Career
Culver pitched for the Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, Saint Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies. He also pitched one season in Japan for the Nippon-Ham Fighters in 1975. Culver was offered $1,000 to sign with the Phillies following an outstanding high school career at North High School (Bakersfield, California), where he played five sports.
He turned that down and instead went to Bakersfield College and excelled in baseball for two years.
Culver was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1963 for $2,500. He made his major league debut at age 23 on September 7, 1966 as the Indians" starting pitcher against Jim Lonborg and the Boston Red Sox at Cleveland Municipal Stadium.
Culver pitched five innings and gave up five earned runs in a 5–4 loss. The first-ever major league hitter he faced was José Tartabull.
Culver struck out four batters and walked five as he outdueled Chris Short in game two of a doubleheader.
After retiring as a player, Culver spent 30 years as a minor league manager, pitching coordinator and pitching coach in the Dodgers and Phillies organizations. His last season in professional baseball was as a roving pitching coach for the Dodgers in 2010. On his last day as an active coach, the Bakersfield Blaze minor league team honored him with a "George Culver Retirement Night" on August 23, 2010.