Editor’s Note: The Keys Weekly is honored to publish this final column by longtime sports writer and editor Ralph Morrow, who died in his sleep on July 30 at his Key West home. He was 87. Morrow had covered sports and interviewed some of the biggest superstars for more than 60 years in Rochester, New York, then for decades at the Dayton Daily News in Ohio. He moved to Key West with his late wife, Patsy, 27 years ago and continued his journalism career as a sports writer, editor and columnist. He wrote 91 columns for the Keys Weekly since 2020 and was inducted by this editor into a different Hall of Fame.)
Fred McGriff played for several Major League Baseball clubs, including his hometown Tampa Bay Rays and was inducted into the Hall of Fame on July 23 with Scott Rolen of the St. Louis Cardinals.
One of the great tributes of the Hall in Cooperstown, N.Y. is a carving of each player’s head wearing a ball cap. Most players who are still living when inducted get to choose which team’s cap they’re immortalized in. The chosen cap allows the team to boast of “their” Hall of Famer.
McGriff chose to go capless in his Hall of Fame tribute.
During an interview with Tricia Whitaker on a Tampa TV network, the first baseman explained why he chose to go capless when he and Rolen were inducted last month. While Rolen honored the Cardinals with a cap, McGriff said he appreciated all the fans from all six teams for which he played.
For the record, I disagree with him. He should have picked one team (I would have selected Tampa Bay) and worn its cap for the Hall of Fame.
McGriff was selected unanimously by the 16-member Veterans Committee of 16 members. It took 12 votes to get in the Hall and no one else on the ballot got the number. Former Miami Marlins Manager and longtime New York Yankee Don Mattingly received eight votes. Curt Schilling received seven and Dale Murphy six.
At the induction, McGriff talked of the work it took him and paid tribute to Veronica, his wife of 34 years. He said they have been together “since we worked together at Burger King,” then added, “Honestly, I would have been happy just playing one day in the big leagues.”
Born Oct. 31, 1963, in Tampa, he said he got into baseball when his mother signed him up for Little League and his father bought him a backyard mechanism that returned a thrown ball, to teach him fielding skills.
McGriff broke in with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1986. Over 19 seasons, “Crime Dog,” as he was nicknamed, hit 493 home runs, batted .284 and had 1,550 runs batted in, hitting and throwing left-handed. He hit 30 or more home runs for a record five different teams. He was a five-time All-Star.
I SUPPOSE YOU are well aware of the pro football players, particularly of the Miami Dolphins, who have been injured.
We can start with Miami star cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who underwent knee surgery and is likely to be out of action for several months. Coach Mike McDaniel said Ramsey sustained a non-contact injury during practice. Miami acquired the All-Pro from the Los Angeles Rams. Before the 2020 season, the Rams signed Ramsey to a five-year deal worth $100 million.
In Cincinnati, quarterback Joe Burrow was looking fine, then on television, I saw him fall, get up, then fall again. He was unable to get up. He was carted to the training room.
Kevin Harlan and Trent Green will call Miami’s season opener at the Los Angeles Chargers at 4:25 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 10. CBS has assigned the same duo for the first home game at 1 p.m Sunday, Sept. 24 against Denver. The second game will be at 8:20 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 17, at New England.
It’s beginning to look a lot like football…
