mark belanger 1965

Mark Belanger Stats & Facts

Player
 

 

Mark Belanger

Position: Shortstop
Bats: Right  •  Throws: Right
6-1, 170lb (185cm, 77kg)
Born: June 8, 1944 in Pittsfield, MA
Died: October 6, 1998  in New York, NY
Buried: St. Joseph Cemetery, Pittsfield, MA
High School: Pittsfield HS (Pittsfield, MA)
Debut: August 7, 1965 (12,397th in major league history)
vs. KCA 0 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Last Game: October 2, 1982
vs. SFG 1 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB
Full Name: Mark Henry Belanger
Nicknames: The Blade
Pronunciation: buh-LAN-jer
View Player Info from the B-R Bullpen
View Player Bio from the SABR BioProject

Nine Players Who Debuted in 1965

Lee May
Mark Belanger
Bobby Murcer
Roy White
Steve Carlton
Tug McGraw
Fergie Jenkins
Jim Palmer
Catfish Hunter

All-Time Teammate Team

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Notable Events and Chronology for Mark Belanger Career

The Tigers are no-hit by Oriole pitchers Steve Barber and Stu Miller, but still manage to win the game, 2-1.

The Tigers are no-hit by Oriole pitchers Steve Barber and Stu Miller, but still manage to win the game, 2-1.

Tom Phoebus of the Baltimore Orioles pitches a 6 - 0 no hitter against the visiting Boston Red Sox. Third baseman Brooks Robinson drives in three runs and makes a great catch to rob Rico Petrocelli of a hit in the 8th inning.

Tom Phoebus of the Baltimore Orioles pitches a 6 – 0 no hitter against the visiting Boston Red Sox. Third baseman Brooks Robinson drives in three runs and makes a great catch to rob Rico Petrocelli of a hit in the 8th inning.

Baltimore wins the ten-inning pitching duel that includes Detroit's Denny McLain retiring 21 straight batters and Baltimore's Mike Cuellar getting 20 consecutive hitters when Mark Belanger's single plates Ellie Hendricks, who had doubled to start the final frame, snapping the Tigers' right-hander's streak. At season's end, both starters will share the Cy Young Award when the writers' choice for the prestigious honor results in a tie in the ballot box.

Baltimore wins the ten-inning pitching duel that includes Detroit’s Denny McLain retiring 21 straight batters and Baltimore’s Mike Cuellar getting 20 consecutive hitters when Mark Belanger’s single plates Ellie Hendricks, who had doubled to start the final frame, snapping the Tigers’ right-hander’s streak. At season’s end, both starters will share the Cy Young Award when the writers’ choice for the prestigious honor results in a tie in the ballot box.

The Orioles defeat Minnesota in Game 2 of the ALCS, 1-0, with the game's lone run coming from a Mark Belanger single, two groundouts, and a bunt single by Paul Blair in the bottom of the 11th inning at Memorial Stadium. Dave McNally goes the distance in the longest complete-game shutout in postseason history.

The Orioles defeat Minnesota in Game 2 of the ALCS, 1-0, with the game’s lone run coming from a Mark Belanger single, two groundouts, and a bunt single by Paul Blair in the bottom of the 11th inning at Memorial Stadium. Dave McNally goes the distance in the longest complete-game shutout in postseason history.

Mike Cuellar & Tom Seaver, ‘69 WS

Don Buford hits Tom Seaver’s second pitch for a homerun leading Orioles past Mets

1973 - In a 10 - 1 win over the Royals, Oriole Paul Blair hits an inside-the-park grand slam off Paul Splittorff. Amos Otis and Steve Hovley collide in midair while chasing Blair's ball to help the O's win their 13th straight.

1973 – In a 10 – 1 win over the Royals, Oriole Paul Blair hits an inside-the-park grand slam off Paul Splittorff. Amos Otis and Steve Hovley collide in midair while chasing Blair’s ball to help the O’s win their 13th straight.

Jim Palmer one-hits the Twins, as the O's win, 2 - 0. Mike Cubbage's single in the 2nd is the only hit.

Jim Palmer one-hits the Twins, as the O’s win, 2 – 0. Mike Cubbage’s single in the 2nd is the only hit.

Leading by two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Orioles escape a no-out, bases-loaded jam when John Wathan hits into a run-scoring triple play to end the game, giving the team a 7-6 victory over Kansas City at Royals Stadium. The Kansas City pinch-hitter's sac fly to right field (1) is deep enough to score Al Cowens from third base, but Freddie Patek, the runner on first, is caught in a run-down on the throw (2) and Dave Nelson, stranded off third base, is tagged out (3) by Mark Belanger, completing the 9-6-4-6 triple killing.

Leading by two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Orioles escape a no-out, bases-loaded jam when John Wathan hits into a run-scoring triple play to end the game, giving the team a 7-6 victory over Kansas City at Royals Stadium. The Kansas City pinch-hitter’s sac fly to right field (1) is deep enough to score Al Cowens from third base, but Freddie Patek, the runner on first, is caught in a run-down on the throw (2) and Dave Nelson, stranded off third base, is tagged out (3) by Mark Belanger, completing the 9-6-4-6 triple killing.

Keith Hernandez

St. Louis Cardinals 1B Keith Hernandez wins the first of his 11 straight Gold Glove Awards (a MLB record at first base)

Veteran free agent infielders Joe Morgan and Mark Belanger sign one-year contracts with the Giants and Dodgers, respectively.

Veteran free agent infielders Joe Morgan and Mark Belanger sign one-year contracts with the Giants and Dodgers, respectively.

mark belanger 1965

Mark Belanger passes away from lung cancer

Luis Aparicio - The Best I Ever Saw

Luis Aparicio – The Best I Ever Saw

Biography

When the Orioles traded shortstop Luis Aparicio after the 1967 season, they replaced him with his roommate, Belanger. The slender “Blade” didn’t relinquish the position until 1982. An eight-time Gold Glove winner, he played in 43 postseason games during a decade of strong Baltimore teams and holds several ALCS defensive records for shortstops. Seldom spectacular, Belanger rarely fielded a ball one-handed or sidearmed a throw, but he moved around short with sure-handed ease and grace. Although an unimpressive hitter, he had the distinction of swatting a home run in the first ALCS game played, versus Minnesota (10/4/69). That year was his best offensively, as he hit .287 with 50 RBI.

Granted free agency after 1981, Belanger signed with the Dodgers for his final season. A longtime player representative with Baltimore, he became a special assistant with the Major League Baseball Players’ Association after retiring as a player.@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IC0gLSAtIC0gLSAtIC0gIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6InBvc3RfdGFnIn19@

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