2017 MSBL Hall of Fame
Congratulations Norm Cutliff, Brian Schueller and Joe Daniels
By Steve LaMontia, Director of Communications
Norm Cutliff
Norm Cutliff is the 74 year old league president of the Taos, New Mexico MSBL, located in one of the most beautiful areas on the planet. “Considering our talent pool we all play somewhere between the eight and 80 age range,” explained Cutliff.
Whether a large league or one a little smaller, passion cannot be measured by size. Steve Sigler has seen the dedication of Norm, as well as his continued support of the MSBL World Series, and has inducted Norm into the MSBL National Hall of Fame.
Norm and Janie, his wife of over forty years, have been hard at work keeping things going, along with his buddy Marty Remaly, who co-founded the league with Norm in 1993. But they still find time to get to Arizona for the MSBL World Series every year. The Taos Solar Sox are a fixture down in the valley of the sun.(Click HERE to read the rest of Norm’s story)
Brian Schueller
Brian Schueller’s MSBL roots go back to 1997 when he first appeared in the Mid-Iowa Baseball League located in Des Moines, Iowa. Since 1999 he has been a continual board member, league president/commissioner and currently serves as the vice president and webmaster for the league. For his 20 years of service and attention to detail, MSBL Founder and President Steve Sigler has inducted Brian into the 2017 class of the MSBL National Hall of Fame.At 43 years of age, this Waukee, Iowa native is married to Sandy, his bride of 15 years,and they have two daughters Addisyn (9) and Alexa (7). “Sandy has been called one of the three”angels” of our league, sharing that distinction with Monica (Tim) Kirgan and Nancy (John) Linden, knowing that she has had to put up with me spending many hours away from home at the baseball field,” explained Schueller. “Sandy and I were engaged on Camelback Mountain in Scottsdale, Arizona the day after our Des Moines Bruins team was eliminated from playoff contention at the World Series in 2002.”Like many of us, high school is where Brian’s baseball career took hold. “I attended a large 4A school in Dubuque and only tried out for baseball my senior year. I was one of two players cut from the team. The day I was cut, I hit my first home run during a scrimmage. That same evening, I hit my first home run in a semi-pro game, the only time I ever hit two home runs in one day.” Thus began his love for baseball and his amateur career. (Click HERE to read the rest of Brian’s story)- Joe Daniels
OK, let’s address the elephant in the room. Long time North Texas Amateur Baseball League dynamic architect, manager and compatriot Joe Daniels has ALS. Yes, Lou Gehrig Disease. Last September Joe started losing muscle in his left hand and can no longer use his left arm. Joe’s throat is becoming more constricted and his legs are failing him. “I walk like Frankenstein and I hug the wall because I am scared to death of falling,” explain Daniels. “If I fell I wouldn’t be able to catch myself. I can peck a little on the keyboard and move the mouse with my right hand but I don’t have the muscle to catch a falling body. I can’t even feed myself.”Joe has been to multiple doctors and therapists and is actively pursuing stem cell treatment
to try to find something that may turn the corner for him, both in pain and his ability to function. Stem Cell treatment, however, is not covered by insurance. I asked Joe the obvious question when we were discussing his walking scenario: what about a wheel chair or motorized vehicle of some sort? His response was a true ‘spit in your eye’ rebuttal. “That’s giving up! I haven’t given up and will continue to try everything I can to fight this off. Maybe we can find a cure some day. I’ll just have to keep trying but I will never give up.”When Joe and I started this discussion I ensured him that this isn’t a ‘woe is me’ article and that we are going to focus on his MSBL achievements throughout the years, which is why MSBL Founder and President Steve Sigler has inducted Joe into the 2017 class of the MSBL National Hall of Fame.“It is not very often you can read of a man’s strength which is not determined by the amount of “reps” he can do,” explained Steve Sigler. “It is the strength to face each day with a positive attitude, knowing a disease is actively at work inside you. Safes/outs/errors etc. mean much less. I applaud you, Joe Daniels, and say thank you for the many years of support and contribution to North Texas MSBL. You will leave a legacy!” (Click HERE to read the rest of Brian’s story)