Ivan Murrell

Ivan Augustus Murrell Peters (April 24, 1943 – October 8, 2006) was an outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Houston Colt .45's / Astros, San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves in all or parts of nine seasons spanning 1963–1974. Listed at 6' 2", 195 lb., Murrell batted and threw right handed. He was born in Almirante, Panama.

Murrell played in part of four seasons for Houston teams before being chosen by San Diego in the 1968 Major League Baseball expansion draft. His most productive season came in 1970 with the Padres, when he posted career-highs in home runs (12), RBI (35), runs (41), hits (85) and games played (125). He played his last major league season for the Braves.

In a career that spanned a decade, Murrell was a .236 hitter with 33 home runs and 123 RBI in 564 games.

In 1989, Murrell joined the St. Lucie Legends of the Senior Professional Baseball Association, hitting .272 with five home runs in 47 games. He also worked as a scout and a minor league coach for the Houston Astros organization.

Murrell died in Stuart, Florida, at age 63.

Facts

 * Murrell was also an undefeated middleweight boxer and was selected to play on Panama's soccer team in the 1963 Pan American Games.
 * Created the Ivan Murrell Foundation, a charity that helps give underprivileged kids educational opportunities in and out of baseball.
 * In Fresnillo they nicknamed him "La Pantera Panameña"