Daniel Joseph Piro
Daniel Joseph Piro, 61 OCEANSIDE -- Daniel Joseph Piro died Wednesday, January 27, 2010 in Oceanside, Calif., of pancreatic cancer. Born April 24, 1948 to Peter and Marie Piro in New York City, New York, Dan spent his early childhood in the Bronx and then on Long Island. He graduated from Half Hollow Hills HS in Huntington, NY in 1966 and went on to earn his BS in Math Engineering from New York University. His early career was in banking and finance, including 10 years as financial controls officer at Chase Manhattan Bank and then as a consultant and editor of various financial newsletters. In the 1970s, he was a technical advisor to NBC for its award-winning documentary, "Banking on the Brink," about the international debt crisis. He was fluent in Spanish and enjoyed many trips to Latin America and Spain, both on business and to visit his relatives in Argentina. In 1991, Dan began publishing HardBall Magazine, the official magazine of the Men's Senior Baseball League (MSBL), of which Dan was a member. He also founded the local North County MSBL in 1991, which is still thriving today. Dan's twin passions were baseball and tournament bridge. He was a lifelong Yankees fan. He loved playing and coaching baseball. He also played in many bridge tournaments in the U.S. and Canada, earning Life Master status in his 40s, and even getting his name in the New York Times bridge column. In 1987, Dan and his wife, Jackie moved from New Jersey to Manhattan Beach, Calif. In 1989, they moved to Vista, then to Oceanside in 1995. Dan coached Little League and became actively involved with the Boys & Girls Club of Vista, serving on its board for several years before becoming ill. He was the driving force behind the building of the Club's Little Padres Park baseball field and the development of its youth baseball program. Dan was inducted into the MSBL Hall of Fame in 1998 and received the MSBL's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. In 2005, Dan was awarded "Volunteer of the Year" by the North County Philanthropy Council. Dan leaves behind his wife, Jackie; and beloved son, Danny Piro; brothers, Ken Piro of Woodside, Calif., and Robert Piro of New Jersey; plus many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews in California, New York and Colorado. A funeral Mass and reception will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, February 19 at the Church of St. Thomas More, 1450 S. Melrose Dr., Oceanside. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Boys & Girls Club of Vista, 410 W. California Ave., Vista, Calif. 92083. (bgcvista.org) Sign the Guestbook online obits.nctimes.com
