Highlighted Year: Dave Fultz, 1902

Outfielder, Philadelphia Athletics

 Age:  27 (May 29)

2^nd season with Athletics

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 170 

Prior to 1902:

A native of Staunton, Virginia, Fultz was a member of a prominent family and received his high school education at Staunton Military Academy where he participated in football and baseball as well as track. He moved on to Brown University in 1894 and was an All-American in football and baseball in 1896 and ’97. As a halfback on the football team, Fultz set long-standing school records by scoring 31 touchdowns and 186 points. A second baseman on the baseball team, he captained the squad that won the 1896 national championship. Fultz played professional baseball and football after graduating from Brown while pursuing a law degree at Columbia University. He signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1898 and batted .182 over 19 games before leaving to become the football coach at the University of Missouri. Returning to the Phillies in 1899, he appeared in only two games and was released in July. Unwilling to play on Sundays became a sticking point in joining another team but he signed with the NL’s Baltimore Orioles and primarily playing at third base and in the outfield over the course of 57 games, Fultz hit .295 with 18 RBIs, 17 stolen bases, and a .342 on-base percentage. In 1900 he joined Milwaukee of the American League, which was not yet a major league. Primarily appearing at second base and shortstop, Fultz batted .298 with 16 doubles, 13 triples, and 4 home runs. In 1901 he followed Connie Mack, who had been general manager in Milwaukee, to the Philadelphia Athletics, a new AL club in what was now a major league. Moved to center field due to the acquisition of star second baseman Nap Lajoie, Fultz hit .292 with 17 doubles, 9 triples, 52 RBIs, 36 stolen bases, and a .334 OBP. With great speed, Fultz was an excellent base stealer and bunter. A patient hitter he also drew many walks. Defensively he covered center field very well. In addition to not playing on Sundays, he didn’t smoke, drink, or swear, and was esteemed by Mack for his good character.

1902 Season Summary

Appeared in 129 games

CF – 114, 2B – 16

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 605 [7]

At Bats – 506 [19]

Runs – 109 [1, tied with Topsy Hartsel]

Hits – 153 [19]

Doubles – 20

Triples – 5

Home Runs – 1

RBI – 49

Bases on Balls – 62 [6, tied with Ed Delahanty]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 33 [18, tied with Elmer Flick & Charlie Hemphill]

Stolen Bases – 44 [3]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .302

OBP - .381 [14]

Slugging Pct. - .368

Total Bases – 186

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 35 [1]

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading sac hits were +11 ahead of runner-up Danny Green

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 9, HR – 1, RBI – 20, AVG - .300, OBP - .366

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) vs. Baltimore 5/7, (in 6 AB) vs. Cleveland 5/24 – 11 innings

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 1

HR on road – 0

Most home runs, game – 1 (in 4 AB) vs. St. Louis Browns 6/2

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 vs. St. Louis Browns 6/2, vs. St. Louis Browns 8/22, vs. Washington 9/17

Pinch-hitting – N/A

Fielding (OF)

Chances – 259

Put Outs – 231

Assists – 18

Errors – 10

DP – 1

Pct. – .961

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The Athletics went 83-53 to win the AL pennant by 5 games over the St. Louis Browns while leading the league in runs scored (775), hits (1392),, and fewest batting strikeouts (288). The A’s, initially hindered by the ongoing litigation with the NL’s Phillies over players who jumped to the AL club, entered July with only a 27-26 record, but within striking range of first place. The arrival of star LHP Rube Waddell and second baseman Danny Murphy in July fueled a surge that had them in first place to stay on August 15. A 20-5 stretch in September nailed down the first pennant in the young franchise’s history.

Aftermath of 1902:

Fultz sought to jump back to the National League in 1903, but following negotiations with Brooklyn and the New York Giants, he ended up being assigned to the AL’s New York Highlanders (now Yankees). In 1903, persistent leg soreness from his years of playing football limited him to 79 games and a .224 average with 13 extra-base hits and a .295 OBP. His defense suffered, too, but he returned to the Highlanders in 1904 and batted .274 with 17 doubles, 4 triples, 2 home runs, 32 RBIs, 17 stolen bases, and a .324 OBP. Following his receiving a law degree and passing the New York bar, Fultz stated that 1905 would be his last season as a player. In his final season, dealing with persistent knee pain, he hit .232 with 13 doubles, 3 triples, 42 RBIs, 44 stolen bases, and a .308 OBP. Defensively, he finished fourth among AL center fielders with 253 putouts. For his major league career Fultz batted .271 with 648 hits that included 84 doubles, 26 triples, and 3 home runs. He scored 369 runs and compiled 223 RBIs, 189 stolen bases, and a .332 OBP. With the Athletics he batted .297 with 204 runs scored, 317 hits, 37 doubles, 14 triples, one home run, 101 RBIs, 80 stolen bases, and a .357 OBP. Efforts to lure him back to the playing field failed. Following his playing career, he remained active with his law practice in New York and was a collegiate baseball coach. He became active in the movement to create a players’ union (which ultimately failed to take hold at that time). Fultz also served as president of the rival Federal League in 1914-15, cementing his reputation among major league owners as a radical outcast. Following service in the Aviation Corps near the end of World War I, Fultz became president of the International League, one of the top minor league circuits. Ousted late in 1920, he continued with his legal practice until retiring in 1947.He died in 1959 at age 84.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years.