Marv Rackley

Marvin Eugene Rackley
(Rabbit)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 10", Weight 170 lb.
• School Georgia State University
• High School Seneca (SC) High School
• Debut April 15, 1947
• Final Game May 8, 1950
• Born July 25, 1921 in Seneca, SC USA
• Died April 24, 2018 in Greenville, SC USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Marv Rackley played four seasons in the major leagues, posting a .317 batting average in that time. He was primarily a center fielder. He appeared in two games in the 1949 World Series.

In 1949, he was traded by the Brooklyn Dodgers to the Pittsburgh Pirates, but three weeks later the traded was voided and he returned to Brooklyn. At the end of the season he was sold to the Cincinnati Reds.

With the Montreal Royals in 1946, he hit .305 with 14 triples and 65 stolen bases. The stolen base total was the highest in the International League since the 1920s. His teammate Jackie Robinson hit .349 with 8 triples and 40 stolen bases.

In his last season as a player, 1955, he was the second of three managers of the Atlanta Crackers, succeeding George McQuinn and being followed by Clyde King. The team had a record of 18-33 under Rackley.

Born in South Carolina, he lived in the state until passing away at the age of 97 in 2018. He was one of the ten oldest living former major leaguers at the time of his passing. He served in the United States Air Force during World War II.

Related Sites

• Marv Rackley at the SABR Bio Project
• See also Interview of Spider Jorgensen, where Jorgensen talks about Rackley's awareness of the historical importance of playing alongside Jackie Robinson in the minors.