Pepper Martin, baseball player, 1928-1944

Pepper Martin

Born: 2/29/1904 in Temple, OK, USA

Died: 3/5/1965 in McAlester, OK, USA

MLB Debut: 1928-04-16 | Final Game: 1944-10-01

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'8" | Weight: 170 lbs

Full name: Johnny Leonard Roosevelt Martin

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Biography

Pepper Martin, born in 1904, was a distinguished position player who made a significant impact on Major League Baseball during his career from 1928 until 1944. Known for his energetic playing style and versatility, Martin was a key member of the St. Louis Cardinals during the 1930s, a time when the team was solidifying its reputation as one of the league's powerhouses. Over the course of 1,189 games, he recorded 1,227 hits and achieved a commendable batting average of .298. His offensive contributions included 59 home runs and 501 RBIs, alongside 146 stolen bases, showcasing both his power and speed on the basepaths. Martin's excellence on the field earned him four All-Star selections, reflecting his status among the elite players of his era. His ability to perform in clutch situations was particularly notable during the Cardinals' championships in the late 1930s, where he played a pivotal role in their success. As a player who thrived during an era characterized by fierce competition and dynamic play, Pepper Martin left an indelible mark on the game, remembered not only for his statistics but also for his spirited approach to baseball.

Negro Leagues Career Statistics

Batting

PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB BA OBP SLG OPS
5.0 5.0 1.0 3.0 0 2.0 0 0 0 3.0 2.0 0.600 0.600 1.400 2.000

Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting

Season PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB BA OBP SLG OPS
1933 5.0 5.0 1.0 3.0 0 2.0 0 0 0 3.0 2.0 0.600 0.600 1.400 2.000

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
0 0 2 0 0 0 0 4.0 2 1 0 2 0 2.25 0

Career ERA 2.25 vs. league average 4.44 across their career seasons — 49.3% better than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year Team Lg W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER BB SO ERA Lg ERA Pitcher PIV
1934 STL NL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2.0 1 1 0 0 4.50 — -
1936 STL NL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2.0 1 0 2 0 0.00 — -

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
1189 4117 754 1227 270 75 59 501 146 369 438 0.298 0.358 0.443 0.801 7239.9

Career AVG .298 vs. league average .276 across their career seasons — +7.8% above league average.

Career OBP .358 vs. league average .340 across their career seasons — +5.1% above league average.

Career SLG .443 vs. league average .393 across their career seasons — +12.7% above league average.

Career OPS 0.801 vs. league average 0.733 across their career seasons — +9.2% above league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1928 STL NL 39 13 11 4 0 0 0 0 2 1 2 0.308 — — — — 0.0
1930 STL NL 6 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1931 STL NL 123 413 68 124 32 8 7 75 16 30 40 0.300 .276 (+9%) .338 (+4%) .388 (+20%) .726 (+13%) 902.1
1932 STL NL 85 323 47 77 19 6 4 34 9 30 31 0.238 .275 (-13%) .335 (-9%) .391 (-5%) .726 (-7%) -465.5
1933 STL NL 145 599 122 189 36 12 8 57 26 67 46 0.316 .270 (+17%) .329 (+17%) .377 (+21%) .707 (+19%) 2387.0
1934 STL NL 110 454 74 131 25 11 5 49 23 32 41 0.289 .278 (+4%) .340 (-1%) .392 (+8%) .733 (+4%) 219.8
1935 STL NL 135 539 121 161 41 6 9 54 20 33 58 0.299 .279 (+7%) .342 (avg) .399 (+12%) .742 (+6%) 540.5
1936 STL NL 143 572 121 177 36 11 11 76 23 58 66 0.309 .283 (+9%) .349 (+7%) .404 (+16%) .753 (+12%) 1335.1
1937 STL NL 98 339 60 103 27 8 5 38 9 33 50 0.304 .276 (+10%) .342 (+7%) .398 (+19%) .740 (+13%) 808.1
1938 STL NL 91 269 34 79 18 2 2 38 4 18 34 0.294 .272 (+8%) .341 (avg) .392 (+1%) .734 (+1%) -11.8
1939 STL NL 88 281 48 86 17 7 3 37 6 30 35 0.306 .274 (+12%) .342 (+10%) .393 (+14%) .735 (+12%) 623.2
1940 STL NL 86 228 28 72 15 4 3 39 6 22 24 0.316 .267 (+18%) .335 (+13%) .387 (+18%) .722 (+15%) 646.5
1944 STL NL 40 86 15 24 4 0 2 4 2 15 11 0.279 .261 (+7%) .325 (+18%) .357 (+11%) .683 (+14%) 254.9

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
15 55 14 23 7 1 1 9 5 6 0.418

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1934 WS SLN 7 31 8 11 3 1 0 4 3 3 0.355
1931 WS SLN 7 24 5 12 4 0 1 5 2 3 0.500
1928 WS SLN 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
3B 429 0 393 715 87 44
OF 613 0 1299 59 37 14
P 2 0 0 1 0 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1928 SLN OF 4 0 2 0 0 0
1931 SLN OF 110 0 282 10 10 2
1932 SLN 3B 15 0 18 18 1 1
1932 SLN OF 69 0 151 10 4 3
1933 SLN 3B 145 0 139 273 25 14
1934 SLN 3B 107 0 85 195 19 7
1934 SLN P 1 0 0 1 0 0
1935 SLN 3B 114 0 113 171 30 17
1935 SLN OF 16 0 32 0 2 0
1936 SLN 3B 15 0 13 12 7 1
1936 SLN OF 127 0 226 13 6 5
1936 SLN P 1 0 0 0 0 0
1937 SLN 3B 5 0 6 8 1 2
1937 SLN OF 82 0 204 12 6 3
1938 SLN 3B 4 0 1 3 0 0
1938 SLN OF 62 0 138 1 2 1
1939 SLN 3B 22 0 15 30 4 2
1939 SLN OF 51 0 113 4 3 0
1940 SLN 3B 2 0 3 5 0 0
1940 SLN OF 63 0 103 8 3 0
1944 SLN OF 29 0 48 1 1 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 2
Third Base 427
Left Field 37
Center Field 321
Right Field 265

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1935 Baseball Magazine All-Star 3B
1935 Baseball Magazine All-Star 3B
1935 TSN All-Star 3B

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1940 Most Valuable Player NL 33th 2.0 336 0
1935 Most Valuable Player NL 10th 16.0 80 0
1933 Most Valuable Player NL 5th 31.0 80 0