Alphonso “Pep” Baselici October 20, 1928 – August 10, 2021 Alphonso “Pep” Baselici, passed away Tuesday at home as he wished surrounded by his children Rosie, Lynda, James, and Gena. He was 92 years young at heart. Pep was born in Asbury Park. He was always an Asbury Park native at heart who lived most his life in Ocean Township. He graduated from Asbury Park High School in 1947 after earning five varsity letters – three in baseball and two in basketball. In 1947, he was Monmouth & Ocean County Outstanding Player of the Season. At the time, he held the second highest batting averages in A.P.H.S. history, .509, second only to the record of George Jeffries .521 set in the 1920’s. His baseball prowess gained the attention of Charles “Pop” Kelchner, a St. Louis scout. Pep was offered and accepted a contract by the St. Louis Cardinals. His professional baseball career spanned 1948-1954. He played right field and compiled a career batting average of .278 and 53 homeruns over his 418-game career with various teams in the Cardinals farm system. He was proud to have been teammates and roommates with Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda, the famed Los Angeles Dodgers Manager, while in the Panama Canal League. He also played alongside legendary Cardinal Ken Boyer. His professional career was put on hold for two years when he was drafted to the Korean War where he served as a Corporal in the United States Army from 1951 until he was Honorably Discharged in 1953. His professional career was eventually cut short after the death of his father, Matteo. He decided to join his brother Peter to run the family business, Matty’s Bar in Asbury Park which was famous in town as a local hang out for Asbury Park Press employees. He met the love of his life, Gloria Gilligan, at the wedding of their respective best friends, both serving in the wedding party. They married shortly afterwards on October 2, 1954 and immediately started a family. They enjoyed 61 years of marriage. He worked at various Jersey Shore restaurants until he eventually owned and operated Pep’s Place in Deal for nine years in the 1980’s alongside Gloria. Later in life, he worked for the Monmouth County Board of Elections for many years and continued to volunteer on election nights with Gloria following his retirement. His hobbies included golf, gardening, and staying engaged in politics. As a die-hard Yankee fan, he watched every game and loved watching professional golf. He loved his family and was famous for asking anyone of his kids “, did you talk to anyone today?” Family traditions and gathering for every holiday together was very important to him. He had a great sense of humor, loved good food, and being the life of the party. He was always the first to arrive and the last one to leave. Not a day went by that Pep didn’t enjoy life. To say he will be missed by all who knew him is an understatement. He was an accomplished person who lived a full life in those 92 years and that’s whose legacy we honor today. He leaves behind his three daughters and a son: Rosemarie Baselici, Lynda Daudier and her husband Joseph, James Baselici and his wife Danielle, Gena Baselici and her boyfriend Anthony Montedoro. He was the loving grandfather to: Beau Keegan, Brett Czerwinski and his wife Melissa, Faith Daudier, Alex Daudier and his wife Erika, Adam Daudier, Nevaeh Thornton, and Antonia Baselici. He is predeceased by his wife Gloria, his parents Matteo and Rose, his brothers Peter and Alfred, and his sister Anne. Visitation will be on Sunday, August 15th from 2 pm – 6 pm in Buckley Funeral Home, 509 Second Avenue, Asbury Park. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday August 16th in Holy Innocents Roman Catholic Church, 3455 West Bangs Avenue, Neptune City at 10 am. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Mid Jersey Chapter, 246 Monmouth Road, Oakhurst, NJ 07755. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.buckleyfuneralhome.net  
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