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British Baseball Hall of Fame 2018 Elections

by Matt Smith

Marcelino and Marshall join the British Baseball Hall of Fame

The 2018 elections to the British Baseball Hall of Fame have introduced two new inductees, increasing the class to 34.

Brad Marcelino was inducted from the modern ballot, with Ron Marshall being elected by the historical vetting panel that was introduced in 2016.

The elections of Marcelino and Marshall have produced two family pairings in the British Hall of Fame.  Brad Marcelino’s father, Oscar, was elected in 2016 and Ron Marshall’s grandson, Gavin, was elected in 2010.

Hall of Fame Chair Matt Smith commented:

“It’s always exciting to see the ballots coming in and the stories that unfold when any of the candidates reach the majority threshold to be elected.

This year’s elections highlight something that we all know is true: baseball is truly a great family sport.  Fathers and mothers, sons and daughters all enjoy this sport and from Little League competitions to GB Junior teams the support and encouragement of actual families mirrors the wider relationships forged in the overall baseball family that we are all part of.

The Marcelino and Marshall families have left an indelible mark on British baseball and continue to do so to this day. Seeing Brad and Ron join Oscar and Gavin in the Hall is a great story.

As we announce our 2018 elections, I can’t help but look ahead to 2019 and the excitement and interest that will be generated by the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees playing regular season MLB games in London. Whilst the initial narrative understandably will focus on American teams bringing their game across the pond, it will be a great opportunity for all areas of British baseball to promote and celebrate our own past, present and future.

With that in mind, we’re keen for anyone interested to get involved in looking at the game’s history, from helping with research to becoming a regional expert or a role as an elector. Further details can be found on the Hall of Fame website”.

Brad Marcelino

When Brad Marcelino hung up his cleats as a national team member in 2012, no British player had appeared in more top-tier European Championships (7) than the left-handed hitting outfielder. Marcelino, who made his GB debut as a 17-year-old in 1999, also represented Great Britain in a World Cup and a World Baseball Classic qualifier. Not only that, but Marcelino did so with distinction, earning a spot on the All-Tournament team at the 2001 Euros thanks to his stellar performance at the plate where he posted a .346 batting average with 6 runs in 7 games played.

Other impressive showings included batting .333 at the 1999 Euros, .389 at the 2010 Euros and .462 at the 2011 European Championship Qualifiers. Marcelino’s British baseball roots run deep. He was born in Essex and is the son of British Baseball Hall of Famer, Oscar Marcelino. He played as a junior in Britain until he was 11 before moving to the United States. He would go on to play college baseball at Occidental and California Lutheran and work as a top-tier collegiate coach at the University of San Diego, also serving on the Great Britain national team coaching staff.

Ron Marshall

Ron Marshall’s considerable British baseball legacy comes from a combination of accomplishments. He was a long-time GB manager, whose seven-year tenure from 1980 to 1986 represents one of the most extensive runs as head of the national team. He would helm Humberside teams in the 1970s before taking the reins of the national team in 1980. In both 1984 and 1986, he led GB to third-place performances at the European B-Pool Championship. He also skippered Great Britain to a victory over Belgium in a 1980 friendly.

Before joining the coaching ranks, he was also a top-notch pitcher in the Hull area. In 1950, a young Marshall was describe as an “[a]ce right-hander” by the British publication Baseball and Basket Ball Monthly. Marshall proved the title was deserving that year. By late August, he’d pitched 63 innings and struck out 109 batters. (His best single-game performance that year: an impressive 19 punch-outs.) He remained a stalwart performer on the mound throughout the decade as evidenced by being chosen as the starting pitcher in numerous representative games, including ones against the US Navy in 1958 and an American Air Force squad in 1959.

Finally, Marshall probably proved his great coaching acumen within his family. His sons Keith and Barry were both stand-out players, representing GB on numerous occasions between them, including in European competition. Barry was also a coach for GB, while Keith had a spell as manager of the dominant Hull Mets. In addition, Marshall’s grandson, Gavin, is a British Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, who was the first born-and-bred British player to earn a professional contract in the United States.

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