1. Biography
George Murray's life and career began in North Carolina, where he developed his baseball skills before making his mark in the Major Leagues.
1.1. Early Life and Background
George King Murray was born on September 23, 1898, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
1.2. Education and Amateur Career
Murray attended North Carolina State College, where he played college baseball for the Wolfpack team. His time in college baseball helped him develop the skills that would eventually lead him to a professional career.
2. Professional Career
Murray's professional career in Major League Baseball spanned parts of six seasons across more than a decade, marked by transitions between teams and pitching roles.
2.1. Major League Debut and New York Yankees
Murray made his Major League debut at the age of 23 on May 8, 1922, with the New York Yankees. During the 1922 season, he primarily served as a relief pitcher, appearing in 22 games, two of which were starts. He finished his rookie season with a record of 4 wins and 2 losses, and an ERA of 3.97.
2.2. Boston Red Sox
On January 30, 1923, Murray was traded to the Boston Red Sox alongside Camp Skinner and Norm McMillan in exchange for star pitcher Herb Pennock and 50.00 K USD. In the 1923 season, he took on a more significant role as a starter, starting nearly half of the games he pitched. Despite this, his performance saw a decline compared to his rookie year, as he posted a record of 7 wins and 11 losses with a 4.91 ERA. However, his seven wins that season marked a career high.
The 1924 season saw Murray return predominantly to a relief pitching role. His performance further declined, as he finished with a record of 2 wins and 9 losses and a significantly higher ERA of 6.72. This season was considered one of the worst among the Red Sox pitchers. It was his final year playing for the Red Sox.
2.3. Washington Senators
After not playing at all in 1925, Murray joined the Washington Senators for the 1926 season. With the Senators, he was converted into a starting pitcher. Although he did not pitch as frequently, he had what was considered the second-best season of his career, following his rookie year. He concluded the season with a record of 6 wins and 3 losses and an ERA of 5.63. Notably, in his twelve games pitched, he allowed only one home run, which was a strong performance for a pitcher.
Murray continued to pitch for the Senators in the 1927 season. However, his pitching time continued to decrease, and the 1926 season proved to be his last as a starting pitcher. His 1927 season was spent as a little-used relief pitcher.
2.4. Chicago White Sox and Retirement
Following his tenure with the Senators, Murray did not pitch in Major League Baseball for the next five years. He made a comeback attempt with the Chicago White Sox in the 1933 season, but only appeared in two games. His final Major League game was played on May 1, 1933. At 34 years old, this marked the end of his career in Major League Baseball.
2.5. Career Statistics
Throughout his six seasons in Major League Baseball, George "Smiler" Murray appeared in 110 games.
| Games | Innings Pitched | Wins | Losses | Complete Games | Strikeouts | Earned Run Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 110 | 416.33 innings | 19 | 26 | 10 | 114 | 5.38 |
3. Death
George Murray died on October 18, 1955, in Memphis, Tennessee. He was buried in Brownsville, Tennessee.