Marshall Bridges

From BR Bullpen

Marshall Bridges (Fox or Sheriff)

Bats Both, Throws Left
Height 6' 1", Weight 180 lb.

Debut June 17, 1959
Final Game September 25, 1965
Born June 2, 1931 in Jackson, MS USA
Died September 3, 1990 in Jackson, MS USA

[edit] Biographical Information

Marshall Bridges was a first-baseman pitcher with the Memphis Red Sox in the Negro Leagues and was signed by the New York Giants in 1953. After hitting just .233 but going 14-1 on the mound for the Amarillo Gold Sox in 1955 he concentrated on making the majors as a pitcher.

He was acquired by the St. Louis Cardinals after winning 16 games and leading the PCL in strikeouts for the Sacramento Solons in 1958 and was used primarily in relief by the Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds who got him in 1960.

In 1962 the New York Yankees were looking for bullpen help and "Sheriff" as he was sometimes called, came to the rescue, The hard throwing southpaw won eight games and saved 18 in 52 appearances to help lead the Yankees to the pennant. He was not as effective in the World Series against the New York Giants, allowing the first grand slam home run ever hit to a National Leaguer in a World Series, Chuck Hiller.

After Marshall was shot in the knee in a nightclub altercation in 1963, he recovered to pitch for two more seasons with the Washington Senators, concluding his 7 year major league career with a 23-15 record with 25 saves and a 3.75 ERA.

Bridges spent three more seasons in pro ball playing with the PCL Hawaii Islanders, 1965 through 1967 and decided to call it a career after this last run. Marshall had spent 15 years in pro ball, from 1953 through 1967. His minor league stat sheet shows that he appeared in 243 games, winning 74 and losing 57, pitching 1138 innings with a 3.94 ERA.

After baseball, Marshall did carpentry and maintenance work at the State Capitol Building in Jackson, MS, where he died on September 3, 1990, at age 59.