The idea of Jim Muldowney not being around Edison and Eagles baseball is still something that’s hard to fathom. But on Thursday afternoon, the late, great former baseball coach was honored in another unique way.
Before the Edison baseball team’s home opener against South Plainfield, three men of varying ages stepped out to the pitchers’ mound on the red and gold field to pay tribute to the man known as “Diamond Jim,” who passed away last May.
They included Bill Lehman, who graduated with Muldowney in 1973. They played on the baseball team together, and Lehman – an All-State and All-American selection his senior year – was drafted right out of high school by the Chicago White Sox.
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There was Brian Appelman, who won GMC Tournament championships in 1992 and 1993 playing for Muldowney, and now is the Eagles’ pitching coach under Vinnie Abene.
And there was Bobby Brownlie, who won GMC Tournament titles in 1998 and 1999 before becoming a bonafide star for another legend – Fred Hill at Rutgers – then was drafted by the Cubs. He now works for agent Scott Boras.
“I couldn’t pick between these three guys” to throw out the first pitch, Athletic Director Dave Sandaal told the crowd over the P.A. during a pregame ceremony. “They’ll all tell you they’re the best ever,” he joked.
So, he had all three of them throw their first pitch at the same time, to three different catchers lined up behind home plate.
Afterwards, we got a chance to catch up with all three.
Click below to hear from former Eagles Bill Lehman (’73), Bobby Brownlie (’99), and Brian Appelman (’93) – current Edison pitching coach – after a pregame first pitch ceremony honoring the late Jim Muldowney:
