Frank M. "Wildfire" Schulte was an American right fielder and left-handed slugger in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago Cubs (1904-16), Pittsburgh Pirates (1916-17), Philadelphia Phillies (1917) and Washington Senators (1918). Schulte was born in Cochecton, New York. Signed by Frank Chance after a brief minor league career, Schulte was a part-time player for the Cubs in 1904, playing in 20 games and hitting .286. He enjoyed his best season in 1911, leading the National League in home runs (21), RBI (107), extra base hits (72), total bases (308) and slugging percentage (.534); was 3rd in OPS (.918) and triples (21); 4th in runs (105) and hits (173), and finished with an exact .300 batting average, to became the first player in National League history to win the Most Valuable Player Award. In addition, with his 30 doubles, he became the founding member of the 20–20–20 club. Schulte is also one of only four players in MLB history in the 20–20–20–20 club (i.e., 20 doubles, 20 triples, 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases). The only other players to accomplish the feat are Willie Mays in 1957, Curtis Granderson in 2007, and Jimmy Rollins, also in 2007. Schulte died in Oakland, California at age of 67. In 2008, Frank Wildfire Schulte was portrayed by David Martin Rose, in the feature film "Diminished Capacity," starring Matthew Broderick, Virginia Madsen, and Alan Alda. The film follows the characters as they struggle to hold onto a very rare Schulte Baseball card.
Frank M. "Wildfire" Schulte was an American right fielder and left-handed slugger in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago Cubs (1904-16), Pittsburgh Pirates (1916-17), Philadelphia Phillies (1917) and Washington Senators (1918). Schulte was born in Cochecton, New York. Signed by Frank Chance after a brief minor league career, Schulte was a part-time player for the Cubs in 1904, playing in 20 games and hitting .286. He enjoyed his best season in 1911, leading the National League in home runs (21), RBI (107), extra base hits (72), total bases (308) and slugging percentage (.534); was 3rd in OPS (.918) and triples (21); 4th in runs (105) and hits (173), and finished with an exact .300 batting average, to became the first player in National League history to win the Most Valuable Player Award. In addition, with his 30 doubles, he became the founding member of the 20–20–20 club. Schulte is also one of only four players in MLB history in the 20–20–20–20 club (i.e., 20 doubles, 20 triples, 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases). The only other players to accomplish the feat are Willie Mays in 1957, Curtis Granderson in 2007, and Jimmy Rollins, also in 2007. Schulte died in Oakland, California at age of 67. In 2008, Frank Wildfire Schulte was portrayed by David Martin Rose, in the feature film "Diminished Capacity," starring Matthew Broderick, Virginia Madsen, and Alan Alda. The film follows the characters as they struggle to hold onto a very rare Schulte Baseball card.
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