PROSPERITY — Prosperity native, Mid-Carolina High School alumnus and Chicago Cubs World Series Champion CJ Edwards had a homecoming fit for a champion as family, friends, coaches and fans came out on a rainy night to celebrate and welcome home the World Series Champion.
“CJ, on behalf of Mid-Carolina High School, we are so proud of your accomplishments and hope that you continue to serve as a role model for the youth in our community. Keep working hard, stay focused and always know that your family at Mid-Carolina is here to support you any time you need,” Mid-Carolina High School Principal Ray Cooper said with opening statements.
David List, Edwards’ pitching coach, recalled the first time he ever saw CJ throw.
“I look over and I saw a kid that looked like he might be around 140 pounds wet and I’m sitting there watching him throw. For a baseball scout, I knew that there was something there. I didn’t know he was going to be a World Series Champion one day, but I knew that he was interesting,” List said.
From that moment on, List began bringing Edwards along to different tournaments, giving him more exposure as a pitcher. But little did List know it would all pay off in the future.
“I remember the night that CJ took the mound in the 10th inning. All I kept thinking was if I prepared him for this moment,” he said.
“Unfortunately, a lot of times guys on teams will be segregated. White guys will be here and black guys will be here, and it’s sad. But not with this guy,” said Lee Long, Edwards’ agent.
Mid-Carolina Athletic Director Louie Alexander offered his thoughts on what he did to make Edwards the successful player that he is today. Alexander’s response: “Absolutely nothing.”
Alexander said he couldn’t possibly teach CJ anything that his father or uncles hadn’t already taught him.
“Coaches would come up to me and ask if CJ was pitching. I would just nod my head and grin. I did absolutely nothing. CJ’s mother and father, teachers and coaches already instilled in him the qualities of being a good leader and teammate,” Alexander said. “2016 has been a whirlwind, with so much wrong in the world. But this baseball season, CJ Edwards and the Chicago Cubs gave all of us here and in Newberry County something to believe in and something to cheer about.”
For Alexander, it was impossible to go anywhere without someone asking if CJ threw that night or how he played. Everyone was talking about Edwards.
“I asked people I ran into ‘Do you know CJ Edwards, pitcher for the Chicago Cubs?’ He’s from our school, our town and he’s my cousin,” Alexander said, receiving laughs from the audience who braved the rain to attend the ceremony.
Charles Sims, representative for Prosperity Dixie Youth, presented Edwards with an award in recognition of the 2016 World Series Championship and appreciation to the Mid-Carolina Dixie Youth Baseball Recreational Team of Prosperity.
Stuart Lake, head baseball coach for Charleston Southern University and Mid-Carolina alumnus, also spoke on Edwards, who would have played for CSU had Edwards not been drafted.
“I knew that if he was an Edwards he was good. I didn’t need a radar gun for him,” Lake said.
Austin Alexander, owner of TheDiamondProspects.com, referred to Edwards as tall and lean. He reflected on seeing CJ pitch and knowing there was something special about him. He also recalled a text between the two where Alexander said that one day CJ would be pitching in the World Series.
“CJ was drafted in the 48th round, which basically means people didn’t think he would make it right away. There aren’t 48 rounds anymore,” Alexander said.
Alexander also told the story of when CJ was able to get tickets for Alexander and his wife to attend a World Series game.
“CJ said, ‘Let me see what I can do about that.’ And for those who don’t know, ticket prices were unbelievable. I thought that we would just have to watch the game somewhere else. Just to get into a restaurant or bar one mile from the stadium, you were looking at $1,000 to watch the game on television,” Alexander said.
Later that day, Edwards’ agent Lee Long sent Alexander a text saying that CJ was able to come through and get another ticket for Alexander and his wife to attend the game.
“That was a big deal for me and for my wife and in the midst of the one of the biggest moments of his life, he remembered to try to get us tickets, something that wasn’t easy to do,” Alexander said. “That’s not something that most folks would have done.”
Edwards’ Sports Performance Coach Josh Ortegon said he knew from the very beginning that Edwards wanted to put in the time and work to be successful.
“A lot of times, professional athletes will come in and they don’t show up on time or eat like they should. From the start, CJ was on time. He wanted it. You could feel it. He was hungry for it,” Ortegon said.
Ortegon told a story of how during an important meeting he received a text saying CJ got a ticket for him to attend a World Series game. Despite the importance of this meeting, Ortegon booked a flight and watched CJ pitch in the game.
“I know that the next CJ is out there and I look forward to seeing who will follow in his footsteps,” he said.
Mayor Derek Underwood presented CJ with a key to the city. Underwood spoke on the traits that he felt CJ possessed, which included family, humility and generosity.
“One of the things I ask folks when they are in a position of generosity is ‘Are my actions of generosity having a positive impact on the community?’ If that answer is always yes, then you’re doing good,” Underwood said.
Mid-Carolina High School Principal Ray Cooper presented Edwards with the baseball jersey from his senior year, which will be retired at the end of the 2016 baseball season.
Concluding the ceremony, Edwards did a brief Q & A session, which was followed by a sing-along to the “Go Cubs Go” song that is played after every game that the Cubs win.
During the Q & A, Edwards answered questions ranging from his early memories of playing baseball to what it was like to pitch in the 10th inning of the World Series. Edwards also offered his advice to kids and other athletes in the audience who one day might want to pursue a career in baseball.
“It’s all about how you go about your business. For me, I didn’t tell anybody what I did. I was kind of to myself. It’s all about your work ethic, and the heart you have. It’s about yourself,” Edwards said.
Edwards became emotional during the Q & A when talking about his best friend Will Bedenbaugh, who was killed in a car accident six years ago.
“We grew up pretty much playing ball together. On that day, it was 2:30 a.m. and I get a call saying that Will was in a car accident. I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t breathe. Personally, it killed me. It killed me to where the only thing I could think about was us playing ball. When that happened, everything changed,” Edwards said through tears.
Edwards said he even contemplated not attending Charleston Southern because Will wasn’t going to be there with him.
“I never thought in my life that I would get a call saying that my best friend was in a car accident. I flew the W after the game because of Will. I said I wanted that flag and I ran with it,” he said.
