Billy Daley

Mention outfielders in New Brunswick Senior Baseball circles and the one who most frequently comes to mind is Billy Daley. William (Billy) James Daley was born in Chatham, New Brunswick on December 12, 1947.

Daley attended St. Michael’s Academy and St. Thomas High in Chatham before moving to St. Thomas University in Fredericton in 1966. He graduated from STU in 1970 with a B. A. and later with a B. Ed in 1973. He worked for two years with the Department of Justice in Fredericton before beginning his teaching career. Daley then taught History and English for 23 years at Chatham Junior High and Dr. Losier Middle School in Miramichi before retiring due to ill health.

Although an inspirational teacher, it was in athletics that Billy was best known. He was a good hockey player playing four seasons of varsity with the St. Thomas Tommies and senior hockey with the Chatham Ironmen and Newcastle Northmen, but it was in baseball that Daley really left his mark as a player.

It is said that from a very early age it could be clearly recognized that Daley had an amazing natural athletic ability that was to make him one of New Brunswick’s most accomplished athletes.

Daley fulfilled this prophecy by being one of N.B.’s first baseball players to play on a Canadian National Team. Daley played for Team Canada in 1973 at the World Championships held in Nicaragua. Not only did he make the team, but he was one of the starting outfielders and batted fourth in the line-up.

"I always batted fourth except when Cuffy McLaughlin was around" said Daley with a laugh.

When asked who influenced him to play sports, Daley replied "My father James Daley and my uncle Willie Jardine (The Willie Jardine Baseball Field in Chatham is named after him).

"They played with Monsignor Hickey’s baseball team that won the Allied Forces Championship in 1942 beating the United States 1-0. They had others like the fathers of Cuffy McLaughlin and Tom Lanteigne. They had a lot of good ball players. Six of them were killed on D-Day. All I ever heard was my father and uncle talking sports. I had no choice in the matter. I was going to be an athlete" said Daley.

In those days all kids basically played sports. "It was just the thing to do. Sports were a big part of the social ladder in the community. We were out every day whether it was on the ice in winter or the ball field in summer. I was also lucky to be able to play with guys like Cuffy McLaughlin and Eddie McDermaid. It was about when I was eight or nine years old that the Chatham Recreation Council was formed. We had a lot of organized games against a lot of good athletes, not only in Chatham, but also in Loggieville, and Newcastle and other communities along the river. We have always had a lot of good athletes, particularly ball players. I’ve always said that the Miramichi is the Baseball Capital of NB. Just look at Jason Dickson and Richard Leggatt and John Cann and Michael Dunnett."

Daley played his minor ball in Chatham including playing for the bantam team that won the provincial championship.

"My dad coached us in bantam the year we won. We had a great team with guys like Cuffy, Richard Kerr, Peter Manderson, Eddie McDermaid, Jimmy LaBelle and Tom Lanteigne to mention a few. I think we also won the provincial crown in hockey the same year with nearly the same guys."

After playing midget baseball, Daley and McLaughlin at age 16 moved directly to the Chatham Ironmen in 1964-65. "In those days there was no Juvenile or Junior baseball, so we went right to the Intermediate Ironmen. Then I played from 1966-68 with the Douglastown Combines with Mike Wood and his brothers, Gary Dunnett and the Vautours" said Daley.

While he worked in Fredericton Daley suited up with the Fredericton Vikings from 1969-70. "We lost out to Edmundston in the finals, but we beat Chatham. My father was coaching the Ironmen at the time" said Daley. Then from 1971 until 1981 he played for the Chatham Ironmen.

In his younger years, Daley played shortstop and did some pitching. However, it was in the outfield where he made a name for himself and developed a reputation for throwing out runners at third from right field. His arm has been described as being "a rifle" and "a cannon."

Daley was known as a ball player who could "do it all." He was a "fearless clutch hitter" from the right hand side. I played third base against Daley and was never too pleased to see him step into the batter’s box as he always stung the ball. The first reaction on my part was always a couple of steps back in the interests of safety.

It is estimated (as there were no complete official records kept) that Daley was a .400 hitter in the NB Senior League. He was a great contact hitter for both power and average. He holds the record for a hitting streak of 58 consecutive games in senior baseball and was consistently in the top five hitters in the league. He was also known for his defensive skills in the field as well.

Greg Morris played on teams with Daley and coached him for many years. "Billy and Cuffy McLaughlin complimented each other as back to back hitters, but Billy was a more aggressive player. As a hitter he would often set up a pitcher by swinging at a bad pitch hoping the pitcher would come back with it later. He was an intelligent hitter and a power hitter. He was built for the left fence in Ironmen Field" said Morris.

Daley played in eight Senior National Tournaments with the Ironmen and as a pick-up for other teams. He has won a silver and three bronze medals in National Senior Tournaments and in 1979 was selected a Canadian Senior Tournament All-Star.

In 1995 Daley was inducted into the New Brunswick Baseball Hall of Fame taking his place as one of the premier players of the game. In 1999 Daley went to the NB Baseball Hall of Fame a second time as a member of the 1975 Chatham Ironmen team when it was inducted into the Hall.

After his retirement from playing the game, Daley gave back to the sport he loved. He coached minor ball taking several teams to provincial and Atlantic titles. He was instrumental in helping to develop the likes of Jason Dickson who went on to play Major League Baseball, and a host of others who played intermediate and senior ball. But he did not limit his coaching to just baseball. Daley also coached girls field hockey for six years at Dr. Losier along with stints with softball, volleyball and hockey.

Unfortunately, Daley suffers from kidney disease and is under going dialysis while awaiting a kidney transplant. On September 29,2001 the Scoreboard Restaurant and Lounge in Miramichi hosted a benefit night in support of Daley. The turnout was amazing with people from across the province in attendance. This in itself was a fitting tribute to the recognition he has established in sporting circles.

Hitting Stats in the NB Senior Baseball League courtesy of Brian Richard.