Schroeder (Peanuts) Schroeder (Peanuts) Schroeder is a fictional character in the long-running comic strip "Peanuts", created by Charles M. Schulz. He is distinguished by his precocious skill at playing the toy piano, as well as by his love of classical music and the composer Ludwig van Beethoven in particular. Schroeder is also the catcher on Charlie Brown's baseball team, though he is always seen walking back to the pitcher's mound with the baseball, never throwing it—admitting in one strip he did not want the other team to discover his lack of ability. He is also the object of the unrequited infatuation of
Franklin (Peanuts) the characters needed a last name and he suddenly realized that Franklin did not have one. Schulz asked if he could make "Armstrong" Franklin's last name and Robb Armstrong gave his permission, thinking of it as an honor. From that time onwards "Armstrong" was Franklin's last name. Franklin reappeared as a supporting character in 2015's "The Peanuts Movie." Franklin (Peanuts) Franklin Armstrong is a character in the long-running comic strip "Peanuts", created by Charles M. Schulz. Introduced on July 31, 1968, Franklin was the first African American character in the strip. He goes to school with Peppermint Patty and Marcie.