Greatness doesn’t come by at ease. You’ve got to earn it. Likewise, Mark Belanger is a baseball shortstop who is one of baseball’s most prolific players.
Known as ‘The Blaivesde,’ Mark has played for Los Angeles Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles. Mark Belanger was an American baseball shortstop who has played for the Baltimore Orioles.
Moreover, he has won the World Series Championships between the years 1966 and 1971.
Today, let’s look at the details of Mark’s life. However, before jumping into the details, let’s look at some quick facts about him.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Mark Henry Belanger |
| Nickname | The Blade |
| Birthdate | June 8, 1944 |
| Birthplace | Pittsfield, Massachusetts |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Horoscope | Gemini |
| Death | October 6, 1998 (age 54) |
| Father’s name | Edward Belanger |
| Mother’s name | Marie Belanger |
| Sibling | Brother: Al Belanger, Sisters: Jeanne Heil and Linda Thorton |
| Residence | Pittsfield, Massachusetts |
| High School | Pittsfield High School |
| College | None |
| Wife’s Name | Daryl Belanger and Virginia French |
| Teams | Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers |
| Height | 6 feet 1 inch |
| Weight | 77 kg (170 lbs) |
| Body type | Lean |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Profession | Baseball player & Coach |
| Position in team | Shortstop |
| Current team | Eugene Emeralds & San Francisco Giants |
| Jersey Number | 7 |
| Net worth | $1 million |
| Awards |
|
| Social Media | None |
| Merch | Autographed Baseball Cards, Rookie Card |
| Last Update | April, 2024 |
Mark Belanger | Early Life, Education & Family
Family Details
Mark Henry Belanger or Mark Belanger was an American professional player and coach. He hails from Pittsfield, Massachusetts. His career began in Pittsfield.
Belanger was born to his parents, Edward and Marie Belanger.
Likewise, all together, Mark has three siblings. He has two sisters and one brother. Mark’s brother is Al Belanger. And his sisters are Jeanne Heil and Linda Thorton.
As for his personal life, Belanger was married to his wife, Daryl, with whom he had two sons. The name of his two sons is Robert Belanger and Richard Belanger.
Later on, Belanger married his second wife, Virginia French, in 1997.
Pittsfield High School
Mark attended Pittsfield High School, a public high school located in Pittsfield.
Moreover, it is understood that Mark played baseball and basketball at the school. Thus, even though Mark pursued a career in baseball, he had excellent abilities as a baseball player.
To clarify, Mark, in his high school player was a stand-out basketball player. With a height of 6 feet and 1 inch, he became the first-ever player from his school to score 1,000 points.
Mark Belanger | Age, Height, Weight & Physical Appearance
Mark was born on June 8, 1944. As per his birthdate, his zodiac sign happens to be Gemini.
From what we know, a Gemini has a personality of being lively and genuine. So we have no doubts whatsoever that Mark was a lively person.
Likewise, when he was alive, Mark was 6 feet and 1 inch tall. Furthermore, he also weighed 77kg, which is 170 pounds.
Moreover, Mark had a lean body build, allowing him to develop a quick pace for a shortstop. Added to that, Mark had black-colored hair and eye.
Mark Belanger | Career Stats
After his high school years, things took an interesting turn. Being an amateur without any professional experience, Mark received recruitment to the Major League Baseball.
The Baltimore Orioles recruited Belanger as an amateur in 1962. After the recruitment and signing, he made the debut for the Orioles on August 7, 1965.
Belanger’s career can be described in two different parts. The first one is where he was a player, and the second is as a coach. In total, Mark spent 18 seasons in the Major League.
Likewise, in those 18 seasons, he played a massive 2,016 games. It is to be noted that he spent 17 years with the Baltimore Orioles and one year with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles signed Mark Belanger while he was still an amateur. Likewise, he made his debut for the team on August 7, 1965.
After signing, Mark made himself a regular starter for the team at the end of 1967.
His position in the Orioles’ team was untouched for over ten years as a shortstop. But then, the coaches trusted him and made him a regular starter due to his excellent fielding abilities.
Similarly, Mark’s first home run for the team came on May 14, 1967, in the Yankee stadium.
“The Blade”
Mark Belanger was famously nicknamed ‘The Blade.’ This nickname arises due to his body’s physical shape. Mark had a tall and narrow body frame.
Notable Career Mentions
Belanger was one of the excellent fielding shortstops of his time. However, though he excelled at fielding, he lacked the same quality in the game’s batting aspect.
As a result, in the 1970 season, Mark was given the title of ‘Triple Crown Loser.’
He finished last in the list of the Triple Crown categories. Similarly, his career statistics as a batsman were not impressive. Belanger had a lifetime batting average of .228.
Moreover, his batting average of .228 is the third-lowest average of any player in the MLB who has played over 5,000 career at-bats.
Likewise, in the 18 seasons in the MLB, Mark only scored 20 home runs.
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Achievements and Awards
Though Mark wasn’t renowned for his batting skills, his home run in the American League Championships Series helped the Orioles win the 1970 World Series Championship.
Moreover, in the same competition, Mark compiled a batting average of .333.
Mark was also awarded the Gold Glove Award eight times. He was awarded the prize due to his excellent fielding abilities as a baseball shortstop.
He won the Gold Glove award in 1969, 1971, and 1973-1978.
Similarly, Belanger had contributed to the Orioles’ World Series Championship win in 1970. In the year 1976, he was named to the MLB All-star team.
Due to his legacy with the Orioles, he has been named in the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame.
The list of Mark Belanger’s awards and recognitions.
- All-Star (1976)
- World Series champion (1970)
- 8× Gold Glove Award (1969, 1971, 1973–1978)
- Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame
Leaving the Orioles
Having stayed 17 years at the Baltimore Orioles, many people had predicted that Belanger would retire at the club.
However, after strongly criticizing Orioles manager Earl Weaver, Mark was released from the Baltimore Orioles team.
The departure of Belanger was received with mixed reactions from his fans and teammates. Likewise, his teammate Rich Dauer reacted to the departure by saying the following quote.
“Anyone would miss Mark Belanger. You’re talking about the greatest shortstop in the world...”
Los Angeles Dodgers
Likewise, after his release, he signed for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1982. However, after playing 54 matches for the Dodgers, Mark retired at the end of the 1982 season.
Stats
| Year | WAR | AB | H | HR | BA | R | RBI | SB | OBP | SLG |
| Career | 41.0 | 57.84 | 1316 | 20 | .228 | 676 | 389 | 167 | .300 | .280 |
Post Career
Mark Belanger retired from his playing career in 1982. After retirement, Belanger worked for the Orioles as a union representative.
Likewise, the MLB players association also employed him as a liaison officer.
Death of Mark Belanger
Belanger had a long history of addiction to smoking. He used to smoke heavily and wasn’t concerned about the side effects of smoking on his health. As a result, Belanger contracted lung cancer.
Unfortunately, Belanger died on October 6, 1998, after losing his cancer battle in New York. He died at the age of 54.
Belanger is interred in St. Joseph Cemetery, Pittsfield, Massachusetts. His life will always be remembered for the impact he left on people’s life.
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Mark Belanger | Wife & Children
Belanger has had two wives. His first wife is named Daryl. Similarly, he had two sons named Robert and Richard with his first wife.
However, Mark also married another woman. He married Virginia French in 1997. At the moment, she is still alive.
Mark Belanger | Net Worth & Salary
Belanger accumulated his net worth by playing professional baseball in the MLB. Likewise, Belanger was a player for the Baltimore Orioles.
He owned many houses and real estate properties. It is estimated that his net worth at the time of his death was $1 million.
Mark Belanger had bought two homes with his first wife, Daryl. The two homes were located in Timonium, Maryland, and Key Biscayne, Florida.
Mark Belanger | Personal Life
Father & Son: Same Fate
Robert John Belanger, Mark’s son with Daryl, was born in 1969. Robert was a multi-talented individual. He was a musician, softball coach, co-founder of a charity, church volunteer, and sales assistant.
As his father had died due to lung cancer, he also suffered the same fate in the hands of cancer. Robert had prostate cancer for a long time.
After fighting bravely for a long time, he died on December 30, 2016, at Gilchrist Hospice Care due to lung cancer. At the time of his death, Belanger was 47 years old.
Mark Belanger | Social Media Presence
Unfortunately, Mark Belanger lived in a time when social media was non-existent. As a result, there are no accounts managed under the name of Mark Belanger.
However, if you want to learn more about him, you can look on Google, YouTube, and other social media sites for pictures and videos about him.
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Mark Belanger | Frequently Asked Questions
Does Mark Belanger own Belanger Industrial Group that sells Zirconia?
No, the late baseballer is not the owner of Belanger Industrial Group.
How did Mark Belanger die?
Mark Belanger died of lung cancer on October 6, 1998, in New York. You can find his obituary on Society for American Baseball Research.
Did Matt Belanger play for Rochester Red Wings?
Yes, the former MLB player is included in the Rochester Red Wings players category. He played for the team in 1966.
For what did Mark Belanger play for?
Mark Belanger played for the Baltimore Orioles for 17 seasons and the Los Angeles Dodgers for one season.
Did Mark Belanger play in the minor league?
No, the athlete played in the major league for Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Was Mark Belanger a residence of Nashville?
As far as our knowledge, the player did not reside in Nashville. However, he did have homes in Maryland and Florida.
However, various news portal claims that the baseball player used to reside in Boxford, a town in Massachusetts.
Did Belanger go to Cheverus High School?
No, Mark attended Pittsfield High School in Massachusetts.
Is Mark Belanger fan jersey available?
Belanger fan jersey is available for every Orioles fan, young or old. It can be found in various authentic jersey stores.
(Make sure to comment below if any information regarding Mark Belanger is missing.)
I recall being in high School when the team came to Miami for spring training. I got to see Him in spring training practice . 9.00am at the Miami baseball stadium. Mark was so smooth in short stop. He was meant to player there. I was lucky to be there. God bless him.