Pirates Made Him Feel Like Family

I worked with Jim Murray during the last six months of 1979 when Murray temporarily lost his eyesight because of a detached retina.

Part of my work with Murray was to read to him. Most mornings he wanted to know how Pete Rose did. Murray was a great fan of Rose. Jim once said, “You ask Pete a question and then stand back.”

In the 1979 World Series, the Baltimore Orioles played the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates were a wild bunch, and their clubhouse was usually bedlam. Before Game 1, we went into their clubhouse and Chuck Tanner, the manager, took Jim around the room and introduced him to each player. They knew he couldn’t see and you could hear a pin drop.