BY JEFF FALK
PALMYRA – One gets the distinct impression that Tim Morgan thoroughly enjoys what he is doing. So much so that he wants to do even more of it.
On Tuesday night, the Campbelltown American Legion baseball manager disclosed that he had indeed applied for the vacant Palmyra head baseball coaching position. In May, Cougar boss Tim Gingrich stepped down after 19 seasons at the helm of the Palmyra ship.
“Oh yeah, I applied for it,” said Morgan. “Absolutely.”
Several years back, Morgan took over the Campbelltown summer legion baseball program and brought with him some much needed stability to it. Prior to that, Morgan had been Gingrich’s loyal right-hand man at Palmyra High School for years, a position he still retains.
“I’d love to do it,” said Morgan. “I’ll be shocked if I don’t get it. But who knows.”
The deadline for applying for the opening was last week, but apparently that deadline has been extended. After that, interviews are expected to be conducted and a recommendation to the Palmyra school board made.
But because the start of the scholastic spring season is eight months off there really seems to be very little immediacy associated with filling the opening.
“My resume was fantastic,” said Morgan. “But you never know what they’re (the Palmyra administration) thinking.”
Morgan does seem to have some things going for him. He’s a Palmyra Cougar through and through. He’s loyal. He knows the program inside and out. And he’s familiar with the other Cougar coaches and the team’s current players.
But perhaps most of all, Morgan knows baseball and genuinely cares about Palmyra kids.
“I’m not ready to give it up,” said Morgan. “I helped build all of this (the renovated Palmyra High School baseball field) with my hands.”
Gingrich abruptly resigned the head coaching position he had held for most of the past decades in May, following Palmyra’s loss to Northern York in the opening round of the District Three Class AAA playoffs. Later Gingrich would say it was a decision he had reached at the outset of the spring season and one he had been contemplating for years.
“If I don’t get it, I’m going to coach somewhere,” vowed Morgan. “I just like the game. I love it.”
During Gingrich’s era, Palmyra went 225-136 and won three District Three championships. The Cougars claimed the 1999 PIAA Class AA championship.