Impact Of A Scholarship: Robert Stropp

After leaving the diamond almost 55 years ago, Robert Stropp found ways to give back to the University of Maryland and the sport he loves.

Stropp committed $50,000 to support the new Stanley Bobb Baseball Player Development Center. Set to be completed by the start of next season, the indoor facility will be an 8,500-square-foot practice facility outfitted with a climate-controlled environment for both pitchers and hitters. It also features pitching and hitting technology for the use of increased analytics.

Stropp was a varsity scholarship student-athlete for Maryland baseball from 1967-69. He is now repaying the program for the support he received during his playing years. 

"Baseball has been such a great part of my life," Stropp said. "That was the most impactful thing I could do when they talked about an indoor sports facility. That was an easy call for me."

Stropp reminisced about practicing on cold and rainy days and how the team used Cole Field House as their indoor facility during the winter.

"We had Cole Field House. We went in there in the winter, and we had a pitching machine throw tennis balls at us," Stropp said. "It was a close area and it was just not conducive to really good preparation." 

The Terps will no longer endure similar struggles and will instead boast a facility that matches the goals and aspirations of the program set by first-year head coach Matt Swope.

Stropp had supported the Terrapin Club and M Club for years. As a student-athlete, he was provided a scholarship and now provides others with the same opportunity and more. He was honored as a donor of the game during Maryland football's week one matchup against Towson this past season.

Stropp grew up in a military family, living in many different cities and states. He found solace in athletics and attended Suitland High School, where he played football, basketball, and baseball.

The Maryland alum earned All-Metropolitan honors as a shortstop. His accomplishments and successes earned him interest from many universities.

"I wanted to play baseball and I had a scholarship offer from Maryland," Stropp said, although attending North Carolina was tempting. "I chose Maryland because that's where the ball players go."

Stropp played alongside Maryland Athletics Hall of Famer Tom Bradley. People like Bradley and the diversity of the team's student-athletes were important to Stropp and his decision to become a Terp.

"I liked the diversity of people coming in," Stropp said. "We had a lot of people from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. It was especially prevalent in Maryland's sports. That was a great experience for me."

Stropp became very close with his teammates, whom he still calls friends. He credited their close connections with each other with the opportunity to play in summer leagues.

"We were very close and we all worked hard," Stropp said. "We were on summer teams and we probably played up to 100 ball games in the spring, summer and fall. … We've had tailgate reunions at football games and those kinds of things." 

The scholarship from Maryland allowed Stropp to play baseball and earn a degree in criminology with a minor in psychology. Stropp also met his wife and fellow Maryland graduate and married her shortly after.

After a short stint in the minor leagues and coaching high school baseball after graduation in 1969, Stropp attended Samford University for law school.

Stropp got a job with a private law firm that represented labor organizations. He practiced law as a labor lawyer for 12 years. He became general counsel for the United Mine Workers of America from 1989 to 1996.

Stropp said that being a student-athlete at Maryland developed his competitive edge and adaptability to different environments, which he could apply to represent various clients. Stropp still works as a lawyer in Naples, FL, at 76 years old.

The memories Stropp made at Maryland will live with him forever. A scholarship allowed him to give back to the Terps and continue supporting a baseball team he helped set the foundation for.

"It was the education and my teammates," Stropp said. "I've made other contributions to other causes but nothing like the size I've committed at Maryland and will continue to give at Maryland."