He played for the Boston Braves, Brooklyn Robins, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds.

During his career, Schultz Sr. played for seven of the eight existing National League clubs, with the exception of the New York Giants.

He led the 1931 Houston Buffaloes to 108 regular-season victories (in 159 games) and the Texas League championship.

In April 1941, while he was en route to visit one of the Pittsburgh farm clubs in Moultrie, Georgia, Schultz was suddenly stricken with acute toxic hepatitis and died in Columbia, South Carolina, at the age of 47.

His son, Joe Jr., a backup catcher for the Pirates, took the field in an exhibition match shortly before his father's death.