Brooklyn Dodgers. Where are they now. Marv Rackley
Marvin E. Rackley then
| Name | DOB | Birthplace | Uniform # |
| Marv Rackley | 07/25/1921 | Seneca, SC | 35 |
At age 19, Marv Rackley was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers organization in 1941. He played for the Valdosta Trojans, the Durham Bulls and the Dayton Ducks.
On October 5, 1942, Rackley entered the military service with the Army Air Force at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. He spent the next three years in service.
Sergeant Rackley returned to the Dodgers organization in 1946. He joined the Montreal Royals where he played alongside Jackie Robinson. Rackley batted .305 with the Royals and was in the Dodgers line-up for the second game of the season in 1947. In 18 games as a pinch-hitter and runner he batted .222 before joining the St. Paul Saints where he batted .316.
In 1948, Rackley played 88 games with the Dodgers, batted .327, but with Hermanski, Reiser, Furillo, Snider, Shuba and Whitman all vying for outfield positions there was little room for him.
On May 18, 1949, Rackley was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for first baseman/outfielder Johnny Hopp plus $25,000. Rackley reported to the Pirates with a sore throwing arm. Pirates complained they had traded for a player who was unfit. Hopp was returned to the Pirates and Rackley went back to the Dodgers (wonder what happened to the 25K) where he played in 54 games, batted .291 and appeared in two World Series games against the Yankees.
Gene Hermanski, Pee Wee Reese, Marv Rackley and Jackie Robinson, the Dodgers base stealers of 1948
In October 1949, the 28-year-old was purchased by the Reds for $60,000 but appeared in just five games the following season, spending most of the year with the Seattle Rainiers of the Pacific Coast League. He spent most of 1952 with the Birmingham Barons and joined the Baltimore Orioles of the International League in 1952. 1953 he batted .320 in 111 games with the Orioles. 1954 he batted .328 with the Richmond Virginians. He ended his career with the Atlanta Crackers in 1955 when he also managed for part of the year.
Marv Rackley now
Marv Rackley still lives in his native South Carolina. I could not find a current picture of Marv Rackley.
I just noticed this is my blog post #500 !!
ref: baseballinwartime.blogspot.
Dodger Blue World 
over 40 years ago while working on the waterfront in brookly, i had the ny daily news showning gene hermanski sliding home headlines ;;SAFE OR OUT;;:PAID FIVE DOLLARS FOR IT AT THE FLE MARKET , DATED 1947. WAS ON A SUNDAY .AND WAS WAITING FOR SOMEONE FROM A COMPANY TO EXAM THE CASE ,BECAUSE IT WAS DAMAGED, A EW OF MY FRIENDS WERE IN THE OFFICE ,AND WE WERE DISCUSSING IF GENE HERMANSKI WAS SAFE OR OUT , I RECEIVED A CALL ,SAYING SOMEONE IS HERE TO SEE ME AND , AND WHILE WE WERE LOOKING AT THE PHOTO ,I SAID IS HE SAFE OR OUT, THE GENTLEMAN LEANED OVER AND SAID ,, I WAS SAFE, YES IT WAS A SHOCK, IT WAS GENE HERMANSKI, HE SIGNED HIS AUTOGRAPH SAYING I WAS SAFE ,,I GAVE THE FRONT PAGE TO MY SON, AND TO THIS DAY HE HAS IT HANGING ON THE WEALL, GENE HERMANSKI, EVEN CALLED MY HOME AND TALKED TO MY SON AND DAUGHTER,ONE IN A MILLION. A TRUE STORY
Lanzr2233, that is a wonderful story! Thank you so much for sharing it here!
Marvin is alive and well. I am his barber and just cut his hair this morning as a matter of fact. He lost his wife a little while back and he don’t hear to well anymore but he is still getting about and a wonderful individual. He lives on Bibb Street in Westminster SC and you can find him working in his yard on most any nice warm day
This is wonderful Shawn!! It is so good to hear that Marvin is doing well!! Thank you so much for letting me know here!! You brought a smile to my face!
-Emma.
Thanks for that, Marv is my great uncle, my Papa Carl’s brother. My mom spoke kindly of him, I met him once when I was a child. I was always proud to tell everyone of his baseball career which was pretty impressive. Great to know is doing well. Tell him his great niece( Darlene’s daughter Kim) said hello.
I will do that next time I see him Darlene.
Marvin is my great uncle as well. My Grandmother is his sister Genva.. Most of her Children live in Georgia.. I would love to know more of the family.
Claydunn72@gmail.com
Oh I am sorry Kim I misread. I apologize.
Love love the stories in the comments! Thank you so mu h all for sharing!! Tomorrow is Opening Day at Dodger Stadium! I am very excited about that!! It is like Christmas for adults!!
-Emma.
Marvin Rackley passed away Tuesday morning, he was living in an assisted living facility with my wife’s dad. My grandson met him Saturday evening , as we were coming from my grandson’s last c-team game this year, he still had his uniform on. Mr. Rackley quickly took notice and started talking to him, I think it made both their days. Two baseball players, one 97 and the other 13. My grandson took his picture but we didn’t think about getting a picture of them together till we had left. Mr. Rackley asked him to come back to see him and my grandson said he would. He told my wife he’d like to go with her again. I was proud of my grandson for trying talking with him like he did even tho Mr. Rackley couldn’t hear well. We were all sadden to hear of his passing..RIP Marvin Rackley!
Thanks for letting us know. He was my great uncle. But I had no contact with him. I met him only a few times. I think he was the last of my Rackley Uncles.
Sorry for your loss, we only met him because of him being roommate with my father-in-law in an assisted living facility. My grandson loved trying to talk to him and was sadden by his death…
Thank you! Your son has a great memory to share. Bless his heart . Best of luck to him. And God bless your wife’s Dad.
Thanks for letting us know. He was my great uncle. But I had no contact with him. I met him only a few times. I think he was the last of my Rackley Uncles.
Ps. Today the 25th is Marvin’s brother,Carl’s birthday, my grandpa.
It was my grandson and yes, he’s still talking about him. Just today he told me he thought it’d be boring, but he said he liked Marvin and wish he could’ve talked to him more. It’s something I’ll remember , it just seemed like they were friends from when Marvin saw him. He took a picture of Marvin with his phone, he also showed Marvin pictures of him that he googled and Marvin was looking at them. Others who lived there were watching them like something special was happening. I kinda believe it was, I just didn’t know how special it was. I really wish his family had been there to see it.
Marvin is my great uncle as well. My Grandmother is his sister Genva.. Most of her Children live in Georgia.. I would love to know more of the family.
Claydunn72@gmail.com