Hall of Fame Major League Baseball Player. American baseball player, who was one of the most sensational, acrobatic shortstops, and effervescent personalities in baseball history. A 7-year-old female fan nicknamed the mercurial, 5'5" shortstop, born in Springfield, Massachusetts, "Rabbit." In 1912, after he had played just one year in the minor leagues, Boston Braves owner John Montgomery Ward, himself a Hall of Fame shortstop, acquired him, after seeing him in only one game. The "Miracle Braves" were in last place on July 18, 1914, but swept heavily favored Philadelphia in the 1914 World Series, in which he hit .308. He had what baseball statisticians deem one of the greatest fielding seasons ever by a shortstop, plus 28 steals and 78 RBI. His father was a policeman, but Rabbit's legendary alcohol-fueled behavior included strolls on building ledges, and diving into a swimming pool from his hotel room. On the field pranks included crawling to home plate through an umpire's legs, and strutting up to bat with a tennis racquet, against speedy pitcher Dazzy Vance. He was traded to Pittsburgh in 1921, and in 1922 Maranville hit .295, with 198 hits, 15 triples, and 115 runs scored. He moved to the Chicago Cubs in 1925, becoming their player/manager. After a wild 53 game run including taking his team out to celebrate every win to the ninth degree, he was fired. His antics increasingly irked owners, and he played for Brooklyn for 1926, and the St. Louis Cardinals in 1927, where his drinking landed him back in the minors. In 1928 he proclaimed "there is much less drinking (in baseball) than before - because I quit drinking." In the 1928 World Series he hit .308, tops for the Cardinals, then returned to Boston in 1929. In 1934 he shattered his leg sliding. It was so painful he had 240 pound teammate Shanty Hogan knock him out. A 1935 comeback failed. In 23 seasons, all in the National League, he played in 2,670 games, with 2,605 hits, 177 triples, 291 stolen bases, hitting .258. His 5,139 putouts remains the all-time record for shortstops. He led the NL in putouts 6 times, and double plays 5 times. The fan-pleasing Rabbit hit 22 inside the park home runs. On stage he sang, told jokes, and demonstrated his unique basket catch, later immortalized by Willie Mays. He died from a heart attack at age 62 at his home in Woodside, Queens, and was posthumously inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame later that year.