Pepper Martin: A Baseball Biography

by Thomas Barthel

Pepper Martin, the "Wild Horse of the Osage," is most famous for having dominated the October 1931 World Series - stealing bases, sliding on his chest, making diving catches, and driving in runs. He also captivated many Americans in the Depression Era with his homegrown honesty and love of pranks. To many, he epitomized the very spirit of baseball.
This biography follows Martin's rise from Oklahoma farmboy, buying his first glove with money from a paper route, to being one of America's most successful and beloved professionals. It closes with an account of his coaching career in Florida and his death in 1965, a member of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame and a loving grandfather. The work includes accounts of important games and intimate glimpses of his romance with his wife and the arrivals of his daughters. Information is drawn from research on the careers of key players and managers from the Cardinals, back issues of periodicals, and interviews with Don Gutterridge, Martin's teammate.

242 pages, Paperback

First published September 9, 2003

Reviews

[Monte Lamb · Rating 3 out of 5]

The subject of this book is totally fascinating. The writing is not nearly so good and at times seems as if it is just a collection of quotes from various newspapers. However, I must recommend this book to anyone who is interested in baseball. Pepper Martin was a larger-than-life character who played for the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1930's. He was a character on and off the field. He led the Gas House Gang with his hustle and baseball savy. The pranks he pulled were numerous and are certainly funny to see. He was also a good man in his personal life and made friends throughout his life. You do get a good sense of the man and how he lived his life. For this, I heartily recommend it. I just wish the quality of writing was better.