Bob Schultz

From BR Bullpen

Robert Duffy Schultz

Bats Right, Throws Left
Height 6' 3", Weight 200 lb.

Debut April 20, 1951
Final Game April 15, 1955
Born November 27, 1923 in Louisville, KY USA
Died March 31, 1979 in Nashville, TN USA

[edit] Biographical Information

Bob Schultz served in the United States Marines during World War II. Upon returning home in 1946 he hooked up with the class D Kitty League Fulton Bulldogs and this was to be the beginning of an eleven year professional baseball career. He had one of the best years of this career, going 19-10 with a 3.62 ERA. He also led the league in strikeouts with 361 in 221 innings. This performance earned him a spot on the league all-star roster.

This showing caught the eye of the Chicago White Sox and he signed in 1947 to play with their affilliate class C Cotton States League Greenville Bucks. He went 15-11 with a 2.02 ERA.

Schultz went 11-11 in 1948 with the class AA Southern Association Memphis Chickasaws. With Memphis again in 1949 he posted a 1-5 mark and was sent to the class A Central League Muskegon Clippers and wound up there at 8-10 with a 3.16 ERA.

The Chisox put the lefthander on waivers in March 1950 and the Nashville Vols AA farm team of the National League Chicago Cubs picked him up for the minimum $2,500 fee.

The 1950 season would be the best of the lefthanders career. He went 25-6 for the Nashville Club, 18 of his wins came in succession at home and four of them where shutouts. He also fanned 202 in 222 innings and posted a 2.68 ERA.

Manager Branch Rickey brought Schultz to Wrigley Field in 1951. He went 3-6 while pitching 77 innings before being sent back to the Nashville club for seasoning. He also spent part of the year with the Springfield Cubs of the AAA International League.

1952 saw Schultz spend the entire season with the Chicago Cubs going 6-3 while appearing in 29 games and posting a 4.01 ERA. Schultz started out 1953 with the Cubs, going 0-2 in 7 appearances and on June 4 was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates, along with Bob Addis, Toby Atwell, George Freese, Gene Hermanski, Preston Ward and $150,000 for Ralph Kiner, Joe Garagiola, Howie Pollet and Catfish Metkovich. With the Pirates he appeared in eleven games posted an 0-2 and was sent to the Southern Association New Orleans Pelicans team. He finished out 1953 with a 9-4 record and a 2.74 ERA.

1954 saw him again with the Pelicans where he went 18-11 with a 3.52 ERA. This prompted the Detroit Tigers of the American League to purchase his contract in December of 1954.

The 31 year old Schultz made one appearance as a Tiger, with no record and he was sent down to the International League Buffalo Bisons early in 1955. He went 10-14 with a 5.75 ERA. 1956 saw him with three different minor league clubs, a combined 7-8 record and the end of another professional career.

On March 31, 1979, in Nashville, Tennessee, Bob Schultz was shot and killed. The assailant was charged with first degree murder.