Arthur Karpus Arthur Joe Karpus ( January 16 , 1898 – March 1983 ) was an American football , basketball and baseball player . He attended the University of Michigan from 1917 to 1923 , winning a total of seven varsity letters , three in basketball , three in baseball and one in football . He played for Big Ten Conference championship teams in football ( 1918 ) , baseball ( 1919 ) and basketball ( 1921 ) . He was captain of the 1920 – 21 Michigan Wolverines men ' s basketball team that won the school ' s first conference championship in basketball . He was Michigan ' s leading scorer in basketball during both his junior and senior seasons . Karpus later played three years of minor league baseball from 1921 to 1923 . After graduating from Michigan , Karpus worked as a mechanical engineer . He was employed by the Michigan State Highway Commission from approximately 1937 until his retirement in 1967 . Early years . Karpus was born in 1898 and raised in Bay City and Grayling , Michigan . His father , Stephen Karpus , emigrated to the United States in 1889 and worked as a sawmill hand in Bay City . His mother , Helen ( Kitze ) Karpus was also an immigrant . In 1900 , Karpus was living in Bay City with his parents and three older sisters . University of Michigan . Karpus enrolled at the University of Michigan where he played for the football , basketball and baseball teams . As a freshman in 1917 , he played at the end position for Michigan ' s all - freshman football team . As a sophomore during the 1918 – 19 academic year , Karpus lettered in football , basketball , and baseball . He played at the end and halfback positions for the undefeated 1918 Michigan Wolverines football team that won the Big Ten Conference and national championships . He also played center for the 1919 basketball team . In February 1919 , he made a basket in the second overtime period to give Michigan a 19 – 17 win over Michigan Agricultural College ( now Michigan State ) . He also scored 13 of Michigan ' s points in a 38 – 20 win over Ohio State later that same month . He also played third base for the undefeated 1919 baseball team that won the Big Ten Conference championship . ( 1919 baseball team , Big Ten Champions ) < / ref > As a junior during the 1919 – 20 academic year , Karpus was academically ineligible to play football in the fall . However , he again lettered in basketball and baseball . Playing at the forward position , he played in eight games , scoring 22 baskets from the floor and 31 free throws for a total of 75 points . At the end of the 1920 basketball season , Karpus was elected captain of the 1921 basketball team . As a senior during the 1920 – 21 academic year , Karpus was once again declared academically ineligible in the fall . However , his eligibility was restored in December , allowing him to participate in most of the basketball season . Despite missing several games , Karpus , playing at the forward position , was the team ' s high scorer for the second straight year , and he led the team from a last place finish the prior year to a three - way tie for the Big Ten Conference basketball championship . The 1921 basketball team compiled a record of 16 – 4 and won both games against Michigan Agricultural for the first time in the history of the rivalry . In a summary of the 1921 basketball season , the University of Michigan yearbook praised Karpus ' contributions : " In any consideration of the players on the 1921 Varsity , Captain Joe Karpus leads , because of his high scoring ability , and the spirit which he put into the team . Karpus was the leading scorer of the team , both this year and last . He also ranked high in the Conference . It was his foul shooting that pulled more than one game out of the fire , during 1921 . His performance in the first Illinois game , when he threw nine fouls out of a possible eleven will stand out as one of the most brilliant individual records of the season . Karpus coupled to his basket shooting ability an uncanny knack at dribbling . " Karpus also played third base for the 1921 baseball team . The 1921 " Michiganensian " noted of Karpus : " When a hit was needed in a pinch , Coach Fisher could usually count on Joe who handled third base in a remarkable fashion . It was Karpus ' third year on the Varsity . " Minor league baseball . After graduating from Michigan , Karpus played minor league baseball in the Michigan - Ontario League for the Bay City Wolves in 1921 , the Saginaw Aces in 1922 and the Kalamazoo Celery Pickers in 1923 . He maintained a . 326 batting average and a . 439 slugging percentage in 37 games for the 1921 Bay City team . Later years . At the time of the 1930 Census , Karpus was living in Detroit , Michigan with his wife , Angeline " Angela " ( Superzynski ) Karpus . He listed his occupation at the time as mechanical engineer at a copper and brass manufacturer . From approximately 1937 to 1967 , Karpus was employed by the Michigan State Highway Commission in Lansing , Michigan , the last 20 years as the Commissions ' s equipment manager . He retired in 1967 . Karpus died in 1983 at Bay City , Michigan .