Murray Wall
From BR Bullpen
Murray Wesley Wall
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 3", Weight 185 lb.
- School University of Texas at Austin
- Debut July 4, 1950
- Final Game September 25, 1959
- Born September 19, 1926 in Dallas, TX USA
- Died October 8, 1971 in Lone Oak, TX USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Murray Wall, a 6' 3" right-hander who went directly to the Boston Braves in 1950 after helping lead the University of Texas to the championship of the College World Series, made it into just one game in relief before spending the next several years in the minor leagues. He would spend the remainder of 1950 with the Milwaukee Brewers of the American Association, going 2-5 in 13 appearances with a 3.91 ERA.
Wall would have several good years in his trip back to Boston. He won 15 and lost 5 in his 1951 season, again with the Milwaukee Brewers and repeat this kind of effort, again with Milwaukee, in 1952 going 16-10 with a 4.08 ERA. The New York Giants would acquire him from the Braves in December of 1955 in a multi-player deal. He would show up with the Dallas Eagles in the Texas League in 1956, going 16-7 with a 3.59 ERA. He would come right back with the Texas League squad in 1957 and duplicate his won-loss record but with an even stronger 1.79 ERA. On August 1, 1957 he was purchased by the Boston Red Sox from the Giants and finished up the year going 3-0 for the team from Fenway Park.
Wall was the 1958 Red Sox top reliever winning eight games and saving 10 in 52 appearances. After a slow start in the '59 year, Wall was traded to the Washington Senators for reliever Dick Hyde, but was returned to Boston after appearing in just one game for the Senators because Hyde was unable to pitch due to a sore arm. It was Wall's last year in the major leagues and he finished overall at 13-14 plus 14 saves in 91 games with a 4.20 ERA.
Murray had spent eleven seasons in pro baseball (1950-1961) and had seen a lot of that time in the minor leagues. He built a very decent won-lost record, going 102-76 in 289 appearances with a 3.71 ERA. After baseball, Wall became vice-president of a savings and loan corporation in his native Dallas, when he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on October 8, 1971 at age 45 in Lone Oak, TX.
