Orioles' Legend is Now Only Living Hall of Famer to Accomplish This Historic Feat

With the recent passing of Willie Mays, unfortunately Eddie Murray is only living Hall of Famer to have both 3,000 hits and 500 home runs.

Former Baltimore Oriole and Hall of Famer Eddie Murray is introduced during pregame ceremonies honoring the 1983 World Champion Baltimore Orioles prior to the game against the New York Metsat Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Unfortunately, former Baltimore Orioles' legend Eddie Murray is the only living member of the Baseball Hall of Fame to have accomplished this historic feat.

Per Tyler Kepner of 'The Athletic' on social media:

Here’s an amazing stat I noticed while researching a piece for tomorrow. There’s now only one living Hall of Famer with both 3,000 hits and 500 home runs: Eddie Murray.

Here’s an amazing stat I noticed while researching a piece for tomorrow. There’s now only one living Hall of Famer with both 3,000 hits and 500 home runs: Eddie Murray. pic.twitter.com/xvFFs8CBxS

— Tyler Kepner (@TylerKepner) June 20, 2024

Murray has this distinction because of the tragic passing of Willie Mays earlier this week. Mays died at the age of 93 and is known as one of the greatest players to ever play the game. There are other living players like Alex Rodriguez and Rafael Palmeiro who have accomplished both of these feats, but neither is in the Hall of Fame.

As for Murray, he spent 13 years with the Orioles, four with the Los Angeles Dodgers, three with the Cleveland Indians, two with the New York Mets and one with the Anaheim Angels. He hit 504 career homers and drove in 1,917 runs. He was a .287 lifetime hitter who was an eight-time All-Star, a three-time Gold Glover and a three-time Silver Slugger. He also won Rookie of the Year and the 1983 World Series with Baltimore. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003.

He played in two additional World Series: in 1979 with Baltimore and in 1995 with Cleveland.

As for Mays, he was a 24-time All-Star, he was a 12-time Gold Glover, a two-time MVP, a batting champion and a World Series champion. He also won Rookie of the Year as part of a 23-year professional career that started in the Negro Leagues and saw him play for the New York/San Francisco Giants and New York Mets.

He hit 660 career homers and drove in 1,909 runs. He led the majors in homers in two different seasons.

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