Spud Murray
Meredith Warrington "Spud" Murray[1] (October 28, 1928 – September 15, 2011[2]) was an American minor league baseball player and Major League Baseball (MLB) batting practice pitcher. Murray was possibly the first full-time batting practice pitcher in Yankees history.[citation needed]
Career
[edit | edit source]Murray attended Media High School, where he starred in baseball and basketball, ranking among the best players in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. He signed with the Cleveland Indians. However, an arm injury limited his playing career.[3] The Indians sold Murray to the independent Montgomery Rebels of the South Atlantic League in 1954.[4]
Mayo Smith, the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, hired Murray as his batting practice pitcher in 1958.[3] He joined the New York Yankees in the same role two years later.[1][3]
Personal
[edit | edit source]Murray lived in Waterloo, Pennsylvania. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, often going fishing with Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford.[3]
References
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External links
[edit | edit source]- Career statistics from Baseball Reference (Minors)
- 1928 births
- 2011 deaths
- Batavia Clippers players
- Harrisburg Senators players
- Wilkes-Barre Indians players
- Reading Indians players
- Birmingham Barons players
- Tulsa Oilers (baseball) players
- Montgomery Rebels players
- Charlotte Hornets (baseball) players
- Chattanooga Lookouts players
- Baseball players from Delaware County, Pennsylvania
- Sportspeople from Media, Pennsylvania
- 20th-century American sportsmen