Please note: It is suggested that you read this newsletter with peanuts and crackerjacks.
Dear Fellow Alumni,
Cardinal O’Hara has a proud tradition in men’s baseball and women’s softball.
COHS baseball and softball teams have won division and league titles over the years. Both programs have produced individual players who have shone on diamonds throughout Western New York. Many O’Hara players have gone on to star in college and in amateur leagues in our area.
Billy Scherrer, Class of1976, is the most widely recognized ballplayer to graduate from O’Hara. Billy enjoyed a 15 year career as a professional baseball player with a 6 year stint in the major leagues. Since his retirement as a player, Billy has been a professional baseball scout. Those of us who followed his career can see, in our mind’s eye, Billy, running out of the Detroit Tigers dugout with his arms flailing as the last out of the 1984 World Series was made. With that out, Billy and the Tigers, became world champions.
When I thought about doing a Hawk-Talk centered on baseball it didn’t take me long to figure out whom to feature. Billy and I were pitchers on the 1974 Cardinal O’Hara Hawks Burke Division baseball champions so I called my old teammate to get his thoughts on the upcoming season. It made sense since he knows baseball “inside and out” and he is never at a loss for words!
I hope you enjoy the article.
Touch ‘em all,
Dave Lovering ‘74
Alumni Relations Coordinator
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Play ball! (Please!)
To those of us who are baseball fans, the start of the 2020 Major League Baseball season, delayed for months because of the Coronavirus pandemic, will be a welcome distraction from the ravaging effects of the virus. Opening day is set for Thursday, July 23rd.
No one has been looking forward to opening day more than Cardinal O’Hara High School’s Billy Scherrer, Class of 1976. Billy is a baseball “lifer”. From the Town of Tonawanda Little Leagues to his current position as a scout for the Chicago White Sox, he has been involved with baseball for close to sixty years.
In a recent phone interview, Billy and I discussed baseball past, present, and future
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Bottom of the 1st
(Little League, St. Amelia’s, Cardinal O’Hara)
Like thousands of other young boys growing up in the 1960s in the towns of Tonawanda and Kenmore, Billy Scherrer fell in love with the game of baseball - at the time, the undisputed “national pastime.” His first experience in an organized league was as a member of the Morrison Mets, a “Midget” League team (8, 9 and10 year olds) in Tonawanda. The Mets faced teams such as the Parkview Yankees, Diebold’s Garage, St. Andrew’s and the Lincoln Park Lions. Games were played on the (mostly) well-manicured diamonds at Brighton, Sheridan, Lincoln, Conway, and Mang Field.
When he was old enough, Billy tried out for his grammar school team at St. Amelia’s. Under the direction of head coach, (and COHS Hall of Famer) Doug Hartmayer, Saint Amelia’s won the diocesan title in the fall of 1971. Billy was the star of the team, a tall, lanky left-handed pitcher who overmatched opposing hitters. “
It was easy to see that Bill had plenty of raw talent that just needed to be molded. But even as an eighth grader he was somewhat of a free spirit and generally marched to the beat of his own drum. But at the same time he had an unbridled enthusiasm for the game, which ultimately led to his successful career. Even then his overwhelming talent was quite obvious. It wasn’t unusual for him to strike out 10 to 15 batters in a regular seven inning game, just by throwing his fastball as hard as he could, which was pretty hard,” Coach Hartmayer noted. He and Billy run into one another now and then, in fact they did so at COHS Homecoming in 2019. “When I see him from time to time, I always remind him that I taught him everything he knows! And of course that invokes a deep raspy laugh from him,” laughed Coach H
artmayer.
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When it came time to choose a high school, Billy followed the trail blazed by his brother, Jack, who graduated from Cardinal O’Hara in 1966. “My two sisters graduated from Nardin and Kenmore East respectively,” Billy explained, “…but my mom wanted me to go to O’Hara as Jack had done.” His freshman year began in September, 1972.
A natural athlete, Billy played baseball, basketball and football at O’Hara. Coached in basketball by his brother, Jack, a history teacher at O’Hara, Billy became a two-year year starter beginning with his sophomore year. “I know it wasn’t easy for Jack to coach me,” remembered Billy, “…he was a coach who emphasized discipline and I was kind of a free spirit.” Billy’s brother, Jack, agrees wholeheartedly. When told of Billy’s comment, Jack laughed, “In terms of our personalities, Billy and I are total opposites. I keep telling people we are waiting for the results of the DNA testing. But the truth of it is, I’m like our dad, and Billy takes after our mom.”
