Eddie Clarence Murray (born February 24, 1956), nicknamed "Steady Eddie," is an American former
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB)
first baseman
A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
,
designated hitter
The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by th ...
, and
coach
Coach may refer to:
Guidance/instruction
* Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities
* Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process
** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers
Transportation
* Co ...
. Spending most of his MLB career with the
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
, he ranks fourth in team history in both
games played
Games played (GP) is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated (in any capacity); the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.
Basebal ...
and
hits. Though Murray never won a
Most Valuable Player
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
(MVP) Award, he finished in the top ten in MVP voting several times. He had 996
runs batted in
A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the bat ...
in the
1980s
File:1980s replacement montage02.PNG, 420px, From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, ''Columbia'', lifts off in 1981; US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev ease tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the ...
, more than any other player. After his playing career, Murray coached for the Orioles,
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
and
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
.
Murray is one of only seven players in MLB history to be in both the
3,000 hit club
The 3,000 hit club is the group of 33 Batter (baseball), batters who have collected 3,000 or more regular-season Hit (baseball), hits in their careers in Major League Baseball (MLB), achieving a milestone "long considered the greatest measure of s ...
and the
500 home run club. He was elected to the
Baseball Hall of Fame
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...
in . In the ''New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract'' (2001), Murray is described as the fifth-best first baseman in major league history. He was 77th on the list of the ''Baseball's 100 Greatest Players'' by ''
The Sporting News
The ''Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a pr ...
'' (1998).
Early life
Murray was the eighth child of twelve and still has five sisters and four brothers. He has often quipped that as a child he did not have to go far for a pick-up baseball game. The games were quite fierce and his older brothers never let him win.
Murray played Little League baseball under coach Clifford Prelow, an ex-Dodger minor leaguer. (In his Hall of Fame induction speech, Murray thanked Prelow for teaching him not just the game of baseball, but love for the game as well.) Prelow remembers that young Murray was a well behaved player. Murray attended
Locke High School
Alain Leroy Locke College Preparatory Academy (formerly Locke High School) is a Title 1 co-educational charter high school located in Los Angeles, California, United States, and is part of the Los Angeles Unified School District/Green Dot Public ...
in Los Angeles, where he batted .500 as a senior and was a teammate of
Ozzie Smith
Osborne Earl Smith (born December 26, 1954) is an American former professional baseball player. Nicknamed "the Wizard of Oz", Smith played shortstop for the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals in Major League Baseball, winning the National ...
.
Playing career
Baltimore Orioles (1977–1988)
Murray was selected by the
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
in the third round of the 1973 amateur draft and had several successful seasons in the minor leagues. He debuted at the major league level on April 7, 1977, and played in 160 games for the Orioles in his first season. In 160 games, he hit for .283 while contributing 88
RBIs
A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the bat ...
, 27
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
s, 29 doubles, and 173 hits while also striking out 104 times during the season. This was the only season in which he struck out over 100 times. He won the
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
Rookie of the Year award. In his next season, he played in 161 games while raising his totals, hitting for .285 along with having 95 RBIs, 27 home runs, 32 doubles, 174 hits along with being named to his first All-Star Game and finishing 8th in the MVP balloting. In the 1979 season, he hit .295 along with driving in 99 runs, 25 home runs, 30 doubles and 179 hits in 159 games. Though he was not named to the All-Star Game, he finished 11th in the MVP balloting. He participated in his first postseason. In the
1979 American League Championship Series, he hit 5-for-12 for a .417 batting average along with one home run and 5 RBIs as they beat the
California Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
in four games. In the
1979 World Series
The 1979 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1979 season. The 76th edition of the World Series was a best-of-seven playoff played between the National League (NL) champion Pittsburgh Pirates (98–64) and ...
, he hit 4-for-26 for a .154 average with one home run and 2 RBIs but also four strikeouts as the Orioles lost to the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
in seven games.
With the Orioles from 1977 until 1988, Murray averaged 28 home runs and 99 RBI, making him a perennial candidate for the
MVP award, twice finishing second in the voting. Murray's close-knit friendship with fellow Oriole
Cal Ripken Jr.
