Joseph P. Galli, 89

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Joseph P. Galli, 89, formerly of 15 Williamsburg Terrace, passed away on Saturday, June 10, 2017 at Kimball Farms Nursing Center in Lenox, where he had resided for the past year.

Born in Pittsfield on July 17, 1927, to Joseph Galli and Josephine Russo Galli, he was a lifelong Pittsfield resident. He was educated in Pittsfield schools and was a 1945 graduate of Pittsfield High School. He proudly served his country in the United States Army during the Korean War in the medical corps, and was awarded an Expert Rifleman medal. 

He married his wife, the late Bernadette Marie Longtin, on October 15, 1949 at the former Notre Dame Church in Pittsfield. His beloved wife passed away on March 6, 2009.

Mr. Galli was employed as an insurance agent for the Prudential Life Insurance Company for 25 years, and later with New England Life from 1983 to 1991. He retired in 1991. Joe was a star baseball player at Pittsfield High School and at the age of 16 was signed by Paul Krichell, chief scout for the New York Yankees, as a left handed pitcher. Mr. Krichell, considered by many to be the greatest scout in the history of baseball, also signed Lou Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri, Whitey Ford and Phil Rizzuto, among others. Galli’s baseball career was cut short, however, when Major League Baseball Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis enacted a baseball law that said if a player had two eligible seasons left at the American Legion level, they could not be signed. Galli’s contract had to be rescinded by the Yankees, and he was soon drafted into the Army. He played ball while in the Army with the 7th Infantry team. Upon returning from Korea, he resumed his baseball career when he signed on with the Quebec Alouettes of the Canadian-American professional baseball league and played for them in 1947 and 1948 as an outfielder and pitcher. He would at times return to Pittsfield and Wahconah Park as a member of the visiting Quebec team.

Mr. Galli was also a talented musician and songwriter. Singing came naturally to him, and his children have many dear memories of hearing his renditions of songs from the big band era as he worked around the house. He loved Frank Sinatra, and wrote many songs himself, strumming his guitar while he came up with the lyrics.

He enjoyed watching baseball and thoroughbred racing, working in his yard, reading and making people laugh with his stories and sense of humor. He also held a patent from the US Patent Office for a motor port.

He was a loving husband and a devoted father, and his greatest joy was being a grandfather to his grandchildren. He leaves a son, Glen P. Galli and his wife Darlene of West Galway, N.Y.; two daughters, Deborah Galli Boivin of Easthampton, Mass., and Kris Galli and her husband Edward Acker of Lenox, Mass.; two grandchildren, Paris Roxanne Galli Boivin and Elijah Joseph Boivin, both of Easthampton; as well as his former son-in-law, Lenny Boivin of Southampton, Mass.

Funeral notice: Funeral services for Joseph P. Galli, who passed away June 10, 2017, will be held Friday, June 16, 2017, at 11 a.m. at the Dery Funeral Home in Pittsfield, conducted by the Rev. Peter Gregory, pastor emeritus of St. Charles Church. Burial will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery. 

There are no calling hours. Memorial donations in memory of Joe may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital in care of the funeral home, 54 Bradford Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201.