Kyle Brown was a three-sport star athlete for Washington High School.

He excelled in football, as the Blue Lions’ quarterback, in basketball for head coach Gary Shaffer and for baseball coach Paul Ondrus, Brown helped lead the Blue Lions to a Regional championship and State Final Four appearance in 1999, which was Kyle’s senior year.

After that, Brown attended Ohio State University where he was a pitcher for the Buckeyes’ baseball team, along with high school teammate Scott Lewis.

Brown, who passed away June 10, 2023 at just 42, is being honored with a ceremony prior to the Blue Lions’ home baseball game Thursday.

“Kyle was an all-around great athlete,” former teammate and Washington Blue Lion head baseball coach Brian Yeazel said.

A ceremony is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. Thursday. Kyle’s wife, Megan and their four children, Makayla, Carson, Camden and Madyn, his parents, Keith and Sandy and friends and former teammates and coaches have been invited to attend to take part and celebrate Kyle.

In a more permanent tribute, a tree will be planted in Kyle’s honor.

Kyle’s family will help with the tree planting, according to Yeazel.

Former Washington High School athletic director, Dale Lynch, will give remarks.

Keith Brown will throw a ceremonial first pitch in honor of his son.

“We’ll be wearing some jerseys similar to what we wore in 1999,” Yeazel said. “It should be quite the get-together.

“Kyle was a great teammate, a great leader,” Yeazel said. “He set a good example, on and off the field. He kind of inspired you to follow him. He always seemed to be the best. He didn’t treat others like they were inferior to him. Me being younger than him, (I wanted) to play with him. It was a great experience to be with him when we made the Final Four his senior year. It was awesome.

“I went up (to Ohio State) and watched him play a few times up there,” Yeazel said. “After college we kind of lost touch a little bit.”

Brown was a long-time employee of ESPN. In his 16 years with the network, Brown won two Sports Emmy’s.

“Kyle was a deeply admired member of our production team,” ESPN said in a statement following Kyle’s death. He worked on a range of sports for the network, including baseball, basketball, college football and the NFL’s Monday Night Football.

“(Kyle) cherished the opportunity to have a career in sports,” ESPN said.

“It should be a great celebration,” Washington High School athletic director Greg Phipps said. “I was teaching at East Clinton when Kyle (was in high school). I came (to Washington High School) in ‘98 to start teaching and coaching.

“I had the opportunity to see Kyle play basketball,” Phipps said. “That’s what I watched the most. I also saw him play baseball and football. He was just a great young man, on and off the field of play.

“I saw him play with the Buckeyes a couple of times,” Phipps said. “What I remember most about Kyle was, I saw him at a ballgame when he was working for ESPN. He never acted like he was above anyone. He was just very down to earth.”

There will also be a scholarship in Kyle’s name, according to Phipps.

“We have nine applicants for this scholarship,” Phipps said. “The recipient will probably be announced the day of graduation.”

Also on Thursday, it’s going to be Youth Night, according to Phipps. Kids will be admitted free of charge to watch the baseball or softball games Thursday.

Also later Thursday evening, Washington’s tennis team will host Miami Trace, under the lights, starting at 7 p.m. There is no charge to attend the tennis match.

“It’s going to be a neat evening,” Phipps said.

Paul Ondrus was Kyle’s baseball coach in high school and he spoke about the player and person that was Kyle Brown.

“He was one of the reasons we made it to the State when he was a senior,” Ondrus said. “We had such a good year when he was a junior. He was an exceptional athlete for Washington Court House.

“He was an exceptional leader and a good young man,” Ondrus said. “He turned into a good man. I’m so sorry that he passed away so suddenly.

“He was one of our leaders and looking back on it, I feel kind of bad that we got beat there at the State when he was pitching,” Ondrus said. “He still did a good job.

“He was just not a pitcher, he was a good hitter,” Ondrus said. “He played shortstop when he didn’t pitch. When he was a sophomore he was an excellent pitcher. When he was a junior, he started to hit like crazy. He just was an all-around athlete. I can’t say enough about Kyle. He was just a good kid.

“He was very coachable,” Ondrus said. “He didn’t complain if I was going to take him out if he was close to that 100-pitch mark.

“I think Kyle paved the way for the next year (2000) when they ended up winning the State championship,” Ondrus said. “He was a fine young man and I really liked him. I had him in class and he was a good student.

“In my workout room I have a picture of both he and Scotty Lewis when they were at Ohio State together,” Ondrus said. “Each one of them autographed it. That’s one of my treasures.”