Fred Joseph Esposito

Fred "Ferdie" Joseph Esposito "The Ferd", 71 Fred "Ferdie" Joseph Esposito "The Ferd", 71, of Tampa, FL, formerly of Drexel Hill, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 1, 2013 at the age of 71. He was born in Philadelphia, the middle child of Fred and Helen on 11/2/1941. He owned several delis in the Drexel Hill area of Upper Darby and worked for the Delaware County Daily Times as a Circulation Supervisor for 20 years. Ferdie served in the U.S. Army Reserves as a medic during his time in the military. He was very active in Delaware County Baseball and coached and managed for over 40 years. He was honored with inductions into the Pennsylvania Babe Ruth Hall of Fame in 2000, The Delaware County (PA) Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007 and The Delaware County Senior Babe Ruth Hall Fame in 2011. He loved the game of baseball and often argued that no other sport compared. He was a devoted Philadelphia sports fan and loved the Phillies, the Flyers and the Eagles. Everyone that knew Ferdie, knew patience for him was not a virtue. When Rita, his wife said she wanted to move to Florida when she retired, he was like "why do we have to wait, let's go now?" Once down there, he missed home terribly and couldn't wait to come back home, especially during baseball season. On those few trips back, he came armed with his bucket list - a list that could only be fulfilled here, at home. What was so important that he needed to come home - Food! Charlies Hamburgers, Picas Pizza, Phillip's Cheesesteaks, Primo's Hoagies, and of course Blue Claw Crabs. Often, because of his intensity and passion for the game, he was thought of as the "Pete Rose" of Delaware County. Of course his bucket list also included visiting the fields where he used to coach to visit with friends and check out the new talent. He just couldn't help himself, baseball was his whole life. Survivors: His loving wife, Rita; Son, Christian (Elaine), his Sister Patricia Shahade, Brother James (Grace) and countless loving nieces, nephews and cousins. Memorial Mass: Friends and family are invited to a Memorial Mass in his honor to be held at 2 p.m., on Saturday, November 2, 2013, in the Archbishop Prendergast Chapel on the campus of Bonner-Prendergast High School, 403 N. Lansdowne Avenue, Drexel Hill, PA. 19026. An online memorial can be found here: http://bccarrollwood.tributes.com/our_obituaries/Ferdinand-Joseph-Esposito-96471281 where you can post memories, condolences, and photos.