Top-Rated Speakers Bureau and Entertainment Booking Agency for Corporate Meetings and Business Events. Book an AAE Speaker Today.
Top-Rated Speakers Bureau and Entertainment Booking Agency for Corporate Meetings and Business Events. Book an AAE Speaker Today.
Click to Open Search Bar

Buck Martinez

John "Buck" Martinez is a former catcher, manager and is currently a play-by-play commentator in Major League Baseball.

John "Buck" Martinez is a former catcher, manager and is currently a play-by-play commentator in Major League Baseball.

Travels From Travels From:
Speaking Fee Speaking Fee:
REQUEST BOOKING INFORMATION

Buck Martinez Biography

John Wesley Powell (born August 17, 1941 in Lakeland, Florida) is a former major league first baseman who played for the Baltimore Orioles (1961–74), Cleveland Indians (1975–76) and Los Angeles Dodgers (1977). He was with the Orioles’ World Series Champion teams in 1966 and 1970, the American League  Champion teams in 1966, 1969, 1970 and 1971, and the American League East Division Champion teams in 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973 and 1974. The 4-time All-Star won the American League's Most Valuable Player  award in 1970 and in 1964 posted a .606 slugging percentage to lead the American League. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed, playing first base, outfield, and designated hitter.

Powell currently owns Boog's Barbecue, which sells barbecue sandwiches and ribs in three locations: on Eutaw Street at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, along the Boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland, and at a quick-service restaurant in West Ocean City, Maryland. Boog Powell is an avid angler, kicking off the Maryland Fishing season with the governor.

Contents

Powell joined the Orioles after leading the International League in home runs at Rochester in 1961. He spent his first three seasons in Baltimore as a slow-footed third baseman and left fielder before switching to first base in 1965. At the plate he was an immediate success, hitting 25 home runs in 1963; in 1964 he led the American League in slugging percentage (.606) while blasting a career-high 39 home runs despite missing several weeks because of a broken wrist. He slumped to .248 with 17 home runs in 1965, then won the American League Comeback player of the Year honors in 1966 (.287, 34 home runs, 109 runs batted in) while being hampered by a broken finger.

 Baltimore's Glory Years

In 1966, Powell, along with Frank Robinson and Brooks Robinson, led the Orioles to the 1966 World Series, where they surprised the baseball world by sweeping the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers in four games to become baseball's world champions.

Before the 1968 season, Powell lamented, "once, just once, I'd like to go through a whole season without an injury." and he did just that, playing over 150 games each of the next three seasons. In 1969 he hit a career-high .304 with 37 home runs and 121 runs batted in, and in 1970 he was the American League Most Valuable Player, hitting 35 home runs with 114 runs batted in and narrowly missing a .300 average on the last day of the season. In the 1970 World Series, Powell homered in the first two games as the Orioles defeated the Cincinnati Reds in 5 games. Prior to the 1971 season, Powell appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated for the 1971 baseball preview issue. Powell helped Baltimore to a third straight World Series that year, blasting a pair of home runs in game two of the American League Championship Series against the up-and-coming Oakland Athletics, but he hit only .111 in the 1971 World Series as Baltimore lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates in seven games.

 Retirement

Powell had been an American League all-star for four straight years (1968–1971). However, Oriole manager Earl Weaver believed in making liberal use of the platoon system, and in 1973 and 1974, Powell fell victim to it, limiting his at-bats in both years. The aging slugger was traded to Cleveland with Don Hood for Dave Duncan and a minor leaguer before the 1975 season, affording Powell the chance once again to play every day. He responded well to the challenge, hitting .297 with 129 hits and 27 home runs for the Indians that year (his highest marks since 1970), plus fielding his position at a .997 clip. But he hit only nine home runs in 1976 and none as a pinch-hitter for the Dodgers in 1977 and was released August 31, 1977.

 Career

In a 17-season career, Powell posted a .266 batting average with 339 home runs, 1187 RBI and an impressive .361 on base percentage in 2042 games. Powell hit three home runs in a game three times, and was second only to Eddie Murray on the Orioles' all-time home run list before Cal Ripken Jr. surpassed Powell in 1994.

In 1983, Powell received 5 votes for the Hall of Fame (1.3% of all BBWAA voters) in his only appearance on the ballot.

Buck Martinez Videos

FAQs on booking Buck Martinez

  • How do I book Buck Martinez to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Buck Martinez for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Buck Martinez, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Buck Martinez or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Buck Martinez

    Speaking fees for Buck Martinez, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Buck Martinez are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Buck Martinez, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Buck Martinez speak about?

    Buck Martinez is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Baseball, Sports Coaching, Sports Journalism & Broadcasting.
  • Where does Buck Martinez travel from?

    Buck Martinez generally travels from an undisclosed location, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Buck Martinez’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Buck Martinez for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Buck Martinez for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Buck Martinez or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Buck Martinez is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Buck Martinez for your event is available upon request. Buck Martinez generally travels from and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Gary Thorne, Chip Bergh, Dan Shulman, Brandon Guyer and Ronald Acuña Jr.. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Buck Martinez for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

TOP