An excellent left-handed pitcher, John earned at baseball scholarship to the University of Missouri-Columbia, where he spent four seasons.

Schnurbusch spent six seasons pitching for the Sotolar Pointers of the CYC Senior Major League. He played in the NBC World Series with the Pointers and pitched a three-hitter against Jackson, Mississippi for a 7-1 victory. In 1985 and 1986, he pitched for the Maritz Yankees in the St. Louis Metro Collegiate League. His teams won several championships under coach Neil Fiala. Schnurbusch was selected to the Metro Collegiate All-Star team in 1986.

In the early 1980s, he starred for the Fenton American Legion team. In 1984, he helped Fenton win the American Legion District 10 title and finish second in the Eastern Zone. His record that year was 11-2 with a 2.35 ERA and 187 strikeouts in 107 innings. Schnurbusch pitched at Oakville High School in the early 1980s.

He coached CYC baseball teams from 2001-2009 and also gave pitching lessons to grade school and high school aged youngsters. John also served as Treasurer for the Midwest Prospects Baseball Foundation, an organization that helps young people become successful baseball players.

John has been a member of the Greater St. Louis Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame Board of Directors since 2023.