The quick synopsis of Fred “Firpo” Marberry is a Pitcher who was used in a way that was ahead of its time.

Marberry was one of the best hurlers of the 1920s, and the Washington Senators used him mostly as a reliever, making him one of the first players in baseball to be used in that capacity.  Debuting in 1923, the following season, Marberry led the American League in Games Pitched (50), Games Finished (31), and Saves (15), and in the '24 World Series, he appeared in four games with a 0-1 record with a 1.13 ERA en route to the championship win over the New York Giants.

Over the rest of his run with Washington, Marberry repeated similar seasons, and he led the AL in Games Pitched five more times, Games Finished three more times, and Saves five more times.  Marberry’s value to Washington was incalculable, and he set the template in which other relievers would follow.

Marberry would later have stints with the Detroit Tigers and New York Giants before finishing his career in a return to Washington.  While his 99 career saves seem pedestrian today, he accomplished those over multi-inning appearances and was a closer before anyone knew what that meant. 

Considered by many baseball historians to be the first reliever of prominence, Firpo Marberry would lead the American League in Pitching Appearances six times and is the first (retroactively) to score 20 Saves in a season.  Marberry’s versatility to go from the starting rotation to the bullpen with ease made him an invaluable asset and a player ahead of his time.  Marberry’s pitching acumen made him a vital component in the Senators’ World Series Championship win in 1924.