Andre Chiefs

Medford, MA- Local sports legend Tony Lucci, owner of the former Medford Square Sporting Goods, has died at age 88.

Tony was instrumental in the creation of the Chiefs franchise in 1957 and supplied most ICL teams for decades.

The following is quoted from "The History of the Chiefs."

"During the winter of 1957, Medford baseball players Ernie Ardolino and Freddie Knox were hanging out in front of Tony Lucci’s Medford Square Sporting Goods, that was then located on High Street, next to the old Depositor’s Trust Bank. They began to talk about the idea of starting a semi-professional team in Medford. They get some of their local buddies to commit to playing, get a bunch of raffle chances printed up and attempt to raise some money to start a team. The fundraising does not go over well and their dream of a semi-pro team in Medford looks doomed.

As it was to become his custom over the next six decades, Tony Lucci hears about what’s going on and the boys dream of having a semi-pro team in Medford. He surprises the guys and fronts them the uniforms and equipment for the team without having to put up any money. Of course, there was the promise that when their fundraising was complete they could pay the bill. With Medford players like Tommy Cangiano, Freddie Walsh, Jackie Callahan, Frank “Sonny” Sollitto and Richie DiGiacomo, along with other area notables like Everett first basemen George Catieys, Bob Ware and Johnny Mastrangelo of Chelsea, Jerry Cohen from Revere, and Stoneham’s Ellis “Sonny” Lane, the franchise is born and is initially named the Medford City Club.

Nobody sells their raffle tickets and the fundraising effort is a disaster. Ardolino and Knox are stuck with the responsibility of the team’s operating expenses and they owe Lucci a hefty tab for uniforms and equipment. True to the legendary Lucci form, Tony gets the boys off the hook when he picks up the tab himself.

In 1958, the boys landed a full time sponsor in Hosmer Pontiac of Mystic Avenue. Pontiac's trademark symbol was an Indian Chief. The boys start to think about what to call their new Medford based team. While sitting in the showroom, Knox notices a new Pontiac “Star Chief” bearing an Indian Chief as a hood ornament. The “Star-Chief” was Pontiac’s premier sports car in 1957 and later replaced by the Firebird. Knox points it out to the rest of the group and the answer to their question becomes obvious, they call themselves The Chiefs.

Without Tony Lucci the Chiefs franchise would have never begun. Up until his death some 53 years later on Thursday, Tony remained a Chiefs fan. Tony was the Chiefs team outfitter for decades, until Medford Sq. Sporting Goods closed a couple of years ago.

He will be missed!

Below is his complete obituary. 

LUCCI, Anthony “Tony” Of Medford, formerly of Everett, on June 17.

Beloved husband of Camille (Pizzano). Loving father of Stephen Lucci of Medford, Patricia Bagarella and her late husband Ronald of Everett and Debra Ryan and her husband Richard of Medford. Loving brother of Florence Ciardello of Everett and the late Robert and Ralph Lucci, and Eleanor Joyce. He is survived by his three loving grandchildren, April Obremski, Christie Pace and Matthew Ryan, and two loving great grandchildren, Jason and Jaxon Pace, and many loving nieces and nephews.

Funeral from the Salvatore Rocco & Sons Funeral Home, 331 Main St., EVERETT, on Tuesday, June 22, at 8:30 a.m. Funeral Mass at St Francis Church, Medford at 10 a.m. Relatives & friends are kindly invited. Visiting hours are Monday only 4-8 p.m.

Donations in Tony’s memory may be made to the M Club, C/O Medford High School, 489 Winthrop St., Medford, 02155 or the E Club of Everett, PO Box 490135, Everett, MA 02149. Interment Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. Tony was a longtime owner of Medford Square Sporting Goods. Complimentary valet parking at Main St. entrance. Rocco - Carr - Henderson Funeral Home 1-877-71-ROCCO.

Woburn, MA- The Chiefs scored nine unanswered runs to pick up their fifth straight win, 12-4 over the Mooney Dental Tanners at drizzly Ferullo Field on Thursday night.

The Chiefs squandered a 3-0 first inning when the Tanners scored four unearned runs in the third inning to take a 4-3 lead.

Hal Landers got things going in the Chiefs first with a leadoff single. After Mike Baillargeon popped up, red hot Brendan Pyburn singled and cleanup man Peter Copa walked to load the bases. Mike Andre then gave the Chiefs a 1-0 lead when he delivered an opposite field single that scored Landers. Brian Macrina followed with a RBI groundout that scored Pyburn to make it 2-0. Catcher Bob McCarthy added the third run when he drilled a RBI single to left scoring Copa.

Chiefs starter Jared Freni cruised through the first two innings before the Tanners used some shoddy Chiefs defense and four straight singles to take a 4-3 lead after three.

The Tanners lead was brief as the Chiefs came storming back scoring five times using two big Tanner errors in the top of the fourth. Justin Crisafulli led off and reached on an infield throwing error. Brandeis star Tony Deshler followed and delivered his first career ICL hit up the middle to put runners at first and second with nobody out. Landers then beat out a bunt single to load the bases. Baillargeon was next and his grounder to shortstop was then thrown away allowing both Crisafulli and Deshler to score as the Chiefs retook the lead at 5-4. Pyburn then delivered once again, this time with his fourth double of the season, scoring Landers to make it 6-4. Back to back deep sacrifice flies from Copa (scoring Baillargeon) and Andre (scoring Pyburn) jumped the lead to 8-4.

Freni retired the Tanners side in order in the top of the fourth.

The Chiefs margin went to 9-4 in the fifth when Deshler reached on the Tanners third error of the night and stole second. Landers then delivered him with his third hit of the game.

Rob Machado came on in relief of Freni and threw a scoreless sixth inning.

Baillargeon put it out of the reach when he took a Brady Hesslein offering over the left field fence for a three run homer to make it a 12-4 game.

Chiefs Notebook….Tufts University ‘s Pat O’Donnell made his Chiefs debut in the bottom of the seventh. The right-hander looked impressive retiring the side in order, including two strikeouts, to end the game.....With the win Freni evened his record a 1-1......The 6-1 Chiefs wrap up their three game road trip on Friday when they travel to Summer Street Field in Arlington to meet the Trojans at 7:00 PM. Righty Mike DiCato (1-0) will get the start…..Eric Rosenberg saw his first ICL action when he pinch hit for Brian Macina in the sixth. Defensively, Rosenberg also stated a 3-6-3 doubleplay to end the Tanners inning...

Arlington, MA- Lefty Kevin Gilchrist and righty Rob Machado came out of the bullpen to preserve a 3-2 comeback win over the game expansion Arlington Trojans on Friday night at Summer Street Field.

The Chiefs appeared poised to take the lead in the top of the first inning against Trojans starter Jordan Dean of Kennesaw State in Georgia. With Mike Baillargeon, who had walked and stole a base, on second with two outs, Matt Anderson uncorked a bomb to the left-center field fence. Trojans centerfielder Justin Mansfield made a spectacular diving catch robbing Anderson and kept the Chiefs off the scoreboard.

Chiefs starter Mike DiCato and Dean traded blanks before former Chief Eddie McDonald gave the Trojans a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second with an RBI single.

The Trojans lead doubled to 2-0 in the home half of the third when Quinnipiac’s Kevin Hart delivered a Mansfield with another RBI single.

The Chiefs chased Dean when they picked up three runs to grab a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth inning. After Baillargeon lined out, trouble starting brewing when Mike Gedman drew a walk and stole second. Anderson then reached on an error by Trojan third baseman Nick Napoli. Dean got a bit a wild and walked Mike Andre and Bob McCarthy in succession to force in a run to make it 2-1. Hal Landers then reached on a RBI fielder’s choice that tied the game at 2-2. Veteran Justin Crisafulli then delivered the game winner when he singled in Andre with the 382^nd RBI of his career to give the Chiefs a lead they never relinquished.

The Trojans were far from finished. Mansfield reached on a bad hop grounder to Baillargeon and Greg Wilson singled in the bottom of the fourth, putting two men on with one out. Gilchrist came on in relief of DiCato and uncorked a wild pitch to move both runners into scoring position before striking out the left-handed hitting Hart for the inning’s second out. Righty Rob Machado came on and struck out Napoli swinging to get the Chiefs out of the jam.

Machado blanked the Trojans over the next two innings to record the save. Gilchrist, who was 6-1 at Tufts University this spring, picked up his first career ICL win.

The Chiefs begin a four game homestand on Monday when they host the Testa Corp. Bombers at Tufts University at 6:00 PM.

Medford, MA- The Chiefs won thier fourth straight game, beating the Medford Americans 7-4, on Wednesday night at Playstead Park.

Former Merrimack standout Brendan Pyburn scored two runs and had two doubles and Mike Baillargeon reached base three straight times on a double, RBI single and an intentional walk and also scored two runs to lead the Chiefs offense.

Tim Dunphy made his first start of the season and worked four innings, surrendering five hits and two runs, while striking out four. Mike Gedman came on in relief of Dunphy and picked up the win going 2.1 innings. The lefty matched Dunphy's pitching line, also giving up a couple of runs on five hits and also striking out four. Mike DiCato came out of the bullpen to get the final two outs of the game to record his second save of the year.

Americans starter Dan Walsh retired the first ten Chiefs in a row with his submarine style pitching before Baillargeon broke the stretch with his fourth inning double.

With the win, the Chiefs go to 5-1 on the season heading into tonight's 6:30 PM contest against the Mooney Dental Tanners at Ferullo Field in Woburn. Right-hander Jared Freni (0-1), who co-captained UMass-Amherst this spring, will get the starting assignment for the Chiefs.

Medford, MA- Lefty Dylan Ellis won his third straight start of the season as the Chiefs turned back the Testa Corp. Bombers 2-0 at Tufts University on Tuesday evening.

First baseman Mike Gedman provided Ellis with all the runs he would need in the fourth inning when he cranked a solo homer to right center. A Mike Baillargeon fifth inning RBI single, that scored Brian Macrina who had walked and stole second, accounted for the only other run of the game.

Ellis, struck out four and issued just one walk on the way to picking up career win 14 for the Chiefs. It was also the Gloucester, MA native and former Merrimack College’s star second consecutive shutout. He tossed a two-hitter against Arlington last Tuesday.

Bombers starter Jeff Rowan was almost as tough, allowing just one run in his four innings of work. The University of Rochester righty gave up just three hits and struck out four.

Amherst lefty Fred Shepard blanked the Chiefs over the final two frames and he also struck out four batters.

Chiefs shortstop Brendan Pyburn was the only player on either team to have a multiple hit game with a first inning single and a third inning opposite field double.

The Chiefs are back in action on Wednesday when they travel to Playstead Park in Medford to take on the Americans. Lefty Tim Dunphy is expected to draw the starting assignment for the Chiefs.