Warren’s “Mr. Tennis,” Del Daigneault won his first titles while in the U.S. Navy, capturing the Fort Pierce, Florida base championship in 1945 and the Lido Beach, New York base crown the following year.

Returning to Warren, he began a lifelong career as a tennis instructor, working at various times for Warren Community Services, the Kenbrin Swim and Tennis Club, and the Seekonk Swim and Tennis Club.  Among his Warren students were charter Hall of Fame member Mary Wisnieski, Mary Lou Drainville, Sharon Hamel, Alberta Morrissette, Jane Nolan, and Steve Oliveira.

Del captured ten Warren men’s singles championships between 1955 and 1979 and, in addition, was a member of the winning men’s doubles champions on four separate occasions.  And to put the icing on the cake, he and his partner Linda Faxon (mother of PGA star Brad Faxon) won the town’s mixed doubles title in 1956, 1972, 1974, and 1979.

In a number of years during the 1960s and 1970s, especially at the outset of the Warren Summer Festival, he served as the chairman of the Town of Warren tennis tournament.

Not satisfied with his lifelong stint in the field of tennis, Del coached CYO basketball in the 1950s and was recognized for these efforts by being named the East Bay CYO Man of the Year.

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