Mark Belanger

Mark Belanger
Shortstop
Born:(1944-06-08)June 8, 1944 Pittsfield, Massachusetts,U.S.
Died:October 6, 1998(1998-10-06)(aged 54) New York, New York,U.S.
Batted:Right Threw:Right
MLB debut
August 7, 1965, for the Baltimore Orioles
Last MLB appearance
October 2, 1982, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
MLB statistics
Batting average	.228
Home runs	20
Runs batted in	389
Teams
Baltimore Orioles(1965–1981) Los Angeles Dodgers(1982)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star(1976) World Serieschampion (1970) 8×Gold Glove Award(1969, 1971, 1973–1978) Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame

Mark Henry Belanger(June 8, 1944 – October 6, 1998), nicknamed "the Blade,"was an American professionalbaseballplayer andcoach.He played 18 seasons inMajor League Baseballas ashortstopfrom1965through1982,most notably as a member of theBaltimore Oriolesdynasty that won sixAmerican League Eastdivision titles, fiveAmerican League pennants,and twoWorld Serieschampionships between 1966 and 1979.

A defensive standout, Belanger won eightGold Glove Awardsbetween 1969 and 1978, leading theAmerican Leagueinassistsandfielding percentagethree times each; he retired with the highest career fielding percentage by an AL shortstop (.977). In defensiveWins Above Replacement(WAR), Belanger is tied withOzzie SmithandJoe Tinkerfor most times as league leader with six.Belanger set franchise records for career games, assists, anddouble playsas a shortstop, all of which were later broken byCal Ripken Jr.After his playing career, he became an official with theMajor League Baseball Players Association.In 1983, Belanger was inducted into theBaltimore Orioles Hall of Fame.

Early life

Belanger was born inPittsfield, Massachusetts,and attendedPittsfield High School,where he played baseball and basketball. On the basketball court, he became the school's first 1,000-point scorer. He was recruited by the Orioles as an amateur in1962and made his debut with the club on August 7,1965.

Career

Belanger took over as the Orioles' regular shortstop in late1967and held the position for more than a decade. He hit his first Major League home run atYankee Stadiumon May 14, 1967, off Yankees' aceMel Stottlemyre.Belanger was nicknamed "The Blade" because of his tall and narrow frame—6'1 "(1.85 m) and 170 pounds (77 kg). Despite his reputation as one of the best fielding shortstops in Major League history, Belanger was known as a poor hitter. In 1970, he finished last among qualifying AL players in all threeTriple Crowncategories. In his 18 seasons in the Major Leagues, Belanger hit only 20home runsand had a lifetimebatting averageof.228, only topping the.230 mark over a full season three times. His.228 lifetime batting average is the third-lowest of any Major League player with more than 5,000 career at bats, ahead of onlyGeorge McBride(.218) andEd Brinkman(.224). Belanger also finished his career with the seventh-lowest batting average of any non-catcher with at least 2,500 at bats since 1920. Despite his famously poor hitting, Belanger had substantial success against some of the best pitchers of his era, includingBert Blyleven,Nolan RyanandTommy John.

Belanger in 1977

Belanger was a flashy fielder and won eight AL Gold Gloves (1969, 1971, and 1973–78). He was also named to theAll-Starteam in 1976. Belanger joined a select group of shortstop-second basemancombinations who each won Gold Gloves in the same season while playing together (in1969and1971withDavey Johnsonand again withBobby Gricheach year between1973and1976). BecauseBrooks Robinsonwon the AL Gold Glove atthird baseeach season during the 1960–1975 stretch, the left side of the Orioles' infield was seemingly impenetrable.

He hit a rarehome runin the firstAmerican League Championship Seriesgame ever played in1969,and after uncharacteristically hitting.333 in the1970 ALCS,his contributions led to the Orioles'1970 World Seriesvictory, the team's second title in five years. During the series, he caught a line drive to end a 4–3 victory in Game 1 with the tying run on first base, and he had an assist to end Game 3. Belanger played in sixALCSseries and set leagueplayoffrecords for career games,putouts,assists,total chances,and double plays by ashortstop.(All these records were broken between 1998 and 2002 byOmar VizquelandDerek Jeter.)

On June 3, 1977, Belanger was part of what sportswriter Fred Rothenberg called "one of the strangesttriple playsin baseball history. "With the bases loaded for the Royals in the ninth inning, and Kansas City down 7–5,John Wathanhit a fly ball to right field thatPat Kellycaught for the first out. All the runners tagged to advance a base, but Kelly threw to Belanger, who caughtFreddie Patekin arundownbetween first and second base and tagged him out. While this was going on,Dave Nelson,who had successfully advanced to third base, attempted to score. Upon tagging out Patek, Belanger ran towards the third base line and caught up with Nelson ten feet from home plate, tagging him out to complete the triple play and end the game.

Belanger was grantedfree agencyin1981—perhaps in response to his public criticism of managerEarl Weaver—and signed with theLos Angeles Dodgersfor the1982season; heretiredat the end of the season.

Following Belanger's departure from the Orioles, former teammateRich Dauersaid, "Anyone would miss Mark Belanger. You're talking about the greatest shortstop in the world. He never put you in a bad position with his double-play throws...He'd put you where you should be to make the play... I never had to think out there. If there was any question in my mind, I'd look at Blade, and he'd have a finger out, pointing which way I should move."

Later life

Belanger served as the Orioles' union representative for several years. He was one of the four players who led negotiations during the1981 strike.

After Belanger's retirement as an active player (and until his death), he was employed by theMLB Players Associationas a liaison to its membership.

Belanger and his first wife, Daryl, had two homes—inTimonium, MarylandandKey Biscayne, Florida—and had two sons, Richard and Robert.He married his second wife, Virginia French, who survives him, in early 1997.

A long-time cigarettesmoker,Belanger was diagnosed withlung cancerin the late 1990s and died in New York City at the age of 54. He was survived by his second wife, Virginia, sons Richard and Robert, his parents, and three siblings. He is interred in St. Joseph Cemetery inPittsfield, Massachusetts.

See also

• List of Gold Glove middle infield duos

External links

• Career statistics and player information fromMLB,orESPN,orBaseball Reference,orFangraphs,orBaseball Reference (Minors)
• Retrosheet
• Mark BelangeratFind a Grave
• Mark Belangerat theSABR Baseball Biography Project,by Frank Vaccaro, Retrieved November 8, 2017.