Atlanta Braves President John Schuerholz ’62 in Atlanta in 2015.
Before he was an Atlanta Brave, or even a Kansas City Royal, he was a Towson Tiger. Towson University alumnus John Schuerholz ’62, the president of the Atlanta Braves, was back in town from July 27-29 as the Baltimore Orioles host the Braves for a three-game series at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Schuerholz was a standout for the Tigers in baseball and soccer, earning all-conference honors in both sports. After a
John Schuerholz playing second base for Towson in 1960.
brief teaching career in the early 1960s, he joined the Orioles organization in 1966. Two years later, Schuerholz took a job with the fledgling Kansas City Royals club and eventually rose to be the general manager from 1981 to 1991. He led the team to the world championship in 1985. He joined the Braves organization in 1991 and led the Braves to the 1995 World Series title. In 16 years as the Braves’ general manager, Atlanta won a record 14-straight divisional titles as well as six National League pennants and one World Series. He has served as the organization’s president since 2007.
He was honored as the Major League’s Executive of the Year in 1985, an award he also earned with the Braves in 1991. Schuerholz is the first baseball executive to be the general manager of world championship teams in both the American League and the National League.
In 2001, an upgraded baseball facility was dedicated in the name of Schuerholz’s father. He provided the lead gift and served as the chairman of the fund-raising drive. More than 125 college baseball fans, including 50 former Tiger players, contributed toward its completion.
For a more in-depth article on the 1986 Towson Alumnus of the Year, check out the Fall 2015 Towson University Alumni Magazine.