While at COHS, Billy played baseball under long-time coach Elmo “Moe” Drilling (Cardinal O’Hara Hall of Famer). After a strong freshman year on the JV, Billy joined the varsity team his sophomore year. His reputation as an elite pitcher was well established by the time his senior year arrived. Pro scouts were well aware of him. And, of course, rival coaches were too. In fact, before his senior year, Billy was approached by the head coach of a rival team in the Catholic league. That coach asked Billy to transfer to the school where he coached. Bill said, “No thanks.” Billy confided that he enjoyed beating that team (and coach) when he faced them as a senior.
It would take many pages to describe Billy’s baseball exploits at Cardinal O’Hara.
Suffice it to say that he was widely recognized for his achievements. He was All-Catholic, All-Western New York, All-NYS State and a Parade Magazine All-American selection.
In his senior year, Billy led the Hawks to garner the Georgetown Cup, emblematic of winning the Catholic schools overall championship. He allowed an unheard of
one earned run the entire season.
In the penultimate game that championship season, Hall of Fame Coach Moe Drilling assigned starting an underclassman to pitch for O’Hara against their semi-final foe, Saint. Francis High School. Billy had pitched a complete game only days before and Coach Drilling didn’t want to overburden his star pitcher. “I knew that my teammate was very nervous about pitching that game,” Billy recalled. “I was penciled in to start at 1
st
base that game. As I was playing catch before the game, my arm felt pretty good. I walked over to Coach Drilling and whispered, ‘I’m good. I can go’. Coach pulled my teammate off the mound and I took the ball. We won 2 to nothing.” A couple of days later, Billy pitched again allowing just two hits in a 9 – 0 shutout win against Baker Victory to win the diocesan crown.
Billy’s O’Hara teammates loved having him on the team. That’s because they didn’t want to face him as an opponent! Joe Emminger ’77, was a teammate of Billy’s on the 1976 team. Joe noted, “I don’t like to use the word ‘dominant’, but if ever there was pitcher who could be called that it was Billy in 1976. I actually felt sorry for the other team’s batters. He threw so hard and he had a great curveball. He made a lot of good hitters look bad that year.”
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Despite all of his wins on the basketball court and baseball diamond, Billy will tell you his biggest “win” was meeting classmate Michelle Turner ’76. Billy and Michelle dated while at O’Hara and attended the senior prom as a couple.
“I had a choice of attending O’Hara or Mount St. Mary’s,” Michelle explained. “My uncle, Mike (Turner), was a teacher at O’Hara and coached the football team. I felt comfortable at O’Hara so I decided to go there for high school.”
Michelle loved her days at COHS. “I have so many wonderful memories,” she recalled. “I remember cheerleading, homecoming, motorcades, Girls’ Sports Nights with Ms. Franz, and so much more. I always felt there was great school spirit.”
Michelle recalled “… bonfires at the school where kids from all grades mingled and got along so well. In my four years there, I think I spent more time at O’Hara than I did at home.”
Billy and Michelle went their separate ways after high school. In 1987, however, the reconnected when Michelle met Billy at a Buffalo Bisons game. Michelle brought Billy’s class ring to the game because she that thought Billy’s son should have it. She joined the Scherrer family after the game. One thing led to another and they married in 1988. It was the biggest “save” in Billy’s life.
Bottom of the 3rd
(Professional Playing Career)
Billy was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the sixth round of the 1976 amateur draft. Unable to come to agreement on a contract, Billy accepted a scholarship offer to attend the University of Nevada Las Vegas. So, in the fall of 1976, Billy packed his bags and headed west. His college career would turn out to be a brief one.
In January 1977, Billy was the first player selected in baseball’s supplemental draft by the Cincinnati Reds. “It was always my desire to start playing professionally as soon as I could,” Billy related. “The people at UNLV were great but I wasn’t taking the schoolwork as seriously as I should have so when I was satisfied with the contract offer the Reds made, I signed with them,” he explained.
