Marty Marion
Position: Shortstop
Bats: Right • Throws: Right
6-2, 170lb (188cm, 77kg)
Born: December 1, 1916 in Richburg, SC us
Died: March 15, 2011 in Ladue, MO
Buried: Valhalla Cemetery, St. Louis, MO
High School: Tech HS (Atlanta, GA)
School: Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA)
Debut: April 16, 1940 (8,857th in major league history)
vs. PIT 4 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Last Game: July 6, 1953
vs. DET 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Full Name: Martin Whiteford Marion
Nicknames: Slats, The Octopus or Mr. Shortstop
View Player Info from the B-R Bullpen
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Relatives: Brother of Red Marion
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1940
Pee Wee Reese
Elmer Valo
Marty Marion
Walker Cooper
Dom DiMaggio
Pete Reiser
Harry Brecheen
Harry Walker
Stan Spence
All-Time Teammate Team
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Notable Events and Chronology
Biography
Marion was the premier defensive NL shortstop of his day, named to seven successive NL All-Star squads. With Marion at SS, the Cardinals won four pennants, three World Championships, and, from 1941 through 1949, never finished lower than second. Nicknamed “Slats” by Burt Shotton, who managed him in the minors, the 6’2″ 170-lb Marion disproved the theory that shortstops had to be small men. His unusually long arms, which reached for ground balls like tentacles, prompted writers to dub him “The Octopus.”
Marion was a consistent hitter who generally batted toward the bottom of the order. His 38 doubles led the NL in 1942. Deferred from military service because of a trick knee, he was the NL MVP in 1944, when he helped the Cardinals to a World Championship with his glove, winning his first of four fielding titles.
A back injury cut Marion’s career short, and he managed the Cardinals from the bench in 1951, finishing third. Replaced by Eddie Stanky, he moved crosstown to the Browns, and took over for manager Rogers Hornsby early in the 1952 season. He played 67 games that season, three the next, and was let go after a last-place finish in 1953. He managed the White Sox for two-plus seasons, always coming in third. His brother, John “Red” Marion, played briefly for the 1935 and 1943 Senators.
Factoids, Quotes, Milestones and Odd Facts
Played For
St. Louis Cardinals (1940-1950)
St. Louis Browns (1952-1953)
Managed
St. Louis Cardinals (1951)
St. Louis Browns (1952-1953)
Chicago White Sox (1954-1956)
Quotes About
“Marty Marion was a great guy and I really liked him. My first year up, he was the regular shortstop and then he became manager… He worked with me at shortstop and tried to help me every way that he could. He was a likable person and he did everything to help me feel comfortable at that position. Needless to say, I could never fill his shoes. I believe he should be in the Hall of Fame. I can’t believe that he’s not. He was a great guy to play ball for and a great instructor. He was just somebody that I admired very much.” — Solly Hemus, Cardinal infielder in the early 1950s
Factoid 1
All three of Marty Marion’s homers in 1946 were hit against the Giants in the cavernous Polo Grounds.
Strengths
Defensive range and hands.
Weaknesses
Hitting for average and power. Marion was the Ozzie Smith of his time, and those who saw him play insist his defensive wizardry should earn him a plaque in Cooperstown.
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