1974 Boy’s Varsity Baseball Team

In the chronicles of Patchogue-Medford athletics, the 1974 Varsity Baseball team stands out as a squad that set the gold standard for all that followed. Led by a legendary coach and anchored by professional-caliber talent, this group of athletes commanded the attention of the entire community—not to mention MLB scouts—becoming just the second Pat-Med team ever to win the Suffolk County Baseball championship, and the first since 1954.

At the heart of the team’s dominance was Al Willett who at 6’6” towered over opponents in every way—from the pitcher’s mound and also wielding a powerfully potent bat at the plate. Willett was a force of nature; in the winter he was also an All-County basketball star. Over the course of compiling a 10-1 pitching record in 1974, he averaged more than 10 strikeouts per 7-inning game, and in one single outing demonstrated his mastery by pitching all 11 innings and striking out 22 Brentwood batters in a breathtaking 1-0 Pat-Med victory. While Willett grabbed the headlines (he was ultimately drafted by the Baltimore Orioles), the ’74 champions were very much a complete team, featuring a murderers’ row of talent including Ron Leach, John Bennett, Mike Ambrosio, John Wall, Ernie Geraci, Bill Klepp, Ken Marlborough and Ted Ruggiero.

Guiding this powerhouse was the godfather of Pat-Med baseball, Coach George Ulrich—himself a 2019 Pat-Med Hall of Fame inductee. Ulrich, who ran the program for 34 years, proclaimed the 1974 season his masterpiece. Known for his tough love approach, Ulrich’s tactical brilliance earned him Suffolk County Coach of the Year honors. With 352 career victories, he remains the winningest coach in program history, but his true legacy lies in the ’74 banner. That Raider team set a benchmark for excellence that still resonates today, reminding every current Raider that with talent, coaching and unity, greatness is within reach.