Billy Hulen

William Franklin Hulen

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 8", Weight 148 lb.

• Debut May 2, 1896
• Final Game May 12, 1899
• Born March 12, 1870 in Dixon, CA USA
• Died October 2, 1947 in Santa Rosa, CA USA

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Biographical Information

Billy Hulen's 93 games at shortstop are the most ever for a straight lefty. (Jimmy Macullar and Bill McClellan played more, but both could hit righty.)

Billy was involved in a strange affair in the early 20th Century. He got married on March 7, 1896, then disappeared on February 20, 1906. He was prospecting on a mining claim near Eureka, California, when he left for Seattle, WA to raise funds for the operation. On his trip north, he had planned to stop in Ashland, Oregon to see his wife Blanche. When he did not show up, the Elks service organization began a search for him. His luggage was traced to Denver, CO, but no further information was published about his location. He was thought to be dead.

Word then came down from Alberta that Hulen was playing baseball in Canada under the name Billy Hamilton.

"The mystery as to the disappearance of Kid Hulen, who has played such a lot of good ball in the Northwest, is cleared up by reports from the Alberta country. He has been playing there with the Medicine Hat team this year. For a time Hulen was thought to be dead. His wife and mother worried themselves sick over his strange disappearance and even now it is not explained. Hulen finished the 1902 season with Seattle and captained the club the next year. In 1904 he managed the Everett team and won the pennant." (The Anaconda Standard, September 17, 1907)

He had also apparently run a hotel in Winnipeg, Manitoba for a time. "Billy Hamilton, a former proprietor of Noble's hotel, Winnipeg, who was with Medicine Hat last season, will captain the Spokane team. Hamilton is a former big leaguer, his diamond name being Billy Hulen. There was some talk of him getting the management of the Maroons before Eddie Herr landed the job." (Manitoba Free Press, March 25, 1908)

Upon learning of his miraculous appearance in Canada, Blanche began divorce proceedings in March, 1907, citing desertion. At the time of his disappearance, there was no hint of domestic trouble, but no reason was given for his flight north.

Related Sites

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