Marty Simpson

Louis Martin Simpson

• Bats Unknown, Throws Unknown

• Debut May 14, 1873
• Final Game July 11, 1873
• Born July 11, 1855 in Baltimore, MD USA
• Died June 6, 1940 in Baltimore, MD USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Marty Simpson played four games for the Baltimore Marylands of the National Association in 1873. For 150 years, that was just about the only thing known about him - until researcher Justin McKinney was able to track him down.

In 1871, a news story related that Martin Simpson, a member of the Brooklyn Eckfords club, had umpired an amateur game in Baltimore, MD. The Eckfords were still an independent club at the time - they would join the National Association in 1872 - and they did indeed have a player named "Simpson". In 1873, another story mentions that someone named L.M. Simpson attended an amateur baseball meeting in Baltimore on behalf of the Creighton club, and the address given for him corresponds to that of "Louis M. Simpson". L.M. Simpson shows up again in 1874 at another meeting, this one of the Peabody baseball club - along with three known members of the Marylands the previous season: Ed Stratton, Lou Say and Levin Jones. That makes it almost certain that he was the missing ballplayer.

Further Reading

• "Martin Simpson", in Bill Carle, ed.: Biographical Research Committee Report, SABR, July/August 2024, p. 1