Schulz, "Germany" (Adolph G.)
Football
b. April 19, 1883, Ft. Wayne, IN
d. April 14, 1951
The University of Michigan played 51 games during Schulz's career. He played every minute in 50 of them. In his final game, against Pennsylvania in 1908, Schulz injured his hip, was kneed in the abdomen, and hurt his hand. Yet he kept playing until the referee called time out and ordered him to leave the game with ten minutes left.
The 6-foot-4, 245-pound Schulz was a pioneer of modern center play. Because he had enormous hands, he could snap the ball one-handed and he was one of the first centers to use the spiral pass. During his first two years as a starter, there was no neutral zone between the offensive and defensive linemen. Schulz developed the technique of dropping off the line on defense and moving laterally to follow the play.
Schulz had to miss the 1906 season because he took a job to earn his tuition money. He returned in 1907 and was a consensus All-American. Walter Camp left him off the 1908 All-American team, but named Schulz to his all-time team in 1910. Schulz was also listed as the center on all-time All-American teams selected by Grantland Rice in 1939, Harry Stuldreher in 1940, and Jim Thorpe in 1942.