Among some other traits, Ed Filipovits will always remember the selflessness and preparedness of Mike Oriel Sr.

“If he told us to be there by 10, he was there by eight,” recalled Filipovits about his former friend and colleague. “He also would have all the work done already that we were supposed to do.

“He was just that type of guy.”

Oriel, 73, who coached Northwest Bethlehem Connie Mack and Little League to a titles over his 30-year span as a coach, and also served as Lehigh Valley Connie Mack (LVCM) president for 20 years, passed away Feb. 13 after he lost a battle to cancer.

He is survived by his wife, Deborah, and daughter, Keri, and son, Michael Oriel II.

Oriel was a tireless worker and leader for both the Little League and Connie Mack in which he made his mark. Oriel was inducted into the Lehigh Valley Hall of Fame in 2011.

His father, Michael M. Oriel, coached youth sports and also track and football at Montclair State University.

“He coached us ever since we were little,” said his son. “He coached us all the way through. My father loved sports and his father was the same way.

“He would do whatever he could to help kids in any way.”

Both Filipovits and the younger Oriel recounted how Oriel would meet with every team in Connie Mack before the season and told each player to call him if they ever got in trouble. He would give them each a card with his information on it.

“The kids would call him, ‘Mr. Connie Mack,’” said Filipovits. “One kid called him one time when he was in some kind of trouble, and Mike picked him up. From there, any time a kid was stuck for a ride or in trouble, Mike would get him and take him home.”

During his time with Connie Mack, Oriel doubled the amount of teams from 13 to 26 and also worked to establish funds for a league scholarship and for Dream Come True.

“We did a lot together,” said Filipovits, who is currently LVCM treasurer and PA Connie Mack president. “He always was adamant to have a 50/50 for Dream Come True at games.

“He would show up at my house all the time and always brought my wife a six-pack of root beer and had dog biscuits in his pocket. He worked nonstop to do the best for the league, the teams, and the kids.

“He was in Nam (Vietnam veteran) and he told me that he smoked for 60 years. I remember when he laughed and told me that it (cigarettes) didn’t get him in the end.”

Filipovits noted how Oriel literally worked until his final days and he was named honorary tournament director his last year. The league will rename their annual all-star game, the Michael P. Oriel All-Star Game, in his honor.

“The last time I spoke with him his doctor told him to get his affairs in order,” said Filipovits. “He knew then that it was a matter of time. But he just kept going. He had a lot of stuff about the league and its history.

“It has been a very sad time for me because he was a great leader and a great friend.”

“I remember him turning hot dogs at the tournament last year,” added the younger Oriel. “From the time he got up until the time he went to bed, he was working on stuff for the league. He was still doing whatever he could.

“He was a great coach and father to my sister and me. Growing up, I considered myself one of the luckiest kids in the world.”