In the late 20th century, Martin Bergen became known as one of the greatest major league catchers of all time.

Unfortunately, that success didn't stop his mental illness from taking over his life and in a time where mental health care was almost non-existent.

Nothing would stop him from annihilating his whole family.

This is Monsters.

Music Martin Bergen was born in the small town of North Brookfield, Massachusetts, on October 25, 1871. He was the third of six children

of Michael and Ann Bergen. His parents had immigrated to the U.S. from Ireland shortly after the

end of the Civil War. His baseball talent showed up early in his childhood. North Brookfield's

peaceful environment shaped Martin's

younger years. He spent time in local fields working on his baseball skills and building strength

for his future career. Natural athletic ability and quick reflexes made him perfect for catching,

though nobody could have guessed how far he would go

in professional baseball. He played on a local team called the Brookfields when he was a teenager,

and other players said he tended to be obsessive about small details. Martin's frame was perfect

for a catcher. As an adult, he stood 5 foot 10 inches or 177 centimeters tall and weighed 170 pounds or 77 kilograms.

That build gave him enough power to handle the physical demands, yet kept him agile enough to move quickly behind the plate.

Martin started in the miners catching for the Salem Witches

in 1892. He played 59 games over one season and then spent a few years playing with various

teams. Harriet Gaines, who went by Hattie, had moved to Northbrookfield in 1892 for a job in a flower mill. She met Martin and the

couple dated for a time before marrying on July 11, 1893. They would go on to have three children.

Martin Jr. was born in 1894, Florence in 1995, and and Joseph in 1997. The couple ended up purchasing a farm

which they called Snowball Farm. Martin joined the Boston Bean Eaters in 1896. Back then, many of the

major national teams had other names, such as the Cleveland Spiders or the Brooklyn

...