Former Kansas City Royals GMs Schuerholz, Tallis elected to team’s Hall of Fame

The Kansas City Royals added two foundational former executives to their team hall of fame induction class on Thursday.

The Royals will induct former general managers Cedric Tallis and John Schuerholz on June 28.

The former Royals executives join Bo Jackson in this year’s class. Jackson, who was originally drafted by Schuerholz, will be honored during his own pregame ceremony on June 29.

Schuerholz, 83, and Tallis, who died in 1991, will be inducted during a private luncheon and receive on-field recognition ahead of the Royals’ June game against the Cleveland Guardians.

“I am honored,” said Schuerholz, now a vice-chairman emeritus with the Atlanta Braves. “It’s a really remarkable event and I am thrilled by it. I am honored by it and happy by it.

“All the years I spent with the Royals, it’s been very fascinating for me and very rewarding because of the good times that we had and the good organization of people we had.”

Tallis and Schuerholz worked in tandem during their tenure with the Royals. Schuerholz was an administrative assistant when he joined the organization; he worked under Tallis, who was the general manager at the time.

Schuerholz quickly rose through the ranks. He held multiple titles, including director of scouting and player development. In 1979, Schuerholz was named the Royals’ vice president. Two years later, Royals founder/owner Ewing Kauffman named him as the third general manager in team history.

As GM, Schuerholz helped lead the Royals to a World Series title — the first in club history — in 1985. He also acquired hallmark players such as Jackson, Kevin Appier and Jeff Montgomery.

But he couldn’t have done it without Tallis’ guidance. Schuerholz expressed gratitude that he will enter the Royals Hall of Fame with his former boss, who died in 1991.

“He was a really good man and we had good people in the organization,” Schuerholz said. “We had good players and we had a community of people that cared about the Royals being well run and having good players all throughout the years.”

Tallis was executive vice president and general manager of the Royals from their inception in 1968. He was tasked with building the expansion franchise.

Like Schuerholz, Tallis had a knack for finding talent. He acquired future Royals Hall of Famers Amos Otis, Cookie Rojas, Fred Patek, John Mayberry and Hal McRae in trades. He also oversaw the drafting of such MLB and KC legends as George Brett, Frank White and Paul Splittorff.

“It’s hard to put into words what this would’ve meant to him,” daughter Gale Tallis said. “He absolutely adored the Royals. It was his team. He built it. He was involved very heavily in the stadium, and Kansas City was his town. I mean, he loved living here. So, this would’ve meant so much to him and my mother.”

The Royals still feel the influence of Tallis and Schuerholz. Current general manager J.J. Picollo worked under Schuerholz with the Braves, and the culture the Tallis and Schuerholz fostered endures in Kansas City.

“It was a privilege to work for John,” Picollo said. “He demanded excellence from everyone and exemplified that through his actions.

“Little did I know at the time, but so many things we, the Royals, do today are based on things learned during my time with him. I’m grateful to have worked for him.”

Tallis and Schuerholz will become the 29th and 30th members of the Royals Hall of Fame — Jackson will be the 28th. They will be immortalized alongside so many of the players they acquired and helped develop.

“Nearly every first in Royals history can be traced back to Cedric Tallis,” said Curt Nelson, senior director of the Royals Hall of Fame. “In fact, he was the first Royals associate; all of us have followed in his footsteps. On the field and off, Cedric laid the foundation that brought the Royals so much early success.”