John L.R. "Pepper" Martin

John L.R. "Pepper" Martin. February 29, 1904 - March 5, 1965. John Leonard Roosevelt "Pepper" Martin was born in Temple, Oklahoma, and grew up in Oklahoma City. He spent six years on St. Louis Cardinals' farm teams and earned the "Pepper" nickname as a bundle of non-stop action before moving up to the majors full time in 1931. During the off-season, Martin played professional football for Oklahoma's Hominy Indians where he earned a second nickname, "The Wild Horse of the Osage.", As an unknown rookie in the 1931 World Series, Pepper logged 12 hits in 24 at-bats - an unprecedented and still unbeaten .500 series average. He also scored five runs, five RBIs and five stolen bases, emerging from the series as one of baseball's most celebrated heroes. Pepper spent 13 years as a Cardinal and was a leader of the famous "Gashouse Gang" recognized for their powerhouse talents on the field and their side-splitting antics off the field. He retired in 1944 with a lifetime batting average of .298, but continued in baseball as a manager of minor league teams., Martin was an eloquent public speaker, attracting listeners to his ranch near Quinton, Oklahoma, to hear his captivating stories. He promoted fundamental family and spiritual values, inspiring one neighbor, Don McClanen, to found the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. The Wild Horse of the Osage galloped through the history book of sports with a style and energy that will not be forgotten.