(August 21, 1901 – June 26, 1985) Born in Hillsboro in 1901, Wes Schulmerich was a multi-talented athlete credited with being the first player from Oregon State University to reach the Major Leagues, where he played for four seasons. In later years, he became one of the school’s most visible fans and was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame’s inaugural class in 1980.
Schulmerich, a 5-foot-11, 210-pound athlete, played high school sports for Hillsboro and Columbia Prep (University of Portland) before enrolling at Oregon Agricultural College (OSU) at age 22, having turned down an offer to play football at Notre Dame. In Corvallis, he played football, baseball and ran for the track team.
Schulmerich, known, as “The Iron Horse,” played fullback, linebacker and even handled the place-kicking duties in football, which caught the attention of several teams in the National Football League. He was an all-conference player in the Pacific Coast Conference as a junior and senior, but he focused on baseball following his graduation in 1927.
It was Beaver baseball coach Ralph Coleman who guided Wes to signing with the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League in 1927, where he spent four seasons with the club. After hitting .380 with 28 homers in 189 games during the 1930 season, he was traded to the Boston Braves, where he became a regular in the lineup. The Braves traded him to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1933, where he hit .334 in 95 games. The Phillies traded him to Cincinnati early in the 1934 season where his career ended.
Schulmerich was a strong defensive player, due in part to his arm strength he showed in left field. He was also popular for his loud, friendly nature with teammates and family.
In 429 games in the National League, he finished with a .263 average, 192 RBIs and 27 home runs.
Following his days in the Majors, Schulmerich bounced around with numerous minor league teams, serving as player/manager for several teams before retiring in 1939 at age 41. He played part of the 1937 season for the Portland Beavers. Those final minor league years, Wes cranked out some whacky antics on the field while playing, in the style of baseball clown Max Patkin.
Wes served in the Navy during WWII after returning to Oregon. He and his wife Cecile were regulars for decades at OSU football, basketball and baseball games. Wes also had a passion for the outdoors: hunting, fishing and boating. He won many fishing trophies during his retirement and traveled the world. Anywhere but Eugene. Wes Schlumerich is also a member of the Oregon State Hall of Fame.