St. Louis Browns utility player, Babe Martin, was born on March 28, 1928 in Seattle, Washington. Born Boris Michael Martinovich, "Babe" would enjoy a 14-year professional baseball career, with ten of those years in the Browns organization. He was three-years-old when his family moved to St. Louis.
Martin was a three sport athlete at McKin
St. Louis Browns utility player, Babe Martin, was born on March 28, 1928 in Seattle, Washington. Born Boris Michael Martinovich, "Babe" would enjoy a 14-year professional baseball career, with ten of those years in the Browns organization. He was three-years-old when his family moved to St. Louis.
Martin was a three sport athlete at McKinley High School before he was signed by the Browns prior to the 1940 season. It was said that Martin graduated from high school at the age of 20, and by 1940 he had already been working out the the Browns for three years. He was signed by his high school baseball coach, Lou Maguolo, who also served as a scout for the Browns. He signed in 1938 and began working on the field with the team as well as in the Browns office.
Babe Martin began his career splitting time between the Palestine Pals, Tyler Trojans, and St. Joseph Autos in 1940. He would go on to play for the Paragould Browns (1941) and Springfield Browns (1942), before being drafted into the US Navy in September of 1942.
Martin was stationed at Lambert Naval Air Station in St. Louis, and was able to help organize a camp baseball team. While playing ball in the service, Martin would rupture his left quadricep and spend several months in the Great Lakes Naval Hospital. Martin also suffered from chronic ulcers, which along with the quad injury, helped lead him to an early discharge.
Martin rejoined the Browns organization and was optioned to the Toledo Mud Hens. Matin would drive in 72 runs, while belting 14 home runs and recording a .350 batting average. He earned both Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player honors with the American Association. This would lead to a late season call-up to the Browns as they were reaching their only World Series in 1944.
He would make his MLB debut on September 15, 1944 against the Boston Red Sox. He would start in left field and go 2-for-3, with a double, and a seventh inning single that brought in Chet Laabs. He would only see action in two games, but was able to sit on the bench during the Browns appearance in the World Series.
Martin would bounce between the Browns and Mud Hens from 1944-47. In four seasons with the Browns he would appear in just 63 games, with 54 of them in the 1945 season. He would platoon in the outfield with Pete Gray and Mike Kreevich, recording 37 hits in 203 plate appearances. He would have 37 hits, five doubles, two triples, two home runs, while scoring 13 runs and driving in 16 more. He was used primarily as a left fielder (42 games), but would also play first base (six times), and catcher (three games).
In 1946, the Boston Red Sox selcted Babe Martin in the MLB Rule 5 draft after playing in just three games with the Browns. Martin would play for the Red Sox (1948-49), before returning to the minors with the Louisville Colonels (1950) and San Antonio Missions (1951-52). He would play one final season for the Browns in 1953, but only play in four games as he was the third catcher on the team. He was used primarily in the bull pen and a 'warm up catcher'.
After the Browns were moved to Baltimore, Martin was released by the organization. He would play his final season with the Dallas Eagles in 1954.
Babe Martin remained loyal to the Browns, the Red Sox, and the Cardinals (good friends with Stan Musial and Red Schoendienst). Later in his career he had a opportunity to become an MLB umpire, but he turned it down to continue his playing career. He would appear in reunions every year with the Browns Historical Society, and was proud of his teams in St. Louis.
TODAY'S BROWNS' QUOTE
“It was really a great feeling. It was my dream. And I was able to sit on the bench, in uniform, during the World Series, although I was not allowed to open my mouth en route under any circumstances. Those were the orders, if I was to sit on the bench. I saw the whole Series between the Cardinals and the Browns. It w
TODAY'S BROWNS' QUOTE
“It was really a great feeling. It was my dream. And I was able to sit on the bench, in uniform, during the World Series, although I was not allowed to open my mouth en route under any circumstances. Those were the orders, if I was to sit on the bench. I saw the whole Series between the Cardinals and the Browns. It was great to watch it.”
~ Babe Martin, Browns outfielder, describing his participation in the 1944 World Series
BROWNS' BIRTHDAYS ON THIS DAY
SS/RF Leo "Dee" Walsh (1913-15)
1920 - UTIL Babe Martin (1944-46, 53)
FRED BENNETT vs ST LOUIS BROWNS
The case between the St. Louis Browns and outfielder Fred Bennett was one of the first cases where the organizational model of baseball was challenged.
Fred Bennet had spent the previous five seasons hitting at every level of the minors. The Browns failed to bring him up to the major for an extended amount of time, but still claimed that Bennett was under contract while playing for the Tulsa Oilers.
This is during the early days of baseball where Major league teams were starting their affiliation with minor league teams. The MLB parent team would sign players and assign them to specific minor league locations. The minor league team would help coach and promote players for the parent team. If a player was not perfoming at the minor league level, then he could be drafted by another MLB team for a given amount of money. The team in which the player was leaving would be compensated in cash by the acquiring team.
In Fred Bennett's case, the Pittsburgh Pirates drafted Bennett and then the Browns took did not accept the cash which brought Bennett back to St. Louis. Bennett went to MLB Commissioner's Office claiming that the Browns were intentionally keeping him out of the Majors. This would only fuel the ongoing dispute between Commissioner Kenesaw M. Landis and Major League owners.
Landis did not want MLB teams to own minor league teams for he pushed for free, unobstructed drafts every year. Federal court Judge Walter Lindley reviewed the case and decided that Bennett would be allowed to be drafted. At the same time, Judge Lindley would also rule in favor of the minor league farm system, and that there was no rule that stated an MLB team could not own a minor league team.
This case would bring more support and structure to the minor leagues. Fred Bennett would go on to play 32 games for Pittsburgh in 1931, before returning to the minors for another 8 seasons.
The 1940 St. Louis Browns team was ready to expel all memories of the teams that struggled through the 1930s. The Browns were looking forward with new players and new opportunities.
The Browns would win 67 games in 1940 and finish 6th in the American League. Both of these marks would be the best the team would reach since the 1934 season.
The 1940 St. Louis Browns team was ready to expel all memories of the teams that struggled through the 1930s. The Browns were looking forward with new players and new opportunities.
The Browns would win 67 games in 1940 and finish 6th in the American League. Both of these marks would be the best the team would reach since the 1934 season. Browns executive Bill DeWitt would make several deals that would reap immediate benefits. DeWitt traded for Rip Radclift who came in and drove 200 hits while hitting .342. The Browns would bring in Walt Judnich who cranked 24 home runs and hit .303. The Browns would have five players who drove in over 80 runs (Radclift, Judnich, George McQuinn, Harland Clift, Johnny Berardino). The Browns pitching settled down and became more consistent with Elden Auker leading with 16 wins.
This team was on the rise, and no one would imagine that in four years they would win the pennant. Before then, the team almost moved to California, be full of 4F players, and depend on blue collar stars to capture the city. The record may not have showed it, but 1940 St. Louis Browns was the start that the franchise needed to turn things around in the new decade.