In Loving Memory of

Joseph P. Altman Jr.

January 17, 2008

Joe was born in Brooklyn and spent his early years growing up around the corner from Ebbet’s Field, the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers. He moved to Rockville Centre with his parents and two sisters around the time the Dodgers moved to California. He enrolled in St. Agnes Elementary School and graduated from St. Agnes High School in 1961.

Joe graduated from Holy Cross College, Class of 1965 and went on to Fordham Law School. He was a member of the law firm McCormick, Dunne & Foley in New York City.

Joe recalls fondly his father’s involvement in the Holy Name Society in St. Agnes Parish. Many long time parishioners remember the Turkey Feasts held each fall and Joe remembers the planning and work that went into those dinners. But what impressed Joe the most was the camaraderie and friendships that the men enjoyed from their work at the parish. Joe credits his father’s example for his own involvement with the St. Agnes CYO.

Joe and his wife Camille are the proud parents of three sons. Joseph 3d graduated from University of Virginia and works in Nashville, Tennessee. Peter graduated from Towson University in Maryland and works for UBS in New York City. James is and assistant basketball coach at Oklahoma State College. The boys all enjoyed their many years participating in the St. Agnes CYO program.

For Joe, involvement in St. Agnes CYO dates back to the sixth grade. The late Father Michael O’Farrell was the founder and moderator of the parish Rainbow League which was an intramural style league for the boys attending St. Agnes grammar school. Each team had a different color shirt and father O’Farrell served as time keeper, referee, coach and mentor to all. He introduced the game of basketball to hundreds of boys. In those days, the more competitive players moved on to try out for the inter-parish Saint Agnes CYO. There was one seventh grade team coached by former Rhode Island University star named Bill Butler. The eighth grade tam was coached by the late Ben Hess. Father O’Farrell, Bill Butler and Ben Hess gave many years of service to the basketball CYO and set a strong foundation for St. Agnes CYO, according to Joe.

In 1975 Joe was at a Knicks basketball game when he encountered Bill Broderick, who was a former teammate from the Saint Agnes High School team. Bill suggested that Joe help Don Sullivan who was in need of an assistant coach for the 5^th grade CYO team. Joe jumped at the chance and had been involved with the CYO ever since.

Joe was Chairman of the St. Agnes CYO from the mid 1980’s until his untimely death in 2008.  During that time he had seen the program grow from five or six boy’s teams to the forty – five boys and girls St. Agnes now sponsors. Play starts in the 4^th grade and continues through high school and there are equal numbers of boys and girls teams playing. Credit for this growth goes to the 110 coaches and the members of the CYO Board, Joe was always quick to acknowledge. Many of the players go on to college and then return to the program as coaches and “truly give something back” Joe has said.