Harold W. Scharmann

Athletics

A lifetime of involvement in athletics as a player, coach, and league official made Harold (Bus) Scharmann a name widely-recognized in area youth and adult sports. After bad knees ended his playing days in the late 1950’s, Bus - as everyone called him - managed in the Manteca Adult Softball Leagues.

Bus didn’t stop with softball, however. During those same years, he managed the Manteca Merchants, a semi-pro baseball team. In the winter months, Bus coached and refereed men's basketball.

With three sons among his four children, youth sports did not escape his interest and involvement. From 1964-70, Bus was president of the Manteca Babe Ruth League. A firm advocate of the Babe Ruth Baseball program, his Manteca teams were always competitive against Stockton teams.

In the late 1960’s, Bus became the founding president of the Manteca High School Buffalo Boosters Club. Nearly 10 years later, he was again a founding president. This time, it was the Manteca Cowboys Youth Football organization. Anytime a group of boys got together to organize a baseball, basketball, or football team, Bus was there to coach, transport, equip, encourage, and pay the bills.

Mr. Scharmann passed away in February, 1992. and is buried in Park View Cemetery, just a mile from where he was a dairyman for 20 years and where he and his wife, Shirley, raised their family.