
EDDIE LARSON MVP
Juan Parra- Andre Chiefs

TOM CASSELL OUTSTANDING HITTER
Andrew Mazzone-Sabertooth Expos

OUTSTANDING PITCHER
Nick Johnson- Sabertooth Expos

FIREMAN OF THE YEAR
Dan Shaw-Sabertooth Expos

ROOKIE HITTER OF THE YEAR
Matt Travisano-Malden Maddogs
Shane Costello-Lexington Bulldogs

ROOKIE PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Chris Wanat- Lexington Blue Sox

SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
Dave Caiazzo-Andre Chiefs
Bruce Hack-Lexington Blue Sox

BATTING CHAMPION
Juan Parra- Andre Chiefs

PLAYOFF PITCHING MVP
Evan Walsh- Andre Chiefs

PLAYOFF BATTING MVP
Juan Parra- Andre Chiefs

ANDRE CHIEFS WIN ICL CHAMPIONSHIP, TAKE GAME FIVE, 12-3

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(Malden, MA) – The Andre Chiefs came all the way back from a two games to none deficit to beat the Sabertooth Expos 12-3 and take the 2023 Intercity League Championship in five games on Friday night at Maplewood.

The Expos jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead off starter Josh Desai in the bottom of the first inning courtesy of a two-run homer off the bat of Dionys Quezada.

The Chiefs used the long ball to take the lead for good in the top of the second. A leadoff John Baptista solo shot to left-center cut the Expos lead in half to 2-1. Following a Nate Witkowski single and a walk to Nick Valdario, Juan Parra launched a Dan Metzdorf offering over the centerfield fence for three-run homer and a Chiefs a 4-2 lead.

Desai set the Expos down in the bottom of the second and the Chiefs put up another four spot in the top of the third to open the lead to 8-2. Andrew Caulfield led things off with a single and John Baptista reached on an infield error. Joe Bova then singled up the middle, scoring Caulfield, to make it a 5-2 game. Tyler Ferdinand’s single scored Baptista jumping the lead to 6-2. Valdario followed with a line drive to right, that was scored a triple, plating both Bova and Ferdinand making it 8-2. Valdario was thrown out at the plate trying to stretch it to four bases.

The Chiefs added a run in the top of the fourth on a Teddy Dziuba RBI single. They picked up a couple of more runs off reliever Bladamir Ramirez in the fifth on a Parra sacrifice fly and a bases loaded hit batsman to Dzuiba.

Desai was cruising and retired 12 of the 13 batters he faced through the bottom of the sixth.

The Chiefs picked up their final run in the top of the seventh before veteran lefty Jonathan Richard spelled Desai in the bottom of the inning, giving up a run, but sealing the win.

Desai went six full innings to get the win. He allowed four hits and struck out three.

For the Chiefs it was the 20th overall championship in franchise history dating back to the first in 1961. The team won five consecutive titles in the Suburban Twi-League as the Hosmer Chiefs from 1961-1965 before winning their first ICL crown in 1968. Since then, the Chiefs have won 15 ICL championships, 8 as the Hosmer Chiefs through 1980 and seven more as the Andre Chiefs from 1990-2023.

 

 

 

Watch Tonight’s Deciding Game 5 Live from Maplewood at 8PM

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Tonight’s deciding Game Five of the Intercity League’s Championship Series between the Andre Chiefs and Sabertooth Expos will be broadcast live from Maplewood Park/Malden Catholic. The game will be broadcast on Local Sports Productions with Sam Feeley doing the play by play.

The game will begin at 8:00 PM.

Click on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67nAvBqhfoA

Chiefs Even Series, Friday’s Game 5 Moved to Maplewood/MC

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Teddy Dziuba’s bases loaded single, with nobody out in the bottom of the seventh, gave the Andre Chiefs a 2-1 win over the Sabertooth Expos on Thursday night at Morelli Field.

With the win the Chiefs even the series at two games each with the deciding game five now scheduled for Friday at 8:00 PM at Maplewood/Malden Catholic.

Andrew Caulfield gave the Chiefs a 1-0 lead with a solo homer off Expos starter Dan Shaw. Dionys Quezada evened things up at 1-1 with a homer off Tim Dunphy in the top of the fourth.

Dunphy went the distance for the Chiefs and scattered four hits and struck out five batters.

Walsh Two-Hitter Gives Chiefs 1-0 Win in Game 3

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Evan Walsh fired a complete game two-hitter to lead the Andre Chiefs to a 1-0 win over the Sabertooth Expos in game three of the Intercity League Championship Series on Wednesday night.

The Expos lead the best of five series 2-1 with game four scheduled for Morelli Field in Melrose on Thursday at 8:00 PM.

Walsh and Expos’ ace Nick Johnson hooked up in an outstanding pitching duel.

The Chiefs scored the game’s only run in the top of the fifth inning when Nate Witkowski scored on Juan Parra’s double to left-center.

Walsh struck out six and did not walk a batter.

Johnson allowed just four hits, one walk, and struck out 11.

If a game five is needed it will be played on Friday at 8:00 PM at Morelli Field.

Expos Take Game One, 3-1

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The Sabertooth Expos scored three times in the bottom of the first inning to take the opening game of the ICL Championship Series 3-1 over the Andre Chiefs at Morelli Field on Friday night.

Idelson Tavares got things started in the first innng with a leadoff double. Kebler Peralta followed with an infield single and Chiefs’ lefty Josh Desai hit Andrew Mazzone to load the bases with no outs.  After a pop up for the first out, Matt Consigli grounded up the middle forcing Mazzone at second. The throw to double up Consigli was wide of first, allowing both Tavares and Peralta to score. When Ryan Cloutier singled down the rightfield line, scoring Consigli, the Expos had a 3-0 lead.

Pitching dominated the game from that point on. The Expos duo of Josh Roberge (3 innings, one hit, 5 K’s) and Bladamir Ramirez (4 innings, 0 hits, 6 K’s) were immense. After the three run, three hit first inning Desai allowed no runs and just one hit over the last five innings.

The Chiefs lone run came in the top of the third without a hit. Juan Parra drew a walk from Roberge, stole second, went to third on an infield grounder, and scored on a Teddy Dziuba RBI grounder.

Game two of the series is scheduled for Sunday at 8:00 PM at Morelli Field.