Mike Martin spent 40 years with the Washington Senators as a trainer and scout; he was one of baseball’s first full-time trainers. Martin was working as the athletic trainer at Columbia University when Clark Griffith hired him to work with the New York Highlanders, he followed Griffith to Cincinnati and then finally to Washington.
Martin began marketing the liniment he used on Walter Johnson and the rest of the Senators staff in the 1920s. This 1925 ad featured testimonials from his good friend, Senator pitcher Walter Johnson, Herb Pennock of the Yankees, Ray Kremer of the Pirates and Ty Cobb (who rarely met a “cure” he couldn’t endorse):
“I have used mike Martin’s Liniment for many years and consider it the best liniment ever made for a pitcher’s arm, or for sore, achy, stiff muscles. All the men i know in the game use Mike Martin’s Liniment too.”
(Signed) Walter Johnson
“I use Mike Martin’s Liniment after each game and it works wonders for me in keeping all soreness and stiffness out of my arm. I have tried other liniments, but never attained such wonderful results as with Mike Martin’s Liniment.”
(Signed) Herb Pennock
“We ball players get lame, stiff, sore, achy and crippled a lot. Using the right liniment is important with us. I use Mike Martin’s Liniment because it is the best made.”
(Signed) Ray Kremer
“Without the aid of Mike Martin’s Liniment it would have been impossible for me to play ball during the recent season. You will recall my knee was seriously injured, and I attribute my quick recovery exclusively to Mike Martin’s Liniment.”
(Signed) Tyrus R. Cobb
1930 advertisement
Martin remained the Washington trainer until 1946 when Griffith made him a scout. He was still working for the Senators, and his liniment was still a popular product, in June of 1952 when the 67-year-old Martin was killed in a traffic accident near his Maryland home while driving to Griffith Stadium.
Baseball History Daily 