Calvin Edwin Ripken Jr. (born August 24, 1960), nicknamed " The Iron Man", is an American former baseball shortstop and third baseman who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles (1981–2001). One of his posit ...
was highly publicized in Baltimore at the time. In fact, Ripken has credited Murray with teaching him his work ethic.
![Eddie Murray 1977](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Eddie_Murray_1977.jpg)
In the 1980 season, he hit .300 (a career first), having 116 RBIs, 32 home runs, 36 doubles, and 179 hits in 158 games. He finished 6th in the MVP balloting that year. While only playing in 99 games due to the player's strike, in 1981 Murray hit .294 along with 78 RBIs (which led the American League), 22 home runs (tied for the American League lead), 21 doubles and 111 hits while being named to the
1981 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1981 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 52nd playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League (AL) and National League (NL), the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on Sunday, ...
and finishing 5th in the MVP balloting. He returned to full form the following year, hitting for .316 along with 110 RBIs, 32 home runs, 30 doubles, and 174 hits in 151 games. He was named to the
1982 Major League Baseball All-Star Game along with being awarded his first-ever
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as simply the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in bo ...
and finishing 2nd in the MVP balloting.
His 1983 season was not much different, as he hit .306/.393/.538 along with 111 RBIs, 33 home runs (a career-high), 30 doubles, and 178 hits in 156 games. He was named to the
1983 Major League Baseball All-Star Game along with winning a second consecutive Golden Glove and his first
Silver Slugger Award
The Silver Slugger Award has been awarded annually since 1980 to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball.
These voters co ...
. Though a spectacular season, he finished second in the MVP voting to teammate
Cal Ripken, Jr.. In the
1983 American League Championship Series against the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
, he hit 4-for-15 for a .267 batting average, hitting one home run and three RBIs as the Orioles advanced in four games to go to the
1983 World Series
The 1983 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1983 season. The 80th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League champion Baltimore Orioles and the National ...
. In that series, he hit 5-for-20 for a .250 average while also hitting two home runs and three RBIs as the Orioles beat the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
in five games. This was his only world championship along with his last postseason appearance for 12 years.
In the 1984 season, he played in all 162 games (a career-high), while hitting for .306 and having 110 RBIs, 29 home runs, 26 doubles, and 180 hits. He also was walked a career-high 107 times. He was named to a fourth straight
All-Star Game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or div ...
, while being awarded a third straight Gold Glove and second straight Silver Slugger Award and finishing 4th in the MVP balloting. The following year, he hit for .297 while having 124 RBIs, 31 home runs, 37 doubles (a career-best) and 173 hits in 156 games. He was named to his fifth straight
All-Star Game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or div ...
while finishing 5th in the MVP balloting. The 1986 season (his tenth with the Orioles) was a slight regression, though he hit .305 with 84 RBIs, 17 home runs, 25 doubles and 151 hits in 137 games. He was named to the
All-Star Game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or div ...
once again.. This was his last selection until 1991. The following year, he hit for .277 while having 91 RBIs, 30 home runs, 28 doubles, and 171 hits in 160 games. This was the first season in which he had more strikeouts than walks (78 to 75) since 1983 (a 90:86 ratio). In the 1988 season, he hit for .284 while having 84 RBIs, 27 doubles and 171 hits in 161 games.
Murray's relationship with Orioles management began to sour during
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
in
1986
The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles.
**Spain and Portugal ente ...
when he accused team officials of pressuring him to return prematurely from an ankle injury. His request to be traded in late-August of that year was fueled by criticism from team owner
Edward Bennett Williams
Edward Bennett Williams (May 31, 1920 – August 13, 1988) was an American lawyer who became a high-profile defense lawyer and co-founded the law firm of Williams & Connolly. Williams also owned several professional sports teams, including the Ba ...
who questioned his off-season work habits, defense and lack of extra base hits, a veiled attempt at accusing Murray of laziness. Such
racism
Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism ...
factored into the lack of appreciation he received from baseball fans and media.
[Preston, Mike. "Star deserved far better than treatment he got," ''The Baltimore Sun'', Sunday, July 27, 2003.](_blank)
Retrieved December 6, 2021 He was traded to the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
for
Ken Howell
Kenneth Howell, Jr. (November 28, 1960 – November 9, 2018) was an American professional baseball pitcher and pitching coach, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the National League (NL) Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies (- ...
