By Melissa Yerkov
Times Sports Editor
It must be in the genes, because the entire Seidman family loves life on the baseball diamond.
Eric Seidman, now a sophomore at Penn State University, was a master on the mound during his days at Washington High School. The Northeast Philly native was a team captain his senior year with the Eagles, leading them to the Public League semifinals. The Eagles fell to Frankford but finished their season with a 10-4 record.
Now, a few years after Eric’s success, it’s his brother Corey’s time to shine. And the senior pitcher does it with ease.
The varsity player originally was a first baseman for the Eagles. Although he’s been pitching for the past decade of his baseball life, it wasn’t until last year that he walked onto the mound in a Washington uniform.
"Corey is one of our leaders," said coach Max Bilkins. "He’s the most experienced pitcher we have, and the only senior pitcher.
"He is definitely one of our keys to success," he added. "We expect a lot from him. He leads on and off the field; whether playing or cheering on his teammates, he is a great leader."
With six seniors on the squad — four start at their positions — leadership is not a problem for the Eagles. And even with a young team, Washington currently holds a 7-3 record.
"We’re a younger team, but we are really unified," said Bilkins. "They have fun at the games whether we are winning or losing. They’re a tight-knit group and they work well together."
Being one of the older and more experienced players on the team has given Corey an opportunity to teach his younger teammates.
"This year is a different world than last year," he said. "You don’t realize how different it is being a senior until you experience it. You have to be able to pick the team up when they’re down. But I like it."
His ability to teach seems to come naturally — or maybe he’s just following his older brother’s lead.
"Eric has always been a great role model for me," said Corey. "He was also a pitcher and first baseman, so he taught me a lot."
These days, Eric is a film student at Penn State’s main campus. He has written eight movies, four of which he also directed. Although the Seidman brothers don’t see each other very often during the school year, they will be reunited this summer.
"Eric is shooting a movie up at Penn State, and I’m actually in the movie," said Corey. "The movie is about eight kids who just graduated from high school. The plot surrounds their lives up until that point."
Although Eric has made the jump from baseball spikes to movie cameras, the two brothers still share a genuine love for the game.
"Sports are my first love, and baseball is my biggest passion," said Corey. "It is such a big part of my life. I practice every day. We do drills at our team practices, and I also practice on my own. I spend most of my time on a baseball field."
As for his own future, Corey will attend Penn State Abington in the fall. He plans to study sports journalism.
"My dad has been involved with sports his entire life, and that’s been a huge inspiration for me," said Corey, whose father has been an award-winning producer of televised sporting events and currently works for CN8.
His father will help Corey gain insight to sports coverage.
"I’m really excited to work with him this summer and learn more about it," said Corey. "And I’m looking forward to Penn State. After about a year or so, I’m hoping to transfer from the Abington campus to main.
"I’m not sure yet if I’m going to play baseball or just concentrate on school for a while," he added. "I have some time to decide. But for now, I’m just enjoying my time with Washington and working hard to get to the playoffs." ••
Sports editor Melissa Yerkov can be reached at 215-354-3035 or myerkov@phillynews.com