Marty Marion
Probably the best defensive shortstop in the National League in the 1940s, Marty Marion defied conventional wisdom of what a shortstop should look like. Tall, slender, and long-armed, Marion gobbled up grounders at short and solidified the middle of the infield for four Cardinals' pennant-winning teams. The eight-time All-Star won the 1944 NL Most Valuable Player Award despite batting just .267 with six homers and 63 RBI. His defensive prowess was legendary and important to his team's success. He retired at the age of 33 to manage the Cardinals, guiding them to a third-place finish before going cross-town to lead the Browns for two seasons as a player/manager. His teammates and many contemporaries continue to campaign for his induction into the Hall of Fame.
Quotes About Marion
"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
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)
All-Time Rankings
Marty Marion ranks #31 among the Top 50 all-time at SS. Rankings ⇒
Factoids
All three of Marty Marion's homers in 1946 were hit against the Giants in the cavernous Polo Grounds.
Born
Martin Whiteford Marion was born on December 1, 1917, in Richburg, SC.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Primary Position: SS
Primary Team: SLN
Major League Debut
April 16, 1940
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
Nicknames
Slats, The Octopus
Similar Players
Ozzie Smith
| Hall of Fame Voting |
| Year |
Election |
Votes |
Pct |
| 1960 |
BBWAA |
37 |
13.8% |
1962 |
BBWAA |
16 |
10.0% |
1964 |
BBWAA |
50 |
24.9% |
1964 |
Run Off |
17 |
7.6% |
1966 |
BBWAA |
86 |
28.5% |
1967 |
BBWAA |
90 |
30.8% |
1967 |
Run Off |
22 |
7.2% |
1968 |
BBWAA |
89 |
31.4% |
1969 |
BBWAA |
112 |
32.9% |
1970 |
BBWAA |
120 |
40.0% |
1971 |
BBWAA |
123 |
34.2% |
1972 |
BBWAA |
120 |
30.3% |
1973 |
BBWAA |
127 |
33.4% |
|
Post-Season Appearances
1942 World Series
1943 World Series
1944 World Series
1946 World Series
Awards and Honors
1944 NL MVP
All-Star Selections
1943 NL
1944 NL
1945 NL
1946 NL
1947 NL
1948 NL
1949 NL
1950 NL
Best Strength as a Player
Defensive range and hands.
Largest Weakness as a Player
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.
Learn More about Marty Marion
Search Amazon.com for Books about Marty Marion ⇒
Search for Marty Marion at Google ⇒
View a map of his hometown at Mapquest ⇒