,
Brian Holton
Brian John Holton (born November 29, 1959) is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues primarily in relief from 1985 to 1990. He was a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers 1988 World Series winners, notching a save i ...
and
Juan Bell
Juan Bell Mathey (March 29, 1968 – August 24, 2016) was a Dominican professional baseball player, who played Major League Baseball from to , primarily as an infielder.
MLB career
Early career
Bell originally signed with the Los Angeles Dod ...
on December 4, 1988. The Orioles also paid $1 million of the $8 million he was owed for the final three years of his contract. ''
The Baltimore Sun
''The Baltimore Sun'' is the largest general-circulation daily newspaper based in the U.S. state of Maryland and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries.
Founded in 1837, it is currently owned by Tr ...
'' sports columnist Mike Preston called Murray's departure from Baltimore in 1988 "one of the lowest moments in this city's sports history, as sad as the
Colts leaving for
Indianapolis
Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...
, and as embarrassing as Colts officials allowing quarterback
John Unitas
John Constantine Unitas (; May 7, 1933 – September 11, 2002) was an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Baltimore Colts. Following a career that spanned from 1956 ...
to wear a
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
uniform."
Los Angeles Dodgers (1989–1991)
In his first season with the team, he hit for a career-low .247 while having 88 RBIs, 20 home runs, 29 doubles and 147 hits in 160 games. The following year, he improved to a .330 average while having 95 RBIs, 26 home runs, 22 doubles and 184 hits in 155 games. He had 64 strikeouts (his lowest since 49 in 1986) while having 87 walks, the most since he had 84 in 1985. He was awarded the Silver Slugger Award for the third and final time while finishing 5th in the MVP balloting. He lost the
NL batting title to
Willie McGee
Willie Dean McGee (born November 2, 1958) is an American professional baseball coach and former outfielder who is an assistant coach for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for four teams, over 18 seasons. H ...
by a narrow margin; McGee had been traded from the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
to the
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
but had enough plate appearances to qualify for the batting title, hitting .335 to Murray's .330, though McGee hit .274 with the A's (making his season average .324), which meant that Murray led the major leagues in batting despite not winning the NL batting title. The 1991 season was his last with the Dodgers. He hit for .260 while having 96 RBIs, 19 home runs, 23 doubles and 150 hits in 153 games. He had 74 strikeouts along with 55 walks (the lowest since having 40 in the injury-shortened year of 1981). Despite this, he was named to the
1991 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1991 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 62nd playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League (AL) and National League (NL), the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 9 ...
. On October 29, 1991, he was granted free agency.
New York Mets (1992–1993)
On November 27, 1991, Murray signed a two-year deal with the
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
. Murray was one of several acquisitions the Mets made (including
Bobby Bonilla
Roberto Martin Antonio Bonilla (, born February 23, 1963) is an American former professional baseball third baseman and outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 to 2001.
Bonilla was one of the Major League's best batters a ...
,
Willie Randolph
William Larry Randolph (born July 6, 1954) is an American former professional baseball second baseman, coach, and manager. During an 18-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB), he played from 1975 to 1992 for six different teams, most notabl ...
, and
Bret Saberhagen) to try to regain their winning ways. However, in Murray's two years with the team they finished with 90 and 103 losses, respectively. He hit for .261 while having 93 RBIs, 16 home runs, 37 doubles and 144 hits in 156 games for 1992. Murray hit his 400th career home run on May 3 against
Marvin Freeman
Marvin Freeman (born April 10, 1963) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played from to for the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves and Colorado Rockies. He worked as both a starting pitcher and a reliever in his career.
Biograp ...
of the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
. In the following year, he hit for .285 while having 100 RBIs (a team-high and his first 100 RBI season since having 124 in 1985), 27 home runs (second on the team only to Bonilla), 28 doubles and 174 hits in 154 games. Murray was one of three Mets to hit 20 or more home runs that year, with Bonilla hitting 34 and
Jeff Kent
Jeffrey Franklin Kent (born March 7, 1968) is an American former professional baseball second baseman. He played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1992–2008 for the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, Cleveland Indians, San Francis ...
hitting 20. This was the last time in his career that Murray hit the 100 RBI mark.
