Marv Throneberry
Encyclopedia
Marvin Eugene Throneberry (September 2, 1933 — June 23, 1994) was an American
Major League Baseball
player, best remembered as the starting first baseman
for the 1962 New York Mets
, a team which set the modern record for most losses in a season with 120.
A native of Fisherville, Tennessee
, Throneberry batted and threw left-handed. Signed as an amateur free agent by the New York Yankees
in 1952, he made his major-league debut in September 1955. He was one of the most feared minor league
sluggers of the 1950s. Playing in the thin air of Bears Stadium as a member of the Denver Bears, Throneberry led the American Association
in home run
s and runs batted in for three consecutive seasons: 1955-56-57.
Throneberry made it back to the majors for good in 1958, and although he possessed good power — his swing drew comparisons to Mickey Mantle
— he showed a tendency to strike out and had difficulty fielding his position. As a result, he spent two seasons on the Yankees' bench before being included in a six-player trade for Kansas City Athletics
power-hitting outfielder
Roger Maris
before the 1960 season.
After a little more than one full season on Kansas City's bench, filling in at first base and right field
, Kansas City traded Throneberry to the Baltimore Orioles
for outfielder Gene Stephens
in June 1961. Less than a year later, Baltimore traded him to the Mets for a player to be named later
(Hobie Landrith
) and cash.
With the Mets, Throneberry got his first chance as a regular, and he responded by hitting .244 with 16 home runs and 49 RBI. However, he committed 17 errors at first base and his fielding percentage
of .981 would not be equaled by a major-league regular first baseman until César Cedeño
fielded .981 in 1979 for the Astros
.
In one famous story, on June 17, Throneberry hit a triple
in a game against the Cubs
, but was called out for not touching second base. According to the legend, manager Casey Stengel
came out to argue the call, but was told by the umpire "Don't bother arguing Casey, he missed first base, too." (In another version of the story, Stengel was told this by his first-base coach.) The next batter hit a home run, prompting Stengel to come out of the dugout following him and pointing at all four bases. Throneberry's mistake proved costly, as the Cubs won the game 8-7.
Another story about Throneberry revolved around Stengel's birthday. The team decided to throw him a party, complete with birthday cake
. While the rest of the team was enjoying their cake with Stengel, Throneberry realized he didn't receive a slice. When he complained Stengel reportedly leaned over to his first baseman and said, "We was gonna give you a piece but we was afraid you'd drop it!" A variation of this story has Throneberry on his own birthday being told by teammate Richie Ashburn
that they would have given him a birthday cake except that they were afraid he'd drop it.
Throneberry, who facetiously came to be known as Marvelous Marv, maintained a sense of humor about his play and became a favorite with fans and the media. At one point he had a fan club
which numbered around 5,000 members. It is reported that they wore shirts with the word "VRAM" (Marv backwards).
However, Mets fans' patience for Throneberry's ineptitude wore thin, and he was demoted to Triple A
Buffalo in 1963 to make room for another Met legend, Ed Kranepool
. He was eventually released from the team and retired at age 29. "Marvelous Marv" later became one of the original spokesmen for Miller Lite
beer in the early 1980s, poking fun at himself in a series of TV commercials. Throneberry's most famous line: "If I do for Lite what I did for baseball, I'm afraid their sales will go down." Columnist Jimmy Breslin
would quip, "Having Marv Throneberry play for your team is like having Willie Sutton
work for your bank."
In a seven-season career, Throneberry was a .237 hitter with 53 home runs and 170 RBI in 480 games.
Marv was the brother of fellow major leaguer Faye Throneberry
, and the grandfather of acclaimed filmmaker Craig Brewer
(Black Snake Moan). He died of cancer in Fisherville, Tennessee
, at 60 years of age.
There is a rock band called Throneberry, which took its name from Marv's last name. http://www.last.fm/music/Throneberry
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
player, best remembered as the starting first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
for the 1962 New York Mets
1962 New York Mets season
The New York Mets season was the first regular season for the Mets, as the National League returned to New York for the first time since . They went 40-120 and finished tenth and last in the National League, games behind the NL Champion San Francisco Giants, who once called New York home...
, a team which set the modern record for most losses in a season with 120.
A native of Fisherville, Tennessee
Fisherville, Tennessee
Fisherville is an unincorporated community in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States. Fisherville is located between Eads and Collierville.-Annexation:...
, Throneberry batted and threw left-handed. Signed as an amateur free agent by the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in 1952, he made his major-league debut in September 1955. He was one of the most feared 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...
sluggers of the 1950s. Playing in the thin air of Bears Stadium as a member of the Denver Bears, Throneberry led the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
in 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 and runs batted in for three consecutive seasons: 1955-56-57.
Throneberry made it back to the majors for good in 1958, and although he possessed good power — his swing drew comparisons to Mickey Mantle
Mickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle was an American professional baseball player. Mantle is regarded by many to be the greatest switch hitter of all time, and one of the greatest players in baseball history. Mantle was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.Mantle was noted for his hitting...
— he showed a tendency to strike out and had difficulty fielding his position. As a result, he spent two seasons on the Yankees' bench before being included in a six-player trade for Kansas City Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
power-hitting 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...
Roger Maris
Roger Maris
Roger Eugene Maris was an American Major League Baseball right fielder. During the 1961 season, he hit a record 61 home runs for the New York Yankees, breaking Babe Ruth's single-season record of 60 home runs...
before the 1960 season.
