It is appropriate that a baseball game is played each Spring carrying the nae of Joseph J. Barrett.  Baseball and the Barrett name are synomymous.  his life-long affair with the game can be traced back to the streets of Philadelphia where he grew-up or to any of the area diamonds where he played during his careet spanning nealy four decades as both player and later manager in the DELCO Baseball League.  He upmired or assigned thousands of games during the course of thoses forty-plus years.

The legacy of Joe Barrett lives on each time an umpire cries "Play Ball".  It was that intention thath Tony Iacone was inspired with the idea for what is know as the Joseph J. Barrett Sr. Memorial All-Star Game.  The game was first played as a tribute to Barrett who dies on March 20, 1985.  During the course of the game, several people, including coaches and parents asked Iacone if this would be an annual event.  That was not the orignal intention -- but that first game started a tradition that is stornger than ever today.

Iacone started a scholarship fund which would each year be awarded to a financially needed, academically quiaified baseball playing senior.  One senior from a Central league school and one from a Del-Val school.  The selection committee is coprised of educators representing schools from both leagues.

BACKGROUND:

Joseph J. Barrett was born on January 29, 1918 in Philadelphia.  his father, John "Pop" Barrett, was born in Nova Scotia, Canada and was a circus performer and road manager.  His mother,Cecilia "Mom" Woodland Barrett was a full-blooded Iroquios Indian, born on theh Caughaniwaga Indian Reservation near Montreal, Canada.  In later years, Joe was know to many in county sports as "Injun Joe".

Barrett was the oldest of seven children.  he had five sisters, Mary, Helen, Dorothy, Floria & Juanita.  His only brother, John died at the age of eight months.  As a youngester, the streets of downtown Philly were Barrett's playground.  He and his friends roamed the city and played tag.  Sports were a large part of Joe's young life as he played football, stickball and roler hockey.  He also learned to play basketball, which he would play until the age of 35 as a member of the Boy Scouts Troop #351 at St. Agatha's.  He also joined the Big Brother Association that year.

When Joe's father landed a job at Genral Steel, the family moved to Essington.  At first, Joe did not want to move from Philadelphia.  This would later seem ironic because in 1959, as Chester Times (now Daily Times) aritcle by Ed Gebhart dubbed Joe, "Mr. Baseball in Essington".  In Essington, Joe attended St. Margaret Mary's grade school and later West Catholic High School.  He was a three-sport letterman at West playing baseball, basketball and football.  Barrett also attended Ridley Park highh School, where he was later described upon his induction in the Ridley Township Hall of Fame in 1971 as someone who could "play guard, forward or center and possessed an excellent set shot".

As a football player, Joe was starting left end on an undefeated team that won the league championship.  He continued his gridiron career after high school, first with Essington from 1935-1937 and then with St. Hedwigs until 1939.  In 1939, while playing in Wilmington, he fractured an ankle, ending his football career.  1939 would be a special year for Joe, despite the injury.  On July 2, he met an attractive Irish girl from Chester named Florence Marvel.  They would marry on April 12, 1941 and later have eight children: Bobby, Eileen, Joe Jr., Patricia, John, Frank, Kevin & Kyle.

Joe began a brillant baseball career in 1934 with theh Essington Cubs of the DELCO Baseball League.  The calling would span four decades giving him the distinction of being one of two players to play in four decades.  Among numerous accomplishments with America's oldest semi-pro league are two records:  two homers in one inning and most RBIs in an inning (7, a 3-run homer and a grand slam).  He played for several teams, including Henry Fenza's Leiperville team in 1939 and 1940.

Barrett continued to play while managing Lloyd AC and El Rancho.  Joe served as president of the league for 11 years.  During his tenure, he instituted the Rookie of the Year Award, which he donated each year.  He seved as treasurer and umpire assignor.  In 1974, League President Joe Cleary announced that one of the league's two divisions would be named in Joe's honor.

Thousands of youths were touched by the work of Joseph J. Barrett.  Joe did his job well and assigned officials for thousands of games of basketball, football and baseball, sometimes on a daily basis.  By supplying officials, Barrett made it possible to hundreds of leagues to exist.  Rarely was a game cancelled because a referee, offical or umpire failed to show up.

An today's youth are still touched by the legend of Joe Barrett.  They are touched by the committment, dedication and hard work of the hundreds of officlals who learned these lessons from "Injun Joe".

Year     Location                       MVP                                                                  Final Score

1985    Swarthmore College      Rick Balabon, Conestoga                                     Central     6          Del-Val     1 

1986    Villanova University       Sam Preston, Radnor                                          Central   17          Del-Val     4

1987    Glen Mills                      Jeff Miller, Garnet Valley                                     Del-Val     4          Central     3

1988    Glen Mills                      Joe Barr, Marple Newtown                                   Del-Val   12          Central     8

1989    Glen Mills                      Dave Colleran, Radnor                                        Central     8          Del-Val     5

1990    Glen Mills                      Rob Ruditys, Chichester                                      Del-Val     7          Central     2

1991    Glen Mills                      Steve Franzini, Upper Darby                                Central   18          Del-Val   10

1992    Glen Mills                      Mike Disher, Marple Newtown                              Central     8          Del-Val     5

                                               Garry Maddox, Harriton                                       

1993    Glen Mills                      Devitt Moore, Radnor                                          Central   11          Del-Val      1

                                               Derrick Minter, Chester

1994    Glen Mills                      Barclay Surrick Strath Haven                               Central   14          Del-Val      9

