2025 MSBL/MABL Player Profile: Ed Costantini, Tri-State MSBL
By Steve LaMontia-Carlentini, MSBL Director of Communications
Ed Costantini started playing in the Tri-State MSBL, formerly the John A. DeBenedictis Baseball League, based primarily in the Pennsylvania region, 20 years ago. Now standing tall at the age of 70, League President Pat Fynes recommended we speak with Ed about his contributions to the league over the past couple of decades. Below is part of Pat’s note to us:
“Ed has been instrumental in making the Father/Son Tournament happen for our league every year. He is a financial contributor to local organizations for youth baseball programs, and also assists with managing two teams in our league, the 65 and 70 Cutters.
He plays and manages both teams while playing three or four times weekly. A special highlight of his career is playing in Florida tournaments for the past 15 years.
His league contributions include helping the league as a team liaison with local officials in acquiring the premier indoor and outdoor baseball facilities for our league. Ed also acts as a mediator when personnel issues arise with our league.
Ed is, most importantly, the foremost authority on baseball uniform cleaning! Just ask him!”
We caught up with this former hockey goalie recently to probe a little deeper into his involvement. Let’s dig in!
A hockey goalie? “I played Little League and then Babe Ruth and went out for the high school team and got cut. I got disenchanted with the sport. In 1971 I learned how to play hockey and taught myself how to skate. I ended up playing goalie for the high school team!
I wound up playing goalie all through college, and then played men’s leagues after college. At 50 years old, a friend took me to a Phillies fantasy camp, which made me want to train and get back into the game. The Fantasy Camp went very well, so when I got back, I was convinced to play in the league. I was 50 years old and played in the 48+ division. I simply fell in love with the game again.”
You mentioned your Little League days and your passion for helping the kids. What made you want to become a Little League coach? “I have seen plenty of ‘over the top’ parents, so I wanted to nip that in the bud. At our first practice with the 10-year-olds, the parents were required to come.
I told the dads to go stand next to their kids on the field, take their gloves, and then sent the kids off the field. We took some infield and other drills, and the parents were brutal! I sent the kids back on the field, and everyone suddenly understood just how tough it is and to cut the players some slack. The dads were great all year because they now truly understood. It was a great lesson.”
What do you contribute to the league in assisting Pat? “Pat took over from John DeBenedictis when he passed away and was pretty busy keeping things fluid. People continued to complain about a number of issues and made things occasionally miserable, so I volunteered to be the point guard with that so that Pat could concentrate on the big stuff.
Pat is a great administrator, but he realized he needed help. Pat is a very special person.”
Are you an officer in the league? I don’t really have a title. Since I am 6’5”, they just call me Big Ed.”
Do you make it to any national tournaments? “I have been to Arizona with Noah Clark and the Rhode Island Salty Dogs, but we bought a home in Florida, so it’s easier to play in tournaments and leagues down there when the snow is flying in Pennsylvania.”
How and when did the league’s Father/Son tournament begin? “I didn’t have much to do with starting it, but I was asked to participate. We hold it over Labor Day weekend. I’ve been playing and helping for the past ten years or so. I help Pat secure the fields, make sure they are ready, and attempt to utilize our local contacts to help secure really nice fields. We want to make it easy for everyone to be able to play.”
Pat said you were a financial contributor to youth baseball programs. Is that in conjunction with the league or personally? “We’re blessed to have an indoor facility at our disposal, which comes in handy during the winter. We are able to go into the facility every Tuesday to hit and work out. We also coordinate with the Little League and make contributions to them for allowing us to play there.
Our 65 and 70 divisions also work out and play league games on a turf field. Everyone kicks in for the use of the field. We recently submitted $4,000 to help with a new portable mound.”
Pat also said you are the guy who is an expert at cleaning uniforms. What’s your secret? “When I went to Fantasy camp, Milt Thompson came in and said how important it is to look good. He proceeded to show me how to clean my uniforms with Fels-Naptha and scrub them out before washing, and never dry your uniform in a dryer! Hang it up. I ended up doing all of the laundry! I continue this regimen to this day.”
I understand you became an international star by simply shopping for a bat. What’s the story? “I order my bats from Victus, which has a store about 20 minutes from my house. Rather than order bats over the internet, I just go shopping. My buddy Jack Bradly drove over with me on this particular day. This was when the Torpedo bat was making all the news.
A TV reporter and camera crew just happened to be there to cover the new style craze. The reporter asked us about the Torpedo bat while the Victus CEO and other officials were there. The CEO asked if I had ever swung one.
After a few swings, I told him that it felt like my regular bat. “Exactly. That’s what we want,” the CEO said.
So, Jack and I went into the cage to try it. I came out still unconvinced, but I wanted to see where the marks were. 80% were on the expanded sweet spot! So, we bought some for my kids and each other. The whole thing was being filmed, so we ended up on the evening news.
The big news came on Saturday morning when I got a call from an unrecognized number. It was CNN in Japan! They saw the story and came to New York to the Victus store and interviewed us for an hour and a half! It was pretty special.”