Gerard "Slim" DeLion, ace pitcher of the old Lafayette Red Sox semi-pro baseball team, was dead on arrival at 10:30am Tuesday in Home Hospital after apparently suffering a heart attack at the Lafayette License Branch.
DeLion, 67, pitched for the Red Sox during their peak years of 1942 to 1952 after starting his career in the New York Yankee farm system.
In 1951, Lafayette went to the final game of the National Baseball Congress (semipro) world series at Wichita, KS, with DeLion the ace of the pitching staff. He possessed an outstanding fast ball and a good curve and was the favorite of the Red Sox fans who packed Loeb Stadium at Columbian Park twice a week (usually Thursday and Sunday nights).
DeLion, who lived at 2217 N. 23rd St. with his wife the former Lyda Brower of Chicago, whom he married October 29, 1938, was a native of Minneapolis. After moving here from Chicago in 1942, he worked for 31 years at the Lafayette Post Office, retiring in 1978. He continued to pitch softball until last summer.
He was a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church, the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, St. Lawrence Men's Club, and Central Catholic Athletic Association.
Since retiring from the Postal Department he worked part time at Sears.
"He was a fine baseball player, and a fine citizen, the kind of person we like to have in our community," said William Lamb, a former official of the Red Sox, and one of the persons instrumental in getting DeLion to Lafayette.
Survivors include his widow: five sons, and three daughters and a brother, William DeLion (1914-2003) of Omaha, NE. Buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Omaha, Douglas cty.
I have not listed the children for privacy reasons.
DeLion, 67, pitched for the Red Sox during their peak years of 1942 to 1952 after starting his career in the New York Yankee farm system.
In 1951, Lafayette went to the final game of the National Baseball Congress (semipro) world series at Wichita, KS, with DeLion the ace of the pitching staff. He possessed an outstanding fast ball and a good curve and was the favorite of the Red Sox fans who packed Loeb Stadium at Columbian Park twice a week (usually Thursday and Sunday nights).
DeLion, who lived at 2217 N. 23rd St. with his wife the former Lyda Brower of Chicago, whom he married October 29, 1938, was a native of Minneapolis. After moving here from Chicago in 1942, he worked for 31 years at the Lafayette Post Office, retiring in 1978. He continued to pitch softball until last summer.
He was a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church, the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, St. Lawrence Men's Club, and Central Catholic Athletic Association.
Since retiring from the Postal Department he worked part time at Sears.
"He was a fine baseball player, and a fine citizen, the kind of person we like to have in our community," said William Lamb, a former official of the Red Sox, and one of the persons instrumental in getting DeLion to Lafayette.
Survivors include his widow: five sons, and three daughters and a brother, William DeLion (1914-2003) of Omaha, NE. Buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Omaha, Douglas cty.
I have not listed the children for privacy reasons.
Gerard "Slim" DeLion, ace pitcher of the old Lafayette Red Sox semi-pro baseball team, was dead on arrival at 10:30am Tuesday in Home Hospital after apparently suffering a heart attack at the Lafayette License Branch.
DeLion, 67, pitched for the Red Sox during their peak years of 1942 to 1952 after starting his career in the New York Yankee farm system.
In 1951, Lafayette went to the final game of the National Baseball Congress (semipro) world series at Wichita, KS, with DeLion the ace of the pitching staff. He possessed an outstanding fast ball and a good curve and was the favorite of the Red Sox fans who packed Loeb Stadium at Columbian Park twice a week (usually Thursday and Sunday nights).
DeLion, who lived at 2217 N. 23rd St. with his wife the former Lyda Brower of Chicago, whom he married October 29, 1938, was a native of Minneapolis. After moving here from Chicago in 1942, he worked for 31 years at the Lafayette Post Office, retiring in 1978. He continued to pitch softball until last summer.
He was a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church, the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, St. Lawrence Men's Club, and Central Catholic Athletic Association.
Since retiring from the Postal Department he worked part time at Sears.
"He was a fine baseball player, and a fine citizen, the kind of person we like to have in our community," said William Lamb, a former official of the Red Sox, and one of the persons instrumental in getting DeLion to Lafayette.
Survivors include his widow: five sons, and three daughters and a brother, William DeLion (1914-2003) of Omaha, NE. Buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Omaha, Douglas cty.
I have not listed the children for privacy reasons.
DeLion, 67, pitched for the Red Sox during their peak years of 1942 to 1952 after starting his career in the New York Yankee farm system.
In 1951, Lafayette went to the final game of the National Baseball Congress (semipro) world series at Wichita, KS, with DeLion the ace of the pitching staff. He possessed an outstanding fast ball and a good curve and was the favorite of the Red Sox fans who packed Loeb Stadium at Columbian Park twice a week (usually Thursday and Sunday nights).
DeLion, who lived at 2217 N. 23rd St. with his wife the former Lyda Brower of Chicago, whom he married October 29, 1938, was a native of Minneapolis. After moving here from Chicago in 1942, he worked for 31 years at the Lafayette Post Office, retiring in 1978. He continued to pitch softball until last summer.
He was a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church, the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, St. Lawrence Men's Club, and Central Catholic Athletic Association.
Since retiring from the Postal Department he worked part time at Sears.
"He was a fine baseball player, and a fine citizen, the kind of person we like to have in our community," said William Lamb, a former official of the Red Sox, and one of the persons instrumental in getting DeLion to Lafayette.
Survivors include his widow: five sons, and three daughters and a brother, William DeLion (1914-2003) of Omaha, NE. Buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Omaha, Douglas cty.
I have not listed the children for privacy reasons.
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Married 10/29/38 Lyda
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