Oneonta
1942 - 2009
ONEONTA
Carl J. Delberta Sr., 92, of Oneonta, passed away Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009, at the Oneonta Nursing Home & Rehabilitation Center. He was born May 3, 1916, in Oneonta, the son of Gusieppe and Francesca (Danielle) Delberta. He married Louise C. Otello on June 6, 1942, in Oneonta, and she predeceased him Nov. 7, 2000.
Boxing: His career as a boxer included: Civilian Conservation Corps District Boxing Champion; 1935 Golden Gloves Champion; Adirondack District 1934 and 1935; fought in Madison Square Garden as a Welterweight (142 pounds); All American Boxer; represented the United States All America Team in 1936, at matches in Havana, Cuba, and knocked out five opponents. He fought for five years for Al Weill, one of the most respected managers in the history of the fight game in America. Among Weill’s "stable of world champions" were: Lou Ambers, Lightweight; Joey Archibald, Featherweight; Arturo Gudoy, South American Heavyweight; Marty Cervo, Welterweight; and Rocky Marciano, Heavyweight.
Defeated everyone in his division: Milo Theodorescu, Rumanian Champ; Francisco Montanari, Italian Champ; and Carlos Mirandi, Mexican Champ. Fred Cochrane, Welterweight Champ, and his manager refused to fight Carl. Record: Won 63 of 73 fights.
Military Service: 1942 through 1946: United States Army, 41st Infantry Division assigned to the South Pacific.
Employment: Delaware and Hudson Railroad, 1946 through 1951. Police patrolman for the city of Oneonta, 1951 through 1968. Also served as president of the Oneonta Police Benevolent Association in 1958 and again in 1967.
Oneonta Boys Club: Carl founded the Oneonta Boys Club in 1946, after returning from the war and determining the need for a place for boys to work at physical fitness.
He began with a handful of boys in the backyard. In 1968, after 17 years of working simultaneously as a policeman and with the Oneonta Boys Club, he resigned from the force to devote himself full-time to administering the club in the newly constructed building at the present location: 70 River St., Oneonta.
The club, incorporated in 1964, is a not-for-profit corporation, governed by a Board of Directors and independent of the Boys Club of America. Five hundred active members use facilities for basketball, weight training, physical fitness, wrestling, flag football, soccer, running, kickball, hockey, wiffle ball, boxing, ping pong, billiards, shuffleboard, foosball, air hockey, chess, checkers, woodworking, crafts and photography.
Community Service: American Legion Post 259: Chairman of Physical Recreation 1954 through 1957. Veterans of Foreign Wars: District Head of Youth Activities, 20 years. Amateur Athletic Union: Vice President of the Adirondack District, A.A.U.
Served on the National Committee of Junior Olympic Boxing; Organized Junior Olympic Boxing for the Adirondack District and served as District Chairman; A.A.U. Boxing Coach and Boxing Commissioner, Adirondack District, 1956. Vice Chairman of Junior Olympic Committee of the United States, 1970. 6th Ward Booster Club: served as one of the founders of the club, which is the present day Little League field. Oneonta Rotary Club: Past Director; Chairman of Youth Activities; Chairman of Recreation; President 1990 through 1991; member 25 years.
Fraternal Organizations: B.P.O. Elks, Oneonta Lodge No. 1312, 31-year member. Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, Post 1206, 50-year member. Member of the Eagles Club, 50 years. More than 30 years with the Knights of Columbus, Third Degree. Knights of Columbus, Fourth Degree Joseph P. Molinari Assembly, 32-year member. American Legion Post 259, 50-year member, International Veteran Boxers Association-Ring 26.
Honors: Winner of "All American Championship Belt," Havana, Cuba, 1936. Citation from Mayor Roger Hughes of Oneonta for rescuing a sleeping man from a pre-dawn fire. Recipient of Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States "Merit Award" for outstanding work in youth programs, 1964. First recipient of The Oneonta Daily Star "Civic Achievement Award," 1967.
Veterans of Foreign Wars, Third District, "Gold Chevron Award" in recognition of outstanding, unselfish service to the community, 1970.
Veterans Boxers Association, New York City, 1971 "Award for 25 years of service to boxing." Honored for "Outstanding Service to Boxing in the Adirondack District, A.A.U.," by Ring 26 of the Capital District, 1973. Received the "Oneonta Jaycees Citizen of the Year Award," 1974.
Honored by the Oneonta Boys Club at ceremonies dedicating the gymnasium the "Carl J. Delberta Gymnasium," October 1982. Hartwick College Outstanding Citizen Award, 1984. Recipient of "DeWitt Clinton Masonic Award for Community Service" by Oneonta Lodge No. 466, June 1988. "Babe Orlando Sports Award" presented by International Veteran Boxers Association, for having proven himself as a dedicated Boxing personality, September 1988.
