Remembering Spellman football coach
BY JASON COHEN
In his seven years as coach for the
Cardinal Spellman High School football
team, Joseph Thomas DeSimone
went to three title games and won
two championships. But DeSimone
was much more than a coach.
Those who knew him said that
DeSimone was the neighbor who
would shovel neighbors’ snow and
make sure to give kids a friendly
scare as he handed out Halloween
candy to trick-or-treaters. He was a
dad, husband, brother, uncle, cousin
and friend.
In 2006 he was diagnosed with
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, and
succumbed to the disease 14 years
later on Oct. 22 at the age of 65.
DeSimone was the youngest of
three born to Thomas and Innocenza
“Jeanie” DeSimone, who had
come from Italy. As a child, the south
Bronx native quickly fell in love with
sports and spent his days playing
basketball, football and baseball.
DeSimone joined Con Edison in
1978 and was there until his retirement
in 2015. He worked with jackhammers,
picks and shovels, excavating
steam pipe and washed
up at the end of the day at the
nearest hydrant.
“I recall the many times in the
meeting room when we were ‘fi ghting
the bear,’ I observed many eyes
look towards Joe for his guidance
and wisdom,”said his fi rst and longtime
supervisor at Con Ed, Philip
Sullivan. “If there is a steam main
in heaven, that’s where Joe can be
found. There is an old Irish complimentary
saying that I quote when I
picture my friend: ‘Take a good look
at him now boys because you will
never see the likes of him again.'”
In 1979 he married Catherine
Beaton and the couple raised fi ve children
in Pelham Bay. Soon. the kids
joined the Bronx Warriors Football
program as players and cheerleaders
and their dad followed as coach. He
coached with the Warriors for more
than 25 years and even served as
president from 2015 to 2018.
“When football season ended,
Coach Joe and the boys spent spring
and summer with Bronxchester
Little League, and the Pelham Bay
Belles with his daughters,” said his
daughter Alexis De Simone Pereira.
“Joe overfl owed with pride as his
sons Anthony, Joseph and Lawrence
developed that same bone-deep love
for sports as little leaguers, then
high school and later celebrated
college athletes.”
DeSimone eventually joined Cardinal
Spellman, where he coached
both junior varsity and varsity football.
BRONX TIMES REPORTER,2 NOV. 27-DEC. 3, 2020 BTR
He led the team to two Division
City Championships in 2006 and 2008
and was inducted into Spellman High
School Hall of Fame in 2018.
Dan Kern and Steve Ward, who
played at Spellman from 2004 to 2007,
refl ected on their former coach.
Kern, 31, who is a cop in the Bronx,
told the Bronx Times that DeSimone
taught him it’s not just important to
be successful on the fi eld, but rather
a good person off of it.
“He was just a great coach,”
Kern said. “The way he reached
out to young kids, I want to do the
same thing.”
Ward, 31, of Co-op City, echoed
Kern’s sentiments. He recalled how
DeSimone always made him put
school fi rst, helped him with getting
job interviews and stressed how
much fi rst impressions matter.
“He was a great guy. He taught
me a lot about the game and life,”
Ward said.
In 2019, DeSimone was honored by
the Morris Park Community Association
for his involvement with Little
League baseball and football in
the Bronx.
DeSimone was also was a favorite
among Yankee stadium tour guides
and a bartender at Jimmy Ryan’s in
Pelham Bay.
Family meant everything to
him and he spent much of his time
the zoo and playgrounds with
his grandchildren.
“Joe’s family was his life and with
a family this big, he was part of a family
that was larger than life,” De Simone
Pereira said. “This summer as
Joe began his last battle, in between
treatments and exhaustion, he created
with his grandchildren lasting
memories of learning to roller skate
around Pelham Bay Park, walking
dogs and scavenging ‘treasure’ along
its wooded trails, and holding the
leash of his best friend Jeter as they
enjoyed family, togetherness and
nature’s peace.”
Cardinal Spellman High School football
Coach Joseph Thomas DeSimone with his
family on Christmas
Photos courtesy the DeSimone family
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