He was instrumental in building men’s league in township
By Genen Robbins, Managing Editor
If you can count success by the number of friends and positive impact on lives, Hillsborough resident Tommy Yep was a slam dunk.
Mr. Yep, a man touted by his friends as a man who liked to bring people together for fun and competition, as well as to tutor young people in life and on the basketball court, died Monday night from a brain tumor. He was 66 years old.
He brought a segment of the community together through basketball. Mr. Yep and Mark Goldstein founded the over-30 league, and it has been run through the township recreation department since 1987, three seasons a year, every year, without break. In some years it had to turn people away.
"Hundreds of residents have played in the league," said township resident Jim Bergstrom. "Many were regulars every season. Great, lasting friendships were made in this league" — including himself, he said.
Tom, along with best friend Mark Goldstein, spent countless hours of volunteer time making it the premier adult league in the state, a model for others to follow, said friend Lou Lefevre.
But it was more than basketball, said Mr. Lefevre.
"It was about friendships — hundreds of them created by this league," said Mr. Lefevre. "Not just the players, but our wives and children. As our youngsters began playing sports, members of Tom’s league became the coaches. Rather than being rivals, it was friends coaching against friends, and the children benefited from that. Tom, not having children, reffed hundreds of our kids’ games. Not all great calls, but he called as he saw them!"
A lot of the close-knit friends gave up the basketball as they aged and took to golf. Mr. Yep kept playing basketball, but also golfed, too, often joining friends on trips to golfing climes like Arizona or South Carolina.
As he retired as a manager for AT&T about 10-15 years ago, Mr. Yep became a basketball referee, starting at the recreation level, and moving up to junior high games and on to high-school state-championship level play.
Perhaps Mr. Yep’s most inseparable friend was Mr. Goldstein, who lived in Hillsborough until he moved to Dallas in 2012. The two went to the township recreation commission a quarter-century ago and asked for a gym for "aging jocks" to play basketball. The league boomed. There were drafts three times a year. Mr. Yep scouted new enrollees to make sure they got a fair shake in the draft. He talked weekly with Beacon sports editor Rudy Brandl, who compiled in-depth capsules and statistics for the league, with Mr. Yep’s help.
"I always respected Tommy and Mark Goldstein for creating what I call the greatest and most organized adult sports league," said Mr. Brandl. "The Over-30 Basketball League went well beyond the games, however. As many have shared, the lifelong friendships created by this association of aging athletes was more valuable than any aspect of the league. Although I never played in the league, I made many friends during my many years covering the Over-30 League. These guys always treated me like a friend, not a reporter."
Mr. Brandl said he has been around sports for his entire life, "but have never met anyone with Tommy’s unique blend of competitiveness and fairness. He wanted to win, but he would never cheat. I know this from my many years of playing golf with him. He was not a good golfer, but he was honest. Even if I didn’t see him dribble a chip shot, he would count it on his scorecard. That’s what made him such an outstanding official. He knew the rules and respected them, no matter what the sport. Whether he was playing or officiating, he respected the game."
Mr. Yep and Mr. Goldstein were similar basketball players — 5-7-ish guards who often went head to head against each other — and continued to talk from afar just about every day.
"Five months ago he was reffing state games and now he is gone," wrote Mr. Goldstein in an email. "The Mets beat the Phillies yesterday and I can’t call Tom to dig in some."
They were both referees, and often were assigned to work together at high school games. Mr. Yep was part of the family at the Goldstein house, playing an uncle role to Mr. Goldstein’s kids and assuming the handyman role that Mr. Goldstein often fumbled.
"We owe him a debt of gratitude that cannot be measured," said Alex Voitovich, another veteran of the court wars. In remembrance of Mr. Yep, Mr. Voitovich said he had pledged $1,000 to the Somerset Valley YMCA annual campaign this year. He suggested others may also want to make a gift.
"I count many of the friendships I have in my life because of Tom and the over 30 league," wrote Mr. Lefevre. "He was a great guy and will be missed by many. Hoops Heaven has a solid point guard and referee.
"Not a day goes by, whether it is at Shop-Rite or Lowe’s or Angelo’s Pizza, when I don’t run into another friend created by Tom’s league and hard work," said Mr. LeFevre. "I considered him a great friend, teammate , golfing buddy and all-around great guy that Hillsborough will miss."