Unlike other professional sports leagues, most rookies realize they will spend a number of years in the minor leagues before they get to the “Show” (the major leagues). For, Billy it took five years. Billy has innumerable stories about life in the minor leagues. Here is one he told me. Billy was pitching for the Victoria Mussels in an independent league. His team was scheduled to play against the Grays Harbor Loggers. The Loggers had just added a player to their roster. It turns out that the new player had just completed his first year as a member of Saturday Night Live. A friend of this player, who was an executive with the Loggers, convinced this SNL member to play a few games with the team. The player, an avowed sports enthusiast, had always dreamt of playing professional baseball so he jumped at the chance. Billy ended up pitching in that game and faced - Bill Murray (listed as William Murray on the roster).
After spending five years in the minor leagues, and traveling tens of thousands of miles in old buses to places he had never heard of, the Cincinnati Reds added Billy to the major league team in 1982. He was a big leaguer. His dream had come true.
Billy remembers that the first batter he faced was Bill Russell of the Los Angeles Dodgers. “I had a really good start to my major league career,” Billy said. “I retired the first 17 batters that I faced. In fact the first hit I gave up was to Joe Morgan.” Morgan, a former Red himself, was a first ballot Hall of Famer when he retired.
Billy also remembers the first time he held a baseball card with his name on it. “When I was young, I collected cards. All my friends, Mike Hassler, and others, we all collected them. When Topps sent me my first card I remember chuckling to myself thinking ‘Here I am. I made it.’ For the rights to use his image, Billy received a check for $5 from Topps.
Statistically, he had his best year in 1983 with the Reds, and he was probably the best reliever that year. He made 73 appearances and pitched to an ERA of 2.74. Today, those numbers would make him highly attractive to any team.
In 1984, Billy was traded to the Detroit Tigers. “The trade came at a really good time, as it turned out, Bill recalled. “I had been sent to Indianapolis (The Reds AAA minor league team) and I was a little disgruntled about it. I had heard that the Reds were entertaining trade offers and my name was in the mix. When Bob Howsam (Reds General Manager) called me to tell me I had been traded to the Tigers, I was excited to join such a good team.” The Tigers happened to be one of the best teams in baseball that year and would go on to set a franchise record for the most wins in a season under the direction of future Baseball Hall of Famer George ”Sparky” Anderson. The Tigers won the World Series that year by besting the San Diego Padres in 5 games. Billy made 3 appearances in the series. He gave up one run in 3 innings. In his third year in the major leagues, he owned what every player wants but not many get – a World Series championship ring.
After his three-year stint with the Tigers ended in 1986, Billy rejoined the Reds in 1987 and pitched out of the bullpen for the Baltimore Orioles and later the Philadelphia Phillies in 1988. When he joined the Phillies he noticed there was a “commotion” in the dugout one day. There were several people gathered around.
When Billy looked closer he understood. “Joe DiMaggio was sitting in the dugout before the game and guys were all trying to get near him. I saw him but never got the chance to talk to him,” related Billy.
But Billy did get to know some of the all-time greats of baseball. “What a time to play in the big leagues,” Billy enthused. “I got the chance to play with twelve hall of famers and the all-time hits leader playing a game I love.” Billy’s hall of fame teammates were: Johnny Bench (former Buffalo Bison), Tony Perez, Joe Morgan, Barry Larkin, Tom Seaver, Jack Morris, Alan Trammel, Eddie Murray, Cal Ripken, and Mike Schmidt. In addition, Billy’s played for two managers who are in the Hall “Sparky” Anderson (Tigers) and Frank Robinson (Orioles). Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins was also Billy’s pitching coach for a short stretch.
After his release from the Phillies in 1988, Billy continued to play minor league baseball for three years until he retired from baseball. Or so he thought.
Bottom of the 6
th
(Professional Scout, State of the Game)
Less than two years after retiring as a professional ball player, Bill joined the Florida Marlins as a scout. The year was 1993. “I tried other things, but I came to the realization that baseball is what I knew best. And I missed the game.”
Billy began scouting with the Florida Marlins in 1993. After short stints with the Reds and Pirates, Billy joined the scouting department with the Chicago White Sox in 2004. “My job as a scout has taken me to places I never knew existed,” Billy said. When he first started, Billy scouted both amateur leagues and professional leagues.
“With the White Sox now, I strictly scout major league players. We scout to see if we might be interested in a player to acquire them in a trade or possibly pursue them in free agency.”
As in other major sports such as the NFL and the NBA “analytics” (analysis of data or statistics) has become a “thing” in player evaluation. Bill sees the benefit of using analytics but he believes that “eyeballing” players and the recommendations of experienced scouts also provide an organization with important information. “There is so much I can see that can’t be found when you just look at the numbers,” Bill explained. He is grateful that the White Sox value his input and appreciates that they “…allow me to actually go to the games and evaluate the players in person.”
