ST CHARLES, Mo. — Some people call him “teacher.” Some call him “Snap Man.” Whatever you want to call him, Richard Schenck has been a hit.
In a way, Schenck is a master of paradox. The owner of Teacher’s Billiards in St. Peters, he now moonlights as a teacher for some of baseball’s biggest stars.
It's not a bad gig for a father of three who never played higher than Division II baseball in college.
“It’s unbelievable. I mean, my family can’t believe it. My employees can’t believe it. My college teammates can’t believe it," said Schenck.
“I have another business that supports me but this is fun and I hope it lasts forever," he said.
Schenck will be 65 years old this fall. However, it only takes watching one swing to see that he can hit like a 25-year-old.
“It’s two pivot points. There’s a hand pivot point that snaps the barrel like this," said Schenck, describing what makes his teaching method so successful. “And realizing that the only way I can get this barrel to go backward before it goes forward is from one leg.”
In an effort to improve his sons' hitting, Schenck started studying Barry Bonds' swing about 15 years ago. He would record an at-bat on video, load it up to his computer, and try to sync Bonds' swing to his, using a video recorder and machine that would spit out golf-ball sized whiffle balls in his basement.
“I believe it was a Friday night. I was watching the Cardinals play the Giants and Barry Bonds is up to bat and I’m in my recliner with my TiVo, playing the swings back and forth," recalled Schenck, talking about the moment he realized the technique Bonds had in his swing that few others could replicate.
“What did Barry Bonds do every time he swung? He would tap, he would swing and then his back foot would come over the plate.”
It wasn't long before Schenck developed a way to teach what he calls "launch quickness." And it also wasn't long before his boys started hitting home runs for the first time in their lives.
“And after my son had his success, David started wanting to know what we were doing and I started teaching him," said Schenck.
"David" being David Matranga, a former long-time minor-leaguer who spent years in the Angels' farm system. Matranga found Schenck years ago via an online message board which gave hitting tips. Schenck's advice helped Matranga's hitting tremendously.
Lucky for Schenck, Matranga would become a sports agent, soon representing one of baseball's brightest, young stars.
“My big client that everybody knows is Aaron Judge," said Schenck.
Matranga represents Judge. So when Judge struggled following his brief call-up to the Yankees in 2016, he recommended Judge meet with Schenck to work on his swing.
He did. And then he hit more than 50 home runs the following season en route to American League Rookie Of The Year.
“He learned from me how to get his barrel up to speed quicker," said Schenck, who still meets with Judge for private hitting lessons several times a year.
The "Bat Whisperer of St. Peters," as he's been dubbed, has several other clients, ranging from youngsters to the pros. However, many of the pros like to keep their relationship low-key, so that they don't offend their respective teams' hitting coaches.
“I have several other clients that our relationship is somewhat secret," said Schenck.
Two other MLB players he is allowed to mention: Scott Kingery of the Phillies and Ian Happ of the Cubs. He's also taught a lesson to retired outfielder, Manny Ramirez, who flew into St. Peters recently just to meet with Schenck.
No matter who he is helping, Schenck is thrilled that his swing has been a hit.
“There’s nothing like seeing a hitter have his ‘ah-ha’ moment that changes his life," said Schenck.
Schenck travels several weeks each year to teach at clinics and to work one-on-one with players. However, his home cages are at DTJ Sports Academy in St. Charles.
You can learn more about "Snap Man" and his availability at HittingIllustrated.com.
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