"Italian American of the Year" Award, presented by the Italian-American Club, 1993. "Golden Eagle" Award from the Eagles Club, 1995. Presented the "Paul Harris Fellow Outstanding Achievement" Rotary Award 1996. He was the recipient of the Sertoma Citizen of the Year Award in 2000, and in 2006, he received the Eugene Bettiol Jr. Citizen of the Year Award.
He is survived by his children, Angela D. Bellavia, and her husband, Ronald, of Oneonta, Carl J. Delberta Jr. and his wife, Kathryn, of Oneonta; his grandchildren, Greg Bellavia, Jennifer (Frank) O’Donnell, Sarah (Travor) Ladner, John (Petrea) Delberta and Laura Delberta; his great-grandchildren, Olivia and Anna Delberta, Ethan and Jack Ladner, Brandon Doi, and Julia O’Donnell; his two sisters, Angie Monington of Oneonta, and Annie Fradin of Santa Monica, Calif.; a sister-inlaw, Philomena Pecora of Oneonta; as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was predeceased by a brother and three sisters, Rosario Delberta, Marie Delberta, Mona Leonard and Josephine Sparaco.
A Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009, in St. Mary’s Church with the Rev. Joseph Benintende officiating.
Burial will be in the spring in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, where military honors will be rendered.
Friends may call at the Lester R. Grummons Funeral Home, 14 Grand St., Oneonta from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009, at which time the family will be in attendance. The family has requested, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions should be made to the Oneonta Boys and Girls Club, 70 River St., Oneonta, NY 13820. Condolences to the family may be made online by visiting the website www.grummonsfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements are by the Lester R. Grummons Funeral Home, Oneonta.
This obituary was originally published in The Daily Star.
To all friends and family of Carl.
I too was helped by Carl. I was in his boys club, and boxed in the early 60's
behind the v f w. He did many good things in his life. I remember Carl as an Oneonta policeman, always kind to all. HIs smile will be missed.
God bless you all.
Jerry Maloney
Jerry Maloney
March 01, 2009 | East Palatka, FL
Mr. Delberta's passing is a huge loss to Oneonta - he lived a long and good life, was pillar of the community, and meant a great deal to my family, especially my dad. I remember Mr. Delberta for being so nice and sponsoring John Ulm's and my Kiwanis Grasshopper baseball team. He even took the whole team to NYC to a Yankees game to celebrate our Kiwanis world-series victory. It's great to see his son carrying on the Boys & Girls Club.
Long live Mr. Delberta's legacy!
Joe Campbell, Jr.
February 16, 2009 | Lexington, MA
I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER MR. DELBERTA WITH THE SMILE ON HIS FACE AND THE LOVE IN HIS HEART FOR THE KIDS IN ONEONTA.
HE WILL BE IN OUR PRAYERS AND THOUGHTS FOREVER.
JIMMY BRIGUGLIO
January 30, 2009 | CHARLESTON, SC
We were so sorry to hear of your loss. The thoughts of many are with you at this time of sorrow.
EVELYN (KANE) YOUNG
January 29, 2009 | UNADILLA
A beautiful soul is never forgotten.
Jack and Rebecca Harlem-Lloyd
January 28, 2009 | South Glens Falls, NY
My memories of Mr. Delberta is when I was small and he was the beat cop on Deitz Street. He would always smile and take my hand to walk me across the street and tell me to take care of my mom and dad. He was forever teaching us kids how we should treat everyone. Know that as you share memories of him you are keeping him close..My sympathy is with you at this time.
Andrea Epps Hodges
January 28, 2009 | Crystal River, FL
Carl Jr & family,
Your father provided a safe haven for the kids of Oneonta for many years. Everyone at the Boys Club was like family while I was there. I have fond memories of the place and the people. I wish you all well in this difficult time. I wish I could be there for the memorial service & for you, as you were all there for us when we needed something. There was a plaque on the wall entering the Boys Club that read, "Quitters never win & winners never quit". I have used that phrase...
Joe "joey john" Andrews
January 28, 2009 | Front Royal, VA
Oneonta was blessed to have had such a special person to watch over and guide our children.
May God bless Mr. Delberta's family in their hours of need.
Marsha Fisher and son, Bradley Friis
Marsha Fisher
January 28, 2009 | DeLand, FL
He did a lot of good things for the kids in and around Oneonta. He'll be missed.
The Thomas Family
January 28, 2009 | Oneonta, NY
