After working an unfulfilling job upon his 1973 graduation with a political science degree from Duquesne University, where he helped to manage the club football team, Jon Neiderer decided it was time to get into professional sports.

"He actually got a job selling pots and pans, and he hated it," said John Neiderer III, whose father, born John Jr. on Sept. 12, 1951, in Hanover, Pa., dropped the "h" long ago. "He went to the Steelers first. Of course, this was before the sports-management degree existed. They told him, 'You have a nice resume, why don't you go across the hall?' " There, down a hallway at Three Rivers Stadium, began an improbable life's journey.

Mr. Neiderer, who rose from the Pirates' ticket office to become an assistant scouting director and a man known for launching the careers of several current major-league executives, died Monday in his Windber home of Lou Gehrig's disease. He was 58.

He started out hawking tickets for the Pirates in 1973. Four years later, he was plucked by scouting director Murray Cook and co-general manager Harding "Pete" Peterson for scouting.

"Jon was a hard-working guy and always anxious to learn," Mr. Peterson said. "He talked to different people who had been in baseball for years, would pick their brains and learn about it. Turned out to be a very good scout. And a very dedicated Pirates guy.

"The scouts, I think, are the most important part of the organization. If they don't pick out ballplayers, the whole thing doesn't work. People don't come to the ballpark. The ticket office doesn't sell tickets. ..."

Mr. Neiderer is credited with signing longtime Pirates closer Stan Belinda and overseeing the Little Pirates youth-baseball operation, the roots from which an impressive scouting tree sprouted. Such former players, coaches and scouts working in front offices today are Arizona Diamondbacks director of player development Mike Berger, Toronto Blue Jays assistant general manager Tony LaCava and Seattle Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik.

"Gosh, I started with the Little Pirates in Pittsburgh in the late 1970s. That was my job, run the Little Pirates and do the tryout camps," recalled Mr. Zduriencik, who was in uniform and on the field while Mr. Neiderer managed and oversaw the operation. "We would run all over Western Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia and run camps together. Jon was a good guy, a good person. He loved Pittsburgh ... and loved the Pirates. It's unfortunate he didn't get to spend a longer time with them, he had such a soft spot in his heart for Pittsburgh and the Pirates." In turn, he added, Mr. Neiderer took care of the lower-level, bird-dog scouts, "those local guys whose heartstrings were attached to the Pittsburgh Pirates."

Greg Brown, the Pirates broadcaster who started out as a front-office intern and part-time Parrot mascot in 1979, added, "That fraternity of scouts -- he opened the doors of Three Rivers Stadium to all of them, all the time."

New Pirates ownership in 1986 marked the end of his Pittsburgh tenure, and Mr. Neiderer scouted for the Anaheim Angels from 1987 through 2003. He signed longtime shortstop Gary DiSarcina and convinced Angels management to claim on waivers David Eckstein, the shortstop who helped to propel the team to the 2002 World Series. Mr. Neiderer won two world-championship rings: His father, John Neiderer Sr., has his 2002 Angels ring and his son has his 1979 Pirates ring.

Mr. Neiderer, who relocated from Pittsburgh to Windber 12 years ago, scouted for the Seattle Mariners from 2004 "until last year, until it got too hard for him physically," his son said.

He first noticed balance problems in early 2008 and was diagnosed with a rare, rapid-spreading form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.

"We had a nice party for him in April this year in one of the Pirates' suites" at PNC Park, his son said. "A lot of people came by to visit: Kent Tekulve, Greg Brown and Steve Blass. ... We got to watch the Pirates beat the Marlins, and then the Penguins beat the Flyers" in an NHL playoff game shown on the scoreboard.

"It was an amazing night," his son added. "I wished it could've lasted forever."

In addition to his son, he is survived by his wife, Cecilia, of Johnstown; his parents, John Sr. and Carlyn Neiderer, of Hanover; and three sisters, Elizabeth Reese, Julie Van Buskirk and Margaret Neiderer, all of Hanover;

The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. today at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Johnstown.

The family requests that donations be directed to the Western Pennsylvania Chapter of the ALS Association, 416 Lincoln Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15209.

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