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Jim Zerilla

Baseball ∙ Ambridge

Jim Zerilla was involved in all phases of baseball for over 30 years and attained great success at all levels – player, coach, manager, scout, and instructor. His first taste of success was in 1961 when he was a pitcher and first baseman for the Ambridge American Legion team that won the Pennsylvania state championship (a team that was coached by his father, Joe Zerilla). Jim attended Staunton Military Academy in Virginia, where he played basketball and baseball. He received a baseball scholarship to Parsons College, where he pitched and played first base and the outfield. He capped his collegiate career with an 8-0 pitching record and was then signed by the New York Mets organization. After playing in the Mets farm chain for two years, Jim returned to Parsons as an assistant coach from 1968 to 1972 and was selected as manager at the University of Louisville. During his seven year tenure at Louisville, he compiled a record of 179-149 and was named Coach of the Year in Kentucky in 1979. Later that same year, Jim accepted a position as scout and manager for the San Diego Padres. He also served as a pitching instructor with the Padres and worked with such well known players as Tony Gwynn and Kevin Reynolds when they were minor leaguers. He left the Padres organization in 1983 and worked as a scout for the Chicago Cubs for three years. In 1985 Jim began working for the Doyle Baseball School in Florida.