TOM D'ANGELO

EDITOR’S NOTE: Following is the biography of Tom D’Angelo, one of nine inductees in the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024. The other inductees are Karen Bakewell, Daniel Bryner, Cheryl Burns, Doug Kaltenbach, Rod Maloy, Carlene Sluberski, Karen Tellinghuisen and Judy Young. These nine individuals will be formally inducted at the CSHOF’s 42nd induction banquet on Presidents’ Day, Feb. 19. Tickets are available at the CSHOF, 15 W. 3rd St., Jamestown; at the Jock Shop, 10 Harrison St., Jamestown; at Matt’s News, 93 E. 3rd St., Dunkirk; by calling banquet chairman Chip Johnson at 716-485-6991; or online at https://www.chautauquasportshalloffame.org/.

Tom D’Angelo was a man of many talents who worked tirelessly in the sports scene in Chautauqua County for more than four decades. From bowling, to officiating, to coaching and to spectating, the 2024 Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame inductee left an indelible imprint on every organization and every person who came into Tom’s sphere of influence.

D’Angelo was born in 1943 and was a graduate of Jamestown High School and Jamestown Community College.

He fell in love with bowling as a teen and was involved in the sport in a variety of capacities over the next 35 years. He was a classic-level bowler for three decades. He served as team captain and league president. He participated in 10 state tournaments and 15 American Bowling Congress tournaments.

He provided the Jamestown Area Bowling Association with effective leadership for 20 years as lane representative, board director and board president. He was the recipient of the JABA Outstanding Service Award in 2001 and was inducted into the JABA Hall of Fame in 2003.

Tom was a noted sports official in three sports. He worked as a football referee for 13 years. In addition, he served on various football officials’ committees and officiated at numerous playoff games. Former Jamestown High School football coach and CSHOF inductee Wally Huckno called Tom, “A complete professional who was able to relate to the athletes and gain their respect.”

D’Angelo was a baseball umpire for 27 years and a softball umpire for 32 years. He served as president and board member of both umpire organizations. He umpired American Softball Association National Championships in 1984 (Garland, Texas) and in 1986 (Albany, Georgia). Noted umpire and CSHOF inductee Larry Rodgers stated, “Tom was a ‘take charge’ kind of official and a gentleman on the field.

He had great rapport with coaches, players, spectators and fellow umpires. He was cool under pressure and had a wonderful personality. It was evident that Tom had a love for the game and I enjoyed working with him.”

D’Angelo was inducted into the Chautauqua County Umpires Hall of Fame in 1987.

D’Angelo also coached Little League and Babe Ruth Baseball for 12 years and was very active in the Italian-American Charity Golf Tournament.

What made all of these accomplishments even more noteworthy is that Tom did them despite being diagnosed with stage three Hodgkin’s disease in 1970 at the age of 27. He endured four months of radiation treatments followed by chemotherapy. He had his spleen removed and lost 44 pounds. But two years after the initial diagnosis, Tom was back officiating and bowling.

In the mid 2000s, D’Angelo was dealt another health setback – Parkinson’s disease. Despite the physical limitations imposed by Parkinson’s, he continued to attend and support the women’s basketball team at his alma mater, Jamestown CC. When he became too sick to attend games in person, he faithfully called Jamestown CC coach Keith Martin to offer encouragement to the team. Upon Tom’s passing in January 2007, Martin and assistant coach Jim Rissel established the Jamestown CC’s Tom D’Angelo Memorial Lady Jayhawk Classic Basketball Tournament and Tom D’Angelo Spirit Award.

A former salesman at his family’s shoe store, Arcade Shoes, and later an insurance agent at the Pfeffer Agency, Tom D’Angelo is interred at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Jamestown.