Friday, February 21, 2020

NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION- 1975 LARRY MURRAY

Up on the blog today we have a “not so missing” 1975 card for former outfielder Larry Murray, who made his MLB debut during the 1974 season with the New York Yankees:


Murray appeared in six games for the Yanks in 1974, going 0-1 at the plate in his only plate appearance while filling in at all three outfield positions.
His 1975 season would be a mirror-image, appearing in another six games while again going 0-1 at the plate, and once again fielding all three outfield spots.
He’d finally collect his first Big League hit in 1976, though he went 1-for-10 at the plate with two runs scored and a couple of stolen bases for the American League champs before finding himself a member of the Oakland A’s in 1977.
Murray hit .179 with 29 hits over 162 at-bats for the A’s that season after coming over from the New York Yankees as part of the deal that got them Mike Torrez.
He also scored 19 runs while stealing 12 bases while getting the first real taste of significant play after never playing more than eight games with New York in the previous three years.
In 1978 he’d only play in eleven games, hitting .083 with a single hit over twelve at-bats, but he’d come back in 1979 and get the most playing time he’d see over a season when he appeared in 105 games, hitting .186 with 42 hits over 226 at-bats.
That action would get him his first Topps card in the 1980 set, only to never appear in a Major League game again.
After only 13 games in the Minor Leagues during the 1980 season, he’d be finished with pro ball, only 27 years of age.
Go figure.

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