Marvin Freeman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Marvin Freeman |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||
| Pitcher | |||
| Born: April 10, 1963 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
|||
|
|||
| debut | |||
| September 16, 1986, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 14, 1996, for the Chicago White Sox | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 35–28 | ||
| Earned run average | 4.64 | ||
| Strikeouts | 383 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
Marvin Freeman (born April 10, 1963) is a former American Major League Baseball player. He was a pitcher who played for teams like the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, and Colorado Rockies from 1986 to 1996. Marvin was a versatile player, working as both a starting pitcher and a reliever during his career.
Contents
About Marvin Freeman
Early Life and Baseball Start
Marvin Freeman was born in Chicago, Illinois. People sometimes called him "Starvin' Marvin" because he was very tall (6 feet 6 inches) but weighed only 180 pounds. Before becoming a baseball star, he worked at a company that made high-quality violin bows. He also went to Chicago Vocational High School.
Marvin played college baseball at Jackson State University. In 1983, he played summer baseball for the Chatham A's in the Cape Cod Baseball League. The Philadelphia Phillies chose him in the 1984 baseball draft.
Joining the Major Leagues
Marvin Freeman made his first appearance in Major League Baseball (MLB) in 1986. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies. His first big win came on September 21, 1986, against the New York Mets. This was a very special day for him because it was also the day his first child was born!
Marvin started his professional career in 1984. He was first chosen by the Montreal Expos in 1981 but decided not to sign with them. He then played in the minor leagues, where he showed he was a strong pitcher.
Time with the Phillies and Braves
After playing well in the minor leagues, Marvin joined the Phillies in 1986. He played for them for a few more seasons, sometimes moving between the main team and their minor league teams. During this time, he even pitched a "no-hitter" game for one of his minor league teams, the Maine Guides. A no-hitter is when a pitcher doesn't let the other team get any hits.
In 1990, Marvin was traded to the Atlanta Braves. With the Braves, he became even better at controlling his pitches. He was mostly used as a reliever, which means he came into games after the starting pitcher. He helped the Braves reach the World Series twice.
Success with the Colorado Rockies
After playing for the Braves, Marvin signed with the Colorado Rockies in 1993. Even though he hadn't been a starting pitcher since 1990, he earned a spot in the Rockies' starting team for the 1994 season.
The 1994 season was amazing for Marvin. He won 10 games and only lost 2. His earned run average (ERA) was 2.80, which was one of the best in the league. He finished fourth in the voting for the Cy Young Award, which is given to the best pitcher. This was the highest a Rockies pitcher had finished until 2010.
One memorable game in 1994 was when the Rockies finally beat the Braves for the first time in 17 tries. Marvin was the pitcher who led them to that victory. Unfortunately, the 1994 season ended early because of a players' strike.
Later Career and Retirement
Marvin faced some challenges in 1995 due to an elbow injury. He had surgery on his elbow, which made him miss the Rockies' first-ever playoff games.
He returned to the starting team in 1996. He had a great game on June 12, 1996, at Coors Field. He pitched seven innings without letting the other team score. This helped the Rockies get their first shutout win at Coors Field in a long time. Later that season, he was claimed by his hometown team, the Chicago White Sox, but only played one game for them.
Marvin Freeman became a free agent at the end of 1996. He tried to play for the Toronto Blue Jays in 1997 but only pitched one inning for their minor league team before ending his career.
Marvin's Legacy
Marvin Freeman was known for his fun personality in the clubhouse when he played for the Rockies. He once said he liked to "draw attention to myself" to help his teammates relax. Rockies fans will always remember his fantastic 1994 season. His 2.80 ERA from that year is still a record for the Rockies.
Marvin is married and has a daughter and a son.