On November 1, 1993, he was granted free agency by the Mets.
Cleveland Indians (1994-1996)
Murray was signed as a free agent by the
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
on December 2, 1993. In the 1994 season, he played in 108 games and had a .254 batting average along with 76 RBIs, 17 home runs and 110 hits before the season was cut short due to the strike. The following year, he played in 113 games while having a .323 batting average for 82 RBIs, 21 home runs, and 141 hits. Murray reached the 3,000-hit plateau as an Indian on June 30, 1995, at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome with a single to right field off Minnesota Twins pitcher
Mike Trombley
Michael Scott Trombley (born April 14, 1967) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. During an 11-year major league career, Trombley pitched for the Minnesota Twins (– and ), Baltimore Orioles (–) and Los Angeles Dodgers ( ...
. In the
1995 American League Division Series, he hit 5-for-13 for a .385 batting average while having one home run and 3 RBIs as they swept the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
in three games. In the
1995 American League Championship Series, he hit 6-for-24 while having a home run and 3 RBIs as the Indians beat the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
to advance to the
1995 World Series
The 1995 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1995 season. The 91st edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the National League (NL) champion Atlanta Braves and the Americ ...
. In that series, he hit 2-for-19 for a .105 batting average. One of his hits was a single in the bottom of the 11th inning of Game 3 off of
Alejandro Peña
Alejandro Peña Vásquez (born June 25, 1959) is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. Listed at 6' 1" , 200 lb. , he batted and threw right-handed.
Peña made his Major League debut on August 13, 1981 (in time to be included on t ...
to score
Álvaro Espinoza
Álvaro Alberto Espinoza Ramírez s-pe-noh'-zah/small> (born February 19, 1962) is a Venezuelan former shortstop in Major League Baseball. He batted and threw right-handed.
Early life
Born in Valencia, Carabobo, he graduated from Pedro Gual Hi ...
and give the Indians a crucial win. He had two other RBIs along with a home run shot in Game 2 that scored two runs. However, the Indians lost to the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
in six games. Murray's 1996 season was shared between two teams, the Indians and the Orioles. He played a total of 152 games, hitting for .260 with 79 RBIs, 22 home runs along with 147 hits. He played in 88 total games for the Indians, hitting for .262 along with 45 RBIs, 12 home runs and 88 hits. The Indians traded Murray back to Baltimore on July 21, 1996, for pitcher
Kent Mercker
Kent Franklin Mercker (born February 1, 1968) is an American former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played for nine teams over his 17-year career.
Career
Mercker was born in Brownsburg, Indiana and lived in several different cities ...
.
Last seasons (1996–1997)
He played in 64 games for the Orioles, hitting for .257, 34 RBIs, 10 home runs and 59 hits. On September 6, 1996, he hit his 500th career home run off
Felipe Lira
Felipe Antonio Lira (born April 26, 1972) is a Venezuelan former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Detroit Tigers (-), Seattle Mariners (1997-) and Montreal Expos (-). He batted and threw right-handed.
Career
In a six-year caree ...
—fittingly, the home run came as a member of the Orioles, and also came exactly one year to the day that Ripken had broken
Lou Gehrig
Henry Louis Gehrig (born Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig ; June 19, 1903June 2, 1941) was an American professional baseball first baseman who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees (1923–1939). Gehrig was renowned f ...
's streak of 2,130 consecutive
games played
Games played (GP) is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated (in any capacity); the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.
Basebal ...
. Having already reached the 3,000 hits plateau the previous season, Murray joined
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays Jr. (born May 6, 1931), nicknamed "the Say Hey Kid" and "Buck", is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Regarded as one of the greatest players ever, Mays ranks second behind only Babe Ruth on most all-tim ...
and
Hank Aaron
Henry Louis Aaron (February 5, 1934 – January 22, 2021), nicknamed "Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1954 through 1976. One of the gre ...
as the only players ever to have hit at least 500 home runs and amassed 3,000 or more hits in their careers.
Rafael Palmeiro
Rafael Palmeiro Corrales (born September 24, 1964) is a Cuban-American former Major League Baseball first baseman and left fielder. Palmeiro was an All-American at Mississippi State University before being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1985. H ...
