Merv Rettenmund

Positions: Outfielder and Pinch Hitter
Bats: Right  •  Throws: Right
5-10, 190lb (178cm, 86kg)
Born: June 6, 1943 in Flint, MI
High School: Southwestern HS (Flint, MI)
School: Ball State University (Muncie, IN)
Debut: April 14, 1968 (Age 24-313d, 10,292nd in MLB history)
vs. CAL 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Last Game: June 22, 1980 (Age 37-016d)
vs. BOS 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Full Name: Mervin Weldon Rettenmund
Pronunciation: \ret-en-MUND\
View Player Bio from the SABR BioProject

Notable Events and Chronology for Merv Rettenmund Career

SearchSearch Events, Dates and More Date (Newest)Title (A - Z)

October 9, 1971

The Orioles win the opener of the World Series over the Pirates, 5 – 3

August 26, 1973

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.

July 22, 1975

Jerry Koosman steals second base and pitches a complete game in a 3 – 1 New York Mets victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

April 17, 1976

1976 – Ken Forsch has to save the Astros twice. Leading San Diego, 5-4 in the ninth, and the tying runner aboard, Forsch gets Ted Kubiak to ground to second for an apparent finish but catcher Cliff Johnson is ruled for interference. Kubiak is awarded first and Forsch must retire Merv Rettenmund, which he does on a fly to Greg Gross in right to seal the victory. 

May 21, 1977

Merv Rettenmund hits a three-run homer in the 21st inning

Biography

Rettenmund played halfback at Ball State and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys. He chose baseball and played in four World Series and six LCS with three different clubs. He was named TSN Minor League Player of the Year in 1968 when he batted .331 with 22 HR for Rochester (International League). He was the AL champion Orioles’ leading hitter in 1970 (.322) and 1971 (.318). In the NL he became a platoon player and top pinch hitter, and he went a league-leading 21-for-67 in the pinch for the 1977 Padres, the eighth most pinch hits ever in a single season.

@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IGp1c3QgY2xpY2sgdGhlIHRhZ3MhICAiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsImxpbmtfdG9fdGVybV9wYWdlIjoib24iLCJzZXBhcmF0b3IiOiIgfCAiLCJjYXRlZ29yeV90eXBlIjoicG9zdF90YWcifX0=@