Firpo Marberry
Encyclopedia
Frederick "Firpo" Marberry (November 30, 1898 – June 30, 1976) was an American
right-handed starting
and relief pitcher
in Major League Baseball
from to , most notably with the Washington Senators
. The sport's first prominent reliever, he has been retroactively credited as having been the first pitcher to record 20 saves
in a season, the first to earn 100 career saves, the first to make 50 relief appearances in a season or 300 in a career, and the only pitcher to lead the major leagues in saves five times. Since relief pitching was still seen as a lesser calling in a time when starters were only removed when clearly ineffective, Marberry also started 187 games in his career, posting a 94-52 record
as a starter for a respectable .644 winning percentage. He pitched in later years for the Detroit Tigers
(1933–1935) and New York Giants
(1936) before ending his career in Washington.
, he became well-known around the majors for the scowl he seemed to constantly have on his face that sometimes frightened batter
s; his appearance and demeanor reminded observers of boxer Luis Firpo
, earning Marberry the nickname for which he often expressed disdain.
Like many players, right-handed Marberry started and ended his career with the same ballclub, the Senators. When he first came up in August , Marberry was effective in 44 and 2/3 innings pitched
for the remainder of the season. He went 4-0 that year, proving himself ready for the pros. An 11-12 season with a 3.09 ERA
came the year after, which might have seemed fairly average in that era were it not for his relief work, which saw him save 15 games – a new major league record, although it was not realized at the time. Marberry's role was crucial in helping the Senators reach the World Series
for the first time in franchise history.
In the 1924 Series
against the Giants, Marberry was thrown into a difficult situation in his first appearance; after the Senators had taken a 3-1 lead going into the 9th inning of Game 2 at Griffith Stadium
, starter Tom Zachary
allowed the Giants to score twice to tie the game. Marberry came in to strike out
Travis Jackson
to end the inning, and the Senators scored in the bottom of the 9th to tie the Series; Zachary was credited with the win, although modern rules would have credited it to Marberry. The next day, Marberry started Game 3 at the Polo Grounds
, but suffered from two unearned runs in the 2nd inning, was pulled for a pinch hitter in the top of the 4th while trailing 3-1, and was charged with the loss. He rebounded in Game 4 the next day, however, entering in the 8th inning with a 7-2 lead and closing out the victory to again tie the Series.
He showed his mettle in Game 7 at Griffith Stadium, entering with two men on base and no one out in the 6th inning, leading 1-0. Although the Giants scored three times in the inning, two of the runs were unearned, and Marberry effectively shut the Giants down through top of the 8th, being pulled for a pinch hitter as the Senators tied the score in the bottom of the inning. Legendary Walter Johnson
came in for the 9th inning, and redeemed himself after two losses in the Series by shutting out New York for four innings; the Senators scored in the bottom of the 12th to take what would be the only World Series title in Washington history. Marberry ended the Series with a 1.12 ERA in 4 games.
Marberry came back with another remarkable season in , again saving 15 games to tie his own record as the Senators won their second consecutive pennant. But although he allowed no runs in 2 appearances, Washington dropped the Series to the Pittsburgh Pirates
, again going seven games. Marberry had an excellent year in , breaking his own record again with 22 saves and posting a 3.00 ERA, the lowest of his career (besides his brief 1923 season) in an era which strongly favored hitters. He also took over the major league record for career saves, with 52. After two subpar seasons, he came back in to again lead the American League
with 11 saves, while also winning a career-high 19 to finish 4th in the AL.
Marberry was never a full-time starter, but was often considered one of the few great pitchers that could go back and forth from the bullpen
to being a starter, since there were so few of his era. In and , Marberry was employed primarily as a starter, and posted an overall record of 31-9 for the two seasons. In 1931, showcasing his talents as both a starter (25 starts), and a reliever (20 appearances), he posted a 16-4 record with a 3.45 ERA (5th in the league) and 88 strikeouts. While he picked up 11 complete game
s and 1 shutout
as a starter, he also had 7 saves, and finished 13th in MVP
voting (Lefty Grove
won the award).
After again leading the league in saves in , for the fifth and last time, he was traded to Detroit on December 14. With the Tigers, Marberry adjusted well to the move from pitcher-friendly Griffith Stadium to Tiger Stadium, and posted a record of 31-16 in his first two years before his career faded away. After appearing in only 5 games for Detroit in 1935, Marberry was offered a job as an AL umpire
, and he did serve in that capacity for the remainder of the season, though never in a Washington game. He made a single relief appearance for the Giants in before ending his career on June 10 in the town that had come to love him, Washington, D.C.
