Grambling State University honored one of its baseball greats at the home opener against Wiley College on Feb. 18, which was dubbed Ralph Garr, Sr. Day in honor of the 69-year-old Tiger veteran. Garr kicked off the game by throwing the first pitch.

Garr graduated from Lincoln High School in Ruston before attending Grambling, where he led the Tigers to a 35-1 regular season mark and batted .585, before getting picked in the third round of the 1967 Major League Baseball draft.

Garr played for the Atlanta Braves from 1968 to 1975. While he earned a reputation from his impressive batting history, Garr earned the nickname “Road Runner” because of his speed. He won the 1974 National League batting .353, while collecting 149 hits before the All-Star break, a record that still stands today. Garr also played for the Chicago White Sox from 1976 to 1979 and the California Angels from 1979 to 1980.

Garr was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 1985, Grambling State University Alumni Hall of Fame in 1991, the Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame in 2006, the International League Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Ark-La-Tex Museum of Champions in 2014.