,
Alex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez (born July 27, 1975), nicknamed "A-Rod", is an American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman, businessman and philanthropist. Rodriguez played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the ...
,
Albert Pujols
José Alberto Pujols Alcántara () (); born January 16, 1980) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball first baseman, designated hitter and third baseman who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Nicknamed "The Machine", ...
, and
Miguel Cabrera
José Miguel Cabrera Torres (born April 18, 1983), nicknamed "Miggy", is a Venezuelan professional baseball first baseman and designated hitter for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Since his debut in 2003 he has been a two-t ...
have since joined the club. He participated in the Orioles' playoff run, as the team advanced to the
ALCS against the Yankees after having beat his old team Cleveland in the
ALDS. In nine total postseason games, he went 10-for-30 while hitting one home run. After being granted free agency by the Orioles, Murray was signed as a free agent by the
Anaheim Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
on December 18, 1996. He played 55 total games in the 1997 season, 46 with the Angels and 9 with the Dodgers. He had a .219 batting average along with 15 RBIs, 3 home runs, and 35 hits. His last home run was with the Angels, hitting one off
Bob Tewksbury
Robert Alan Tewksbury (born November 30, 1960) is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and current Mental Skills Coordinator for the Chicago Cubs. He played professionally for the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, ...
in the second inning in a 4–3 loss. He was released by the Angels on August 14. On August 20, he was signed by the Dodgers. In nine total games with the Dodgers, he had a .286 batting average, 3 RBIs and 2 hits. On October 30, he was granted free agency. He retired after the 1997 season with 504 home runs; as of 2021,
Mickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 – August 13, 1995), nicknamed "the Commerce Comet" and "the Mick", was an American professional baseball player. Mantle played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career (1951–1968) with the New York ...
is the only switch-hitter who has hit more home runs (536). Murray hit a home run from both sides of the plate in 11 games; he retired tied with
Chili Davis
Charles Theodore "Chili" Davis (born January 17, 1960) is a Jamaican-American former professional baseball player. He played as an outfielder and designated hitter from to for the San Francisco Giants (1981–1987), California Angels (1988–199 ...
for first place in this category. This co-record has since been broken by
Mark Teixeira
Mark Charles Teixeira ( ; born April 11, 1980), nicknamed "Tex", is an American former professional baseball first baseman who played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels of Anahei ...
.
Coaching career
After playing 21 major-league seasons. Murray became a coach, first with the
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
, serving as bench coach in 1998 and 1999 and as first-base coach in 2000 and 2001.
Murray then served as the hitting coach for the
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
from 2002 to 2005. He was with the Indians when inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Murray accepted the position of hitting coach with the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
in 2006. On June 14, 2007, Murray was fired. The Dodgers had just come off a three-game sweep of the
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
and had produced 31 hits and 18 runs. Former Dodger player
Bill Mueller
William Richard Mueller ( ; born March 17, 1971) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB). Mueller's MLB playing career was spent with the San Francisco Giants (1996–2000, 2002), Chic ...
was named as interim replacement.
Outside baseball
In the 1980s, Murray made a donation to the Baltimore City Parks and Recreation Department which led to the establishment of the
Carrie Murray Nature Center, named after Murray's late mother. In 2008, Murray released a charity wine called Eddie Murray 504 Cabernet, a nod to his 504 career home runs, with all of his proceeds donated to the
Baltimore Community Foundation.
On August 17, 2012, the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government, created in the aftermath of the Wall Street Crash of 1929. The primary purpose of the SEC is to enforce the law against market ...
charged Murray with
insider trading
Insider trading is the trading of a public company's stock or other securities (such as bonds or stock options) based on material, nonpublic information about the company. In various countries, some kinds of trading based on insider information ...
. The SEC alleged, in a civil claim, that Murray had "made approximately $235,314 in illegal profits after Illinois-based Abbott Laboratories Inc. publicly announced its plan to purchase Advanced Medical Optics through a
tender offer
In corporate finance, a tender offer is a type of public takeover bid. The tender offer is a public, open offer or invitation (usually announced in a newspaper advertisement) by a prospective acquirer to all stockholders of a publicly traded corpo ...
