Marty Bergen

Martin Bergen

• Bats Unknown, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 170 lb.

• Debut April 17, 1896
• Final Game October 13, 1899
• Born October 25, 1871 in North Brookfield, MA USA
• Died January 19, 1900 in North Brookfield, MA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

"Martin Bergen is a kingpin of catchers." - a sportswriter in 1898

"As a catcher, Martin Bergen was the best the world ever produced. No man acted with more natural grace as a ballplayer. There was finish in every move he made. His eye was always true, and his movements so quick and accurate in throwing that the speediest base runners... never took chances when Bergen was behind the bat." - Jesse Burkett, 1900

Catcher Marty Bergen played four seasons in the major leagues for the Boston Beaneaters. The Beaneaters during that time were always over .500 and won the pennant in both 1897 and 1898. Marty was the starting catcher all four years, known for his top defense.

Marty was playing in the minors by 1892. He was from North Brookfield, MA, and played on an amateur team with Connie Mack, also a resident there. Mack later tried to draft him when he was manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1894 but the contract was voided when the Pirates tried to farm him out to a minor league team, a practice which was not allowed at the time. He was known as a good ballplayer with most of his talent coming from his catching abilities, but had suffered from severe mental illness, and refused to accept pills from his doctor because he had become convinced that his doctor was secretly a spy sent by another team to poison him. He also once had to be removed from a game after he began dodging pitches rather than catching them because he thought the pitcher was throwing knives at him. During a road series in St. Louis, MO, he slapped Vic Willis across the face, and on another occasion he threatened to kill all his teammates with a bat. Bergen had hip problems during his career and underwent an operation in January 1899, just one year prior to his heinous crime. Bergen's teammates began to grow tired of having to deal with him toward the end, and a few unnamed players said they would rather play elsewhere if Bergen was going to return for the 1900 season.

His teammates got their wish in one of the most horrific ways however. Marty Bergen died on January 19, 1900, after slitting his throat with a razor. Before his suicide, he murdered his wife and two children with an ax.

He was the brother of Bill Bergen.

Records Held

• Passed balls, catcher, season (since 1893), 38, 1898

Related Sites

• Marty Bergen at the SABR Bio Project