These 14–15-year-olds were prodigies of the first order. “It started when we were in Little League,” Kyle Cooney said. “We grew up together and were known as the ‘Dirty Dozen.’ ”

These 14-15-year-olds, who finished second in the Babe Ruth World Series in 1987, would become the nucleus of Berlin High School’s 33-game win streak in the late 1980s and early 90’s. And Cooney was in the middle of it.

Beginning with his sophomore year, the Redcoats began a spectacular 62-3 run, including two state titles and nearly a third. The best of the three was his junior year when the Class M champion went 22-0. 

Cooney hit a grand slam in one tournament game, drove in the only run in a semi-final victory over Stamford Catholic and then helped beat New London, 4-3, in the title game. He batted .490 that season.

But he didn’t make the All-State team. He said he was overlooked, but apparently it was a “numbers thing.” Cooney said, “We had four players make it.”

Coach Leo Veleas said Cooney was a good player on a very good team. “It’s easy to get lost on a team like that,” Veleas said. “I didn’t realize how good he was. He was solid.”

Cooney was a football halfback, who as a junior led the 9-1 Redcoats in touchdowns and rushing yards. He also played defensive back on the Northwest Conference championship team. But BHS didn’t make the state playoffs. Only the top two teams in each class qualified.

Coach Al Pelligrinelli said of Cooney: “He wasn’t a rah-rah guy, but he set an example for the other kids. He worked very hard every day. Kids looked up to him.”

Cooney, who graduated in 1991, had a baseball scholarship offer, but he wanted to play football, too. He went to Nichols College-Dudley, Mass. to play both. But an injury as a freshman ended his football career.

Nevertheless, he became one of the best baseball players in school history: a two-time team captain and Most Valuable Player, who when he graduated ranked in the top three in career batting average, RBI, runs and on-base percentage. He batted .391 and .385 in his final two seasons. Seven of his fellow Berlin prodigies also played college baseball.

Now 53, Cooney is a six-time national, award-winning pharmaceutical salesman. Figures.