2012 Inductee Ed Baptista, 1997
Ed Baptista, a 1997 graduate of Bellevue High School, was one of the most decorated football players and three-sport athletes in the modern era of Bellevue Redmen athletics. Ed earned a total of eight varsity letters – three each in football and baseball and two in basketball.
As a junior for the Redmen basketball team, Baptista scored 145 points, had 51 assists and recorded 34 steals as the starting point guard on a team that went 21-3 overall, won the Northern Ohio League title, was Sectional Champs, and District Runner-Up. Eddie followed that up by scoring 142 points as a senior, with 126 assists and 60 steals in leading the team to the NOL title.
As a baseball player, Baptista earned three letters. As a sophomore, he was named First Team All-NOL infielder/pitcher on the NOL championship Redmen team. As a junior during the 1996 season, Baptista was once again First Team All-NOL, Second Team All-District, and Special Mention All-Ohio. He hit .356 that season and as a pitcher was 4-1 with 53 K’s and a 4.13 ERA. The team went 20-6 that season, was NOL Runner-Up, won the Sectional and District, and made the state Sweet 16.
As a senior, Eddie was First Team All-NOL for a third consecutive year, was First Team All-District, and made Honorable Mention All-Ohio. He was named the team’s MVP hitting .373, going 4-1 as a pitcher once again with a 2.22 ERA, and had 41 K’s. The team went 17-5 overall as NOL Runner-Up, Sectional Champs, and District Runner-Up.
Baptista may be best known in calling signals for the Redmen football team for three seasons. His sophomore year in 1994, Eddie threw for 1,317 yards, had 11 passing and four rushing TD’s, was First Team All-NOL and First Team All-District quarterback, and was Special Mention All-Ohio in leading the Redmen to a 9-1 mark and the NOL championship.
During the 1995 season, Eddie threw for 1,003 yards, had six passing and four rushing TD’s, and tossed just four interceptions. He was named Second Team All-NOL quarterback and led the team to an 8-2 overall record.
Finally, in 1996, Eddie threw for 1,551 yards as a co-captain for the Redmen, with 17 passing and 14 rushing TD’s. He was named Most Valuable Back, was Second Team All-NOL quarterback and defensive back, was First Team All-District, and Second Team All-Ohio at quarterback. The team went 11-2 overall as NOL champions and finished in the State Final Four.
Overall for his football career, Baptista was 28-5 overall with 34 passing and 26 rushing TD’s. He was named the Bellevue Gazette Award winner as the most valuable male athlete for the 1996-97 season.
Eddie and his wife, Chasity, and their three daughters, reside in Bellevue. He is employed by Wahl Refractories in Fremont.