George Murray (baseball)
Encyclopedia
George King "Smiler" Murray (September 23, 1898 – October 18, 1955) was a baseball
pitcher
for the New York Yankees
, Boston Red Sox
, Washington Senators
, and Chicago White Sox
.
, North Carolina
.
He went to North Carolina State University
. In , when he was 23, he broke into the Major Leagues
on May 8 with the New York Yankees
. He was mainly a relief pitcher, although started two games (out of 22 pitched in all). He was 4-2 with a 3.97 ERA
.
The next two years Murray spent with the Boston Red Sox
On January 30, 1923, Murray was traded to the Red Sox with Camp Skinner
and Norm McMillan
for star pitcher Herb Pennock
and $50,000. In , nearly half of the games he pitched in he started; however, he did worse than he did the year before, going 7-11 with a 4.91 earned run average. His seven wins that season were a career high, though.
In 1924
, Murray went back to mainly relief pitching, and did even worse than he did the previous two years. He finished with a record of 2-9 and an earned run average of 6.72; he had one of the worst seasons out of all of the pitchers on the team.
That was the final year he played with the Red Sox. He did not play at all in , and went with the Washington Senators
in 1926
. He was converted to a starting pitcher, didn't pitch as much, but still had the second best season of his career (behind his rookie season). He finished at 6-3 with a mediocre 5.63 ERA. In twelve games pitched he only gave up one home run
, very good for a pitcher.
Murray pitched 1927
with the Senators as well. His amount of pitching time continued to decline, and it turned out that 1926 was his final season as a starting pitcher; 1927 was spent as a little-used relief man.
Murray did not pitch at all for the next five years. He made a comeback with the Chicago White Sox
in 1933
, but only pitched two games. His final game was played May 1 of that year, and at age 34, that marked the end of his Major League career.
After that, Murray had just 22 more years to live. He died on October 18, 1955, in Memphis
, Tennessee
. He was buried in Brownsville
, Tennessee
.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
, and Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
.
Biography
Murray was born on September 23, 1898, in CharlotteCharlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
He went to North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
. In , when he was 23, he broke into the Major Leagues
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
on May 8 with the New York Yankees
1922 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the 20th season for the Yankees in New York and their 22nd overall. The team finished with a record of 94 wins and 60 losses, to win their second pennant in franchise history, by a single game over the St. Louis Browns. New York was managed by Miller Huggins...
. He was mainly a relief pitcher, although started two games (out of 22 pitched in all). He was 4-2 with a 3.97 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
.
The next two years Murray spent with the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
On January 30, 1923, Murray was traded to the Red Sox with Camp Skinner
Camp Skinner
Elisha Harrison Skinner was a reserve outfielder in Major League Baseball, playing mainly at center field for the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox . Listed at 5' 11", 165 lb., Skinner batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
and Norm McMillan
Norm McMillan
Norman Alexis McMillan , was a Major League Baseball third baseman. He played all or part of five seasons in the majors, between and , for the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Browns, and Chicago Cubs.-External links:...
for star pitcher Herb Pennock
Herb Pennock
Herbert Jefferis Pennock was a left-handed Major League Baseball pitcher best known for his time spent with the star-studded New York Yankee teams of the mid to late 1920s and early 1930s. Pennock won two World Series championships with the Red Sox and then four World Series championships with the...
and $50,000. In , nearly half of the games he pitched in he started; however, he did worse than he did the year before, going 7-11 with a 4.91 earned run average. His seven wins that season were a career high, though.
In 1924
1924 Boston Red Sox season
The 1924 Boston Red Sox season involved the Red Sox finishing 7th in the American League with a record of 67 wins and 87 losses.- Opening Day lineup :- Roster :- Starters by position :...
, Murray went back to mainly relief pitching, and did even worse than he did the previous two years. He finished with a record of 2-9 and an earned run average of 6.72; he had one of the worst seasons out of all of the pitchers on the team.
That was the final year he played with the Red Sox. He did not play at all in , and went with the Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
in 1926
1926 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators won 81 games, lost 69, and finished in fourth place in the American League. They were managed by Bucky Harris and played home games at Griffith Stadium.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
. He was converted to a starting pitcher, didn't pitch as much, but still had the second best season of his career (behind his rookie season). He finished at 6-3 with a mediocre 5.63 ERA. In twelve games pitched he only gave up one home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
, very good for a pitcher.
Murray pitched 1927
1927 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators won 85 games, lost 69, and finished in third place in the American League. They were managed by Bucky Harris and played home games at Griffith Stadium.-Offseason:...
with the Senators as well. His amount of pitching time continued to decline, and it turned out that 1926 was his final season as a starting pitcher; 1927 was spent as a little-used relief man.
Murray did not pitch at all for the next five years. He made a comeback with the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
in 1933
1933 Chicago White Sox season
The 1933 Chicago White Sox season was the team's 33rd season in the major leagues, and its 34th season overall. They finished with a record 67-83, good enough for 6th place in the American League, 31 games behind the first place Washington Senators.- Roster :...
, but only pitched two games. His final game was played May 1 of that year, and at age 34, that marked the end of his Major League career.
After that, Murray had just 22 more years to live. He died on October 18, 1955, in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. He was buried in Brownsville
Brownsville, Tennessee
Brownsville is a city in Haywood County, Tennessee, United States. It is the county seat of Haywood County. The city is named after Jacob Jennings Brown, an officer who served during The War of 1812.-Geography:...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
.