A Grambling baseball legend will have his jersey retired next month.
Ralph Garr, a speedy outfielder who went on to play 13 seasons in the Major Leagues, will have his number retired by the Tigers prior to their April 11 game against Southern, part of a weekend-long celebration of his contributions to Grambling and baseball.
Garr had a then-record .585 batting average for the 1967 Tigers, who went 35-1 in NAIA play. Garr was then drafted by Atlanta Braves, where he spent his first eight seasons of Major League Baseball.
Nicknamed “Road Runner” for his speed, Garr was a National League All-Star in 1974, leading the league in hits (214), triples (17) and batting average (.353).
He also played for the Chicago White Sox and California Angels before retiring prior to the 1981 season. He finished his Major League career with a .306 batting average, 1,562 hits, 75 home runs, 408 runs batted in and 246 stolen bases.
