Paul Fitzke | |
---|---|
Pitcher | |
Born:
see note July 30, 1900 La Crosse, Wisconsin, U.S. | |
Died: June 30, 1950 Sacramento, California, U.S. | (aged 49)|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 1, 1924, for the Cleveland Indians | |
Last MLB appearance | |
September 1, 1924, for the Cleveland Indians | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 0–0 |
Earned run average | 4.50 |
Strikeouts | 1 |
Teams | |
Paul Frederick Herman Fitzke (July 30, 1900 – June 30, 1950), also known as Bob Fitzke, was an American professional athlete, who played briefly as a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) during 1924 and as a wingback in the National Football League (NFL) in 1925. He later was a college football head coach at the University of Dubuque.
Fitzke was a three-sport athlete in college, competing in baseball and football for the University of Wyoming and later the University of Idaho; he also played basketball for Idaho. [1]
Fitzke played college baseball at Wyoming, where he batted .372 in 1921; he later played for Idaho. [1] Fitzke went on to play minor league baseball for parts of 10 seasons during 1924–1943. [2] He pitched in 168 minor league games, compiling a 41–48 win–loss record. [2] He best season, statistically, was in 1926 with the Scranton Miners when he was 16–8 with a 2.74 earned run average (ERA). [2] Listed at 5 feet 11.5 inches (1.816 m) and 185 pounds (84 kg), he threw and batted right-handed. [3]
Fitzke appeared in one major league game, with the 1924 Cleveland Indians. [3] On September 1, 1924, Fitzke pitched in relief in the first game of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Browns. [4] He entered the game to pitch in the bottom of the fourth inning, with the Browns leading, 6–2. [4] In four innings of work, he faced 19 batters, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks, while striking out one batter (Browns shortstop Norm McMillan). [4] Fitzke batted once during the game; he was called out on strikes in the sixth inning while facing Browns reliever Ray Kolp. [4] Fitzke was removed in the top of the eighth inning when Glenn Myatt entered the game as a pinch hitter. [4] Cleveland used pitcher Bub Kuhn to pitch the bottom of the eighth inning, taking the loss in what was also Kuhn's only major league appearance. [4] Fitzke's earned run average (ERA) for his one major league appearance was 4.50.
Fitzke played college football for Wyoming in 1921, before transferring to Idaho where he played two seasons. [5] He played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Frankford Yellow Jackets in 1925, appearing in 16 games (13 starts). [6] The NFL's website lists him as a wingback. [7] Fitzke later coached college football for the Dubuque Spartans in Iowa in 1937 and 1938, [1] and at Carbon College (now Utah State University Eastern) in Price, Utah, circa 1941. [1]
Fitzke was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin, [3] and graduated from high school there. [1] After his sports career, he became a chiropractor in Sacramento, California. [1] He died of leukemia in Sacramento on June 30, 1950, [5] and was buried in Boise, Idaho. [3]
Sources are inconsistent about what Fitzke's full name was. Pro-Football-Reference.com and the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) list it as Paul Frederick Herman Fitzke. [6] [1] Retrosheet lists it as Robert Paul Fitzke né Frederick Herman Fitzke. [3] The Associated Press news article about his death noted it was Paul Robert Fitzke. [5] On draft registration cards, which he signed, it was listed as Paul Frederick Fitzke in March 1942, [8] and as Paul Frederick Fietzke in September 1918. [9]
Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dubuque Spartans ( Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1937–1938) | |||||||||
1937 | Dubuque | 3–4–1 | 3–1–1 | 3rd | |||||
1938 | Dubuque | 5–1–2 | 4–1 | 4th | |||||
Dubuque: | 8–5–3 | 7–2–1 | |||||||
Total: | 8–5–3 |