Joe Schultz
Encyclopedia
Joseph Charles Schultz, Jr. (August 29, 1918 — January 10, 1996) was an American
Major League Baseball
catcher
, coach
and manager
. Schultz was the first and only manager for the Seattle Pilots
franchise during their lone season before they became the Milwaukee Brewers
. Seattle had entered the American League
as an expansion franchise in 1969, and moved to Milwaukee the following season.
, an outfielder
who played for seven of the eight National League
clubs (1912–1916; 1919–25) and who later became a manager in the St. Louis Cardinals
' extensive farm system. In 1932, at age 13, Joe Jr. appeared in his first professional game, as a pinch hitter
for the Houston Buffaloes
of the Class A Texas League
; the elder Schultz was managing Houston and Joe Jr. was serving as the Buffaloes' batboy
that season.
Joe Jr. had a distinguished prep career at St. Louis University High School and signed his first contract with the Redbirds
, but was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates
where his father had become minor league director. After appearing in only 22 games
for Pittsburgh between 1939–41, Schultz made his way back to St. Louis with the Browns
of the American League
, where he spent six seasons (1943–48) as a backup catcher and pinch hitter
. In 328 major-league at bat
s over all or parts of nine MLB seasons, Schultz batted
.259 with one home run
.
Schultz also served as a third-base coach for the Kansas City Royals
in 1970 and the Detroit Tigers
from 1971-76.
, during the player selection lottery, Schultz and general manager Marvin Milkes
actually thought the Pilots would finish third in the newly formed American League West
. Indeed, Schultz managed to keep his patchwork team within striking distance of .500 for most of the early part of the season. However, a 9–20 July effectively ended any chance at respectability, and the Pilots finished last in the new West, with a mark of 64-98 (.395).
However, it can be argued that Schultz's efforts were hamstrung by the Pilots' off-the-field problems. They played at a former minor league park, Sick's Stadium
, that was clearly inadequate even as a temporary facility. The Pilots were also plagued by an unstable, undercapitalized ownership; they were nearly broke by the end of the season.
Schultz was replaced as manager by Dave Bristol
as the team struggled in limbo during the 1969-70 offseason. Only weeks before the 1970 season opener, the Pilots were purchased by a group headed by Bud Selig
and transferred to Milwaukee, where they have remained since.
He coached with the Royals (1970) and the Detroit Tigers
(1971–76) before leaving baseball. He compiled a 14-14 mark as acting manager of the 1973 Tigers, replacing the fired Billy Martin
, giving him a career record of 78-112 (.411) as a major league skipper. Apart from that assignment, Schultz never managed in the majors again after the Pilots collapsed.
, the controversial memoir of the 1969 season by Seattle pitcher
Jim Bouton
that was released in 1970. Bouton tells humorous anecdotes about Schultz and some of the motivational speeches he gave to the Pilots. According to Bouton, Schultz's speeches were heavily laced with profanity, even with some original curses (such as "shitfuck"). The author claims that Schultz was well liked by his team, but some of his choices were questioned by the players. In a later anthology on managers Bouton edited, I Managed Good, But Boy Did They Play Bad
, however, Bouton noted Schultz's sense of humor and added that, given the circumstances of the last-place team, "I couldn't have had a better manager than Joe Schultz."
, at the age of 77, and is interred at the Calvary Cemetery
in St. Louis.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
, coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
and manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
. Schultz was the first and only manager for the Seattle Pilots
Seattle Pilots
The Seattle Pilots were an American professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington for one season, . The Pilots played home games at Sick's Stadium and were a member of the West Division of Major League Baseball's American League...
franchise during their lone season before they became the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. Seattle had entered the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
as an expansion franchise in 1969, and moved to Milwaukee the following season.
Playing career
Born in Chicago, Illinois, he was the son of a major league baseball player — Joe (Germany) SchultzJoe Schultz (outfielder)
Joseph Charles Schultz, Sr. , nicknamed "Germany" Schultz, was an American outfielder and farm system director in Major League Baseball and a manager in minor league baseball....
, an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
who played for seven of the eight National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
clubs (1912–1916; 1919–25) and who later became a manager in the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
' extensive farm system. In 1932, at age 13, Joe Jr. appeared in his first professional game, as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
for the Houston Buffaloes
Houston Buffaloes
The Houston Buffaloes or Buffs were an American minor league baseball team that was founded in 1888, played in the Texas League in the years 1888-90, 1892, 1895-99, and 1907-1958 ; in the South Texas League in the years 1903-06; and in the American Association from 1959-61...
of the Class A Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
; the elder Schultz was managing Houston and Joe Jr. was serving as the Buffaloes' batboy
Batboy
A batboy is an individual who carries the baseball bats around to a baseball team. A batboy may also lay out the equipment and mud the baseballs to be used in the game.Mascots and batboys had both been part of baseball since the 1880s....
that season.
