James D. “Jim” Mitchell Sr., former Mayor of the City of Chelsea, newspaper publisher, and one of the greatest athletes in Chelsea High School history, died on June 30, 2023, after a brief illness. He was 86.
Mr. Mitchell began his legendary political career as the Ward 5 alderman on the Chelsea Board of Aldermen, winning his first election in a recount over popular incumbent, Sal LaRosa. He went on to serve six terms as an alderman-at-large and was elected to a two-year term as Mayor in 1983.
“Jim Mitchell was a great Chelsea athlete and a vigorous campaigner for elected office,” recalled City Council President Leo Robinson, who served with Mitchell on the Board of Aldermen. “Jim Mitchell had strong beliefs about what was best for Chelsea and was unafraid to state his opinions. I enjoyed serving with him on the board and during his time as Mayor. Even though we did have our battles, he was a friend.”
Mr. Mitchell gained much acclaim for his historic career as an athlete at Chelsea High School. According to Frank DePatto, his high school teammate, “Jim Mitchell was a tremendous athlete in three sports. I truly believe Jim Mitchell ranks as one of the top five athletes who ever played at Chelsea High. He led the GBL in scoring in basketball, in batting average in baseball, and was a great safety and end on the football team.”
With Jim Mitchell taking the field alongside such stalwarts as running back Anthony “Chubby” Tiro and super center Robert “Duke” Bradley, Chelsea High football teams had fierce battles with archrival Everett High in the traditional Thanksgiving games which annually packed the Chelsea and Everett football stadiums. Jim Mitchell received the Thanksgiving “game ball” in his final appearance for the Red Devils in the 1954 season. “He must’ve made 14-15 tackles against Everett that day,” related DePatto.
College programs took notice of the scrappy Chelsea High team and both Jim Mitchell and Chubby Tiro received full scholarships to play Division I college football at Kansas State University.
Jim Mitchell’s stellar contributions on the Chelsea sports scene continued upon his return to the city after college. He was a hard-nosed catcher for the YMCA softball team in the Chelsea Municipal Fast Pitch Softball League. A right-handed power hitter, Mitchell was the back stopper for left-handed pitcher and spin-ball artist Arnold Goodman, and those YMCA teams were perennial contenders for league championships.
Jim Mitchell became a leader of the Chelsea youth basketball program at the old high school gymnasium, giving youngsters the opportunity to to advance their skills in a well-organized league. Mitchell also gave the league and its many players weekly recognition with his stories and photos in the Chelsea Record where he worked as the director of the advertising department.
His son, Jim Mitchell Jr., remembers the exciting city-wide campaigns
Jim Mitchell Jr. remembers standing alongside his prominent father, Jim Mitchell Sr., and helping him during his Chelsea campaigns in the 1970s.
“As a little kid, I used to stand with my dad at the Everett Avenue on-ramp holding ‘Jim Mitchell for Alderman-at-Large’ signs in July,” said Jim Jr. “Dad was always a very aggressive campaigner for office. That’s how he did it. I knew every front door in the City of Chelsea. Dad and I would drive around, and I would put fliers in the mailbox. It was a great childhood.”
Jim Mitchell Jr. said he also remembers the sometimes-raucous Board of Alderman meetings at City Hall when Chelsea was a hotbed of politics and some of the Monday night sessions in the Aldermanic Chambers were political donnybrooks.
After a hard-fought campaign for mayor, Jim Mitchell Sr. emerged as the victor and served two years. During his first year in office, some residents mounted a recall effort, believing that Mr. Mitchell wasn’t devoting enough time to his responsibilities in the corner office. Mr. Mitchell was able to fend off the recall efforts and complete his term as mayor.
Following his years in politics, Mr. Mitchell returned to the newspaper business and founded Suffolk County Publications which published the Chelsea Advocate. Jim Mitchell Jr., who had been working in advertising in radio, began helping in the family’s newspaper company. The family decided to close the Chelsea Advocate before Jim Mitchell Jr. became head of the company and launched the Revere Advocate, Everett Advocate, Malden Advocate, and Saugus Advocate newspapers.
“I always considered my dad the co-founder because he was always there with me,” said Jim Mitchell. “My father loved taking pictures of the sports teams and he supported all the high school athletes. All the coaches admired him. His favorite thing was to print photographs of the athletes and give them to their parents free of charge.”
Proud of his Family
Jim Mitchell Sr. leaves his wife, Ethelyn (Mahoney) Mitchell, with whom he shared 66 years of marriage, four children, Marianne Hanson, Jeffrey Mitchell, Jim Mitchell Jr., and Todd Mitchell, six grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
“My parents met at a YMHA dance,” related Jim Jr. “They started dating and the rest is history. They went out together to Kansas State where he had gotten a full scholarship. My father was injured playing football. My parents came home, and he started working for the Chelsea Record.”
Jim Mitchell Jr. said his father took great pride in his family’s many achievements.
“My dad was very proud of his grandchildren, loved them immensely, and did everything he could for his children and his grandchildren, that’s for sure,” said Jim Mitchell Jr. A memorial service was held Wednesday at Carafa Family Funeral Home, Chelsea