Jim Russo's lifelong passion for baseball began in Huntington, where he spent his childhood in the 1930s rushing to the downtown newstand after school to listen to games on the radio. He was captivated by legends like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, sparking a love for the game that would define his career. This early fascination eventually led him to become one of baseball's most renowned scouts, earning the nickname "Super Scout" and playing a critical role in shaping the Baltimore Orioles into a powerhouse team.

Born in 1922 to Sicilian immigrants John and Lena Russo, Jim was the fifth of six children. His dream of becoming a major league player was fueled by stars like Arky Vaughn and Mace Brown of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Russo's first major league game was at Wrigley Field, where he watched the Cubs play the Pirates, cementing his aspirations in the sport.

As a teenager, Russo organized semipro teams and leagues, providing a platform for himself and others to play. His brother Tony, who owned an auto body shop, financed the team, fittingly named the “Fender Benders.” During World War II, Russo served in the Army Air Corps, stationed in China, Burma, and India.

After the war, Russo returned to Huntington and continued playing in area leagues. His keen eye for talent led to two local players being signed by a scout for the St. Louis Browns. As for his own playing career, Russo never rose above the semipro level. HIs own self-evaluation just said, “not good enough.” But he had a deep knowledge of the game and an appetite for its details.

Wanting to stay close to the game, Russo pursued radio broadcasting. He first attended Huntington College, then continued studying in Fort Wayne and later Chicago. His first radio job involved calling high school games in Michigan. He eventually moved to Riverside, California, where he worked as sports director at KPRO radio. It was there he met Betty Louise Miller, who also worked at the station. They married in 1951.

Around the same time, Russo reconnected with the St. Louis Browns and began working as a commissioned scout, known as a “bird dog.” In 1951, he became a full-time scout for the Browns, despite the team’s struggles on the field and financially. Assigned to Texas and Oklahoma, Russo drove 25,000 miles in one year, tirelessly scouting talent.

Russo’s career took a turn in 1954 when the Browns relocated to Baltimore, becoming the Orioles. The Orioles were committed to building a winning organization, and Russo was tasked with scouting the Midwest. By 1959, he had risen to Midwest scouting supervisor.

One of Russo’s early successes was signing Boog Powell, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound slugger who would go on to become a four-time All-Star and the 1970 American League MVP. Russo’s stature within the organization continued to grow, especially after he played a behind-the-scenes role in the trade that brought Cincinnati’s Frank Robinson to Baltimore in 1965. Robinson, who had won the National League MVP with the Reds, won the Triple Crown and the American League MVP in 1966, leading the Orioles to their first-ever World Series victory.

Russo pioneered advanced scouting, attending games of the Orioles’ upcoming opponents to find any competitive edge. In 1966, he scouted 22 straight games of the Los Angeles Dodgers, preparing for a potential World Series matchup. The Orioles won their first championship with a four-game sweep of the favored Dodgers, thanks in part to Russo’s strategic blueprint.

Russo’s crowning achievement came in 1971 when the Orioles' pitching staff made history with four 20-game winners in Dave McNally, Jim Palmer, Mike Cuellar, and Pat Dobson, all players Russo had signed or recommended. This remarkable feat capped a dominant period for the Orioles, who won three American League pennants from 1969 to 1971, securing their second World Series title in 1970.

Throughout the 1970s, the Orioles remained one of baseball’s best teams, largely due to Russo’s scouting expertise. From 1958 to 1987, Baltimore was the winningest team in baseball. Russo’s contributions earned him widespread recognition, and in a 1979 article, The New York Times dubbed him “Super Scout.”

Baltimore’s manager through most of that era was the hot-tempered Earl Weaver. Russo and Weaver had some legendary battles, tangling over players and strategies, but they held a grudging respect for each other, and Russo’s was one of the few voices Weaver ultimately trusted. Russo believed that a good scout had to be decisive, saying, “The worst sin for a scout is to be wishy-washy. A good scout can’t dance. He’s got to know what he thinks.”

Russo and his wife Betty raised five children in the St. Louis area. Betty passed away in June 1980, while Russo was on the road. Despite his grief, Russo continued working, calling Earl Weaver to provide a scouting report during Betty's visitation.

“That’s how he rolled. My dad never did not work,” recalled daughter Nancy. “My mom would have loved it!”

In 1984, Russo co-founded the Scout of the Year Program to highlight the importance of scouts in baseball. He began scaling back his duties in 1986 and retired in 1987. In 1992, Russo collaborated with sportswriter and fellow Huntington native Bob Hammel to write his autobiography, “Super Scout: Thirty-Five Years of Major League Scouting.”

The Orioles established the Jim Russo Scout of the Year Award in 2003 to honor his legacy. Russo passed away on February 8, 2004, after battling diabetes and heart disease. His impact on baseball was significant, and his contributions were acknowledged in The New York Times obituary section. Reflecting on the Orioles’ success, Russo’s last public words were, “We were good, really good. You don’t generate baseball’s best record over 30 years by accident.”