Marty Marion
Shortstop · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1940-1953)
Marty Marion was a shortstop who played in Major League Baseball from 1940 to 1953 for the St. Louis Cardinals and the St. Louis Browns, a span of 14 seasons. In 1,572 career games, he hit .263 with 1,448 hits, 36 home runs, and 624 RBI. Marty Marion was a 8-time All-Star and an MVP.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Shortstop
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'2" / 170 lb
- Died
- 3/15/2011 in Ladue, MO, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1940-04-16
- Last Game
- 1953-07-06
- Awards
- 8× All-Star · MVP
Full name: Martin Whiteford Marion
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,572 | 5,506 | 602 | 1,448 | 272 | 37 | 36 | 624 | 35 | 470 | 537 | .263 | .323 | .345 | .668 | -4,189 |
Career AVG .263 vs. league average .261 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .323 vs. league average .333 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .345 vs. league average .371 across their career seasons — 6.9% below league average.
Career OPS .668 vs. league average .704 across their career seasons — 5.1% below league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | SLN | NL | 125 | 435 | 44 | 121 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 46 | 9 | 21 | 34 | .278 | .267 (+4%) | .335 (-7%) | .387 (-11%) | .722 (-9%) | -671.8 |
| 1941 | SLN | NL | 155 | 547 | 50 | 138 | 22 | 3 | 3 | 58 | 8 | 42 | 48 | .252 | .262 (-4%) | .332 (-7%) | .373 (-14%) | .705 (-11%) | -948.3 |
| 1942 | SLN | NL | 147 | 485 | 66 | 134 | 38 | 5 | 0 | 54 | 8 | 48 | 50 | .276 | .253 (+9%) | .323 (+6%) | .349 (+7%) | .672 (+7%) | 583.1 |
| 1943 | SLN | NL | 129 | 418 | 38 | 117 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 52 | 1 | 32 | 37 | .280 | .255 (+9%) | .324 (+3%) | .346 (-3%) | .671 (avg) | 6.9 |
| 1944 | SLN | NL | 144 | 506 | 50 | 135 | 26 | 2 | 6 | 63 | 1 | 43 | 50 | .267 | .261 (+2%) | .325 (-1%) | .357 (+1%) | .683 (avg) | 10.4 |
| 1945 | SLN | NL | 123 | 430 | 63 | 119 | 27 | 5 | 1 | 59 | 2 | 39 | 39 | .277 | .260 (+6%) | .328 (+3%) | .354 (+4%) | .683 (+4%) | 273.2 |
| 1946 | SLN | NL | 146 | 498 | 51 | 116 | 29 | 4 | 3 | 46 | 1 | 59 | 53 | .233 | .256 (-9%) | .328 (-3%) | .358 (-9%) | .687 (-6%) | -463.5 |
| 1947 | SLN | NL | 149 | 540 | 57 | 147 | 19 | 6 | 4 | 74 | 3 | 49 | 58 | .272 | .262 (+4%) | .336 (-1%) | .376 (-6%) | .712 (-4%) | -329.4 |
| 1948 | SLN | NL | 144 | 567 | 70 | 143 | 26 | 4 | 4 | 43 | 1 | 37 | 54 | .252 | .263 (-4%) | .340 (-12%) | .379 (-12%) | .719 (-12%) | -1203.9 |
| 1949 | SLN | NL | 134 | 515 | 61 | 140 | 31 | 2 | 5 | 70 | 0 | 37 | 42 | .272 | .262 (+3%) | .343 (-6%) | .384 (-4%) | .727 (-5%) | -495.3 |
| 1950 | SLN | NL | 106 | 372 | 36 | 92 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 40 | 1 | 44 | 55 | .247 | .265 (-7%) | .346 (-6%) | .401 (-21%) | .747 (-14%) | -805.2 |
| 1952 | SLA | AL | 67 | 186 | 16 | 46 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 19 | 17 | .247 | .252 (-2%) | .326 (-2%) | .369 (-8%) | .696 (-5%) | -145.5 |
| 1953 | SLA | AL | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 13 seasons | 1,572 | 5,506 | 602 | 1,448 | 272 | 37 | 36 | 624 | 35 | 470 | 537 | .263 | — | — | — | — | -4,189 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
Playoff Batting by Year
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (1570 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 789 | 2681 | 294 | 715 | 9 | 309 | .267 |
| Away | 781 | 2816 | 308 | 732 | 27 | 314 | .260 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953-07-06 | SLA | DET | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1953-06-16 | SLA | NYY | W | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1953-06-13 | SLA | PHA | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1952-08-26 | SLA | NYY | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1952-08-21 | SLA | MIN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1952-08-15 | SLA | CLE | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1952-08-07 | SLA | DET | W | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1952-08-03 | SLA | NYY | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1952-08-02 | SLA | NYY | W | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1952-08-01 | SLA | NYY | W | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SS | 1547 | 0 | 2986 | 4829 | 252 | 978 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | SLN | SS | 125 | 0 | 245 | 366 | 33 | 76 |
| 1941 | SLN | SS | 155 | 0 | 299 | 489 | 38 | 85 |
| 1942 | SLN | SS | 147 | 0 | 296 | 448 | 31 | 87 |
| 1943 | SLN | SS | 128 | 0 | 232 | 424 | 20 | 93 |
