Lily the Love Frog and The Deaf American Thomas J Cooney "Mr.Tom"

04/22/2025

To all posting
We appreciate the support. MR Tom passed away July 2019. Since, then Lily the Love Frog has not been active.

07/29/2019

Mr Tom has passed away
7.29.2019 at
2:58 a.m.

01/01/2019

2019 finds The Deaf American at his 5th Outback Bowl. As time progresses for The Deaf American aka Thomas J Cooney memories fade, however the smells and taste of the steak and chicken hot off the barbie as hosted by Outback Steak house brings back quickly the press box memories. Tom was born with being a reporter of sports in his blood. He was on staff for The Silent News in New York City for 37 years and the Silent Jersyite of New Jersey for 24 years each publication dedicated to serving Deaf individuals in an era gone by.

This years seats in the press box migrates us to the 2nd row at the south east end of Raymond James Stadium, a feeling of compassion and humbleness encompasses us. For many of those seated in this wonderful airconditioned football fish bowl ,while temperatures in the midday in Tampa Florida are anticipated in the high 80s are avoiding the damaging suns Ray's This new generation of reporters few may know the seat to my right that remains empty, a seat with a program and name plate of the one responsible for the Outback bowl being apart of the Tampa Community. Tom McEwen. Tenderness is recalled of the two times we met in this very same room , he was an interesting fellow and ti be sitting next to this homage seat gives me goosebumps.

The National Anthem begins and with chicken and steak in our breath and barbie sauce whipped from out hands we anxiously await the Sign Language Interpreter or Deaf Signer aka Singer, non appear. We stand and the anthem begins, I begin signing to The Deaf American, he quickly and proudly jumps in with his 40 plus years experiance of SINGING this song he is no stranger to the words even with his now failing memory. But. The cadance is slow and he needs to be reminded and guided the singer a young lady is approx 100 yards in a gentle slope to the 50 years line from press box heaven so reading her lips is, yes, impossible, even for The Deaf American , who can keep up with saxaphone , blind pianists and even a Spanish speaking national anthem singer.
More to come time to watch the game
Iowa State vs Mississippi State

04/01/2018

2o years later 20 years older

03/31/2018

He signed at the Rays' first ever game. He's doing it again exactly 20 years later

http://www.wtsp.com/mobile/article/news/local/he-signed-at-the-rays-first-ever-game-hes-doing-it-again-exactly-20-years-later/67-533538211

(Via 10 News)

Oh, and he also has a baseball signed by 11 U.S. presidents - including every living one except for Obama and Trump.

04/03/2017

http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2017/4/2/deaf_clearwater_man_.html

03/23/2017

https://www.nfl.info/nflmedia/news/2000news/backstreet_boys_to_sing_national.htm

Contact: Brian McCarthy/Steve Alic, National Football League, (212) 450-2000 Steve Brener/Nicole Jacobs, Brener Zwikel & Associates, Inc., (818) 344-6195

03/18/2017

CLEARWATER – It was back in 1951, Tom Cooney was 15 years old at the time, watching a baseball game on television with his older brother, Patrick, and President Dwight D. Eisenhower threw out the ceremonial first pitch at an opening day game.

03/06/2017

Thank you to all those who keep this page alive .

11/20/2015

Many many years of volunteering at Great American Teach in with Ms. BRENDA Dannewitz coming to an end, she retires this year , Mr. TOM will be a free agent next year! With Brenda he has reached thousands of middle schoolers. Maybe some will post their experiance here!
All the best To Brenda! We love you!

09/09/2013

Mr Tom has started his classes at Chosen Homeschool imagine his students surprise when they saw their sign language teacher!