Delgado opens season with World Series rings as memory of Maureen Scheuermann lingers

NEW ORLEANS – The 2023 Delgado baseball season will not soon be forgotten.

The Dolphins tied a program record with 47 victories, earned their sixth National Junior College Athletic Association Division I World Series berth and won two games in the World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado, the best showing ever for the Dolphins there.

Tuesday evening at Kirsch-Rooney Stadium, the Dolphins opened their 2024 season at home against Copiah-Lincoln.

The Dolphins and Wolves split a doubleheader, with Copiah-Lincoln winning the opener 8-5 before Delgado routed the Wolves 22-9 in game two.

While there will be many games to write about and talk about as the play-by-play voice of the Dolphins, this evening was not about the games on the field.

It was about the celebration of a terrific team which placed 17 players in next-level programs and accomplished so much.

Many of those players were able to return to receive their rings while others, who could not attend, had family members on hand to accept their just reward.

My career has been a true blessing, having been part of programs that were very successful.

The blessings have included rings from the University of New Orleans for conference championships and NCAA tournament participation, the New Orleans Zephyrs for winning the Pacific Coast League and the Triple A World Series and others.

Delgado bestowed me with a ring Tuesday to honor my small contribution to the outstanding program. The blessing is deeply appreciated.

My appreciation is aimed squarely at the Scheuermann family.

Louis “Rags” Scheuermann was a great coach and an even better person, a true friend whom I both admired and enjoyed immensely. He was incredibly kind to me, allowing my radio softball teams to play games at Kirsch-Rooney Stadium. In turn, Bob Mitchell and I publicized his team on WTIX, which was the No. 1 station in the market.

Joe Scheuermann has been a great friend of many years, an excellent player at Redemptorist before playing at Tulane and discovering his true identity as a Hall of Fame coach.

Rags established and built a great program at Delgado before handing it off to his son, who has taken it to a higher level.

We lost Rags in 1997.

It was a loss felt by so many people. Rags impacted so many lives.

Every step of the way, the Scheuermann family has taken care of Kirsch-Rooney Stadium in grand fashion, maintaining and manicuring a true landmark in our metropolitan area.

Every step of the way, the Scheuermann family has been there to support each other, including Maureen, Emma and Ed, Joe’s siblings. That includes Joe’s loving wife Shelly and their children, Tyler and Nataly, who are devoted to the Delgado program and Kirsch-Rooney Stadium, working diligently with both entities. It is a labor of love for the family which loves baseball as I do.

Most notably, that included the original Maureen, who was most conspicuous in her perch in the third base patio, with the umbrella overhead to shield her from the elements.

As I began this season of Delgado baseball at DelgadoAthletics.com and on Dolphin Radio 99.1 FM, I began doing my job. My eyes wandered over toward the Dolphins dugout to check out players.

In the process, I noticed the patio. There was no umbrella. There was someone conspicuous in her absence.

We lost Maureen on Oct. 7, 2023, after the World Series season and on the eve of her 90th birthday.

The funeral service was special, a who’s who of people from south Louisiana paying homage to Maureen and to the Scheuermann family.

As I made my way down, by request of the family, to receive my ring between games of the doubleheader, I took measure of the patio and silently prayed.

After both games were complete, I made my way to the field to speak with Joe.

In the dugout, I noticed the presence of the letters “MS” on the back of the team’s batting helmets.

While we touched on a sloppily played, season-opening doubleheader split, the topic turned to Maureen.

This marked the first game, the first time at home that there was no presence of dad or mom.

That sunk in for Joe, who was understandably emotional.

Time waits for no one.

All things are temporal in this world.

As persons of deep faith with deep ties and involvement with St. Louis Cathedral and their Catholic devotion, the Scheuermann family firmly believes that mom and dad are together again in eternity.

The symmetry was ironic and it was appropriate.

Rings were doled out for a tremendous accomplishment in what was the best season in program history, the program dad started.

On the patio, there was no longer an umbrella. Mom was not there in the physical sense. What was there was a yellow sun-flower arrangement, one of Delgado’s primary colors. It was positioned where mom would sit.

It will remain there until further notice.

There are many games to be played, including the Rags Scheuermann Memorial Tournament Feb. 15-18.

As I do the games, just off to my left is a portrait of Rags which I stare at every time I am in the press box at Kirsch-Rooney. I always acknowledge his presence and I can feel it.

Dad would be proud of what his son has accomplished. Mom was proud of what her son accomplished. Both were proud of their entire family.

Rags and Maureen are worthy of great praise.

On this Opening Day, the Dolphins honor the life and memory of Mrs. Maureen Scheuermann, who passed away this past fall. The team will wear a special helmet decal reflecting her initials and signature pearls in her memory this season. Forever our First Lady! 🐬💚 pic.twitter.com/VwfWK3sm6o

— Delgado Athletics (@delgadodolphins) February 6, 2024

While I do not feel worthy of what I received, I relish being part of a great tradition with a great family.

Thank you to the Scheuermann family for allowing me to be a part of the blessed lives we live. I can feel it.

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