On this day in 1918 Joe Schultz was born in Chicago, Illinois. He was the son of longtime major leaguer Joe Schultz Sr., who played eleven seasons between 1912-25 with the Cardinals and six other teams. Schultz Jr. had a relatively pedestrian major league career: He played nine big league seasons between 1939 and 1948 but never appeared in more than 46 games and only once made more than 50 plate appearances.
Schultz is more notable to Brewer fans as the first manager in franchise history. He had managed 13 years in the minors and coached in the majors for the Cardinals for six seasons when the Seattle Pilots gave him his first chance to manage in the majors at age 50.
Saddled with an expansion roster, Schultz didn't make much of his first big league opportunity: He went 64-98 and was dismissed after one season. His largest lasting legacy is likely the variety of illogical and/or unusual things he's quoted as saying in Ball Four. Schultz served as an interim manager for the Tigers in 1973, but never again managed a full major league season.
Schultz died in 1996, but would have turned 93 today if he were still alive. With help from the B-Ref Play Index, we'd also like to wish a happy birthday today to 2000-01 Brewer Henry Blanco. He turns 40.