Biography

YOUNGSTOWN – A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, Sept. 21, at 10 a.m. at St. Dominic's Church with Father Bernard Timothy, OP officiating for William Babik, 82, who passed away peacefully early Tuesday morning. William was born on June 25, 1931, in Youngstown's "Lansingville," and was the son of Stephen and Sophia Sonoga Babik. He attended St. Matthias School, where he served as an altar boy and graduated in 1945 and went on to Woodrow Wilson High School, graduating in 1949. William had a career as a salesman in plumbing and retired in 1994 from Sparmon-Fischler. He was a member of the Slovak Catholic Sokols, where he served as secretary for Branch 108. He was also a member of Jednota. In December of 1951, he signed with the Washington Senators Professional Baseball team as a pitcher. He was nicknamed "Double No Hit Babik," was a member of the Baseball "Old Timers," where he was inducted into their Hall of Fame in May of 1993. Not only was William an avid Cleveland Indians and Browns fan, he was a golfer and belonged to the Monday Catullo's Golf League. He now will be joining many of his friends from the Taft Avenue Golfers League. William "Papa" leaves to cherish his memories, his wife, the former, Edith Costello whom he married Sept. 25, 1954; daughters, Judy Babik of Youngstown, Susan Babik of Akron, and Nancy (John) Kropolinsky of Youngstown; granddaughter, Lindsey (Ronnie); and great-grandson R.J. Trimble; a sister, Eleanor (Steve) Farkas of Youngstown; as well as many cousins, nieces, nephews, and baseball teammate; and lifelong friend, Jack Moran. Besides his parents William was preceded in death by his brothers, John, Frank, Mike and Tom; and his sisters, Mary, Helen and Agnes. The Babik family has entrusted their loved one to the care of the Kubina-Yuhasz-Wasko Funeral Home, where they will receive friends Friday, Sept. 20, from 5 to 8 p.m., where a brief prayer service will be held at 7 p.m., and again on Saturday morning from 9 to 9:30 a.m. Entombment will take place at Calvary Cemetery. Visit www.waskofamily.com to view the obituary and send the Babik family condolences.