Joe Jr. had a distinguished prep career at St. Louis University High School and signed his first contract with the Redbirds
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, but was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
where his father had become minor league director. After appearing in only 22 games
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
for Pittsburgh between 1939–41, Schultz made his way back to St. Louis with the Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
of the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
, where he spent six seasons (1943–48) as a backup catcher and pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
. In 328 major-league at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s over all or parts of nine MLB seasons, Schultz batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.259 with one home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
.
Coaching career
In 1949, Schultz served as a coach with the Browns, and then managed in the minor leagues from 1950–62, returning to the Cardinals' organization in 1958. He became a Cardinals coach in 1963 and worked with three National League pennant winners (1964, 1967 and 1968), and two world championship clubs (1964, 1967) through 1968.Schultz also served as a third-base coach for the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
in 1970 and the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
from 1971-76.
Seattle Pilots
The success of the Cardinals led to Schultz's 1969 opportunity with the Pilots. Although they were badly outdrafted by its fellow expansion team, the Kansas City RoyalsKansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
, during the player selection lottery, Schultz and general manager Marvin Milkes
Marvin Milkes
Marvin Milkes was an American front office executive in three professional sports: Major League Baseball, soccer, and hockey...
actually thought the Pilots would finish third in the newly formed American League West
American League West
The American League West is one of three divisions in Major League Baseball's American League. The division currently has four teams, but it has had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams currently only reside along the west coast and in Texas, historically the...
. Indeed, Schultz managed to keep his patchwork team within striking distance of .500 for most of the early part of the season. However, a 9–20 July effectively ended any chance at respectability, and the Pilots finished last in the new West, with a mark of 64-98 (.395).
However, it can be argued that Schultz's efforts were hamstrung by the Pilots' off-the-field problems. They played at a former minor league park, Sick's Stadium
Sick's Stadium
Sick's Stadium, also known as Sick's Seattle Stadium and later as Sicks' Stadium, was a baseball stadium located in Seattle, Washington's Rainier Valley at the corner of S. McClellan Street and Rainier Avenue S. The site was previously the location of Dugdale Park, a 1913 ballpark that was the home...
, that was clearly inadequate even as a temporary facility. The Pilots were also plagued by an unstable, undercapitalized ownership; they were nearly broke by the end of the season.
Schultz was replaced as manager by Dave Bristol
Dave Bristol
James David Bristol is a former manager in Major League Baseball in the 1960s and 1970s. He managed the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, and San Francisco Giants during this period....
as the team struggled in limbo during the 1969-70 offseason. Only weeks before the 1970 season opener, the Pilots were purchased by a group headed by Bud Selig
Bud Selig
Allan Huber "Bud" Selig is the ninth and current Commissioner of Major League Baseball, having served in that capacity since 1992 as the acting commissioner, and as the official commissioner since 1998...
and transferred to Milwaukee, where they have remained since.
He coached with the Royals (1970) and the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
(1971–76) before leaving baseball. He compiled a 14-14 mark as acting manager of the 1973 Tigers, replacing the fired Billy Martin
Billy Martin
Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin, Jr. was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times...
, giving him a career record of 78-112 (.411) as a major league skipper. Apart from that assignment, Schultz never managed in the majors again after the Pilots collapsed.
Portrayal in Ball Four
His career may not have been helped by an unflattering portrayal of him in Ball FourBall Four
Ball Four is a book written by former Major League Baseball pitcher Jim Bouton in . The book is a diary of Bouton's 1969 season, spent with the Seattle Pilots and then the Houston Astros following a late-season trade. In it Bouton also recounts much of his baseball career, spent mainly with the...
, the controversial memoir of the 1969 season by Seattle pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Jim Bouton
Jim Bouton
James Alan "Jim" Bouton is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. He is also the author of the controversial baseball book Ball Four, which was a combination diary of his season and memoir of his years with the New York Yankees, Seattle Pilots, and Houston Astros.-Amateur and college...
that was released in 1970. Bouton tells humorous anecdotes about Schultz and some of the motivational speeches he gave to the Pilots. According to Bouton, Schultz's speeches were heavily laced with profanity, even with some original curses (such as "shitfuck"). The author claims that Schultz was well liked by his team, but some of his choices were questioned by the players. In a later anthology on managers Bouton edited, I Managed Good, But Boy Did They Play Bad
I Managed Good, But Boy Did They Play Bad
I Managed Good, But Boy Did They Play Bad is a collection of essays, short stories and articles about baseball, combined with comments and articles written by Ball Four author and former major league pitcher Jim Bouton.- The book's creation :...
, however, Bouton noted Schultz's sense of humor and added that, given the circumstances of the last-place team, "I couldn't have had a better manager than Joe Schultz."
Death
Schultz died in St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, at the age of 77, and is interred at the Calvary Cemetery
Bellefontaine and Calvary Cemeteries
Bellefontaine Cemetery and the Roman Catholic Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri are adjacent burial grounds, which have numerous historic and extravagant tombstones and mausoleums. They are the necropolis for a number of prominent local and state politicians, as well as soldiers of the...
in St. Louis.