Just three months after his brother and legendary Bentley baseball coach Bob passed away, longtime Swampscott baseball coach Frank DeFelice died Tuesday morning at Salem Hospital. He was 84.
DeFelice coached Swampscott baseball for 35 years (1966-71 and 1977-2005), winning a state championship in 1993, three North titles, and eight Northeastern Conference crowns, and compiling a career record of 465-257. He also coached Xaverian football from 1972-76 and Big Blue football from 1977-81.
“The baseball world lost one of its greatest men today,” wrote Derek January on X. January played for DeFelice at Swampscott and was selected in the 1989 and 1990 MLB drafts. “We won a lot of games and had some incredible talent come through the gates over the years. Little did we know we were learning more about life than we were the game of baseball. And we learned a lot about baseball.”
The baseball world lost one of its greatest men today. I played parts of 4 high school seasons for Coach Defelice and we won a lot of games & had some incredible talent come thru the gates over the years. Little did we know we were learning more about life than we were the game… pic.twitter.com/qcYA1xeINL
— DJ (@DerekJanuary22) January 14, 2025
A member of the Massachusetts Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame — alongside Bob — DeFelice graduated from Winthrop High and Worcester Academy and was a three-year starter for the football and baseball teams at Boston College, where he later served as an assistant football coach. He concluded his career with 18 seasons as an assistant baseball coach at Endicott.
“Coach DeFelice was our scout team coach,” wrote former BC star Tom McManus, who went on to play for the Jacksonville Jaguars. “He was a great coach and man.”
Added Milton football coach Steve Dembowski, a former Swampscott football player who coached the Big Blue for 16 years: “Nobody told a story better than Frank. He could recall incredible sports moments and spin quite [the] story. But it was his sincere, honest and blunt opinion that I craved. He was tough, but fair, and so proud of his family [and] former players.”
DeFelice taught in the Swampscott district until retiring in 2000. In April, the baseball field at Swampscott High was named in his honor.
There are times when something you sincerely want to go well turns out even better than you could have hoped. Such was the case Saturday with the formal dedication of Frank DeFelice Diamond in Swampscott. A well-deserved honor for one of the best coaches any of us will ever know. pic.twitter.com/TPnHEdyls0
— Paul Halloran (@pkhcomm) April 28, 2024
“Like any kid who played for, or was a student of coach DeFelice, I have too many stories to tell, many of which we re-tell to this day and bring a smile to my face,” wrote Billy Ryan, who played baseball at Swampscott and Davidson before going on to a career as an MLB executive and scout with the Braves, Diamondbacks, and Guardians. “RIP to a Swampscott institution.”
“A true 1 of 1 guy,” wrote Barstool Sports founder and Swampscott native Dave Portnoy.
DeFelice leaves behind his wife of 56 years, Susan, as well as three children and six grandchildren, according to his obituary.
A wake will be held from 3-7 p.m. on Monday at Solimine Funeral Home in Lynn, followed by a funeral Mass at 10 a.m. on Tuesday at St. John the Evangelist Church in Swampscott.
Bob DeFelice was the baseball coach at Bentley for 54 years before retiring in 2022. He died in October at age 82.
Brendan Kurie can be reached at brendan.kurie@globe.com. Follow him on X @BrendanKurie.
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