Locally Famous Athlete In Ridgewood And Hawthorne Dies At 67

RIDGEWOOD, NJ — Decades ago, Chip DeNully toured the world as part of athletic leagues based in Ridgewood and Hawthorne —and now he's "most likely raising a little hell" in heaven, said his obituary last week. DeNully passed away Wednesday at 67.

A joyful and sometimes funny obituary for DeNully, who last lived in Wayne, notes that he's "as well known as most national sports figures" and played softball and football in North Jersey for decades.

"He won so many fielding awards and batting titles, and 6 MVP Awards, that he was voted 'Best Player of All Time' by his peers," notes the obit. "Chip also starred on the Wizards softball team in the Ridgewood Men's League. ... he accompanied the Wizards on both of their world tours in 1981 and 1982. On the Puerto Rico leg of the tour ... Chip's attempts at speaking Spanish including 'Si, No, Gracias, and Mas Cerveza, Por Favor!' are still the stuff of legend in Comerio."

He was also a "famous player on the South Cow County Cowpokers, who were a dominant power in the vaunted Goffle Brook football League in the early to mid 1970s," notes the obit. He also participated in motorcycle rides and rescued animals, adopting more than a dozen cats, dogs, and birds.

Alas, "Chip also had to make a living. He retired as an inspector with NJ Transit Rail on June 9, 2016, having started as a track layer, and advancing up the ranks."

Services for McNully are scheduled to be held Wednesday, Feb. 28 and Thursday, Feb. 29 in Ridgewood. See the complete obituary and funeral information here.