The Union County Baseball Association will induct three new members into the Union County Baseball Hall of Fame at the organization’s 81st annual Hot Stove awards dinner on Sunday, February 12, beginning at 1:00 p.m., at The Gran Centurions in Clark.
The three new Hall of Famers are Mark Teutsch of Elizabeth, who pitched for St. Patrick’s High School and later in the Chicago White Sox, San Diego Padres and Texas Rangers organizations; Greg Randazza of Clark, who pitched for Roselle Catholic High School, Elizabeth High School and Seton Hall University; and Ed Grzybowski of Linden, who won back-to-back state finals on the mound for Linden and later played for Kean University.
The Guest Speaker for the Hot Stove awards dinner will be Al Santorini, a graduate of Union High School, who pitched in six Major League seasons for the Atlanta Braves, the San Diego Padres, and the St. Louis Cardinals.
Ed Grzybowski is a product of the Linden PAL and Linden Recreation baseball programs. He became a star player for Linden High School in 1981, when he was the center fielder and number three pitcher for the Tigers. The team finished with a 21-8 record and won the Group III State Title. Ed finished his junior season with a .338 batting average and 17 steals in 21 attempts. His 4-2 pitching record with a 2.03 ERA included a win in the state final with three innings of scoreless relief.
Ed’s senior year was even better. After an opening day loss, he won 10 straight games to finish the season with a 10-1 record, a 2.26 ERA, and 93 strikeouts in 77 innings. Ed batted .321 that season, drove in 25 runs and stole 19 bases in 21 attempts as the Tigers won the Watchung Conference, the Union County Tournament and another Group III State Title. Ed threw a two-hit complete game victory in the state final, making him one of the few pitchers in state history to win back-to-back state finals on the mound.
After high school, Ed played one year at Seton Hall University and three seasons at Kean. He was a three-year starter until an arm injury forced him to play the outfield on a regular basis. In 1987, Ed was named to the NJAC All-Star Team as a pitcher/outfielder and played in Yankee Stadium against the New York All-Stars, hitting a ground rule double in the game. He later played in the Essex County League from 1988 to 1992 with the Union Rams. He threw two no-hitters with the Rams in 1989. Ed currently lives in Colonia with his wife Terri and two children.
Greg Randazza grew up in Elizabeth and played in the Elmora Little League. He attended Roselle Catholic High School for two years and played varsity baseball as a sophomore. Greg transferred to Elizabeth High School where he became a two-year starter for Coach Ray Korn. In junior year, he played third base and batted .375 for the 1986 Group 4 state champions.
In his senior year at Elizabeth, Greg made his name as one of the top players in New Jersey. He became a pitcher and compiled an 8-2 record with a 2.01 ERA, including a no-hitter against perennial power Union and a victory in the North Jersey Sectional Final. He also batted .437 that season and was named First Team All-Union County, All-Metro, and All-Conference.
After high school, Greg was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 1987, but accepted a full scholarship to Auburn University. He was a relief pitcher in his freshman year, then transferred to Seton Hall University, where he was number two in the Pirates rotation before injuring his arm and ending his playing career. Greg remains active with the Clark Little League and currently is president of the Clark Softball League.
Mark Teutsch is a 1974 graduate of St. Patrick’s High School in Elizabeth. He played baseball there from under the leadership of Coach John Sampson. St. Patrick’s won the Union County Tournament in 1974, when Mark had a 5-1 pitching record and batted .388 with two home runs. He was third in the county with 29 runs batted in.
After high school, Mark played for the Roselle American Legion team under the guidance of Coach Bob Catullo. Mark also played in the Union County League, the Twilight League, and with Woodbridge Recreation, the Westfield Merchants, and with the Elizabeth Colonials under Coach Lenny Green.
In 1978, Mark was signed as a pitcher by Minnie Minoso from the New Jersey Cubans Association for the Chicago White Sox. Mark pitched in the White Sox organization (1978-82) and then in the San Diego Padres and Texas Rangers organizations (1983-84) before he sustained a foot injury and retired with a minor league record of 28-24 with 42 saves. Mark continues his involvement in baseball as a volunteer for the Elmora Youth Baseball League. He was inducted into the St. Patrick’s Hall of Fame in 2001, and was Assistant Varsity Coach at St. Patrick’s from 2006-11. Mark resides in Elizabeth and works with the Elizabeth Recreation Department.
Sydney McLaughlin of Union Catholic High School in Scotch Plains, the youngest track and field Olympian in 44 years, also will be honored by the UCBA. Ms. McLaughlin is a senior at Union Catholic and she is one of the greatest high school track and field athletes in U.S. history. Before she competed at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro last summer, she broke the national indoor record in the 400 hurdles and was named the 2016 Gatorade National Female High School Athlete of the Year.
The UCBA will present Sydney McLaughlin with its Joseph Lombardi Memorial Award for the Outstanding Female Athlete of Union County, an award the UCBA offers each year to the most deserving female scholastic athlete from a Union County high school.
Other scholastic athletes also will be honored at the afternoon ceremonies on Feb. 12, including:
Taylor McLaughlin, brother of Sydney, a graduate of Union Catholic High School and a two-time All American in track at the University of Michigan, will receive the Chris Zusi Award for the Outstanding Male Athlete of Union County.
Gianna Randazza of Arthur L. Johnson High School in Clark will receive the Banyasz Brothers Award for the Most Valuable Scholastic Softball Player.
Chris Rinaldi of Westfield High School will receive the Edward Cooper Award for the Most Valuable Scholastic Baseball Player in Union County.
Tickets for the 81st annual Hot Stove League awards dinner may be purchased online at www.UCBA-NJ.org or by writing to the Union County Baseball Association, PO Box 176, Fanwood, New Jersey 07023.
Sponsored by the Union County Baseball Association, in cooperation with the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Recreation, the Hot Stove League awards dinner is the primary annual fund-raising effort for the Union County Youth Baseball Leagues. The summer and fall leagues have given more than 40,000 boys and girls an opportunity to participate in an organized baseball program for the past 69 years.
For more information call Jim Iozzi, UCBA president, at 908-917-2523.