Schmitt gets call from the Hall
The phone rang, and when Tom Schmitt didn’t recognize the number, he ignored the call.
It was Thanksgiving morning after all, and there were a million things to do before settling in for turkey and football.
The caller was persistent, though, and when Schmitt’s phone rang a third time, he picked up.
Boy, was he glad that he did.
On the other end was Mark Fuller, an Executive Board member with the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association. And Fuller gave Schmitt one more reason to be thankful on that memorable Thursday, telling Middleton’s former baseball manager he had been elected to the WBCA Hall of Fame.
Schmitt will be inducted at the Madison Marriott West in Middleton on Saturday at noon.
“Well it means a lot and it means that we’ve done the right things and had a successful program,” said Schmitt, who was Middleton’s manager from 2003-2018 before retiring. “Statewide people recognize Middleton’s achievements on and off the field.
“You get that award as a reflection of not only what you’ve done, but it’s also a reflection of who we had with us. The players, the coaches, the parents. Great athletic directors like Bob (Joers) and Luke (Francois). It takes a lot of great people.”
Achieving greatness
Schmitt had a remarkable run with the Cardinals, going 287-124 overall (.698) and leading Middleton to the 2003 state title. The Cardinals reached the state tournament seven times in Schmitt’s 16 seasons and won five Big Eight Conference championships.
Current Middleton manager Brent Jorgensen worked under Schmitt for four seasons before taking the reins in 2019. Jorgensen said he learned countless things from Schmitt that have helped him keep the program remain among the state’s best.
“Tom was a great coach to learn from because he knew the type of program he wanted to run, but was always willing to try new things,” said Jorgensen, who led Middleton to the state tournament in 2023. “He also connected well with all of the coaching staff.
“He spoke often with non-varsity coaches, valued their opinions, and was up to date on everything happening on each non-varsity team. Tom was willing to do whatever was necessary to support the program, his coaches, and the kids in the program. To say that he has earned his way (to the Hall) is an understatement.”
Longtime Verona skipper Brad D’Orazio played for Schmitt when he was the Cardinals’ JV coach in the mid-1990s. The two later had many battles from opposite dugouts, and D’Orazio knew he’d have to be at his best to match wits with Schmitt.
“Tom's teams were always well prepared and fundamentally sound,” D’Orazio said. “I knew we would have to play well and execute because his teams would not beat themselves.
“I remember one time they successfully executed a suicide squeeze bunt against us and we didn't get an out. I knew that since we didn't get an out he’d do it again, and very next pitch they executed another suicide squeeze. Happy to say we got an out on the second one. I’m glad to see he's being recognized.”
Born to coach
Schmitt, a 1985 graduate of Columbus High School, was a three sport athlete for the Cardinals. In addition to being a standout pitcher and infielder, Schmitt was an all-conference basketball player, as well as a wide receiver and safety on the gridiron.
Schmitt first started thinking about a future in coaching when he was 13. His Babe Ruth team didn't have a manager that summer, and if they couldn't find one, they’d have to cancel the season.
Schmitt’s late father, Allen, stepped up and answered the bell. While Allen wasn’t a baseball aficionado, Schmitt said he learned a lot watching his father operate that summer.
“Coaching isn't always about knowledge of the game,” Schmitt said. “It’s about organizing and giving kids the opportunity to get on the field and learn the game as you go.
“He did it for three or four summers. He worked in Madison, then rushed home (to Columbus) on game days so he could make the bus. He made the commitment and the sacrifice, worked through lunches and stuff like that to make sure he was there so we could play baseball. So that was a life lesson and a really cool memory that I have of Dad.”
While Schmitt was a student at UW-Oshkosh, he coached eighth grade football at Waupun and was an assistant baseball coach at Appleton West.
After graduation, Schmitt began teaching in the Middleton-Cross Plains district. He immediately took gigs as an assistant baseball coach and freshman boys basketball coach, roles he held for more than a decade.
During that time, Schmitt paid close attention to how veteran coaches like Mike Zimmerman (baseball), John Boyle (boys basketball), Dewey Stendahl (golf) and Tom Cabalka (football) handled their business. He also bounced several ideas off Tim Simon, who began working at MHS at roughly the same time Schmitt did and has had two stints as the Cardinals’ head football coach.
“Those guys are great coaches and were great people to learn from,” said Schmitt, who remains an assistant golf coach at MHS today. “Even though some might have been coaching other sports, there’s a lot of stuff you can bring back to your own program. I was lucky to learn from those guys.”
Immediate success
When Zimmerman stepped down as the Cardinals’ baseball manager after the 2002 campaign, Schmitt was more than ready — and experienced immediate success.
With an aggressive style and a star-studded team, Schmitt led Middleton to the 2003 WIAA Division 1 state championship. That remains the Cardinals’ first — and only — state championship in program history.
One of Middleton’s strengths under Schmitt was its consistency.
The Cardinals also reached the state tournament in 2005, ’06, ’09, ’12, ’14 and ’16. In addition, Middleton won four straight Big Eight Conference titles between 2007-’10, then won the league again in 2018 — Schmitt’s final season.
“Middleton has always been a strong community when it comes to baseball,” Schmitt said. “Zim brought it back to a high level in his 10 years, then we took over and carried on what he started.
“We had very few problems with attitudes or suspensions. The guys bought into the team aspect and we were able to have some success.”
Both on and off the field.
In 2015, Schmitt and former Sun Prairie manager Rob Hamilton started the ‘Cardinal Strikeout Cancer’ game. The two rivals dedicate an annual matchup by raising awareness and money for pediatric cancer research.
“Tom’s impact on both youth and high school baseball in our community is hard to quantify, but deeply felt,” Jorgensen said.
Today, Jorgensen and Sun Prairie East manager Jack Marchese continue to run the ‘Cardinal Strikeout Cancer’ event. To date, the annual game has raised nearly $200,000.
“That’s something we’re really proud of,” Schmitt said.
A lot of proud people will be in attendance celebrating Schmitt on Saturday.
Among the 50 expected guests will be Schmitt’s wife Jodi; children Morgan, Brennan and Brady; his mother, Loretta Patricia; his brother Mike, an assistant football coach at Ripon College; Mike O’Brien, a longtime coach and athletic director at Columbus High School; and Middleton coaching icons like Boyle, Cabalka and Zimmerman.
“It’s going to be a great day,” Schmitt said. “We've got a number of guys that coached with us coming back that will be there to share it with us. It will be emotional.
“When I see our former players and they still call you ‘Coach’ it means a lot. The times that we spent together, whether it was practice or on the bus or on a spring trip or during games, all those times were special. So to have some time to think about those is going to be pretty nice.”
