Fred Marsh

Fred Francis Marsh (January 5, 1924 – October 26, 2006) was an American infielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1949 to 1956 for the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Browns, Washington Senators, Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles, primarily as a third baseman. He was 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) tall and weighed 180 pounds. Born in Valley Falls, Kansas, Marsh was signed originally by the Chicago Cubs in 1942 after graduating from Chicago's Steinmetz High School in 1941. Marsh joined the Navy during World War II and was discharged in 1945. He made his big league debut on April 19, 1949 at the age of 25 for the Indians, to whom he'd been sent in an unknown transaction before the 1947 season. He appeared in only one game that year, as a pinch runner. He did not play any major league ball in 1950. In 1951, he appeared in 130 games for the St. Louis Browns, who received him and $35,000 for Snuffy Stirnweiss and Merl Combs in a trade with the Indians on April 1 of that year. He hit .243 with four home runs, 21 doubles and 43 RBI in 445 at-bats that season, walking 36 times and striking out 56 times. 1951 would end up being the only season in which he appeared in 100 or more games. 1952 was an interesting season for Marsh. He started the season with the Browns, but on May 12 was traded with Lou Sleater to the Washington Senators for Cass Michaels. Less than one month later, the Senators traded him back to the Browns for Earl Rapp. Marsh had started off poorly with the Browns that year, hitting only .208 in his first 11 games, thus prompting his trade to the Senators. He did even worse with the Senators though, appearing in nine games with them and batting only .087. His second turn with the Browns that year proved to be much more successful – in 76 games, he hit .287 with two home runs and 26 RBI. Overall that year, he hit .258 with two home runs, 28 RBI and 29 runs scored. On January 20, 1953, he was traded to the White Sox for Dixie Upright and $25,000. His first year