New Hall of Famer John Schuerholz remembers start with the Orioles

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - While still trying to get used to the wonderful news that he is headed to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Baltimore native John Schuerholz took some time this morning to remember his Orioles roots.

It began when he glanced across the street from his high school, hoping to one day play at Memorial Stadium. That didn't happen, but in 1966 a letter to he wrote to then-Orioles owner Jerold Hoffberger led to the team hiring Schuerholz. He instantly worked with some of the brightest minds in the game at that time, and a what would become a great front office career had its beginnings.

"It was a dream," Schuerholz said of joining the Orioles front office. "I went to high school right across the street at Baltimore City College High School. I looked out the window too often, I think, dreaming someday about maybe playing in that stadium. And to have a chance to go to work with your hometown team and to have Frank Cashen, Harry Dalton and Lou Gorman form you as a young executive, you couldn't ask for anything better that that."

Today's Game Era candidates Schuerholz and former commissioner Allan H. "Bud" Selig were elected to the Hall of Fame last night, becoming members No. 313 and 314 of the Cooperstown shrine. They will join any members from the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot who gain election on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017. The Class of 2017 will be inducted on July 30 in Cooperstown.

Schuerholz was a junior high teacher in Dundalk, just outside of Baltimore, when he took one last shot at getting a baseball front office job and wrote that letter. The inquiry to Hoffberger led to Schuerholz being hired as Gorman's assistant. Two years later, Gorman joined the front office of the expansion Kansas City Royals, and Schuerholz went with him. He was later GM leading both Kansas City and Atlanta to World Series victories.

"I wrote about that (letter) in my book, which I wrote in 2006 called 'Built to Win.' I received hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people (writing me) starting off with, 'Well, you did it by writing a letter, so I am writing you a letter cold turkey and hoping you will give me the same opportunity.'

"Well, it's more technical, more advanced and more strategic. It's just different and I keep reminding kids (to) keep getting the most education you can. Undergrad, graduate school and get yourself prepared as much as you can and then try your way with baseball."

Schuerholz gets enshrined at Cooperstown while he is still an active member in the game as president of the Atlanta Braves.

"Isn't that remarkable?" he said. "That's what happens when you are still working at 76 years of age. You get the rare opportunity to still be working and be invited by this committee to say, 'We think you are worthy of joining this group and welcome to the Hall of Fame.' That is a great honor and I still can't get over it."