Wall of Fame Class of 2023
Emmett Thomas served as coach of the MMl
Boys Baseball Team from 2000 until 2015,
leading them to a district title in 2014. His
tough, but caring personality helped mold his
players into successful human beings while still
encouraging them to have fun and enjoy playing
the “kids’ game” while they had the chance.
To encourage his players and instill a positive mindset, he would tell
them, “Everyone you know can enjoy winning, but you have to learn to
hate losing.”
He is also famous among his friends and former players for his
”Emmett-isms,” such as “Ducks on the Pond” (men on base), and “Be the
pig, not the chicken.”
He also gave good medical advice, encouraging his players to keep
mustard packets in their bags to prevent cramping. Emmett’s most notable
contribution to the MMI Baseball Program may be ending the tradition of
dunking freshman players into Lake Jake, a swampy pond behind the
Drifton Baseball Field (just kidding!).
Emmett’s outgoing personality has made him a popular figure in the MMI
community and Freeland Borough. As a member of the Freeland Sons of
Erin, he has made countless contributions to the community — even being
named Irishman of the Year. If you’ve ever been to a community function
associated with MMI or Freeland Borough, chances are you already know
who Emmett is. In his spare time during the winter months, Emmett also
served as a scorekeeper for the MMI Boys Basketball Team.
Both of Emmett and his wife Rosann’s children attended MMI — Brian
Thomas (’06) and Allison (Thomas) Tulanowski (’09). If you ask those
within the MMI community who know him best, it’s likely they would say
that he helped make MMI a better institution during his tenure. The impact
that he has made on many within the MMI community is something that
will stick with those he’s inspired for a lifetime and beyond.
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