Double vision

There are few human beings walking the earth who can throw a baseball at nearly 90 miles an hour. There are even fewer who can also kick a football more than 50 yards through the air.

Josh Appell is one of those rare cases.

The senior from Woodmere, N.Y., recently completed his final season for the Penn football team, during which he averaged 40.9 yards per punt and landed 17 punts inside the 20-yard line.

Now, Appell has moved onto his second job, as the ace of Penn baseball's pitching staff.

After leading the team in earned run average a season ago, the left-handed pitcher -- and left-footed punter -- took the mound in the Quakers' Ivy League opener against Columbia on Friday.

He responded in ace-like fashion, pitching a complete game four-hitter while striking out 13 Lions. This performance earned him Ivy League Pitcher of the Week honors.

Appell is used to the accolades. He is facing a rather unique decision after graduation in May. While many members of the Class of 2005 will be deciding between jobs, Appell will be deciding between sports.

He has received interest from pro scouts in both football and baseball, although it is on the gridiron that many believe his future lies.

Widely considered to be football coach Al Bagnoli's best pro prospect, Appell caught the eye of the head coach -- who also coaches the special teams units -- in his first season at Penn.

"We knew he'd be something special his freshman year at Penn," Bagnoli said. "We thought coming out of high school that he had a chance to be good but we didn't realize how powerful and explosive his leg strength actually was."

Indeed, a game at Franklin Field was one of the few instances when people would walk out of a football game raving about the punter. In addition to punting, Appell also handled kickoff responsibilities. And there were some who were clamoring for Appell to rescue Penn's shaky placekicking last season.

Bagnoli said at the time that he was reluctant to use Appell in that capacity because he already had so many responsibilities.

And he wasn't even talking about baseball or academics, another area in which Appell excels.

Both Bagnoli and Penn baseball coach Bob Seddon knew that they would have to share Appell. But the Long Island native assured them that there would be enough of his talent to go around.

"It's been an incredible experience, being in season both semesters and having a chance to win," Appell said.

"Being a part of the football team, it's great tradition, coming out with two Ivy League championships. Then, with baseball, it's been my favorite sport pretty much since I started playing any sport."

Early on in Appell's sports career, it was baseball and soccer that got the most attention. It was not until the ninth grade, when he was recommended to his high school football coach because of his strong leg, that he took to the gridiron as a punter.

After excelling in both sports in high school, Appell decided that Penn was the place to continue his academic and athletic training -- especially because it was the only college that showed genuine interest in him both for football and baseball.

While a majority of people know him for his punting exploits, he has been vital to the Quakers on the diamond as well, anchoring a young pitching staff.

Seddon is quick to point out that the team's hopes rest in large measure with its senior ace.

"We need Josh to have a good year," Seddon said. "He's gonna get most of the hard teams. That's the type of guy he is. He'll want the ball against the top clubs ... He gets a lot of attention because his velocity is up around 87 or 88 miles per hour."

This leads back to the question of Appell's future.

True to form, this laid back, affable college kid shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know," Appell said. "I think I have the potential to play in the NFL, hopefully eventually. Maybe it would be best for me to play in the Canadian Football League or in NFL Europe for a year. Hopefully, I can get into a camp this summer. If not, I'm still going to continue carrying out my dream of playing baseball or football."

Coming on the heels of a tryout with the Detroit Lions last week, it appears that he is closer to the football dream.

For Josh Appell, however, it seems that one cannot exist without the other. Besides, his immediate order of business is pitching the Quakers into the top of the Ivy League standings.

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