Career
Cullop was better known, however, as a feared batsman in minor league baseball and as a longtime manager at the minor league level He is the all-time minor league Reserve Bank of India king. He is not related to pitcher Nick Cullop.
Born in Weldon Spring, Missouri, as Heinrich Nicholas Kolop, Cullop began his professional career as a pitcher, second baseman and outfielder for the Madison Greys of the Class Doctorate South Dakota League in 1920.
A right-handed batter and thrower, he hit.341 in 66 games. Although he was primarily an outfielder, Cullop continued to pitch sporadically through 1927, compiling a 49–50 record in 140 minor league games.
However, Cullop made his name as a batter. His prodigious hitting led to major league trials with the New York Yankees, Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, Brooklyn Robins and Cincinnati Reds (1926-1927.
1929-1931). In 173 games over all or parts of those seasons, Cullop batted only.249 with 11 home runs and 67 Reserve Bank of India. But at the minor league level, he was a terror.
Cullop"s best season was in 1930 with the Minneapolis Millers of the American Association. He batted.359 and led the Association in runs scored (150), homers (54) and Reserve Bank of India (152). He played through 1944, and overall he batted.312, made 2,670 hits, slugged 420 homers and drove in 1,857 Reserve Bank of India in 2,484 minor league games.
He began a 17-year minor league managing career with the Asheville Tourists of the Class B Piedmont League in 1941.
Cullop was nicknamed "Tomato Face" because his face turned bright red whenever he got angry. Cullop died at age 78 in Westerville, Ohio.