Billy noted that although the game itself has remained relatively unchanged over the years, there have been some new rules that have had an impact. “Replay has slowed the game down,” Billy noted. “I’m not sure that that has been a good thing. Most of the time, umpires make the right call. Is it worth it to have all these long delays during a game for the umpires to look at replays?”
Due to the pandemic, Major League Baseball has implemented new rules this year as they prepare for a 60 game season. “I hope that some of these rules are temporary,” said Billy. “I don’t like the fact that it is required that a relief pitcher must face a minimum of three batters. My former manager, “Sparky” Anderson was known as ‘Captain Hook” because of how often he brought new relievers in,” he chuckled.
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Extra Innings
The date was Sunday, October 15, 1984. The Detroit Tigers, playing at home, held an 8 – 4 lead in the top of the ninth. A win against the San Diego Padres would make them World Series champs. The television cameras scanned the Tigers dugout. Tiger players, including a 26 year- old Billy Scherrer, were perched on the top dugout step in anticipation. Tiger reliever, Willie Hernandez, delivered a pitch to future Hall-of-Famer, Tony Gwynn, who lifted a soft fly ball to left field. Larry Herndon, the Tigers leftfielder cruised in, settled under it, and caught the ball.
Along with his teammates, Billy Scherrer ran to the mound to engulf Hernandez.
“Sparky” told us not to charge the mound. He said it was going to bedlam,” Billy recounted. “He told us to celebrate in the dugout. We were all so caught up in the moment though. I ran to the mound and jumped in on the pile of players. By this time, the fans were storming the field. They had knocked down the center field fence. It was crazy. I began to make my way back to the dugout when I got hit in the head by someone with a camera I think. I fell to the ground. Our catcher, Lance Parrish, reached down and pulled me up by my pants and we made it to the dugout. We went to the locker room to continue the celebration.”
I’d say that is a pretty “cool” memory for a kid from a small high school in the Town of To
nawanda.
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Virtual Meat Raffle!
The Cardinal O'Hara Sunday Bingo crew continues its virtual events with an on-line meat raffle!
Join us from your own home while we spin for meat and other prizes. This will all be done via Facebook Live!
We will have 15 rounds and a grand finale.
$45 gets you into every round and 5 spots in the finale.
Meat rounds will be released soon but will include typical meat raffle prizes like chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks and more!
We will also have a 50/50 raffle and freezer bag raffle with a $100 gift certificate to Pellicano Meats.
50/50 tickets are 1 chance for $5.00 or 5 chances for $20
Freezer Bag and gift card raffle is 1 chance for $5.00, 3 for $10.00 or 7 chances for $20.00.
Meat Raffle spots are limited. So get in today!
Payment Options
- Venmo- @COHSHomeSchool Please indicate what you are paying for. ie: meat raffle, 50/50 and/or freezer raffle.
- Send a Check to 39 O'Hara Rd. Tonawanda, NY 14150. Must be received by July 24th or until sold out.
- Cash- Contact the Advancement Office.
Pick up of winnings will be at Cardinal O'Hara on Saturday, August 1st.
Invite your friends over for a night of fun
and antics with the COHS crew!
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Thank you to everyone who has given to the 2020 Alumni Annual Fund.
The Covid-19 pandemic has certainly affected us all and O'Hara is no exception. Our annual fund began just weeks before the shut-down began. With so much uncertainty, we realize this was the last thing on people's minds. We are grateful for every gift we have received and continue to receive as we continue to fight through this unprecedented time in our world.
The Alumni Annual Fund is the foundation of giving at any educational institution and we are so very grateful for you support.
It makes the difference in what we do every day to keep O'Hara a choice for students throughout Western New York who desire a quality, private, Catholic education.
Thank you for your consideration and generosity!
Thank You!
Click Here
to make your donation or return the envelope in the latest edition of the
COHS Today Magazine.
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Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with what is happening at COHS!
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ADVANCEMENT DEPARTMENT:
Reneé Orr, Director of Advancement
Jessica Oates, Advancement Assistant
Nora Weil, Advancement Associate
Barbara Tucker, Public Relations Coordinator
Dave Lovering '74, Alumni Relations Coordinator
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