FREDERICK W. SCHLUETER, JR

ELECTED: NOVEMBER, 1988

MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA

INDUCTED: NOVEMBER 1989

SAN DIEGO, CA

THE LATE FRED SCHLUETER WHO DIRECTED THE OLD CENTRAL DIVISION TO NEW HEIGHTS, WAS INDUCTED INTO THE USSSA HALL OF FAME IN THE EXECUTIVE CATEGORY.

A NATIVE OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, SCHLUETER JOINED THE USSSA IN 1973 AS WISCONSIN STATE DIRECTOR. HE WORKED FULL TIME SOFTBALL FOR 10 YEARS AND BATTLED FOR THE ASSOCIATION UNTIL FINAL DAY, JUNE 14, 1988, WHEN HE LOST HIS LAST BOUT WITH CANCER.

STARTING WITH ONLY 226 TEAMS, SCHLUETER HELPED THE CENTRAL DIVISION REACH 25,000 TEAMS, THE LARGEST DIVISION IN THE USSSA.

HE WAS TWICE A WINNER OF THE PRESIDENT’S AWARD, IN 1977 FOR DIRECTOR AND IN 1984 FOR EXECUTIVE BOARD SERVICE. SCHLUETER WAS NORTHERN REGION PRESIDENT AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH.

KNOWN FOR HIS STRONG OPINIONS AND SPIRITED EXCHANGES, SCHLUETER NEVER BACKED DOWN FROM A DEBATE. HE RULED WITH AN IRON FIST AND ASSEMBLED A SOLID CORE OF STATE DIRECTORS WHO PRODUCED RECORD NUMBERS.

SCHLUETER WILL LONG BE REMEMBERED FOR HIS PROMOTION AND DIRECTORSHIP OF OUTSTANDING NATIONAL INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENTS IN WISCONSIN. HIS TRUE LOVE WAS THE WOMEN’S PROGRAM. TODAY THE MVP AWARD IN THE WOMEN’S WORLD SERIES IS CALLED THE FRED SCHLUETER, JR. MVP AWARD, IN HIS HONOR.