Larry Schmittou
Encyclopedia
Larry Schmittou is an American
entrepreneur
. He currently owns a S&S Family Entertainment LLC, which operates a chain of bowling
centers. He is a former coach of the Vanderbilt University
baseball
team. From the late 1970s to the mid 1990s, he was the owner of several minor league baseball
teams. He also served as the Vice President of Marketing for the Texas Rangers
Major League Baseball
club from 1983 to 1986. In 2006, he was named a member of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. He was awarded the Fred Russell
Lifetime Achievement Award by the Nashville Sports Council on March 9, 2011 during the annual Celebration of Champions event held at the Grand Ole Opry House
from 1961 to 1968. During that time he coached high school basketball
and football
. He also worked for several years as a territorial scout for the Cleveland Indians
Major League Baseball
team.
In 1968, he became the head baseball coach and head football recruiter at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Through 1978, he led his teams to over 300 wins, including four consecutive Eastern Division Championships and the overall SEC
baseball championships in 1973 and 1974; both years he was named SEC Coach of the Year.
, Jerry Reed
, Conway Twitty
, and Richard Sterban
(bass singer of the Oak Ridge Boys) in order to purchase a minor league baseball team. He called the team the Nashville Sounds
, and built a new ballpark, Herschel Greer Stadium
, which held 10,700 fans. The Sounds were a part of the Double-A Southern League
and were affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds
.
During the first year of play, the Sounds drew in over 380,000 fans, leading the league in attendance. The Sounds would be a major draw for years to come. Their success has been attributed to Schmittou's business philosophy of selling tickets at low prices and making profits from souvenirs, concessions, etc. In recognition of his achievements, he was awarded the Sporting News Double-A and Southern League "Executive of the Year" awards in 1978 and 1981 and the Triple-A Sporting News "Executive of the Year" award in 1989. In 2006 Schmittu was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.
In 1985, the Sounds made the jump to become a Triple-A team of the American Association
, and in 1998 joined the Triple-A Pacific Coast League
. In 1993 and 1994, Schmittou welcomed the Double-A Nashville Xpress
to Greer Stadium in Nashville.
He also owned the Dayton Beach Islanders, Greensboro Hornets
, Huntsville Stars
, Salem Redbirds, Wichita Stars, and Winston-Salem Spirits.
By 1996, Schmittou had sold all of his baseball teams and retired from the professional baseball business.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
. He currently owns a S&S Family Entertainment LLC, which operates a chain of bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
centers. He is a former coach of the Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team. From the late 1970s to the mid 1990s, he was the owner of several minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
teams. He also served as the Vice President of Marketing for the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
club from 1983 to 1986. In 2006, he was named a member of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. He was awarded the Fred Russell
Fred Russell
Fred Russell was an American sports writer prominent in the Golden Era of Sports in the 20th century...
Lifetime Achievement Award by the Nashville Sports Council on March 9, 2011 during the annual Celebration of Champions event held at the Grand Ole Opry House
Early career
Schmittou was a teacher in the Nashville public school systemMetropolitan Nashville Public Schools
Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, or MNPS, is a school district that serves the city of Nashville, Tennessee. Over 74,000 students are currently enrolled in the district's 71 elementary schools, 36 middle schools and 15 high schools.- Demographics :...
from 1961 to 1968. During that time he coached high school basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
. He also worked for several years as a territorial scout for the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
team.
In 1968, he became the head baseball coach and head football recruiter at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Through 1978, he led his teams to over 300 wins, including four consecutive Eastern Division Championships and the overall SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
baseball championships in 1973 and 1974; both years he was named SEC Coach of the Year.
Minor League Baseball
In 1978, Schmittou put together a group of investors including country stars Larry GatlinLarry Gatlin
Larry Wayne Gatlin is an American country music singer/songwriter. He is perhaps best known for teaming up with his brothers Steve and Rudy in the late 1970s, becoming one of country music's most successful acts of the 1970s and 1980s. Gatlin has had a total of 33 Top 40 singles...
, Jerry Reed
Jerry Reed
Jerry Reed Hubbard , known professionally as Jerry Reed, was an American country music singer, innovative guitarist, songwriter, and actor who appeared in more than a dozen films...
, Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty , born Harold Lloyd Jenkins, was an American country music artist. He also had success in early rock and roll, R&B, and pop music. He held the record for the most number one singles of any act with 55 No. 1 Billboard country hits until George Strait broke the record in 2006...
, and Richard Sterban
Richard Sterban
Richard Anthony Sterban is an American bass singer born in Camden, New Jersey, who joined the country and gospel quartet The Oak Ridge Boys in 1972. Prior to joining The Oak Ridge Boys, Sterban toured with J. D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet, who were singing backup for Elvis Presley at that time...
(bass singer of the Oak Ridge Boys) in order to purchase a minor league baseball team. He called the team the Nashville Sounds
Nashville Sounds
The Nashville Sounds are a minor league baseball team of the Pacific Coast League , and the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the city's association with the music industry...
, and built a new ballpark, Herschel Greer Stadium
Herschel Greer Stadium
Herschel Greer Stadium is a minor league baseball park located in Nashville, Tennessee, on the grounds of Fort Negley, an American Civil War fortification, approximately two miles south of downtown...
, which held 10,700 fans. The Sounds were a part of the Double-A Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
and were affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
.
During the first year of play, the Sounds drew in over 380,000 fans, leading the league in attendance. The Sounds would be a major draw for years to come. Their success has been attributed to Schmittou's business philosophy of selling tickets at low prices and making profits from souvenirs, concessions, etc. In recognition of his achievements, he was awarded the Sporting News Double-A and Southern League "Executive of the Year" awards in 1978 and 1981 and the Triple-A Sporting News "Executive of the Year" award in 1989. In 2006 Schmittu was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.
In 1985, the Sounds made the jump to become a Triple-A team of the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
, and in 1998 joined the Triple-A Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
. In 1993 and 1994, Schmittou welcomed the Double-A Nashville Xpress
Nashville Xpress
The Nashville Xpress were a minor league baseball team of the Southern League from 1993 to 1994. They were located in Nashville, Tennessee and played home games at Herschel Greer Stadium, which opened in 1978...
to Greer Stadium in Nashville.
He also owned the Dayton Beach Islanders, Greensboro Hornets
Greensboro Grasshoppers
The Greensboro Grasshoppers are a minor league baseball team in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA...
, Huntsville Stars
Huntsville Stars
The Huntsville Stars are a minor league baseball team of the Southern League and are the Double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Huntsville, Alabama and are named for the space industry with which Huntsville is economically tied .The Stars play their home games at Joe W...
, Salem Redbirds, Wichita Stars, and Winston-Salem Spirits.
By 1996, Schmittou had sold all of his baseball teams and retired from the professional baseball business.