Dick Culler

{{short description|American baseball player (1915–1964)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name=Dick Culler |image=Dick Culler.jpg |position=Shortstop |bats=Right |throws=Right |birth_date={{Birth date|1915|1|15}} |birth_place=High Point, North Carolina, U.S. |death_date={{death date and age|1964|6|16|1915|1|15}} |death_place=Chapel Hill, North Carolina, U.S. |debutleague=MLB |debutdate=September 19 |debutyear=1936 |debutteam=Philadelphia Athletics |finalleague=MLB |finaldate=May 25 |finalyear=1949 |finalteam=New York Giants |statleague=MLB |stat1label=Batting average |stat1value=.244 |stat2label=Home runs |stat2value=2 |stat3label=Runs batted in |stat3value=99 |teams= * Philadelphia Athletics ({{mlby|1936}}) * Chicago White Sox ({{mlby|1943}}) * Boston Braves ({{mlby|1944}}–{{mlby|1947}}) * Chicago Cubs ({{mlby|1948}}) * New York Giants ({{mlby|1949}}) }} '''Richard Broadus Culler''' (January 15, 1915 – June 16, 1964), known outside of professional baseball by his middle name,<ref>[https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/6e8f6c36 Utley, Hank, and Corbett, Warren, ''Dick Culler.''] SABR Biography Project</ref> was an American pro baseball player who appeared in 472 Major League games (primarily as a shortstop) for the Philadelphia Athletics (1936), Chicago White Sox (1943), Boston Braves (1944–1947), Chicago Cubs (1948) and New York Giants (1949). The native of High Point, North Carolina, stood {{convert|5|ft|9|in}} tall and weighed {{convert|155|lb}}.

In eight MLB seasons he played in 472 games and totalled 1,527 at-bats, 195 runs, 372 hits, 39 doubles, 6 triples, 2 home runs, 99 RBI, 19 stolen bases, 166 walks with a .244 batting average, a .320 on-base percentage and a .281 slugging percentage.

Culler attended High Point College, where he played baseball, basketball and soccer. He was best known for his exploits as captain of the basketball team and his No. 9 was the first ever retired at the school. He was player and coach of the soccer team, and was a pitcher and infielder for the baseball team.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://highpointpanthers.com/headlines/?HeadlineID=33197 |title=High Point University Athletics © 2009 |access-date=2009-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090703053542/http://www.highpointpanthers.com/headlines/?HeadlineID=33197 |archive-date=2009-07-03 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Culler also played in the independent Carolina League for several seasons with the Concord Weavers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://baseballoutlaws.com/broadus-culler.php|title=Ballplayer Profiles: Broadus Culler|website=baseballoutlaws.com}}</ref>

After his playing career, Culler founded and operated the Autographed Baseball Company, which still exists in High Point today.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.autoball.com|title=AUTOGRAPHED BALL COMPANY HISTORY|website=www.autoball.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091022203800/http://www.autoball.com/|archive-date=22 October 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Culler died in Chapel Hill, North Carolina at the age of 49.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Baseballstats | br=c/culledi01 | fangraphs=1002858 | brm=culler001ric}} *{{Find a Grave}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Culler, Dick}} Category:1915 births Category:1964 deaths Category:High Point Central High School alumni Category:Baltimore Orioles (International League) players Category:Baseball players from High Point, North Carolina Category:Boston Braves players Category:Chicago Cubs players Category:Chicago White Sox players Category:High Point Panthers baseball players Category:High Point Panthers men's basketball players Category:Jersey City Giants players Category:Major League Baseball shortstops Category:Milwaukee Brewers (minor league) players Category:Minneapolis Millers (baseball) players Category:Nashville Vols players Category:New York Giants (baseball) players Category:Philadelphia Athletics players Category:Reidsville Luckies players Category:St. Paul Saints (AA) players Category:American men's basketball players Category:20th-century American sportsmen