Ed Howard IV was a fixture at Mt. Carmel high School’s baseball facilities years before he attended school there.
His older sister, Chanel Howard, was close with shortstop Jerry Houston. During his senior year, Houston would pick up 11-year-old Ed Howard on his way to campus. They’d work out or take batting practice together.
Caravan coach Brian Hurry remembers watching a young Howard field ground balls with the Mt. Carmel players who would go on to win the state tournament that year. Howard fit right in.
“I think the bigger the stage, the better he plays,” Hurry told NBC Sports Chicago.