3.05.2012

Family Tree Project: Three Generations Of Scheuermanns

By Jade Rouzan

For over four decades, the name Scheuermann has been synonymous with baseball and athletics at Delgado Community College.  The German name still lives on today at Delgado Community College and continues to make an everlasting difference.

Louis “Rags” Scheuermann was the founding father of the Delgado's intercollegiate athletic department and baseball program of DCC in the early 70s.  Scheuermann started playing baseball as a child in the street, playing in his socks and raggy clothes and from then on was referred to as “Rags.”  The name followed him all throughout his baseball career as a professional player for the Boston Red Sox and later the Chicago Cubs.  After a recurring arm injury, “Rags” retired and went into coaching.

Louis "Rags" Scheuermann Talking To The Team
He served as the Head Coach at Loyola University but when the university dropped its athletic department in the early 1970s he came to Delgado and started its athletic department, serving as The Dolphins head baseball coach and also the athletic director.

His hard work and dedication compelled the team to earn eight district championships and a trip to the Junior College World Series. Some of his players went on to play in the Major Leagues.  During this time, he also served as the league director of of the New Orleans Boosters for forty-five years and is still considered the longest tenured manager in AAABA (All American Amateur Baseball Association) history.  In 1990, he was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.

Shortly thereafter, during his Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame induction speech, “Rags” retired as Head Coach and became the college's director of intramural sports until his death in 1997. After his retirement, his son Joe Scheuermann succeeded him as head coach. 

 Joe Scheuerman is presently in his 22nd season of coaching and has considered Delgado his home away from home.  He began his journey with Delgado as an athlete straight out of high school, playing under the coaching of his father.

Joe Scheuermann Talking To The Team
He then went on to play baseball for Tulane University after completing two years of school at Delgado. He has seen many changes over the years at the school, not only in the baseball program, but throughout the College as a whole.  “We have continued to build the program into one of the finest in junior college baseball across the country.  Our facility has grown and expanded to become one of the best around, while also being a beautiful place to call home.”  In addition, “The growth of the college and its enrollment over the years has been astonishing,” said Scheuermann.

One of the reasons Delgado is like his home away from home is its family-like atmosphere, according to Scheuermann.  He said, “For being such a large college, the faculty, staff, and students still know one another and care about each other.  Our baseball program echoes that family atmosphere with the majority of our players coming from Southeast Louisiana.”

Joe was inducted into the AAABA Hall of Fame in 2007 and continues to lead the Dolphins in victory. In 2011, the Dolphins captured their 700th win with Scheuermann as their coach. He continues to work hard like his father and when asked about the impact of his father’s legacy, he remembers how many lives he touched over the many years he coached.  “I continue to try to maintain the respect that “Rags” got around the community and still live by many of the lessons and values that he taught me on and off the baseball field,” said Scheuermann.

Now, Joe has a son of his own aiding him in carrying on the tradition of the family name known throughout the Delgado and surrounding communities.  Tyler Scheuermann is a third-generation Scheuermann working with the baseball and athletic program at Delgado.

Tyler Scheuermann With Joe Scheuermann
Tyler is a recent graduate of Delgado, earning his Associates Degree in Journalism and Public Relations last May. He serves the college's Sports Information Officer and helps to oversee Delgado's baseball operations, which consist of a lot of off-field responsibilities to assist the coaches and players.

Tyler also writes media stories for the men and women’s basketball teams, the baseball team, markets the baseball team, and advertises for the baseball program, including the athletic website.

“It’s a good feeling to keep our family tradition alive.  Obviously, the Scheuermanns have a lot of years under their belt at Delgado, so there is a bit of name recognition involved.  I’m not pressured by the name, I just try to live up to everything it stands for both at Delgado and throughout the community,” said Tyler.


Three Generations Of Scheuermanns
In honor of his many years of service and dedication in Delgado athletics and baseball, in 2003, Kirsch-Rooney Stadium named the field after “Rags” Scheuermann and it is now known as  “Rags” Scheuermann Field at Kirsch-Rooney Stadium.  Joe Scheuermann says of this honor, “By the field bearing his name, it’s a constant reminder of his impact on New Orleans baseball, and that his name resonates with those playing there [Kirsch-Rooney] today.  His legacy lives on not only on the field, but in the many lives he touched off the field as well.”

Both Joe and Tyler want their family name to live on at Delgado, and like his father, Tyler has no plans on leaving the baseball team anytime soon.  Tyler plans to continue doing what he does now while pursuing a bachelor's degree in sports management or mass communications. In addition, the entire Scheuermann Family continues to operate Kirsch-Rooney and maintain a strong presence in the Delgado Baseball family today.
“I hope to be Delgado’s baseball coach for years to come.  At my age, I hope to be here as long as possible and have given no real thought as to who would replace me…hopefully that’s a long way off,” said Joe Scheuermann.


Scheuermann Family


No comments:

Post a Comment