Merriman was a war hero, an All-American, and a college graduate at a time when most
athletes disdained the academic life. In between his WWII hitch in the Marines and
his aerial dogfights in Mig Alley during the height of the Korean War, Merriman was
an All-American fullback for Stanford in 1946. His gridiron heroics earned him an
invitation to the Chicago Bears training camp, but he opted to finish his schooling.
In 1948 the Cincinnati Reds paid him a large bonus, and he joined the parent club
a year later. He had four seasons of part-time duty for Cincinnati before being sold
to the White Sox and then the Cubs in 1955. Merriman had twelve outfield put-outs
against the Cubs on September 7, 1951, his career highlight.
(RL)
FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»April 24, 1949:
Lloyd Merriman of the Reds gets a HR and a triple
in his first ML game.
»September 7, 1951: In an 18-inning game with the Cubs, the Reds Lloyd Merriman records 12 putouts in CF, tying the National League mark. The Reds prevail, 7–6. The game is tied at 3–3 after regulation, but both teams score three runs in the 15th inning. Dixie Howell's sac fly with the sacks full drives in the winner.
»September 12, 1951:
In Cincinnati, Lloyd Merriman hits a bases loaded triple in the 7th, off Carl Erskine, to give the Reds a 6–3 win. Dodger starter Don Newcombe leaves in the 1st inning with a pulled muscle in his pitching arm and Erskine takes the loss. The Dodgers are now five 1/2 ahead of the idle Giants.
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