." Specifically, the SEC alleged that Murray had received a "tip" about the impending purchase offer before the offer was publicly announced, bought stock in Advanced Medical Optics because of the tip, and then sold the stock for the profits after the stock increased in value after Abbott Laboratories' plans were publicly announced. According to the SEC, Murray received the tip from former Baltimore Orioles teammate
Doug DeCinces
Douglas Vernon DeCinces ( ; born August 29, 1950) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a third baseman from 1973 to 1987 for the Baltimore Orioles, California Angels and St. Louis Cardin ...
, with whom he remained close friends after their playing careers ended. One year earlier, DeCinces had agreed to pay $2.5 million to settle the SEC's civil insider trading charges against him in the same case. Murray agreed to settle the SEC's civil charges by paying a total of $358,151, without admitting or denying any wrongdoing.
Legacy
In 1998, he ranked number 77 on
The Sporting News
The ''Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a pr ...
list of ''Baseball's 100 Greatest Players'', and was nominated as a finalist for the
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
All-Century Team.
On Sunday, July 27, 2003, Murray, along with
Gary Carter
Gary Edmund Carter (April 8, 1954 – February 16, 2012) was an American professional baseball catcher whose 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career was spent primarily with the Montreal Expos and New York Mets.
Nicknamed "the Kid" for his y ...
, was inducted into Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame.
More than 30,000 people heard Murray talk about how hard it was to get to the Hall of Fame. He said that he was never about one person, but about the team. He thanked the "sea of black and orange" in the crowd and then pointed to the kids farthest in the back; (more than 300 inner-city little leaguers had come from Baltimore's Northwood Baseball League) and told them that one day "they would be here too".
Murray was named the fifth best first baseman in major league history in the ''New Bill James Historical Abstract'' (2010).
A bronze statue of Eddie Murray's left-handed-hitting stance was unveiled at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 11, 2012.
Union Craft Brewery in Baltimore makes "Steady Eddie," a wheat IPA named after Murray.
Union Craft Brewing , Steady Eddie
Retrieved July 14, 2021.
Career stats – regular season
Accomplishments
* 8-time All-Star (1978, 1981–86, 1991)
* Finished second in American League MVP voting (1982, 1983)
* Finished fourth in American League MVP voting (1984)
* Finished fifth in American League MVP voting (1981, 1985)
* Finished fifth in National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
MVP voting (1990)
* Finished sixth in American League MVP voting (1980)
* Finished eighth in American League MVP voting (1978)
* Most RBI (1,917) among switch-hitters all-time
* Holds the career record for most sacrifice flies
In baseball, a sacrifice fly (sometimes abbreviated to sac fly) is defined by Rule 9.08(d):
"Score a sacrifice fly when, before two are out, the batter hits a ball in flight handled by an outfielder or an infielder running in the outfield in fair o ...
(128)
* Holds the career record for most assists by a first baseman (1865)
* His season-high for home runs, 33, is the lowest of any player with over 500 career home runs
* One of only six players to have both 3,000 career hits and 500 home runs (others are Hank Aaron
Henry Louis Aaron (February 5, 1934 – January 22, 2021), nicknamed "Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1954 through 1976. One of the gre ...
, Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays Jr. (born May 6, 1931), nicknamed "the Say Hey Kid" and "Buck", is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Regarded as one of the greatest players ever, Mays ranks second behind only Babe Ruth on most all-tim ...
, Alex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez (born July 27, 1975), nicknamed "A-Rod", is an American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman, businessman and philanthropist. Rodriguez played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the ...
, Albert Pujols
José Alberto Pujols Alcántara () (); born January 16, 1980) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball first baseman, designated hitter and third baseman who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Nicknamed "The Machine", ...
and Rafael Palmeiro
Rafael Palmeiro Corrales (born September 24, 1964) is a Cuban-American former Major League Baseball first baseman and left fielder. Palmeiro was an All-American at Mississippi State University before being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1985. H ...
)
* Hit 19 grand slams (fourth all-time, behind Alex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez (born July 27, 1975), nicknamed "A-Rod", is an American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman, businessman and philanthropist. Rodriguez played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the ...
