Edwin “Poochie” Pickett was born in Lewiston and raised in Augusta. The son of Edwin and Jean Pickett, Ed grew up with his brother Paul and sisters Karen and Angie. Ed now resides in Topsham with his wife Jenny. Ed has four stepchildren, Nikki, Kristin, Johnny and Mallory as well as six step grandchildren. Professionally, Ed works in the Insurance industry managing his own agency.
Ed’s first claim to fame came in 1971 when he and his brother Paul were elected to the Augusta East Little League all star team. That team would go undefeated all the way to the Little League World Series. They lost their first game to the European team from Madrid Spain, but defeated Kentucky in the consolation game 1-0. Although Ed was the only eleven-year-old on the team, he would knock in the winning run for the team from Maine. The structure of the LLWS was quite selective in 1971, only allowing four teams from the United States to play in the World Series as opposed to the eight teams today. This makes this feat even more impressive as they had to compete with the best teams in the Eastern Region.
Ed would attend Cony High School in Augusta where he was named all conference from 1976 to 1978. As a power hitter, Ed would go on to set the Home Run record which lasted over twenty years.
Ed went on to college at the University of Maine at Orono where he played varsity baseball for Coach John Winkin from 1979 to 1982. During that time, Ed would compete in the College World Series in both 1981 & 1982. In 81, Ed made the all NCAA Northeast Regional all tourney team as a catcher with a tournament average of 500. Ed was also named Academic All-American in 1981. In 1982, UMO would finish 3rd in the country. Batting clean up, Ed would lead the team in hitting (376) and home runs with six. Ed was named All Tourney in New England’s, the Northeast Regional’s and the World Series as a designated hitter. Coach Winkin had respect for Ed both as a player and as a person. “His uppermost concern is that the team does well, and I admire him for that. Nobody loves the game more than Poochie.”
Ed is also the only player from Maine to play in both the Little League World Series and the College World Series. He is in very good company with other whom have achieved this milestone such as Gary Sheffield, Jason Varitek, Dwight Gooden, Boog Powell and Lloyd McClendon.
According to Ed, the most impressionable baseball people in his life were his Mother, his Father and his Brother Paul. In addition, his most impressionable coaches throughout his career were his little league all star coach, Charlie Gallant, High School coaches, John Coughlin and fellow inductee Jeff Trundy and his college coach, Mr. John Winkin. They all had a strong impact on his career. Ed played baseball for the love of the game and is very thankful for what the game has given back to him. Ed will tell you that many of his closest friendships were developed from playing baseball. Ed Pickett exemplifies the best of what Maine Baseball is all about.
From Central Maine
As early as age 15, Pickett drew the attention of major league scouts because of his strong arm behind the plate and power hitting. By that time, he had played in the Little League World Series at age 11 and the New England Regional Ruth Tournament. The Augusta team that reached the Little League World Series in 1971 had to win 11 straight games without a loss since the tournament in those days was single elimination.
“What that Little League team did will never, ever be duplicated in the history of Maine baseball,” PIckett said.
There were no playing time rules then either, and as the youngest member of the team, Pickett got into just one game in the World Series, making the most of it with a game-winning hit against Kentucky. Pickett made the varsity team his freshman year at Cony and played for John Coughlin, who he said “had the biggest impact on my baseball career.”
Pickett played three years for Trundy, a coach he said helped him greatly.
“I kept him late after so many practices, throwing extra batting practice,” he said.
AUGUSTA - Edwin D. Pickett, 72, of Augusta, Maine . May 3, 1933 - Aug. 13, 2005
Ed graduated from Cony High School in 1952 and from Higgins Classical Institute in 1953. He then attended the University of Maine. Ed was an outstanding three sport athlete at Cony High School. He was a member of the Kennebec Valley Football Officials Association for 12 years and officiated for that many years. He was involved in coaching and administering junior sports in the Augusta area for many years.
