Too bad Buddy Schultz can’t speak at every high school graduation. Too bad he can’t share his philosophy with everybody who ever played the game.
Buddy pitched Shaw High School to the state baseball championship in 1968 and this spring he organized the team’s 40th reunion. From his home in Phoenix, Schultz contacted every teammate, every coach and even the old sportswriters who covered his team. He dispatched monthly updates, including rosters with names and phone numbers.
It was appropriate that he was the driving force behind the first reunion of the state champs. He pitched seven of their eight tournament games — all shutouts. Because of
rainouts in Columbus, the state semifinals and championship games were played on the same day. Buddy pitched and won both games, a total of 14 shutout innings, with only 15 minutes between games.
That never happened again. The Ohio State High School Athletic Association adopted a rule the following year limiting the number of innings a pitcher could work in a day. Some people still call it the “Buddy Schultz Rule.”
Buddy went on to star at Miami of Ohio, where against Wright State he struck out 26 of 27 batters. He pitched five years in the Major Leagues with the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals. He now has a successful promotion business in Phoenix.
The final five sentences of his prepared remarks at the reunion put his life in perspective.
“I hold one NCAA pitching record and I have received a standing ovation from 40,000 fans. I was on three baseball cards. I have played baseball in five different countries and pitched on national television. I’ve called Hall of Famers teammate and opponent, but my greatest baseball memory and accomplishment was this team and our championship. I am proud and honored to call you teammate, to call you friend and to share with you the title, State Champion.”
I was overwhelmed. Here’s a guy who pitched in the big leagues from 1975-79. He appeared in 168 games, all but three in relief, with a career ERA of 3.68 and the high point of his life was a high school season 40 years ago.
“I had some great individual moments in the major leagues, but Shaw High School was my only championship,” Schultz said.
He recalled a minor league manager, Walt Dixon, and his first speech to the team
“Boys, this is professional baseball. I don’t care about personal statistics. I care about what you do to help this team win. Winners have results, losers have excuses. Winners go to the big leagues and losers go home.”
Schultz enjoyed some memorable moments in the pros, such as that standing ovation in Busch Stadium in 1977, his first year with the Cardinals.
“I had a 3-1 record and a 1.40 earned run average and was sent to the minors on the trading deadline,” he recalled.
Many fans were puzzled, nobody more so than Schultz, who was a reliable setup man for closer Al Hrabosky. Schultz kept his mouth shut and stepped into the minor league rotation.
“In my first game I struck out 16 guys. In my second game I struck out 10. Then they recalled me because John Denny got hurt and they needed a starter.
“In my first game back against the Pittsburgh Pirates, I allowed one run in the first inning and then retired 22 in a row. On KMOX radio, Jack Buck kept saying, ‘Buddy’s showing them.’”
In the ninth inning Hrabosky relieved Schultz and the crowd gave him an ovation.
Schultz does not minimize the tremendous rush that accompanied the deafening ovation. “There was nothing in life quite like it,” he said.
“But,” he added, “it was an individual thing. It wasn’t a team thing. There have been 81 years of Ohio State baseball tournaments and I believe we were the best team ever. “
Forty years later it’s still Buddy Schultz’s highlight because it was something that could be shared.
Dan Coughlin is columnist for
The Chronicle-Telegram and a sportscaster for Channel 8. Contact him at ctsports@chroniclet.com. 

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