A native of Pittston, Pennsylvania, Pauxtis played football and baseball at Edwards High School, Wyoming Seminary, and Lebanon Valley College.[1] He was a catcher for the Penn Quakers baseball team while studying law at the University of Pennsylvania. He was noted not only for his defensive play but also for his batting skills.[2] Pauxtis also played end for Penn's football team.[3] He was declared ineligible from all of Penn's athletic teams in 1908 after it was discovered he had played professional baseball under an assumed name.[4] He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1910.[1]
After losing his college eligibility, Pauxtis signed with the New York Highlanders. In June 1909, his contract was purchased by Altoona of the Tri-State League.[5] Later that year, he was acquired by the Cincinnati Reds to help pick up the slack in the team left by injuries of team players Tom Clarke and Frank Roth.[6] He played for the Reds for the 1909 season[7] playing his first official game on September 18 and his last game on October 5.[8] Pauxtis officially played for four games.[9] At the end of the year, he was sent down to the Rock Island Islanders, but Pauxtis refused to report.[10] In 1911, he played 80 games for the Syracuse Stars of the New York State League.[11]
Coaching career
Pauxtis was the 12th head football coach at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and he held that position for two seasons, from 1911 until 1912.[12] His coaching record at Dickinson was 8–6–2.[13][14] While at Dickinson, he struck up a friendship with Pop Warner who was coaching at Carlisle Indian School at the time.[15]
Pauxtis coached football at the Pennsylvania Military College (PMC)—now known as Widener University—in Chester, Pennsylvania from 1916 to 1929.[17] His 1925 team finished the year with a 9–1 record with victories over Temple and Rutgers.[18]
In 1930, Pauxis returned to his alma mater as ends coach under Lud Wray. He was retained by Wray's successor, Harvey Harman.[19] He was a candidate to succeed Harman in 1938, but freshman coach George Munger was chosen instead.[20]
Pauxtis again coached at PMC from 1939 to 1946. His teams had a combined record of 82–74–8 during his two stints at the school.[18]