In a 14-season career, Marberry had a lifetime record of 148-88 with a 3.63 ERA in 551 games (187 starts), accumulating 86 complete games and 7 shutouts. His career records of 364 relief appearances and 101 saves – both more than double the previous records – were surpassed by Jack Russell in and Johnny Murphy
in respectively. He struck out 822 batters in 2067-1/3 innings pitched. Marberry would not begin to gain true recognition for many of his accomplishments until the save was created as a pitching statistic in the 1960s, and later research was done to identify saves earned in the past. He died of a stroke
at age 77 in Mexia, Texas
, and was buried in Birdston Cemetery near Streetman.
On May 6, 1934, Marberry served up a record-tying four consecutive triples
to the Boston Red Sox
. The four hitters were Carl Reynolds
, Moose Solters
, Rick Ferrell
, and Bucky Walters
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
right-handed starting
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
and relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
from to , most notably with the Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. The sport's first prominent reliever, he has been retroactively credited as having been the first pitcher to record 20 saves
Save (sport)
In baseball, a save is credited to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain prescribed circumstances. The number of saves, or percentage of save opportunities successfully converted, is an oft-cited statistic of relief pitchers...
in a season, the first to earn 100 career saves, the first to make 50 relief appearances in a season or 300 in a career, and the only pitcher to lead the major leagues in saves five times. Since relief pitching was still seen as a lesser calling in a time when starters were only removed when clearly ineffective, Marberry also started 187 games in his career, posting a 94-52 record
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
as a starter for a respectable .644 winning percentage. He pitched in later years for the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
(1933–1935) and New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
(1936) before ending his career in Washington.
Career overview
Born in Streetman, TexasStreetman, Texas
Streetman is a town in Freestone and Navarro Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. In 1990 the population was 260. The population dropped to 203 in 2000.-Geography:...
, he became well-known around the majors for the scowl he seemed to constantly have on his face that sometimes frightened batter
Batting (baseball)
In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for one's team. A batter or hitter is a person whose turn it is to face the pitcher...
s; his appearance and demeanor reminded observers of boxer Luis Firpo
Luis Firpo
Luis Ángel Firpo, , was an Argentine boxer. Born in Junín, Argentina, he was nicknamed "The Wild Bull of The Pampas."...
, earning Marberry the nickname for which he often expressed disdain.
Like many players, right-handed Marberry started and ended his career with the same ballclub, the Senators. When he first came up in August , Marberry was effective in 44 and 2/3 innings pitched
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
for the remainder of the season. He went 4-0 that year, proving himself ready for the pros. An 11-12 season with a 3.09 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
came the year after, which might have seemed fairly average in that era were it not for his relief work, which saw him save 15 games – a new major league record, although it was not realized at the time. Marberry's role was crucial in helping the Senators reach the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
for the first time in franchise history.
In the 1924 Series
1924 World Series
In the 1924 World Series, the Washington Senators beat the New York Giants in seven games. The Giants became the first team to play in four consecutive World Series, winning in 1921–1922 and losing in 1923–1924. Their long-time manager, John McGraw, made his ninth and final World Series appearance...
against the Giants, Marberry was thrown into a difficult situation in his first appearance; after the Senators had taken a 3-1 lead going into the 9th inning of Game 2 at Griffith Stadium
Griffith Stadium
Griffith Stadium was a sports stadium that stood in Washington, D.C. from 1911 to 1965, between Georgia Avenue and 5th Street, and between W Street and Florida Avenue, NW. An earlier wooden baseball park had been built on the same site in 1891...
, starter Tom Zachary
Tom Zachary
Jonathan Thompson Walton Zachary was a pitcher who had a 19-year career that lasted from 1918 to 1936. He played for the Philadelphia A's, Washington Senators, St...
allowed the Giants to score twice to tie the game. Marberry came in to strike out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
Travis Jackson
Travis Jackson
Travis Calvin Jackson was a Major League Baseball player during the 1920s and 1930s. His exceptional range at shortstop led to the nickname "Stonewall."...
to end the inning, and the Senators scored in the bottom of the 9th to tie the Series; Zachary was credited with the win, although modern rules would have credited it to Marberry. The next day, Marberry started Game 3 at the Polo Grounds
Polo Grounds
The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used by many professional teams in both baseball and American football from 1880 until 1963...
, but suffered from two unearned runs in the 2nd inning, was pulled for a pinch hitter in the top of the 4th while trailing 3-1, and was charged with the loss. He rebounded in Game 4 the next day, however, entering in the 8th inning with a 7-2 lead and closing out the victory to again tie the Series.
He showed his mettle in Game 7 at Griffith Stadium, entering with two men on base and no one out in the 6th inning, leading 1-0. Although the Giants scored three times in the inning, two of the runs were unearned, and Marberry effectively shut the Giants down through top of the 8th, being pulled for a pinch hitter as the Senators tied the score in the bottom of the inning. Legendary Walter Johnson
Walter Johnson
Walter Perry Johnson , nicknamed "Barney" and "The Big Train", was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Washington Senators...
came in for the 9th inning, and redeemed himself after two losses in the Series by shutting out New York for four innings; the Senators scored in the bottom of the 12th to take what would be the only World Series title in Washington history. Marberry ended the Series with a 1.12 ERA in 4 games.
