Athletes In Christ


Sports writer remembered for devotion to kids
By VIN MANNIX - vmannix@bradenton.com (from Bradenton Herald Aug, 23, 2008) Bradenton, FL - It happened more times in the past two years than Carol Conboy can count. Her ailing husband, Tony, had been in the hospital a lot; whenever she took a break from her bedside vigil, she would be stopped by a doctor, nurse or hospital staffer. "Everyone would say their kids or their grandkids had been in his column. Maybe even themselves when they were younger," she said. "It's phenomenal how much he was loved and appreciated." Mr. Conboy died Friday morning after a long illness. The former Bradenton Herald sports writer was 82. During his 20-plus years with the Herald, the Brooklyn, N.Y., native devoted his column to youths in sports and tracked their growth on the local high school level. "There was not a kid in Manatee County who didn't play in any sport who didn't read his name in the paper," said longtime Bradenton City Councilman Gene Gallo, who was Bradenton's fire chief and coached youth football 30 years ago. "I don't know of any other parent who was as devoted to our kids as Tony Conboy." "He was a people person," said Chris Conboy, Manatee High School's quarterback coach and one of Mr. Conboy's three children who grew up around youth sports after the family moved here in 1970. "He loved the games, but he loved the kids and people more. And he must've gone to thousands of Little League games." Norma Lloyd, a driving force for years in county youth sports, said Mr. Conboy not only acknowledged players but the volunteers who make the games go. "I still have one clipping where he wrote, 'Here was Norma Lloyd, all hot and sweaty and working herself to death. . . .' That's as a good a compliment as I ever got," Lloyd said. "God knows we knew Tony cared." Mr. Conboy's affinity for youth sports went beyond writing. As a father, his paternal feeling included all children he met on the ballfield. "He'd always stop and ask you how you were doing, always so supportive," said Elliot Washington, a former youth football quarterback now in his ninth year as Southeast High's boys basketball coach. "Tony was a lovable guy," said restaurateur Anthony Cucci, the youngest of four Cucci brothers covered by Mr. Conboy. "He knew everybody, and everybody knew him." Mr. Conboy served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, was a retired New York City firefighter and retired from the Manatee County Tax Collector's Office. In addition to his wife, Carol, and son Chris, Mr. Conboy is survived by son Tony III of Bradenton, daughter Kellie and husband Chris Galati of Holmes Beach and daughter-in-law Melissa Conboy; and grandchildren Christopher Galati, Anna Maria Galati, Chloe Conboy and Christopher Conboy. He attended Saints Peter & Paul the Apostles Catholic Church. Memorial visitation will be 6 to 7 p.m., with memorial services at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Brown & Sons Funeral Home, 604 43rd St. W., Bradenton. Memorial contributions may be made to Athletes in Christ, P.O. Box 20771, Bradenton 34204. Online condolences may be made to www.brownand sonsfuneral.com. Vin Mannix local columnist, can be reached at 745-7055 or write him at the Bradenton Herald, Box 921, Bradenton, Fla. 34206. More News 08/16/10 - Bullington tops Yanks for first career win 12/08/09 - Carnes Accepts The Conboy Trophy 08/19/08 - JR House called up to Astros 12/19/07 - 2008 Major League Believer Baseball Clinic 06/19/07 - TRUE VICTORY FOOTBALL CAMP 10/03/06 - Chris Sharek 07/18/06 - Duncan and Hendricks Launch Holy Fires Website 02/19/06 - Kelley Releases CD 09/07/05 - Please Help Our Brothers at Desire Street 06/23/05 - Gators and LaPorta Advance 01/28/05 - Baseball with a Vision 01/13/05 - 2nd Annual Baseball with a Vision Baseball Camp 12/14/04 - Bring A Gift Baseball Camp 05/24/04 - J.R. House Named PCL Batter-of-the-Week 12/18/03 - Golden Hurricane in Bowl Game 04/09/03 - John Wasdin Tosses Perfect Game for AAA Nashville 11/14/02 - Dunaway to Instruct Pirates 10/21/02 - Athletes In Christ and the Sarasota Red Sox Host Concert and Baseball Clinic 07/09/02 - Phoenix 2002 04/24/02 - Mission Possible! 04/08/02 - Rix Leads FSU in Garnet and Gold Game 03/16/02 - Barnett Pitches First Perfect Game