Edie Murray

Eddie Murray
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For other uses, see Edward Murray (disambiguation).
Eddie Murray

Eddie Murray in 2007.
First baseman / Designated hitter
Born: February 24, 1956 (age 55)
Los Angeles, California
Batted: Switch Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 7, 1977 for the Baltimore Orioles
Last MLB appearance
September 20, 1997 for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Careerstatistics
Batting average .287
Hits 3,255
Home runs 504
Runs batted in 1,917
Teams
Baltimore Orioles (1977–1988)
Los Angeles Dodgers (1989–1991)
New York Mets (1992–1993)
Cleveland Indians (1994–1996)
Baltimore Orioles (1996)
Anaheim Angels (1997)
Los Angeles Dodgers (1997)
Career highlights and awards
8× All-Star selection (1978, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986,1991)
World Series champion (1983)
3× Gold Glove Award winner (1982, 1983, 1984)
3× Silver Slugger Award winner (1983, 1984, 1990)
1977 AL Rookie of the Year
Baltimore Orioles #33 retired
Member of the National
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction 2003
Vote 85.3% (first ballot)
Eddie Clarence Murray (born February 24, 1956), nicknamed "Steady Eddie", is a former Major LeagueBaseball first baseman and designated hitter. He was known as one of the most reliable and productive hitters of his era. Murray is regarded as one of the best switch hitters ever to play the game. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.[1]
Contents [hide]
1 Early career
2 Major League Baseball career
2.1 Baltimore Orioles
2.2 Los Angeles Dodgers
2.3 New York Mets
2.4 ClevelandIndians
2.5 1996–1997
3 Coaching career
4 Philanthropy
5 Career stats – regular season
6 Hall of Fame induction
7 Accomplishments
8 See also
9 References
10 External links
[edit]Early career

Murray was the eighth child of twelve and still has 5 sisters and 4 brothers, and has often quipped that as a child, he did not have to go far for a pick-up baseball game. The games were quite fierceand his older brothers never let him win.[2] He carried that competitive edge to each of his next levels of baseball. At his Hall of Fame induction, Murray thanked his little league coach, Clifford Prelow, for teaching him not just the game of baseball but also love for the game as well.[3] Prelow, an ex-Dodger minor leaguer, also worked his boys hard; making them run out every ground ball andthreatening them with 100 yard wind sprints if they did not work. Prelow remembers that young Murray never earned that punishment.[4] Later, Murray attended Locke High School in Los Angeles, California, where he batted .500 as a senior and was a teammate of Ozzie Smith.
[edit]Major League Baseball career

[edit]Baltimore Orioles
Murray was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 3rd round of the1973 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. He won the American League Rookie of the Year award by batting .283, hitting 27 home runs and contributing 88 RBI.
Murray did not suffer the sophomore jinx, instead building on his successes. With theOrioles from 1977 until 1988, Murray averaged 28 home runs and 99 RBI and was a perennial candidate for the MVP award, twice finishing second in the voting. His best season was 1983 with the Orioles when he hit .306/.393/.538 with 110 RBI and a career-high 33 home runs; though a spectacular season, he finished second in the MVP voting. The Orioles also appeared in the post-season twice, in 1979 and1983, and won the World Series in 1983. Murray's close-knit friendship with fellow Oriole Cal Ripken Jr. was highly publicized in Baltimore at the time.
The first baseman electrified home-team fans with his remarkable clutch hitting. Chants of "EDDIE-EDDIE" often reached a deafening crescendo during climactic points in a game. As is true with other extraordinary batters, Murray's likelihood of...