John Christopher Martin (April 19, 1887 – July 4, 1980) was a weak-hitting, slick-fielding infielder in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

, playing mainly at

shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists wh ...

for three different teams between the and seasons. Listed at , 159 lb., he batted and threw right-handed. A native of

Plainfield, New Jersey Plainfield is a city in Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, known by its nickname as "The Queen City."

, Martin played baseball for Plainfield High School. After a lengthy minor league baseball career, Martin entered the majors in 1912 as the regular shortstop for the

Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...

, when they were known as the New York Highlanders. In 1914, he divided his playing time between the Boston Braves and Philadelphia Phillies. In a three-year career, Martin was a .237 hitter (144-for-608) with 66 runs and 43 RBI in 187 games, including 13 doubles, four triples, 20 stolen bases, and a .323 on-base percentage without

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...

s. Following his playing retirement, Martin became a

manager Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities ...

and

coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Co ...

in the

minor leagues Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in No ...

. He managed

Jim Thorpe James Francis Thorpe ( Sac and Fox (Sauk): ''Wa-Tho-Huk'', translated as "Bright Path"; May 22 or 28, 1887March 28, 1953) was an American athlete and Olympic gold medalist. A member of the Sac and Fox Nation, Thorpe was the first Nativ ...

when Thorpe played for the 1916 Milwaukee Brewers in the

American Association American Association may refer to: Baseball * American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891 * American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997 * American Association of Profe ...

. In 1954, Martin moved to Brick Township, New Jersey, where he lived out his twilight years. He was beloved and well known for helping his neighbors. In 1978 was honored by the Brick Township council for being an inspiration to youth, as the ''Jack Martin Boulevard'' is named after him. Martin suffered two heart attacks just after being introduced at the 34th annual New York Yankees Old-Timers' Day on June 21, 1980. He died 13 days later after having been hospitalized at Montefiore Hospital in

The Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...

, New York. At the time of his death, at age 93, Martin was the oldest living former Yankees and Phillies player.

Chronology

*May 25, 1912 – During the first game of a double-header at

Hilltop Park Hilltop Park was the nickname of a baseball park that stood in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City. It was the home of the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball from 1903 to 1912, when they were known as the "Highlanders". I ...

, Martin was

hit by a pitch In baseball, hit by pitch (HBP) is an event in which a batter or his clothing or equipment (other than his bat) is struck directly by a pitch from the pitcher; the batter is called a hit batsman (HB). A hit batsman is awarded first base, provided ...

twice by Washington Senators pitcher

Walter Johnson Walter Perry Johnson (November 6, 1887 – December 10, 1946), nicknamed "Barney" and "The Big Train", was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 21-year baseball career in Major League Baseball as a right-ha ...

. The second time he had his jaw shattered by a

fastball The fastball is the most common type of pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. " Power pitchers," such as former American major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, rely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit, and have thr ...

and, eventually, was out of action for five weeks. Johnson‚ who consciously avoided throwing at batters nevertheless hit 205 batters in his illustrious career.

References

External links

Baseball Library1912 NYH schedule
{{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Jack Boston Braves players New York Highlanders players Philadelphia Phillies players Major League Baseball shortstops Plainfield High School (New Jersey) alumni Sportspeople from Brick Township, New Jersey Sportspeople from Plainfield, New Jersey Baseball players from Union County, New Jersey 1887 births 1980 deaths Rochester Hustlers players Milwaukee Brewers (minor league) managers Milwaukee Brewers (minor league) players St. Paul Saints (AA) players San Antonio Bronchos players Atlanta Crackers players Daytona Beach Islanders players Seattle Indians players Newark Bears (International League) players Springfield Senators players Sportspeople from Ocean County, New Jersey