Adolph Matulis

Adolph John "A.J." Matulis (c. 1920 - May 25, 2002) was a fullback and quarterback for the Arizona State Teachers College at Tempe (later the University of Arizona) who went onto become a minor league baseball pitcher and manager.

College athletic career

Matulis lettered in football at Arizona in 1940 and 1941.^[1] He joined the team as a freshman in 1940 and was originally a fullback.^[2][3] He later played quarterback for the team.^[4]

He also played baseball and basketball (as a guard) for the school.^[5][6][7]

Professional baseball career

Matulis was primarily a pitcher, but he earned extra at-bats because he was also a satisfactory hitter.

Matulis pitched in the Chicago Cubs system in 1942 and from 1946 to 1952. With the Class-B Madison Blues of the Three-I League in 1942, he went 9-13 with a 4.39 ERA in 37 games. He tied for second in the league in losses and was third in games started. As a hitter, he batted .200 in 65 at-bats.

He did not play from 1943 to 1945 due to World War II. He enlisted in the United States Army as a Private on October 22, 1942.^[8] He served as a Corporal for the 12th Armored Division, where he continued to play baseball as well as basketball.^[9]

He returned to professional baseball in 1946, playing for the Class-A Macon Peaches of the South Atlantic League. He went 17-15 with a 3.39 ERA on the mound and contributed a .206 batting average and 22 hits at the plate. That year, he led the SAL in losses, appearances, hits allowed and earned runs allowed, finished second behind Dick Starr in innings pitched, placed second behind Eugene Pereyra in runs allowed and tied Herm Wehmeier for third in wins.

Matulis pitched for the Double-A Nashville Volunteers of the Southern Association in 1947, going 8-9 with a 5.18 ERA in 38 appearances. He also hit .167 in 48 at-bats. In 1948, he excelled at the plate, where he hit .358 with 76 hits, 19 doubles, four home runs and a .514 slugging percentage for the Class-D Elizabethton Betsy Cubs of the Appalachian League. He also went 1-4 with a 4.50 ERA in 22 appearances on the mound. He also managed the team that season, leading it to a 64-61 fifth place finish.^[10]

He played and managed for the Class-C Clinton Steers of the Central Association and the Class-D Janesville Cubs of the Wisconsin State League in 1949. With Clinton, he hit .268 with 38 hits in 48 games and with Janesville, he hit .211 with eight hits in 23 games, for a combined total of .256 with 46 hits in 71 games. He also pitched for Janesville, going 3-2 with a 2.45 ERA in 16 games. As manager, he replaced Michael Frederick of Janesville on July 23 and was replaced by Joe Blake of the Steers on July 24.

He returned to Janesville in 1950, where he remained through 1951. On the mound, he was 12-6 with a 1.84 ERA in 24 games and at the plate, he hit .300 with 33 hits in 110 at-bats. He led the Wisconsin State League in ERA. As manager, he led the team to a 70-54 third place finish and a berth in the playoffs, which the team lost in the final round. In 1951, he was 4-4 with a 4.98 ERA in 21 games and at the plate, he hit .305 with 19 doubles in 197 at-bats. He managed the team to a 56-64 seventh place finish.

1952 was Matulis' final season. Playing for the Class-C Topeka Owls of the Western Association, he was 9-2 with a 5.07 ERA in 15 appearances as a pitcher. At the plate, he hit .295 with 26 hits in 88 at-bats. He began the year as the team's manager, but was replaced by Jack Dean on August 8.

Overall, Matulis spent eight years in the minor leagues, going 63-55 with a 3.86 ERA in 214 games on the mound. In 1,078 innings pitched, he allowed 1,125 hits and 461 walks. As a batter, he hit .282 with 284 hits, 63 doubles, five triples and 13 home runs in 1,007 at-bats.^[11]

He is a member of the East Chicago Athletic Hall of Fame.^[12]

References