Mark Belanger was a professional baseball player and coach. Mark Belanger has played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Baltimore Orioles, and is known as ‘The Blaivesde.’ Mark was a shortstop for the Baltimore Orioles in Major League Baseball.
Mark was signed by the Baltimore Orioles while still an amateur. Similarly, he made his squad debut on August 7, 1965.
After signing with the squad, Mark quickly established himself as a regular starter by the end of 1967.
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Early Childhood, Education, and Family
Mark Belanger was born on June 8, 1944, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
In Pittsfield, he began his profession. Edward and Marie Belanger were his parents when he was born.
Similarly, Mark has three siblings in all. He has a brother and two sisters.
Al Belanger is Mark’s brother. Jeanne Heil and Linda Thorton are his sisters.
In terms of his personal life, Belanger was married to Daryl and had two sons with her.
Robert Belanger and Richard Belanger are his two sons’ names.
Mark was a student at Pittsfield High School, which is a public high school in Pittsfield.
Furthermore, Mark is said to have participated in baseball and basketball at the institution.
As a result, even though Mark chose to pursue a baseball career, he possessed exceptional baseball skills.
Salary and Net Worth
Mark Belanger’s net worth was reported to be $1 million at the time of his death.
He had a large number of houses and real estate holdings.
Belanger made his fortune as a professional baseball player in Major League Baseball.
Belanger was also a member of the Baltimore Orioles.
Mark and his first wife, Daryl, had purchased two properties.
The properties were in Timonium, Maryland, and Key Biscayne, Florida, respectively.
Facts of Mark Belanger
| 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 | June 2022 |
Career Stats
Things took an unusual turn after he graduated from high school. Mark was drafted into Major League Baseball despite the fact that he was an amateur with no professional experience.
Belanger was signed as an amateur by the Baltimore Orioles in 1962. He made his Orioles debut on August 7, 1965, following his recruitment and signing.
Belanger’s career can be divided into two sections.
The first is from his time as a player, while the second is from his time as a coach. Mark played in the Major League for a total of 18 seasons.
Similarly, he appeared in 2,016 games throughout the course of those 18 seasons. It’s worth noting that he played for the Baltimore Orioles for 17 years and the Los Angeles Dodgers for one year.
The Baltimore Orioles
Mark was signed by the Baltimore Orioles while still an amateur. Similarly, he made his squad debut on August 7, 1965.
After signing with the squad, Mark quickly established himself as a regular starter by the end of 1967.
His shortstop place in the Orioles’ lineup had been vacant for over eleven years. But, because of his exceptional fielding ability, the coaches trusted him and made him a regular starter.
Mark’s first home run for the team was also hit in Yankee Stadium on May 14, 1967.
“The Blade”
‘The Blade,’ as Mark was known, was a well-known nickname. This moniker is derived from his physical appearance. Mark’s figure was tall and slender.
Mentions in the Media
Belanger was regarded as one of the best fielding shortstops of his day. He excelled at fielding, but he lacked the same talent in the batting portion of the game.
As a result, Mark was dubbed the ‘Triple Crown Loser’ for the 1970 season.
He came in last place in the Triple Crown categories. Similarly, his batting numbers were not particularly spectacular. Belanger’s career batting average was.228.
Furthermore, his batting average of.228 is the third-lowest of any MLB player with more than 5,000 career at-bats.
Mark also only hit 20 home runs in his 18 seasons in the Major League Baseball.
Awards and Achievements
Mark was not known for his batting ability, but his home run in the American League Championship Series in 1970 helped the Orioles win the World Series.
Furthermore, Mark had a.333 batting average in the same competition.
Mark has also received eight Gold Glove Awards. As a baseball shortstop, he was recognized for his outstanding fielding talents.
In 1969, 1971, and 1973-1978, he received the Gold Glove Award.
Similarly, Belanger played a key role in the Orioles’ 1970 World Series victory. He was selected to the MLB All-Star squad in 1976.
He was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame for his contributions to the team.
Leaving the Baltimore Orioles
Many believed that Belanger would depart from the Baltimore Orioles after 17 years with the team.
However, Mark was fired from the Baltimore Orioles organization after publicly criticizing manager Earl Weaver.
Belanger’s departure elicited varied reactions from his supporters and teammates. Rich Dauer, another teammate, reacted to his leaving with the following comment.
Dodgers of Los Angeles
In 1982, he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers after being released. However, Mark retired at the end of the 1982 season after 54 games with the Dodgers.
After Career
In 1982, Mark ended his playing career. After retiring, Belanger worked as a union representative for the Orioles.
He also worked as a liaison officer for the MLB Players Association.
Wife & Children
Mark Belanger has been married twice. Daryl is the name of his first wife. With his first marriage, he had two sons named Robert and Richard.
Mark, on the other hand, married another woman. In 1997, he married Virginia French. She is still alive right now.
Child
Mark’s son with Daryl, Robert John Belanger, was born in 1969. Robert possessed a wide range of abilities.
He worked as a sales assistant, a musician, a softball coach, a co-founder of a charity, and a church volunteer.
His father had died of lung cancer, and he, too, met the same destiny at the hands of disease. Robert had been suffering from prostate cancer for a long time.
He passed away on December 30, 2016, at Gilchrist Hospice Care, after a long battle with lung cancer. Belanger was 47 years old at the time of his death.
Height, Weight, and Physical Appearance
Mark Belanger was 6 feet and 1 inch tall when he was alive. In addition, he weighed 77 kilograms (170 pounds).
Furthermore, Mark’s slim body allowed him to acquire a quick speed for a shortstop.
Mark’s hair and eyes were also black in tone.
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Death
Belanger had a long history of smoking addiction. He used to smoke heavily and was unconcerned about the negative health impacts of smoking. Belanger developed lung cancer as a result of this.
Belanger passed away on October 6, 1998, in New York, after losing his cancer battle.
At the age of 54, he passed away.
Belanger is buried in Pittsfield, Massachusetts’ St. Joseph Cemetery.
His life will be remembered for the impact he had on the lives of others.
Presence on Social Media
Regrettably, Mark lived in an era before social media existed.
As a result, there are no accounts managed in Belanger’s name.
If you want to discover more about him, you may find photographs and videos of him on Google, YouTube, and other social media sites.
