Tippy Martinez was a left-handed pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for 14 seasons. He was born on May 31, 1950, in La Junta, Colorado, and grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Martinez attended La Cueva High School and played college baseball at New Mexico Junior College and the University of New Mexico.
Martinez was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the fifth round of the 1972 MLB draft. He made his major league debut on September 14, 1974, and spent the next 11 seasons with the Orioles. Martinez was primarily used as a relief pitcher and was known for his ability to get left-handed batters out. He had a career record of 55-42 with a 3.63 ERA and 115 saves.
Martinez's best season came in 1983 when he helped lead the Orioles to the World Series championship. He had a 3-2 record with a 3.18 ERA and 21 saves in 62 appearances. Martinez also made a memorable play in the American League Championship Series against the Chicago White Sox. In the ninth inning of Game 1, with the bases loaded and one out, Martinez picked off three White Sox runners in a row to end the inning.
Martinez was traded to the New York Yankees in 1986 and played two seasons with the team. He then played one season each with the Toronto Blue Jays and the Atlanta Braves before retiring after the 1988 season.
After his playing career, Martinez worked as a pitching coach for several minor league teams and served as a broadcaster for the Orioles. He was inducted into the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.
In recent years, Martinez has been involved in a controversy over the ownership of his World Series ring from 1983. Martinez claims that the ring was stolen from him in 1984 and has been trying to get it back ever since. The ring was sold at auction in 2015 for $32,000, but Martinez has continued to pursue legal action to try to reclaim it.
Overall, Tippy Martinez had a successful career as a left-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was a key member of the Orioles' championship team in 1983 and was known for his ability to get left-handed batters out. Martinez's legacy has been somewhat overshadowed by the controversy over his World Series ring, but he remains a respected figure in the baseball community.
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