Jim Marshall (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Rufus James Marshall is a former first baseman
and manager
in American
Major League Baseball
. Marshall managed the Chicago Cubs
(1974–76) and the Oakland Athletics
(1979) but never enjoyed a winning season in either post. His career major league managing record was 229–326 (.413) and his 1979 A's squad lost 108 of 162 games (.333).
Marshall attended Long Beach State University. A left-handed hitter and thrower, he was a productive hitter in his minor league
days in the Pacific Coast League
of the 1950s, leading the PCL in home run
s (31) and runs batted in (123) as a member of the 1954 Oakland Oaks
.
He was part of the first interleague trade (without waivers
) in baseball history when he was dealt by the Cubs to the Boston Red Sox
on November 21, 1959.
Overall, Marshall appeared in 410 games over five seasons (1958–62) and batted
.242 with 29 home runs. In addition to the Cubs, he played for the Baltimore Orioles
, San Francisco Giants
, New York Mets
and Pittsburgh Pirates
. He never appeared in an official game for the Red Sox, who traded him (in a waiver deal) to the Giants for pitcher
Al Worthington
during spring training
in 1960.
Marshall played baseball in Japan
(with the Chunichi Dragons
) from 1963 to 1965 and was a successful minor league manager during the 1970s and 1980s. He remains in the game as the senior advisor for Pacific Rim operations of the Arizona Diamondbacks
.
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
and manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
in American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
. Marshall managed the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
(1974–76) and the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
(1979) but never enjoyed a winning season in either post. His career major league managing record was 229–326 (.413) and his 1979 A's squad lost 108 of 162 games (.333).
Marshall attended Long Beach State University. A left-handed hitter and thrower, he was a productive hitter in his minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
days in the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
of the 1950s, leading the PCL in home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s (31) and runs batted in (123) as a member of the 1954 Oakland Oaks
Oakland Oaks (PCL)
The Oakland Oaks were a minor league baseball team in Oakland, California that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 through 1955, after which the club transferred to Vancouver, British Columbia...
.
He was part of the first interleague trade (without waivers
Major League Baseball transactions
Major League Baseball transactions are changes made to the roster of a major league team during or after the season. They may include waiving, releasing, and trading players, as well as assigning players to minor league teams.-25-man and 40-man rosters:...
) in baseball history when he was dealt by the Cubs 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"...
on November 21, 1959.
Overall, Marshall appeared in 410 games over five seasons (1958–62) and batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.242 with 29 home runs. In addition to the Cubs, he played for the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, San Francisco 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....
, New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
and 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...
. He never appeared in an official game for the Red Sox, who traded him (in a waiver deal) to the Giants for pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Al Worthington
Al Worthington
Allan Fulton Worthington , nicknamed "Red", is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Giants , Boston Red Sox , Chicago White Sox , Cincinnati Reds and Minnesota Twins . Worthington batted and threw right-handed...
during spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
in 1960.
Marshall played baseball in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
(with the Chunichi Dragons
Chunichi Dragons
The are a professional baseball team based in Nagoya, the chief city in the Chubu region of Japan. The team is in the Central League. They won the 2007 Japan Series and 2007 Asia Series.-History:...
) from 1963 to 1965 and was a successful minor league manager during the 1970s and 1980s. He remains in the game as the senior advisor for Pacific Rim operations of the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
.