Former Rye resident and Rye High School baseball star B. J. Surhoff is up for the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Surhoff is making his debut on the Baseball Writers Association of America ballot for the Hall.
In the announcement, the BHOF said:
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. – B.J. Surhoff began his career as the most highly thought-of amateur player in the United States.
He ended it as one of the most respected players in baseball.
Surhoff, who played 19 big league seasons for the Brewers, Orioles and Braves, is one of 33 players on the 2011 Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot for the Class of 2011 at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Surhoff is making his debut on the BBWAA ballot.
Surhoff graduated Rye High in 1982. Wikipedia recalls Surhoff "hit a monstrous home run as a visitor at Somers High School which cleared route 139 and hit the firehouse. The spot is still marked to this day."
Surhoff's nephew is former Rye resident Brian Moran who now plays ball for the Seattle Mariners farm organization. Moran attended Iona Prep.
If you remember either player, leave your memory as a comment below.
In the early 70’s BJ and I used to play stick ball with a bunch of other kids at the Midland Annex school parking lot on Purdy Ave while our fathers drank at the dugout across the street. I would have been 10 to 12 at the time putting BJ at 7 to 9. Unfortunately, for the rest of us, the right field fence was rather short. So, even being younger than the rest of us and not even 10 years old, BJ hit a home run about every other at bat, Very annoying !!!
….Tim Kirby
If my memory serves me correctly, BJ was eventually banned from pitching in Junior League as he threw too hard, was too wild and hit too many batters. I guess that didn’t hurt his career too much. It was his brother Rich who became a major league pitcher for the Phillies.
….Tim Kirby