In a town known for its athletic prowess and infectious nicknames, the recent passing of Joseph Malloy, better known as “Boy” Malloy, caught a lot of people by surprise. Although he had reached the age of 92, there are those who felt he still has plenty of time left to tell many of his great athletic stories, including those centered around the game of baseball and competitive running.

“We lost a real gem of this community,” noted Joseph DeMello, who like many Bristolians, felt that Joe Malloy was a rare breed beloved by everyone. “He was just a great guy.”

Recently, Joe resided at the Silver Creek and Rehab & Healthcare Center before passing away on July 2, leaving behind four children, eight grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. He was married for 66 years to his beloved Dolores (Cabral) Malloy, who passed away in 2017. He was the brother of Katherine Cella and Marjorie O’Neill and the late Barbara Mauck.

A righteous human being, Joe Malloy was fun to be around and always called a spade a spade. He was very knowledgeable on a number of subjects and loved his hometown of Bristol like few others.

A 1950 graduate of the former Colt Memorial High School, Boy Malloy made his mark on the baseball diamond as one of Bristol’s greatest players. As a pitcher, he really had no equal.

In his younger years, Boy excelled as a three-year starter for the Bristol High School Colts and later zoomed to stardom in the old Bristol Twilight League. As one of his old teammates chuckled, “Boy had a fastball that could blow your socks off.” He wasn’t kidding.

John Andrade played on Bristol’s Kearney Post No. 6 American Legion team, coached by the late Vincent J. Santo, that advanced all the way to the national semifinals in Omaha, Neb. in 1950, before finishing in third place in the competition.

A sure-handed infielder, Andrade recalls what could have been had Joe Malloy been eligible to play on the Bristol team that year.

“Vinnie Santo tried his best to get Malloy on that team,” said Andrade, now 87 years young and still very much cognizant of what transpired during the tournament. “Joe was such a great pitcher, but a little older than all the other kids on our team. Unfortunately, he was a little too old to be eligible.”

As the story goes, he said, “Coach Santo was very disappointed that he couldn’t get Joe to play with the rest of the Bristol team. You have to think our chances would be a lot better had he been eligible to play.”

According to Andrade, Joe Malloy was a great pitcher in the Twilight League as well. “I know I never wanted to face him.”

Later in life, Boy Malloy served many years as a Little League coach, and further on down the road became an accomplished runner, competing in numerous races, including several Boston Marathons.

“It is with a sad heart that I just learned of the passing of Mr. Malloy,” said local resident Joey Franco. “I'll never ever forget our conversations, especially about baseball. He was such an awesome man who gave me much advice through my years of growing up.”

Joe Malloy will be sadly missed by all who knew him; that’s a given. But the mystery of how he got the nickname “Boy,” which has stumped many all these years, may have been cleared up. According to relative Rose Malloy, she talked to her son and asked him if he knew why they called his grandpa "Boy".

“He said that his grandfather said that his sister couldn't say baby and it came out boy, and that is how he got the nickname ‘Boy.’”

No matter what Joe Malloy was called, the bottom line is that he was a true Bristolian of the first degree and a man who always made everyone else around him feel better about themselves. He will be sadly missed.