NEW ULM — Back in June of 1983, the Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft came to New Ulm in a big way when four local players — Jeff Schugel, Doug Palmer, Tom Steinbach and Terry Steinbach — were all selected by major league teams.

Schugel went to the Minnesota Twins in the 18th round, while Palmer was also picked by the Twins in the 12th round.

Both Steinbachs went west, with Tom Steinbach going to the Seattle Mariners in the 19th round and Terry Steinbach becoming a member of the Oakland A’s when he was tabbed in the ninth round.

For a town of 14,000 people, to have four local players drafted meant a lot for the pride that New Ulm has in its baseball tradition.

Now 40 years later, those four players reflected on the day of the draft and the memories that it has.

Schugel, who is current Assistant to the General Manager of the Cincinnati Reds, said that being drafted was a result of all of the work that was put in and finally coming to fruition.

“I was getting a chance to go out and live my dream,” he said. “The relief of it being over and the chance to go out and play pro ball.”

Schugel said that he got a phone call from Angelo Giuliani.

“I was overwhelmed and overjoyed,” he said. “I was able to share that moment with my mother — that was special. He [Giuliani] came down in the Twins vehicle and signed Doug and I on the same day.”

Schugel also recalled how the telephone tree between the four players was going.

“Got a call that day from the Steinbachs that said that the keg of Schells was on tap in their basement,” Schugel said.

Schugel said that having four close friends all drafted on the same day had them living in the moment.

“It was not that big of a deal to us because we were ready to take that next step and get after it,” he said. “But looking back in retrospect, it was really a special moment. You look back at the history of a town that size to have four players drafted in the same year. But it was exciting for what it meant to New Ulm.”

And when Schugel returns to New Ulm, one of his first stops is at Johnson Park.

“There are so many memories there — that was my childhood — and that park really means a lot to me.”

Schugel said that he has been blessed to stay in baseball now for 40 years as a player, scout and now in the major league front office.

“But that draft day is something that I will always remember,” he said.

Doug Palmer, who was also drafted by the Twins with Schugel, said that prior to that draft he had had phone conversations with teams who were interested in taking him.

“But it was a great reward for a lot of hard work to be drafted and have the chance to play pro baseball,” he said. “And the unique thing about it was three of my best friends from New Ulm who were drafted on the same day. That made it very, very special.”

“I remember all of us playing a Kaiserhoff game days before the draft,” Palmer added.

Palmer said that reflecting back on that day when four New Ulm baseball players were all drafted by major league clubs was special.

“For a town the size of New Ulm, to have four players drafted was very special,” he said. “The quality of baseball that has been produced there and the work that players there have put into the game — you have the opportunity to fulfill dreams.

“I do not know if there has ever been a town remotely close to the size of New Ulm that has had four players drafted on the same day.”

Being a major league draftee was a crowning moment for Palmer.

“This was something that I had always wanted to do and worked for,” he said. “It is the work that you do that people do not see that makes it even more rewarding.”

Now a Financial Advisor for Edward Jones in Orlando, Florida, Palmer said that when he got the phone call at his parents’ home, they were ecstatic.

“My parents were my biggest fans through all of this — they were as excited as I was that day.”

Palmer said sharing a memory like this with his fellow New Ulm draftees makes it feel like they never left town.

“When I see Terry, Tom and Jeff after a year or two, it seems like we never left because of that day,” he said. “We played a lot of baseball on our own to get better. And I will never forget that day even though it was 40 years ago. It was special for us and the town.”

For Tom Steinbach, who is still living in New Ulm, being drafted was a reward for all of the work that they put into the game.

“And for the size of New Ulm — to have four players taken in the draft on the same day — probably may never happen again,” he said. “It showed the kind of coaching that we had in this town. Everything that we learned started here.”

Terry Steinbach may have said it best for the three other players and for the town of New Ulm.

“It was sheer excitement,” he said. “My phone rang that day and they said this is the Oakland A’s — congratulations — we have drafted you on the ninth round.”

Terry Steinbach said that the four of them worked hard to get their names called that day.

“Not too many people get drafted and all of us found out that same day,” he said. “And it is 40 years ago, but I thought that we all played one more game [for the Kaiserhoff] — a farewell game — and we all just played the game and wished each other good luck.”

He said there were a lot of congratulatory phone calls to all four of them.

Terry Steinbach said while all four were individually proud to have been drafted, he felt that all of New Ulm felt that it was a feather in the towns’ hat to have four players drafted that same day for baseball.

“You always hear that in Roseau kids are born with hockey skates on but New Ulm is not that far behind baseball-wise. There was nobody that New Ulm in the state of Minnesota that New Ulm could not play against and win,” Terry Steinbach said. “We all got our starts in the Park and Rec getting our wool pants and jerseys. That is how we all got started.”

And like the others, a return visit to New Ulm includes a stop at Johnson Park to relive memories.

“I get chills to go back down there and think of the fun and great games that we had and what we brought to New Ulm,” Terry Steinbach said.

Terry Steinbach said that 40 years later, the four still have a special bond between them.

“We are close and there is that camaraderie that will be there forever,” he said. “And the memories of that day, even though it was 40 years ago, I think will always be fresh in each of us. It was a special day for us and New Ulm.”