Pepper Martin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pepper Martin |
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Martin, circa 1942
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| Outfielder / Third baseman | |||
| Born: February 29, 1904 Temple, Oklahoma, U.S. |
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| Died: March 5, 1965 (aged 61) McAlester, Oklahoma, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 16, 1928, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 4, 1944, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .298 | ||
| Home runs | 59 | ||
| Runs batted in | 501 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Johnny Leonard Roosevelt "Pepper" Martin (born February 29, 1904 – died March 5, 1965) was an American baseball player. He was also a manager in the minor leagues. People called him the "Wild Horse of the Osage." This was because he ran the bases in a very brave and fast way.
Martin played in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals. He was a third baseman and an outfielder. He played for them in the 1930s and early 1940s. He is most famous for his amazing plays in the 1931 World Series. He helped the Cardinals win against the Philadelphia Athletics.
Pepper Martin was a key player for the Cardinals in the 1930s. This team was known as the Gashouse Gang. They were famous for their fun and sometimes wild behavior. When he started playing, some people thought he would be as great as Ty Cobb. This was because of his energetic playing style. But his intense way of playing often caused injuries. After his playing career, he became a successful minor league manager. In 2017, he was added to the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame.
Contents
Pepper Martin's Baseball Journey
Starting His Baseball Career
Pepper Martin was born in Temple, Oklahoma. When he was six, his family moved to Oklahoma City. There, he grew up playing baseball. He started his professional baseball career at 19. He signed to play as a shortstop in the Oklahoma State League.
In 1925, he hit for a .340 batting average. The St. Louis Cardinals then bought his contract. He continued to hit above .300. In 1927, he hit .306 for the Houston Buffaloes. This earned him a chance to play in the major leagues.
Joining the St. Louis Cardinals
After five years in the minor leagues, Martin joined the Cardinals. He made his major league debut on April 16, 1928. He was 24 years old. He hit .308 in 39 games as a utility player. He helped the Cardinals win their league title. Martin played once in the 1928 World Series. The Cardinals lost to the New York Yankees.
In 1929, Martin was sent back to the minor leagues. He played for the Houston Buffaloes. The next year, he played for the Rochester Red Wings. His hitting got much better. He hit 20 home runs and had a .363 batting average. He helped the Red Wings win the 1930 International League title. They also won the Junior World Series.
Martin's great play brought him back to the Cardinals in 1931. He took over as center fielder. He impressed everyone with his hustle. He often slid head-first into bases. He finished the year with a .300 batting average. He also had seven home runs and 75 runs batted in. This helped the Cardinals win their league title by 13 games.
Becoming a World Series Star
The 1931 World Series was a big event. The Cardinals played against the Philadelphia Athletics. The Athletics had won the last two World Series. They were expected to win again. Their team had many future Hall of Fame players.
In Game 1, Martin had three hits. He also had a stolen base. But the Cardinals lost. In Game 2, Martin was the key player. He scored the first run by turning a single into a double. He then stole third base and scored. He scored another run later by hitting a single and stealing second. The Cardinals won Game 2.
In Game 3, Martin had two hits and scored twice. The Cardinals won again. In Game 4, he had the only two hits for the Cardinals, but they lost. In Game 5, Martin almost won the game by himself. He drove in four runs with two singles and a home run. The Cardinals won 5-1. He didn't get any hits in the last two games. But he made a great catch in Game 7. This helped the Cardinals win the World Series!
Martin set a record with 12 hits in the series. He also had five stolen bases. His .500 batting average was amazing. Without him, the Cardinals only hit .205 as a team. A famous manager, John McGraw, called Martin's performance "the greatest individual performance in the history of the World Series." In December, he was named the male athlete of the year.
Later Years in Baseball
Martin had a tough year in 1932. He got injured several times. He dislocated his shoulder and broke a finger. The Cardinals' manager moved him to third baseman. He wasn't a natural at third base. He often stopped balls with his chest! He finished the season with a .238 batting average.
In 1933, Martin bounced back. He was hitting very well. He was chosen to start as third baseman in the first ever Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He finished the season with a .316 batting average. He led the league with 122 runs scored and 26 stolen bases. He was one of the best players in the league that year.
In 1934, his batting average was .289. But he led the league in stolen bases again. The Cardinals won their league title on the last day. They then played the Detroit Tigers in the 1934 World Series. The series was very exciting. Martin had 11 hits and scored eight runs. He also stole two bases. He made a record four errors at third base in the series.
Martin and his teammates were known as the Gashouse Gang. They were famous for their lively actions. Martin even played guitar in a band with other Cardinals players. They called themselves The Mudcat Band.
In 1935, Martin hit well. But he still struggled at third base. He made 30 errors that year. He was chosen for the 1935 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He hit .299 with nine home runs. After the season, he had surgery on his arm. Martin also enjoyed hunting, fishing, and even midget car racing. He played football and basketball in the winter.
In 1936, Martin moved back to right fielder. He had a great year, hitting .309. He hit a career-high 11 home runs and drove in 76 runs. He also led the league in stolen bases again. By 1937, his intense playing style started to affect his body. He played less often.
At the start of the 1939 season, he became the Cardinals' team captain. He had a great start, hitting .340. He finished the season with a .306 batting average. In 1940, he hit .316. The Cardinals then made him a player-manager for the Sacramento Solons.
Martin led Sacramento to a championship in 1942. He then managed the Rochester Red Wings. During World War II, many players were away. So, Martin returned to the Cardinals in 1944. He was 40 years old. He hit .279 in 40 games. He helped the Cardinals win their league title. He played his last major league game on October 1, 1944.
Career Highlights and Statistics
Pepper Martin played in 1,189 games over 13 years. He had 1,227 hits and a .298 career batting average. He also had 59 home runs and 501 runs batted in. He stole 146 bases. His World Series batting average was .418, which is still a record! He is also tied for 10th with seven World Series stolen bases.
He led the National League in stolen bases three times. He also led the league in runs scored once. On May 5, 1933, Martin hit for the cycle. This means he hit a single, double, triple, and home run in the same game!
Managing Baseball Teams
After his major league career, Martin became a player-manager in the minor leagues. He managed the San Diego Padres in 1945 and 1946. Then he managed the Greenville Spinners in 1947. His strong competitive spirit was still clear.
He managed the Miami Sun Sox in 1949. In 1952, he managed the Miami Beach Flamingos. He led them to a great record of 103 wins and 49 losses. In 1953, he managed the Fort Lauderdale Lions. He led them to win the Florida International League title.
After managing the Portsmouth Merrimacs, Martin became a coach for the Chicago Cubs in 1955. He later returned to the minor leagues. He became a player-coach for the Tulsa Oilers. He played his last game at the age of 54. His final job was managing the Miami Marlins in 1959.
Later Life and Legacy
Before he passed away, Pepper Martin worked as the athletic director for the Oklahoma State Penitentiary. He died on March 5, 1965, after a heart attack. His wife, Ruby, lived for many more years.
Pepper Martin was honored for his baseball career. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 1992. In 2017, he was enshrined into the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
- List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual stolen base leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise
