Marty Perez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Marty Perez |
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| Shortstop / Second baseman | |||
| Born: February 28, 1946 Visalia, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 9, 1969, for the California Angels | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 16, 1978, for the Oakland Athletics | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .246 | ||
| Home runs | 22 | ||
| Runs batted in | 241 | ||
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Martin Roman Perez (born February 28, 1946) is a former professional baseball player. He played as a shortstop and second baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB). Marty played for several teams from 1969 to 1978. These teams included the California Angels, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees, and Oakland Athletics.
During his career, Marty was known for his excellent defense. He was a leader in making "double plays" in the Minor Leagues. A double play is when two players are out on the same play. He also helped his Minor League teams win two championships. In the Major Leagues, he helped the Atlanta Braves set a record for double plays in a season. He also led National League second basemen in fielding percentage. This means he was very good at catching and throwing the ball without making errors.
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Marty Perez's Early Life
Marty Perez was born in Visalia, California. His parents were Martin and Dora Perez. He was the third of five children in his family.
His father, Martin Sr., was born in Mexico. He worked with sheet metal. Marty's mother, Dora, was born in California. During World War II, she was a "Rosie the Riveter." This means she worked in factories to help the war effort. She received a special award from the U.S. Congress for her contributions.
Marty's family had interesting roots. His grandmother was a traditional healer from Mexico. His grandfather was identified as Mission Indian. Marty also had family ties to Mike Garcia, a famous pitcher for the Cleveland Indians.
Marty played three sports in high school: football, basketball, and baseball. He graduated from Redwood High School in 1964. He also served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve for six years.
Playing in the Minor Leagues
Before joining the big leagues, Marty Perez played in the Minor Leagues. From 1964 to 1967, he played shortstop and second base for teams like Idaho Falls and San Jose. He was known for his great fielding skills. Baseball writers even named him to a special All-Stars team in 1967.
In 1968, Marty moved up to the El Paso Sun Kings. He led all shortstops in his league in assists and double plays. The Sun Kings won the Texas League championship that year. People started to notice his talent.
In 1969, he was promoted again to the Hawaiian Islanders. He continued to excel at making double plays. The Islanders won their division championship. His strong performance in the Minor Leagues soon led to his chance in Major League Baseball.
Marty Perez's Major League Career
Marty Perez joined the Major Leagues in September 1969. He was called up by the California Angels. He played as a relief shortstop. In October 1970, he was traded to the Atlanta Braves.
Marty became the starting shortstop for the Braves from 1971 to 1973. Then, he played as their starting second baseman for the next two seasons. In 1971, he helped the Braves set a team record. They made 180 double plays in one season! In 1974, he led all second basemen in the National League in fielding percentage. This shows how skilled he was at defense.
In June 1976, Marty was traded to the San Francisco Giants. He became their most-used second baseman that season. He played in 89 games for the Giants.
In March 1977, the New York Yankees acquired Marty. They wanted to strengthen their infield. However, the Yankees soon traded for another player, Bucky Dent. Marty then finished his Major League career with the Oakland Athletics in 1977 and 1978.
Marty played his last Major League game on May 16, 1978. He then played the rest of that season in the Minor Leagues.
Over 10 seasons in the Major Leagues, Marty Perez played in 931 games. He had a career batting average of .246. He hit 22 home runs and had 241 runs batted in. His strong defense and ability to make double plays were key parts of his career.
Images for kids
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Marty Perez playing for the San Francisco Giants.
