MEADVILLE – This season, veteran baseball coach Ed Zumbro, Jr.,had the opportunity to take over a successful program. He had lotsof success in earlier years with the Franklin County Bulldogs.

With the retirement of head coach Johnny Monroe in 2001, Zumbrowas the obvious choice, being the assistant coach for the fiveprevious years.

Zumbro served as head coach of the Bulldogs in the 70’s,collecting a state championship along the way in 1973. He was votedClass A Coach of the Year in 1974.

Under Zumbro’s seasoned leadership, Franklin County recorded a24-10 record and captured the Division 7-3A championship.

For his accomplishments, Zumbro has been named The DailyLeader’s 2002 Area Baseball Coach of the Year.

“I am honored,” said Zumbro about being named coach of the year.”You’ve got great coaches in this district.”

Zumbro said Franklin County has a rich baseball tradition. “Itis kind of easy to coach baseball here in Franklin County. We havegood parents and it makes a difference,” said Zumbro.

Coaching high school baseball is nothing new to Zumbro. Severalyears ago, members of the 1973 state championship team purchased ahuge sign that stands at the entrance to the baseball field. Itrecognizes the 1973 Bulldog State Championship team, including thenames of the coaches and the players.

Zumbro said he appreciated it and complimented the ’73 squad asbeing very special. “They were the most athletic, hustling baseballteam you could want,” smiled Zumbro.

Zumbro was born and raised in Franklin County. He is a graduateof Bude High School. Zumbro was a pitcher for the Bulldogs.

Following high school, Zumbro attended and graduated from Co-Linand Mississippi State University. His degree from MSU was inmathematics.

Zumbro taught mathematics for three years at West Lincoln, then11 years at Franklin County where he coached the baseball team.

“There are nice people at West Lincoln and Franklin County,”said Zumbro.

Zumbro got out of coaching in 1978 and spent the next severalyears working off shore as a production supervisor for AtlanticRockfield.

“My sons (Lee and Cody) started playing high school baseball,”explained Zumbro. “I retired from off-shore work and came back toFranklin.”

The Bulldogs had no lack of experience on the 2002 baseballteam. He had 12 seniors on his team that won district but lost inthe first round of the state playoffs to South State runner-upGreene County.

When asked about the highlights of the 2002 season, Zumbromentioned two series that he felt helped lift his Bulldogs to ahigher level.

“One highlight was beating North Pike and their pitcher (juniorace Dusty Davis) twice and beating Forest twice up there,”explained Zumbro. “It (wins) gave us a lot of confidence.”

He and his wife, the former Shirley Laird, have been married 35years and have two children, Lee and Cody. She is originally fromMcCall Creek.

Zumbro also coached his nephew Cole who will be a sophomorepitcher at Copiah-Lincoln Community College this fall.

Lee is an intensive care unit nurse at University MedicalCenter. Cody is an assistant baseball coach at Clinton.

When time allows, Zumbro says he likes to hunt and fish. Thissummer, he is helping his wife in her garden. He also is working onimproving “The Swamp” grounds at Franklin County.

“We’re going to have a new fence and a building over ourpitching and batting cages,” said Zumbro. “It’s going to be one ofthe nicest high school facilities around.”