1995    Glen Mills                      Heriberto Bahamonde, Glen Mills                          Del-Val    9          Central      4

1996    Radnor                         Chris Steinman, Interboro                                    Del-Val    9          Central      2

1997    Glen Mills                      Angelo Sperando, Glen Mills                                 Del-Val  13          Central      7

1998    Glen Mills                      Jeff Kennedy, Upper Darby                                  Central     8          Del-Val      0

1999    Glen Mills                      Tony Doto, Academy Park                                    Del-Val    4          Central      3 (10 innings)

2000    Glen Mills                      Dan Cappello, Upper Darby                                  Central    3          Del-Val      1

2001    Glen Mills                      Christian Thoroughgood, Radnor                           Central  11          Del-Val      1

2002    Glen Mills                      Dan Brady, Haverford                                          Central  14          Del-Val      0

2003    Glen Mills                      Hithem Rahmi, Upper Darby                                 Central   8           Del-Val      2

2004    Glen Mills                      Teddy Meyer, Ridley                                            Central   3           Del-Val      2 (10 innings)

2005    Glen Mills                      Chris DiLullio, Lower Merion                                 Central   7           Central      2

2006    Glen Mills                      Steve DiBarberie, Monsignor Bonner                     Del-Val   4           Central      2

2007    Glen Mills                      Phil Gosselin, Malvern Prep                                  Del-Val   7          Central      4

2008    Glen Mills                      Justin Lamborn, Garnet Valley                             Central    7          Del-Val      6

2009    Glen Mills                      Sam Farrell, Sun Valley                                       Del-Val   4           Central      3

2010    Glen Mills                      Shawn Patterson, Sun Valley                               Central    9          Del-Val      5

2011    Neuman University         Norm Donkin, Ridley                                          Central  14          Del-Val       4

2012    Widener University         Nick Bateman, Malvern Prep                                Central   9          Del-Val       2

2013    Widener University         Elis Schafer, Radnor                                           Central 23           Del-Val      11

2014    Widener University         Dave DiMieggilo, Ridley                                      Central 7             Del-Val       4

2015    Widener University         Ben Faso, Garnet Valley                                     Central 12           Del-Val       2

2016    Neumann University       David Shore, Strath Haven                                 Central 9             Del-Val       2

2017    Neumann University       Matt Daller,  Malvern Prep                                   DelVal 5             Central       3

2018    Neumann University       Game was cancelled due to weather related issues

 to the 35th Annual Joseph J Barrett High School All-Star Game and Scholarship Fund Web-Site.

Central All-Stars (including Central, Chester County & InterAc leagues)

vs.

Del-Val All-Stars (including Del-Val, Chester County, Catholic & InterAc leagues)

Event Date & Time:

Saturday, June 1, 2019 @ 12 noon (ceremony at 11:15 am) at Neumann University baseball field 

Tickets are $6  -- CASH ONLY

Raffles for great prizes

Watch a Great Baseball Game!

We are the only High School All-Star Game in the County that has baseball players from 24 local high schools including:

Interboro, Ridley, Cardinal O'Hara, Bonner-Predergast, Academy Park, Springfield, Marple Newtown, Sun Valley, Harriton, Haverford, Chester, Glen Mills, Garnet Valley, Archbishop Carroll, Haverford School, Conestoga, Lower Merion, Penncrest, Radnor, Strath Haven, Upper Darby, Chichester, Malvern Prep and Penn Wood. 

This game is dedicated to the memory of our dear friend Joe Barrett. 

Each year, a scholarship is awarded to a financially needed, academically qualified baseball playing senior.  One senior is selected from both the Del-Val All-Stars and the Central league All-Stars.

Directions:

http://www.neumann.edu/about/directions.asp

35th Annual Joseph J. Barrett Memorial High School All-Star game and Scholarship Fund

Mission:

To memorialize the name and ideals of Joseph J. Barrett, Sr. through the creation of a scholarship fund in his name; to award scholarships in his name to academically worthy and financially needy student-athletes; to promote high school baseball in and around Delaware County, PA; to offer another avenue to enhance the sport of baseball; to give local high school coaches and high school seniors an opportunity to showcase their talents on the baseball field through participation in the Joseph J. Barrett Sr Memorial All-Star game.  We are a 501c3 organization.

Event & Purpose:

35th Annual Joseph J. Barrett Memorial High School All-Star game.  This is the only High School All-Star game in Delaware County!

·         The players selected for this prestigious game representing the two best baseball players from their respective high schools. Being selected for the Joseph J. Barrett Memorial All-Star game is an honor for all the baseball players participating in this year’s event.

·         One of the most important aspects of the day is the scholarships awarded in the name of Joseph J. Barrett. These scholarships are awarded to one baseball player for each team (one on the Del Val teams, and one on the Central teams).  These scholarships will go a long way for these special players in their college endeavors.

·         With the support of our local sponsors, we have been able to award nearly $129,200 in scholarship aid to worthy, academically deserving student athletes from the 24 schools that we service in the last 32 years.

Event Date & Time:

Saturday, June 1, 2019 (rain date Sunday, June 2 , 2019) at 12:00 noon at Neumann University.

Donations:

All donations will be used as raffle to raise monies for the event & scholarship fund.  All cash donations will go directly to the scholarship fund.  100% of all monies raised will go to the event and scholarship funds. 

Address:

Attn:  Pat Langdon

Joseph J. Barrett All-Star Game

PO Box 83, Glenolden, PA  19036