Murray recalls Hall of Fame memories

The week was equivalent of a fraternity Hell Week and equally secret.
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
CLEVELAND -- Eddie Murray returned from Cooperstown last week as a full-fledged member of the Hall of Fame, and all that it entails.
What most people don't know is that the induction ceremony with its heart-tugging speeches is only the public part of the process.
There is another, more private facet to the day's activities. It's very unofficial and has more to do with boys being boys than the pomp and circumstance seen by the television audience or the fans who travel to the event.
It's the Hall of Fame equivalent of a fraternity Hell Week and equally secret.
Rookie talk
"They were throwing some 'rookie this' and 'rookie that' around at me," Murray said on Tuesday at Jacobs Field, where he is the Indians' hitting coach. "Then there was Mr. [Johnny] Bench. I can't tell you what he did because of the next group of guys. Of course, it was something embarrassing."
Whatever Bench and his henchmen were up to, Murray wasn't buying.
"A few of them tried," Murray said. "I think that [inductee] Gary Carter did some of the stuff, but I didn't. Maybe it was the way I looked at them."
Murray is not saying that Hall of Fame weekend was a tension-filled ordeal for him. Quite the opposite.
"Believe it or not, I had fun," he said.
Liked the fans
One thing that left a deep impression were the fans -- mostly from Baltimore -- who cheered him during the ceremonies.
"It's not like people drove over from across town," Murray said. "I don't know how many busloads of them were there."
Murray also was reunited with his high school teammate and fellow Hall of Fame member Ozzie Smith.
"I've known Ozzie almost my whole life," Murray said. "Since I was nine and he was 10. We played at Locke High School [in Los Angeles]. The jayvee team used to play the varsity in a two-game series. When we were there, we swept the varsity for the first time."
Murray was honored before Tuesday night's game, the Tribe presenting him with a $10,000 check for the Eddie Murray Fund that raises money for the research and prevention of kidney ailments.
Still ticking
The Indians have posted a 4-14 record since the All-Star Game, but manager Eric Wedge remains confident. "I think part of it is that we started off with [four consecutive losses to] New York. Even then, I felt good about the way we competed and handled that environment. We've faced some pretty good pitching in this stretch, but there are no excuses."
Waiting over
There will be no suspension for Milton Bradley. Major League Baseball decreed that he be fined (probably $1,500) but nothing more for throwing his bat and helmet toward umpire Bruce Froemming after an argument about balls and strikes last week in Oakland. "It was an isolated incident that's behind us," Wedge said, adding that Bradley needs to control his temper if things don't go his way. "When they don't work out, he has got to handle it," the manager said.
I talk, you listen
Wedge gathered the players together for a meeting on the field before batting practice. "I wanted to get in front of the guys to see where we're at," the manager said. "I want to make sure we accomplish what we need to the rest of the way." Wedge believes it's time that the lessons players have learned begin to translate into wins. "It's not that I don't think they're prepared," he said. "If I thought that, I'd have had this meeting as long time ago."
Lawton close
Matt Lawton (dislocated finger) will begin a rehab assignment as the DH at Akron tonight and Thursday. He will spend the weekend playing for Mahoning Valley. Presumably, he would be activated when the Tribe goes on the road next week.