Brentwood: Liberty High still in shock over death of popular freshman baseball coach

BRENTWOOD -- East Contra Costa County's sports community remained shocked and saddened after the unexpected death this week of a popular Liberty High assistant freshman baseball coach.

James Anthony Brignolio, a 1990 Liberty graduate, was taken by ambulance to Sutter Delta Medical Center in Antioch on Wednesday after complaining of chest pains during Liberty's baseball practice. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital. He was 42.

The Contra Costa coroner's office Friday still had not determined a cause of death.

He leaves behind a wife and two children, according to the school.

"We want to make sure everyone keeps Tony, his wife and children in their thoughts and prayers," Liberty principal Pat Walsh said.

Liberty baseball players from all three levels, varsity, junior varsity and freshman, were on the field when Brignolio, affectionately known as "Coach Tony," started exhibiting symptoms.

"Our kids had just started working out," Walsh said. "We haven't even selected teams yet, and he was complaining of chest pains at one of the workouts, and so they called 9-1-1."

Walsh said counselors were made available to students Thursday, and a letter was sent home with the baseball players. One school counselor, Chris Jacot, is an assistant baseball coach at Liberty.

Brignolio's passing hit Liberty's senior players hard because he'd connected with them as a friend and a coach, beginning when they were freshmen during his previous stint with the program. He had left Liberty to coach the freshman team at Freedom.

Falcons players had affectionately referred to Brignolio as "Mama Bear."

Read more here:
Brentwood: Liberty High still in shock over death of popular freshman baseball coach