Marberry came back with another remarkable season in , again saving 15 games to tie his own record as the Senators won their second consecutive pennant. But although he allowed no runs in 2 appearances, Washington dropped the Series to the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, again going seven games. Marberry had an excellent year in , breaking his own record again with 22 saves and posting a 3.00 ERA, the lowest of his career (besides his brief 1923 season) in an era which strongly favored hitters. He also took over the major league record for career saves, with 52. After two subpar seasons, he came back in to again lead the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
with 11 saves, while also winning a career-high 19 to finish 4th in the AL.
Marberry was never a full-time starter, but was often considered one of the few great pitchers that could go back and forth from the bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
to being a starter, since there were so few of his era. In and , Marberry was employed primarily as a starter, and posted an overall record of 31-9 for the two seasons. In 1931, showcasing his talents as both a starter (25 starts), and a reliever (20 appearances), he posted a 16-4 record with a 3.45 ERA (5th in the league) and 88 strikeouts. While he picked up 11 complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
s and 1 shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
as a starter, he also had 7 saves, and finished 13th in MVP
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
voting (Lefty Grove
Lefty Grove
Robert Moses "Lefty" Grove was a professional baseball pitcher. After having success in the minor leagues during the early 1920s, Grove became a star in Major League Baseball with the American League's Philadelphia Athletics and Boston Red Sox, winning 300 games in his 17-year MLB career...
won the award).
After again leading the league in saves in , for the fifth and last time, he was traded to Detroit on December 14. With the Tigers, Marberry adjusted well to the move from pitcher-friendly Griffith Stadium to Tiger Stadium, and posted a record of 31-16 in his first two years before his career faded away. After appearing in only 5 games for Detroit in 1935, Marberry was offered a job as an AL umpire
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
, and he did serve in that capacity for the remainder of the season, though never in a Washington game. He made a single relief appearance for the Giants in before ending his career on June 10 in the town that had come to love him, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
In a 14-season career, Marberry had a lifetime record of 148-88 with a 3.63 ERA in 551 games (187 starts), accumulating 86 complete games and 7 shutouts. His career records of 364 relief appearances and 101 saves – both more than double the previous records – were surpassed by Jack Russell in and Johnny Murphy
Johnny Murphy
John Joseph Murphy was an All-Star American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who later became a front office executive in the game.-Formative relief pitcher:...
in respectively. He struck out 822 batters in 2067-1/3 innings pitched. Marberry would not begin to gain true recognition for many of his accomplishments until the save was created as a pitching statistic in the 1960s, and later research was done to identify saves earned in the past. He died of a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
at age 77 in Mexia, Texas
Mexia, Texas
Mexia is a city in Limestone County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,552 at the 2008 census.The city's motto, based on the fact that outsiders tend to mispronounce the name , is "A great place, no matter how you pronounce it."...
, and was buried in Birdston Cemetery near Streetman.
On May 6, 1934, Marberry served up a record-tying four consecutive triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
to the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
. The four hitters were Carl Reynolds
Carl Reynolds
Carl Nettles Reynolds was an American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago White Sox , Washington Senators , St. Louis Browns , Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs . He was born in LaRue, Texas...
, Moose Solters
Moose Solters
Julius Joseph "Moose" Solters was a major league outfielder between 1934 and 1943.-Career:...
, Rick Ferrell
Rick Ferrell
Richard Benjamin Ferrell was an American professional baseball player, coach, scout and executive. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from to for the St. Louis Browns, Boston Red Sox and Washington Senators. Ferrell was regarded as one of the best catchers in baseball during the...
, and Bucky Walters
Bucky Walters
William Henry "Bucky" Walters was an American Major League Baseball All-Star pitcher. A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Walters played for the Boston Braves , Boston Red Sox , Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds...
Highlights
- Top 10 in the American League in wins, five times (1929, '30, '31, '33, '34)
- Top 6 in the league in ERA, four times (1924, '29, '31, '33)
- Led the league in saves, five times (1924, '25, '26, '29, '32); in the top 10 four more times (1927, '28, '31, '34)
- Led the league in games, six times (1924, '25, '26, '28, '29, '32), and led the league in games finished, four times (1924, '25, '26, '28)
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball all-time saves leaders
- List of Major League Baseball saves champions
- Major League Baseball titles leadersMajor League Baseball titles leadersAt the end of each Major League Baseball season, the league leaders of various statistical categories are announced. Leading the league in a particular category is referred to as a title....
External links
- SABR biography
- Baseball Library - career highlights