Dave Fultz

David Lewis Fultz (May 29, 1875 – October 29, 1959) was a center fielder in Major League Baseball who played in the National League with the Philadelphia Phillies (1898–1899) and Baltimore Orioles (1899), and for the Philadelphia Athletics (1901–1902) and New York Highlanders (1903–1905) of the American League. He batted and threw right-handed. In a seven-season career, Fultz posted a .271 batting average with 223 RBI and three home runs in 644 games played.

Early life and career
A native of Staunton, Virginia, Fultz graduated in 1898 with a law degree from Brown University, where he excelled in football and baseball and was named captain of both teams. Signed by the Phillies the same year, he played for them in part of two seasons and went to Baltimore in the 1899 midseason and played under John McGraw. With McGraw, Fultz developed as a solid bases stealer, and in hit and run and bunting situations.

Later career in baseball
When the American League was created, Fultz joined the Philadelphia Athletics of Connie Mack in 1901, appearing at shortstop and second base, and later moved to center field. Fultz led his team with 36 stolen bases and hit .292 with 95 runs scored. His most productive season came in 1902, when he stole 44 bases, hit a career-high .302, and led the American League with 109 runs. On September 4, he stole second base, third and home, in the second inning of a game against the Detroit Tigers.

From 1903 to 1905, Fultz played for the New York Highlanders when Clark Griffith managed the team. During the offseason and in his spare time he attended New York Law School, passing the New York bar exam. Fultz averaged 30 stolen bases for season with a high 42 in 1905. That season, he suffered a late September collision with teammate Kid Elberfeld, breaking his nose and jaw, and retired at 31 age.

Football playing career
Fultz also played professional football in 1900 and 1901 with the Homestead Library & Athletic Club, as a fullback. In 1901 he was named the team's captain. Prior to playing for Homestead, Fultz played football for the Duquesne Country and Athletic Club in 1899.

Coaching career
Fultz served as the head football coach at the University of Missouri (1898–1899), Lafayette College (1902), Brown University (1903), and New York University (1904), compiling a career college football record of 26–19–2. He also coached baseball at the United States Naval Academy, Columbia University and NYU.

Missouri
Fultz got his first coaching job as the eighth head college football coach for the University of Missouri–Columbia Tigers located in Columbia, Missouri and he held that position for two seasons, from 1898 until 1899. His career coaching record at Missouri was 10 wins, 6 losses, and 1 ties. This ranks him 15th at Missouri in total wins and 14th at Missouri in winning percentage.

Lafayette
In 1903, Fultz returned to coaching at Lafayyete University and posted an impressive record of 8 wins and 3 losses. In six of the victories, the opponents were held scoreless.

New York University
Fultz's next coaching move was to become the seventh head coach for the New York University Violets and he held that position for the 1904 season. His coaching record at NYU was 3 wins, 6 losses, and 0 ties. This ranks him 14th at NYU in total wins and 15th at NYU in winning percentage.

Later life
In 1906, Fultz became a practicing attorney. In 1912, he created a furor in baseball by unionizing major league players in an organization called the Players Fraternity. Ty Cobb and Christy Mathewson were among its officers. The group threatened to strike in 1917, but the walkout was averted after Fultz obtained some concessions for the players. The union was disintegrated during World War I.

After service as a WWI lieutenant aviator, Fultz became president of the International League. He retired in 1947 as a lawyer with offices at Broadway, New York, and came to Lake Helen, Florida, where he bought the estate of Henry A. DeLand. Fultz died in DeLand, Florida, at the age of 84.