Lloyd Merriman
Encyclopedia
Lloyd Archer Merriman was an American
professional baseball
player who played outfielder
in the Major Leagues
from – for the Cincinnati Reds
, Chicago White Sox
and Chicago Cubs
. Born in Clovis, California
, Merriman played college baseball
and football
at Stanford University
and was a United States Marine Corps
veteran of both World War II
and the Korean War
. Trained as a pilot
by the United States Navy
during World War II, Merriman would fly 87 missions in a Grumman F9F Panther jet fighter during the Korean War.
As a baseball player, Merriman threw and batted left-handed
, stood 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and weighed 190 pounds (86.2 kg). Because of his wartime service, he was nearly 24 when he was signed by Cincinnati in 1948. He had one year of minor league
experience, with the 1948 Columbia Reds of the Class A Sally League
, and batted
.298 before becoming a member of the Major League Reds in 1949
. He was the Reds' regular center fielder
that season, but he batted only .230 with limited home run
power, and was a reserve outfielder for the 1950
–1951 Reds
before being called back into military service as a Marine pilot.
He returned to the Majors in 1954 and batted a career-high .268 in limited service before closing out his MLB career in 1955 playing for both Chicago clubs. In retirement, he operated an insurance business and raised and trained horses in his native California. He died at 79 in Fresno, California
. Merriman is enshrined in the Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player who played outfielder
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 the Major Leagues
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...
from – for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
and Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
. Born in Clovis, California
Clovis, California
Clovis is a city in Fresno County, California, United States, northeast of Fresno. The population is estimated to be 97,218 as of September, 2011. Clovis is located northeast of downtown Fresno, at an elevation of 361 feet .-History:...
, Merriman played college baseball
College baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
and football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
and was a United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
veteran of both World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. Trained as a pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
by the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War II, Merriman would fly 87 missions in a Grumman F9F Panther jet fighter during the Korean War.
As a baseball player, Merriman threw and batted left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
, stood 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and weighed 190 pounds (86.2 kg). Because of his wartime service, he was nearly 24 when he was signed by Cincinnati in 1948. He had one year of minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
experience, with the 1948 Columbia Reds of the Class A Sally League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
, and batted
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 :...
.298 before becoming a member of the Major League Reds in 1949
1949 Cincinnati Reds season
The Cincinnati Reds season was a season in American baseball. The team finished seventh in the National League with a record of 62-92, 35 games behind the Brooklyn Dodgers.- Notable transactions :...
. He was the Reds' regular center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
that season, but he batted only .230 with limited 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...
power, and was a reserve outfielder for the 1950
1950 Cincinnati Reds season
The Cincinnati Reds season was a season in American baseball. The team finished sixth in the National League with a record of 66-87, 24½ games behind the Philadelphia Phillies.- Offseason :* December 14, 1949: Harry Walker was traded by the Reds to the St...
–1951 Reds
1951 Cincinnati Reds season
The Cincinnati Reds season was a season in American baseball. The team finished sixth in the National League with a record of 68-86, 28½ games behind the New York Giants.- Offseason :...
before being called back into military service as a Marine pilot.
He returned to the Majors in 1954 and batted a career-high .268 in limited service before closing out his MLB career in 1955 playing for both Chicago clubs. In retirement, he operated an insurance business and raised and trained horses in his native California. He died at 79 in Fresno, California
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
. Merriman is enshrined in the Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame.