On Jan. 7, 2003, former Los Angeles Dodgers’ first baseman Eddie Murray was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot.
Murray is one of only seven players in MLB history to be a member of both the 3,000 hit club and the 500 home run club.
Murray enjoyed a lengthy career with 21 seasons recorded in the Majors from 1977-1997, playing for a total of five teams in that time. He is most well known for his time with the Baltimore Orioles, where he played the first 12 seasons of his career.
The Orioles drafted Murray in the third round of the 1973 MLB Draft out of Locke High School in Los Angeles and he made his Major League debut four years later in 1977 at just 21-years-old. He was an instant success upon reaching the Majors, hitting .283/.333/.470 with 29 doubles and 27 home runs while winning the American League Rookie of the Year.
He made seven All-Star appearances while on the Orioles, including six straight from 1981-1986. During this time he also won two Gold Gloves, two Silver Sluggers and helped the Orioles win the 1983 World Series.
Murray was a beloved player in Baltimore, but his relationship with ownership took a turn for the worst toward the end of his time with the Orioles and resulted in him being traded back to his hometown of Los Angeles to play for the Dodgers in 1989.
He struggled in his first season with his new team, but followed it up with one of the best seasons of his career.
In 1990, Murray had a career-high .330 batting average and his second-highest on-base plus slugging percentage at .934. He made his final All-Star appearance in 1990 as well as winning a third Silver Slugger.
He left the Dodgers in free agency after the 1991 season, joining the New York Mets for two seasons before becoming a free agent once again. The final three seasons of his career saw him play for four different organizations.
Murray signed with the Cleveland Indians in 1994, and was traded back to the Orioles in 1996. He signed with the Anaheim Angeles ahead of the 1997 season, was released and signed with the Dodgers where he played in nine games.
Former Dodgers’ catcher Mike Piazza voted into Hall Of Fame
On January 6, 2016, former Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Mike Piazza was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame, receiving a vote on 83% of the ballots.
He joined the hallowed halls of baseball royalty in his fourth year of eligibility.
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