Wagner College Athletics

Phil Qualben, a Staten Island native, was a three-sport standout at Wagner playing baseball, basketball and football. The late Qualben was honored as an All-Star Athlete and in 1947 he was selected as Staten Island's outstanding student-athlete and received the Varsity Club Award out of high school. In baseball, Qualben was a front-line pitcher and outfielder. The fastest man on the team, his senior year he stole 15 bases and batted .333. Coached by Herb Sutter and Jim Lee Howell, he was a letterman in basketball for two years and football for one year. After graduation, Qualben played professional baseball from 1951-1954 for the Cleveland Indians organization. He received numerous professional honors such as All-Star team member, team MVP and led his Spartanburg team in hitting twice. A man of God, Qualben gave up his baseball career to become a church reverend and also worked as a clinical physiologist in private practice. Additionally he served as the Director of Physiological services at Wagner College. Phil and his wife Carol are survived by four children; Barbara, Janice, Marc and Eric.