Obituary of Frederick A. Mason

Fred A. Mason was born in Wilmington, Delaware on February 6, 1936 to the late Edward and Frances Mason.  He departed this life on Tuesday, February 20, 2018 at Heartland Hospice.  Fred was married to Doris Mason (nee Johns) for 60 years and is the father of five children: Keith, Dale, Kim, Kathi and Kyle.

Fred was an avid sportsman.   His first organized baseball experience began when he competed in the Police Baseball League for the 14-1 District.  This league played games only in the morning, so in the afternoons, he pitched in the playground league for the Heald Street Team. 

Fred was a four-sport athlete at Howard High School from 1952-55. In 1953, he was selected All State. During his senior year, he set a state record in basketball - scoring 66 points in one game – while never going to the foul line.

Fred played three years’ semi-pro baseball with Parkway starting in 1956. He signed with the Milwaukee Braves in 1959 but was drafted and spent the next two years in the Army.

In 1961 he was signed by the Phillies organization and played in Elmira, NY (1961), Miami, FL (1962) and Spartanburg, S.C. (1963). He played on All- Star teams in 1962 and 1963.

Fred returned to the Semi-Pro League in1964, playing briefly with Brooks Armored Car, Schaefer Brewers, Parkway and the Wilmington Giants.  In his nine-year career in the Semi-Pro League, he recorded a lifetime batting average of .388 with 180 runs scored and 180 RBIs.  He closed his Semi-Pro career with Parkway.

Fred was strongly invested in the Kingswood Community Center and the Police Athletic League, often acting as Officer Friendly when PAL was located at the old George Gray School. Fred became an officer with the Wilmington Police Department in 1970, retiring with the rank of Corporal, in 1994, after over 20 years of dedicated service.

While serving the City as an officer, Fred also played on the D.A.P. softball team which was the men’s industrial slow-pitch league. This team of Lawman became nationally known, playing in the Eastern Regional’s and in National Industrial tournaments.

Fred coached baseball at Brandywine College (now Widener), then went to Delaware Technical Community College where he studied and coached. Fred obtained a degree in Criminal Justice and was inducted into the “Who’s Who’ of America’s Junior Colleges".

Fred returned to baseball when slow pitch came to Delaware. His career peaked as player/coach for Delaware-CLIFCO softball team. CLIFCO represented Delaware six times in the Men’s Major Open Slow-Pitch tournaments, finishing in 3rd place, five times.

He was an Assignor for the Grassroots Softball Umpires’ Association and an official and Assignor for Board #11 IAABO basketball officials. Fred served as the sports coordinator for the Wilmington Parks and Recreation Leagues, as well as serving as the DASA Deputy Slow-Pitch Commissioner. 

Fred leaves to cherish his memories, his wife Doris; sons Keith Mason, Kyle Mason and Dale Young; daughters Kim Brown and Kathi Mason; one sister, Ruth Ann Thomas; 21 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild; 4 sisters-in-law; 2 brothers-in-law; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Fred was pre-deceased by his mother Frances Mason; father Edward Mason; sister Alice White; brothers Stanford and Nelson Williams’ grandsons Stephan Mason and Monroe Laws.