After a little more than one full season on Kansas City's bench, filling in at first base and right field
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
, Kansas City traded Throneberry to the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
for outfielder Gene Stephens
Gene Stephens
Glen Eugene Stephens was an Outfielder for the Boston Red Sox , Baltimore Orioles , Kansas City Athletics and Chicago White Sox...
in June 1961. Less than a year later, Baltimore traded him to the Mets for a player to be named later
Player to be named later
The concept of the "player to be named later" is most often associated with Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball trades.-Description:...
(Hobie Landrith
Hobie Landrith
Hobart "Hobie" Neal Landrith is a former American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1950 through 1963 for the Cincinnati Reds & Redlegs, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, and Washington Senators...
) and cash.
With the Mets, Throneberry got his first chance as a regular, and he responded by hitting .244 with 16 home runs and 49 RBI. However, he committed 17 errors at first base and his fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
of .981 would not be equaled by a major-league regular first baseman until César Cedeño
César Cedeño
César Cedeño Encarnación is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played with the Houston Astros , Cincinnati Reds , St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers . He batted and threw right-handed....
fielded .981 in 1979 for the Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
.
The Legend of Marv Throneberry
While on that 1962 Mets team legions of humorous stories surfaced about Throneberry. While it is likely that many of these stories are indeed false they helped escalate Throneberry to almost legendary status amongst Mets fans.In one famous story, on June 17, Throneberry hit a triple
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
in a game against the 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...
, but was called out for not touching second base. According to the legend, manager Casey Stengel
Casey Stengel
Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel , nicknamed "The Old Perfessor", was an American Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in ....
came out to argue the call, but was told by the umpire "Don't bother arguing Casey, he missed first base, too." (In another version of the story, Stengel was told this by his first-base coach.) The next batter hit a home run, prompting Stengel to come out of the dugout following him and pointing at all four bases. Throneberry's mistake proved costly, as the Cubs won the game 8-7.
Another story about Throneberry revolved around Stengel's birthday. The team decided to throw him a party, complete with birthday cake
Birthday cake
The birthday cake has been an integral part of the birthday celebrations in Western cultures since the middle of the 19th century. Certain rituals and traditions, such as singing of birthday songs, associated with birthday cakes are common to many Western cultures. The Western tradition of adding...
. While the rest of the team was enjoying their cake with Stengel, Throneberry realized he didn't receive a slice. When he complained Stengel reportedly leaned over to his first baseman and said, "We was gonna give you a piece but we was afraid you'd drop it!" A variation of this story has Throneberry on his own birthday being told by teammate Richie Ashburn
Richie Ashburn
Don Richard "Richie" Ashburn , also known by the nicknames, "Putt-Putt", "The Tilden Flash", and "Whitey" due to his light-blond hair, was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball. He was born in Tilden, Nebraska...
that they would have given him a birthday cake except that they were afraid he'd drop it.
Throneberry, who facetiously came to be known as Marvelous Marv, maintained a sense of humor about his play and became a favorite with fans and the media. At one point he had a fan club
Fan club
A fan club is a group that is dedicated to a well-known person, group, idea or sometimes even an inanimate object . Most fan clubs are run by fans who devote considerable time and resources to supporting them. There are also "official" fan clubs that are run by someone associated with the person...
which numbered around 5,000 members. It is reported that they wore shirts with the word "VRAM" (Marv backwards).
However, Mets fans' patience for Throneberry's ineptitude wore thin, and he was demoted to Triple A
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...
Buffalo in 1963 to make room for another Met legend, Ed Kranepool
Ed Kranepool
Edward Emil Kranepool is a former first baseman who spent his entire Major League Baseball career with the New York Mets....
. He was eventually released from the team and retired at age 29. "Marvelous Marv" later became one of the original spokesmen for Miller Lite
Miller Lite
Miller Lite is a 4.2% abv pale lager brand sold by MillerCoors of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Sibling beers include Miller Genuine Draft and Miller High Life.-History:...
beer in the early 1980s, poking fun at himself in a series of TV commercials. Throneberry's most famous line: "If I do for Lite what I did for baseball, I'm afraid their sales will go down." Columnist Jimmy Breslin
Jimmy Breslin
Jimmy Breslin is an American journalist and author. He currently writes a column for the New York Daily News' Sunday edition. He has written numerous novels, and columns of his have appeared regularly in various newspapers in his hometown of New York City...
would quip, "Having Marv Throneberry play for your team is like having Willie Sutton
Willie Sutton
William "Willie" Sutton was a prolific U.S. bank robber. During his forty-year criminal career he stole an estimated $2 million, and eventually spent more than half of his adult life in prison...
work for your bank."
In a seven-season career, Throneberry was a .237 hitter with 53 home runs and 170 RBI in 480 games.
Marv was the brother of fellow major leaguer Faye Throneberry
Faye Throneberry
Maynard Faye Throneberry was an American professional baseball player. A native of Fisherville, Tennessee, he was a backup outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Red Sox , Washington Senators and Los Angeles Angels . Throneberry batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
, and the grandfather of acclaimed filmmaker Craig Brewer
Craig Brewer
Craig Brewer is an American film director and screenwriter. His 2005 movie Hustle & Flow won the Audience Award at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and achieved commercial success, along with an Academy Award for Best Original Song, "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp".- Life and career :Hustle & Flow...
(Black Snake Moan). He died of cancer in Fisherville, Tennessee
Shelby County, Tennessee
Shelby County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the state's largest both in terms of population and geographic area, with a population of 927,644 at the 2010 census...
, at 60 years of age.
There is a rock band called Throneberry, which took its name from Marv's last name. http://www.last.fm/music/Throneberry