Jerry Martin

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For the jazz musician, see Jerry Martin (musician)

Jerry Lindsey Martin (born May 11, 1949 in Columbia, South Carolina, U.S.) is a former player in Major League Baseball. He is the son of major league pitcher Barney Martin.

Martin was signed as an amateur free agent by the Philadelphia Phillies on July 17, 1971. Over the span of his 11-year career, Martin played for a total of five teams: the Philadelphia Phillies (1971-1978), the Chicago Cubs (1979-1980), the San Francisco Giants (1981), the Kansas City Royals (1982-1983), and the New York Mets (1984). The right-handed hitting Martin was almost exclusively an outfielder during his big league career.

[edit] Infamy

In October 1983, Martin, along with teammates Willie Wilson, Vida Blue and Willie Aikens, was arrested and charged with attempting to purchase cocaine. All four pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drug charges and were sentenced to 180 days at a Florida minimum security prison, served time at Fort Worth, Texas, Federal Correctional Institution, becoming the first active major leaguers to serve jail time. The group was released from prison after serving only 90 days. Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn subsequently suspended all four for the entire 1984 season, but the suspensions were reduced after appeal and the four were allowed to return to their teams on May 15.