Joe Marshall
Encyclopedia
Joseph Hanley Marshall nicknamed "Home Run Joe", was an outfielder
in Major League Baseball
for the Pittsburgh Pirates
and St. Louis Cardinals
. He also played 12 years in the minor leagues. Marshall stood at 5' 8" and weighed 170 lbs.
. He started his professional baseball career in 1897, in the Red River Valley League. He played on the Montana State League's Helena Senators in early 1900 but was then traded to the Great Falls Indians for one player and US$200. The player he was traded for was future Hall of Famer Joe Tinker
. The following season, Marshall went to the Spokane Blue Stockings of the Pacific Northwest League
. He was a shortstop
for the only time in his career and fielded at a .848 clip, but he also batted .291 and slugged 15 home run
s. In 1902, he raised his batting average
to .309 but hit just 6 homers.
1903 was Marshall's big year. Playing for the San Francisco Pirates of the Pacific National League, he batted .343 with a league-leading 25 home runs. The home run total was more than double of any other player in the league. He also led the circuit in slugging percentage (.601) and total bases (282) and was the overall "minor league slugging champion" that year.
Marshall was acquired by the Pittsburgh Pirates towards the end of the season, and he made his major league debut on September 7. In 10 games, he went 6 for 23 (.261) with 2 runs batted in. The Pirates won the National League
pennant and faced the Boston Americans
in the 1903 World Series
. Marshall was in the teams' dugout
during the series but did not play, and the Pirates lost in eight games.
Marshall returned to the Pacific National League in 1904 and hit .345. His 10 homers ranked second overall. He then played for the Northwestern League
's Vancouver Veterans in 1905. By this time, he was being referred to as "Home Run Joe Marshall" by Sporting Life. He hit .298 with a league-leading 7 home runs that season (again more than double the total of any other player). However, he quit the team in late August, saying that he was "done with base ball."
The following season, Marshall was back in baseball, this time with the St. Louis Cardinals. He played in 33 games and batted .158 with 0 home runs and 2 RBI. His final major league appearance was on August 17, 1906. In 1907, Marshall returned to the Pacific Northwest League but batted just .197 in 17 games. In 1909, he moved down to the Class D Inter-Mountain League and hit .231.
Marshall then spent 1911 through 1913 with the Union Association
's Butte Miners. He had his last good season in 1911, when he batted .320 and finished second in the league in both home runs (12) and slugging percentage (.548). After hitting .275 in 1913, he retired from professional baseball. Overall, Marshall collected 991 hits
, including 79 homers, in 825 career minor league games. He played in 43 major league games and did not hit a single home run.
Marshall died in 1931 in Santa Monica, California
. He was buried in Rosedale Cemetery.
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
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...
for 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...
and St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. He also played 12 years in the minor leagues. Marshall stood at 5' 8" and weighed 170 lbs.
Career
Joseph Marshall was born in Audubon, MinnesotaAudubon, Minnesota
Audubon is a city in Becker County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 519 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and 1.69% is water.-Demographics:...
. He started his professional baseball career in 1897, in the Red River Valley League. He played on the Montana State League's Helena Senators in early 1900 but was then traded to the Great Falls Indians for one player and US$200. The player he was traded for was future Hall of Famer Joe Tinker
Joe Tinker
Joseph Bert Tinker was a Major League Baseball player and manager. He is best known for his years with the Chicago Cubs dynasty which won four pennants between 1906 and 1910; and for his feud with double play partner Johnny Evers. Tinker was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in...
. The following season, Marshall went to the Spokane Blue Stockings of the Pacific Northwest League
Pacific Northwest League
The Pacific Northwest League was a professional Minor League Baseball league based in the Pacific Northwest. It was the first professional baseball league ever in the region.-Founding:...
. He was a shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
for the only time in his career and fielded at a .848 clip, but he also batted .291 and slugged 15 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. In 1902, he raised his batting average
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 :...
to .309 but hit just 6 homers.
1903 was Marshall's big year. Playing for the San Francisco Pirates of the Pacific National League, he batted .343 with a league-leading 25 home runs. The home run total was more than double of any other player in the league. He also led the circuit in slugging percentage (.601) and total bases (282) and was the overall "minor league slugging champion" that year.
Marshall was acquired by the Pittsburgh Pirates towards the end of the season, and he made his major league debut on September 7. In 10 games, he went 6 for 23 (.261) with 2 runs batted in. The Pirates won the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
pennant and faced the Boston Americans
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"...
in the 1903 World Series
1903 World Series
The 1903 World Series was the first modern World Series to be played in Major League Baseball. It matched the Boston Americans of the American League against the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National League in a best-of-nine series, with Boston prevailing five games to three, winning the last...
. Marshall was in the teams' dugout
Dugout (baseball)
In baseball, the dugout is a team's bench area and is located in foul territory between home plate and either first or third base. There are two dugouts, one for the home team and one for the visiting team. In general, the dugout is occupied by all players not prescribed to be on the field at that...
during the series but did not play, and the Pirates lost in eight games.
Marshall returned to the Pacific National League in 1904 and hit .345. His 10 homers ranked second overall. He then played for the Northwestern League
Northwestern League
The Northwestern League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1883–1884, and again from 1886-1887. It was founded by Elias Matter in 1883.-1883-1884:...
's Vancouver Veterans in 1905. By this time, he was being referred to as "Home Run Joe Marshall" by Sporting Life. He hit .298 with a league-leading 7 home runs that season (again more than double the total of any other player). However, he quit the team in late August, saying that he was "done with base ball."
The following season, Marshall was back in baseball, this time with the St. Louis Cardinals. He played in 33 games and batted .158 with 0 home runs and 2 RBI. His final major league appearance was on August 17, 1906. In 1907, Marshall returned to the Pacific Northwest League but batted just .197 in 17 games. In 1909, he moved down to the Class D Inter-Mountain League and hit .231.
Marshall then spent 1911 through 1913 with the Union Association
Union Association (minor league)
The Union Association was a Minor league baseball circuit that operated from through . It was classified as a Class-D league and was based in the Rocky Mountains.There was also a minor league called the Union Association which lasted only one season in ....
's Butte Miners. He had his last good season in 1911, when he batted .320 and finished second in the league in both home runs (12) and slugging percentage (.548). After hitting .275 in 1913, he retired from professional baseball. Overall, Marshall collected 991 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, including 79 homers, in 825 career minor league games. He played in 43 major league games and did not hit a single home run.
Marshall died in 1931 in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
. He was buried in Rosedale Cemetery.