| 1944 | SLN | SS | 144 | 0 | 268 | 461 | 21 | 90 |
| 1945 | SLN | SS | 122 | 0 | 237 | 372 | 21 | 70 |
| 1946 | SLN | SS | 145 | 0 | 290 | 480 | 21 | 105 |
| 1947 | SLN | SS | 141 | 0 | 329 | 452 | 15 | 104 |
| 1948 | SLN | SS | 142 | 0 | 263 | 445 | 19 | 80 |
| 1949 | SLN | SS | 134 | 0 | 242 | 441 | 17 | 74 |
| 1950 | SLN | SS | 101 | 0 | 180 | 313 | 11 | 73 |
| 1952 | SLA | SS | 63 | 0 | 105 | 138 | 5 | 41 |
| 1953 | SLA | 3B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Third Base | 2 |
| Shortstop | 1555 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1945 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | SS |
| 1945 | TSN All-Star | SS |
| 1944 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | SS |
| 1944 | Most Valuable Player | |
| 1944 | TSN All-Star | SS |
| 1944 | TSN Guide MVP | |
| 1944 | TSN Major League Player of the Year | |
| 1944 | TSN Player of the Year | |
| 1943 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | SS |
| 1942 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | SS |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 25th | 3.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1946 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 28th | 4.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1945 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 8th | 69.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1944 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 1st | 190.0 | 336 | 7 |
| 1943 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 13th | 20.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1942 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 7th | 81.0 | 336 | 1 |
| 1941 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 24th | 8.0 | 336 | 0 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Marty Marion (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Marty Marion: the record in brief
Between the debut on April 16, 1940 and the final game on July 6, 1953, Marty Marion built the record summarized on this page. Club by club, the record runs the St. Louis Cardinals (1940 to 1950) and the St. Louis Browns (1952 to 1953). The bio lists Marion as a shortstop who both batted and threw right-handed. Marion is listed at 6 feet, 2 inches and 170 pounds. Marion was born on December 1, 1916, in Richburg, SC, USA. Marion's death is recorded on March 15, 2011, in Ladue, MO, USA. On the record, Marty Marion was born Martin Whiteford Marion.
The batting record for Marion: 1,572 games, 1,448 hits in 5,506 at bats, and a .263 average, along with 36 homers, 624 runs batted in, and 35 stolen bases. On-base and slugging figures of .323 and .345 give Marion a career OPS of .668. The .263 career average is close to the .261 the league hit across the same seasons. 1947 produced Marion's most hits, 147 of them for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Frequently Asked Questions about Marty Marion
- What years did Marty Marion play?
- Marty Marion played in Major League Baseball from 1940 to 1953.
- Was Marty Marion a pitcher?
- No. Marty Marion was a position player (Shortstop).
- How many home runs did Marty Marion hit?
- Marty Marion hit 36 career home runs with 1,448 hits.
- What teams did Marty Marion play for?
- Marty Marion played for 2 teams: the St. Louis Cardinals (1940–1950) and the St. Louis Browns (1952–1953).
- How many MVP awards did Marty Marion win?
- Marty Marion won 1 MVP award, in 1944.
- What awards did Marty Marion win?
- Marty Marion won the MVP award (1944). He was selected to 8 All-Star Games.
- What were Marty Marion's career stats?
- In 1,572 games, Marty Marion had 1,448 hits, 36 home runs, 624 RBI, 602 runs, and 35 stolen bases, with a .263 batting average.
- What position did Marty Marion play?
- Marty Marion played primarily as a shortstop, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Marty Marion and how much did he weigh?
- Marty Marion was listed at 6 feet 2 inches and 170 pounds.
- How many home runs did Marty Marion hit each season?
- Marty Marion's home runs by season: 3 in 1940, 3 in 1941, 0 in 1942, 1 in 1943, 6 in 1944, 1 in 1945, 3 in 1946, 4 in 1947, 4 in 1948, 5 in 1949, 4 in 1950, 2 in 1952, and 0 in 1953. His most in one season was 6, in 1944.
- What was Marty Marion's career batting average?
- Marty Marion batted .263 over his career, with 1,448 hits in 5,506 at bats.
- How many RBI did Marty Marion have?
- Marty Marion drove in 624 runs in his career.
- Is Marty Marion in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Marty Marion has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
- How many All-Star Games did Marty Marion make?
- Marty Marion was selected to 8 All-Star Games.