Orioles formally retire Murray's No. 33
Posted: Sunday June 07, 1998 06:18 PM
| |
Murray becomes the fifth Oriole to have his number retired (AP) |
BALTIMORE (AP) -- Eddie Murray
once again had his No. 33 retired by the Baltimore Orioles,
only this time they did it right.
Murray had his number retired by the team once before, but it was after
he was traded from the Orioles to the Los Angeles Dodgers in
1988 and without a proper ceremony. On Sunday, the future Hall of Fame
entrant was surrounded by former teammates and friends as the Orioles
rewarded him for 12 1/2 years of service with a 1998 Corvette convertible.
"Oh, gosh. This is definitely a day I'll never forget," said Murray, his
voice cracking in an unusual show of emotion.
Then, referring to the tears welling in his eyes, he added, "I didn't
think it could be done, but it's been done."
Murray, now a bench coach with the Orioles, played 12 1/2 of his 21
big-league seasons with Baltimore. He was traded after the 1988 season, but
brought back in July 1996 in a trade with the Cleveland Indians.
He hit his 500th career homer on September 6 of that season against
Detroit, becoming one of only three players with 500 homers and 3,000 hits.
Murray, 42, was always a popular player within the clubhouse, but he
rarely granted interviews and regularly shunned the press.
"Eddie was his own man," former Orioles manager Earl Weaver told the
crowd Sunday. "He was quiet. He came to the park and did his job."
Murray is still a quiet man, a trait that Orioles manager Ray Miller said
probably must change if Murray is to realize his goal being the main man in
a major league dugout.
"I hope it gets better because if he wants to manage in the future he's
going to have to improve on that part of it," Miller told reporters before
the Orioles' game against Atlanta.
Murray ended the ceremony with the words, "You talk about lost for words.
All I can say is I love you. Let's get on with the ballgame."
He then got onto the back of the car and was driven around the stadium as
the crowd chanted, "Eddie! Eddie!"
The only Orioles to have their numbers retired are Weaver (4), Brooks
Robinson (5), Frank Robinson (20), Jim Palmer (22) and Murray.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
| 
