Harlem honors every state championship baseball team in school history

AUGUSTA, GA (WJBF) – The Harlem High School baseball program honored eight state championship teams with plaques commemorating their piece of Bulldogs history.

The 1974, 1978, 1979, 1981, 198, 1983, 1986, and 2023 baseball teams were all recognized, with head coach Jimmie Lewis speaking to the crowd about each team, almost all of which he coached. Friends and family got to honor their beloved Harlem athletes, something Jimmie Lewis says is long overdue.

“This is a dream come true,” says Coach Lewis, ” long overdue, we should have had those plaques up long before now, but we got everybody here. To see all the guys…. haven’t seen some of them in 40 something years, it’s just a great reunion to see them all.”

Harlem mayor Roxanne Whitaker was also recognized as the Bulldogs’ scorekeeper for many years. She has a long history with the town, and she says getting to be a part of something like this is what makes Harlem special. “It’s good to catch up with old classmates and old teammates,” says Mayor Whitaker, “it’s just an overwhelming feeling to see the successes of all the Harlem players and we’re just so proud of them.”

As for her relationship with Coach Lewis, she says means so much to the program that he can’t ever leave. “I hear him say all the time that he might retire but then he comes back and says no he’ll die on third base,” says Mayor Whitaker, “that’s our plan, for him to die on third base and we’ll just dig it up and put him at third base.”

A big congrats to all eight Harlem baseball state championship teams!

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