's 25, Lou Gehrig
Henry Louis Gehrig (born Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig ; June 19, 1903June 2, 1941) was an American professional baseball first baseman who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees (1923–1939). Gehrig was renowned f ...
’s 23, and Manny Ramírez
Manuel Arístides Ramírez Onelcida (born May 30, 1972) is a Dominican Americans (Dominican Republic), Dominican-American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for parts of 19 seasons. He played with ...
's 21).
* Career batting average in 238 at-bats with the bases loaded is .399 with 298 RBI and a .739 slugging percentage.
* Hit home runs from both sides of the plate in the same game 11 times, an all-time record (since surpassed by Mark Texeira).
* Hit 3 home runs in a game three times (1979, 1980, 1985).
* His 222 intentional walks ranks sixth all time.
* Ranks fourth in hits for the Baltimore Orioles.
* Ranks second in home runs for the Orioles.
* Ranks fourth in games played for Baltimore.
See also
* List of Major League Baseball home run records
This is a list of some of the records relating to home runs hit in baseball games played in the Major Leagues. Some Major League records are sufficiently notable to have their own page, for example the single-season home run record, the progress ...
* List of Major League Baseball doubles records
Major League Baseball has various records related to doubles.
Players denoted in boldface are still actively contributing to the record noted.
(r) denotes a player's rookie season.
600 career doubles
(Through August 10, 2022)
Top 10 career dou ...
* 500 home run club
* List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
This is a list of the 300 Major League Baseball players who have hit the most home runs.
In the sport of baseball, a home run is a hit in which the batter scores by circling all the bases and reaching home plate in one play, without the benefit ...
* 3,000 hit club
The 3,000 hit club is the group of 33 Batter (baseball), batters who have collected 3,000 or more regular-season Hit (baseball), hits in their careers in Major League Baseball (MLB), achieving a milestone "long considered the greatest measure of s ...
* List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
Below is the list of the 286 Major League Baseball players who have reached the 2,000 hit milestone during their career in MLB. Pete Rose holds the Major League record for most career hits, with 4,256. Rose and Ty Cobb, second most, are the only ...
* List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders
In baseball, a double is a hit in which the batter advances to second base in one play, with neither the benefit of a fielding error nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice. A batter may also be credited with a ground-rule double w ...
* List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
Listed are all Major League Baseball (MLB) players with 1,000 or more career runs scored. Players in bold face are active as of the 2022 Major League Baseball season.
Key
List
*Stats updated through the 2022 season.
Through the end of the ...
* List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
This is a list of Major League Baseball players who have compiled 1,000 runs batted in (RBIs). RBIs are usually accumulated when a batter in baseball enables a runner on base (including himself, in the case of a home run) to score as a result of ma ...
* List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders
In baseball, a run batted in (RBI) is awarded to a Batting (baseball), batter for each Baserunning, runner who Run (baseball), scores as a result of the batter's action, including a Hit (baseball), hit, fielder's choice, sacrifice fly, bases loade ...
* List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit so far that the batter is able to circle all the bases ending at home plate, scoring himself plus any runners already on base, with no errors by the defensive team on the play. An automati ...
References
External links
Baltimore ''Sun'' Gallery and archive – Eddie Murray
500 Home Run Club
Video of Hall of Fame Speech
Eddie Murray Biography at Baseball Biography
:
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murray, Eddie
1956 births
Living people
African-American baseball coaches
African-American baseball players
Albuquerque Dukes players
American League All-Stars
American League home run champions
American League RBI champions
American sportsmen
Anaheim Angels players
Asheville Orioles players
Baltimore Orioles coaches
Baltimore Orioles players
Baseball players from Los Angeles
Bluefield Orioles players
Charlotte O's players
Cleveland Indians coaches
Cleveland Indians players
Gold Glove Award winners
Lake Elsinore Storm players
Los Angeles Dodgers coaches
Los Angeles Dodgers players
National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
Major League Baseball bench coaches
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Major League Baseball first basemen
Major League Baseball hitting coaches
Major League Baseball players with retired numbers
Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award winners
Miami Orioles players
National League All-Stars
New York Mets players
Rochester Red Wings players
Silver Slugger Award winners
21st-century African-American people
20th-century African-American sportspeople