Markakis and Crowley, his mentor, join Orioles’ Hall of Fame

BALTIMORE—Terry Crowley remembers watching Nick Markakis in Fort Lauderdale before his rookie season in 2006. After the longtime Orioles batting coach introduced himself to the 22-year-old outfielder, he left him alone to watch him work.

“I knew he was going to be a great player when I saw him in spring training,” Crowley said Friday. “I watched how he moved around on the various ballfields in Fort Lauderdale, and then he stood out.”

Markakis wasn’t an immediate hit with the Orioles. “First month-and-a-half, I did not feel solidified at all. That’s when I started working with Crow right here.”

In early May, Markakis’ hitting improved, and he finished his rookie season with a .291 average. By the time he left the Orioles after the 2014 season, Markakis had 1,547 hits, seventh most in team history.

On Saturday, Markakis, Crowley and longtime Orioles scout, the late Dick Bowie, will join the team’s Hall of Fame.

Markakis was the Orioles’ top draft pick in 2003 and joined the team three years later. He won two Gold Gloves in right field in 2011 and 2014. Markakis played his final six seasons with the Atlanta Braves, retiring after the 2020 season.

When he played here, Markakis lived in the Baltimore-area year-round and enjoyed it.

“I think that’s a big thing I learned coming to Baltimore, the fans, the city, how loyal everybody is,” Markakis said. “This was great for a 22-year-old kid … This was a great organization to come up and be a part of. I think the commitment, the determination, the loyalty that the city shows to their sporting events here is above and beyond a lot of other places I’ve been.”

Markakis was the best player on some bad Orioles teams, and then after a few years, more talent began showing up: Chris Davis, J.J. Hardy, Adam Jones and Matt Wieters, some of whom are scheduled to attend the ceremony on Saturday.

In 2012, the Orioles qualified for the postseason for the first time since 1997, but Markakis couldn’t play because New York’s CC Sabathia broke his thumb with a pitch in September. In 2014, the Orioles won the American League East, and Markakis could finally play in the postseason.

“That’s what you ultimately want to play for,” he said. “You want to play in the playoffs. Early in my career, my first six years was tough. Playing in the American League East against the Yankees, the Red Sox, Tampa Bay started getting good, the Blue Jays, tough division. It was only a matter of time. All good things come to those who wait. We waited for a long time and then the good times started coming.”

Markakis gives Crowley much of the credit for his success, and the 77-year-old who played 12 seasons for the Orioles and coached 16 seasons under 11 managers, heaps praise on his student.

Markakis would take pitches clearly outside the strike zone for balls. “He never once says, ‘Coach look at that, strike one, how could I hit that?’ That’s when I knew. I could see his talent every day in batting practice, every day with extra hitting. When I saw that aspect of his makeup, I knew I had a doggone star on my hands, and I said, ‘Don’t mess this up. This is a great hitter.’”

It’s unheard of for a coach to work under so many different managers.

“Usually when a new manager comes in, he’s going to pick his own staff and all,” Crowley said. “We went through some managers between Ray Miller and Buck Showalter. It was like every other year. Not to sound conceited, not to lie to you, to tell you the truth, you keep your job by having your team come in the top two or three in hitting every year in the whole league.

“[In 1999], we came and broke the franchise record for hits, and then a couple of years later, we broke it again. I’m not happy with where we finished, We used to finish down at the bottom too often. Our pitching let us down a little bit, but thank God, my boys hit because that’s how you keep your job. That’s how you keep developing guys like this who’s an absolute star.”

When Markakis played, he eschewed the trappings of success. There were many other more outgoing players on the winning Orioles’ teams. It may seem surprising that Markakis would embrace the honor since he would often say that it never bothered him being bypassed for an All-Star Game selection while with the Orioles since it gave him time with his three young sons.

“It’s here in Baltimore and I’m clearly comfortable being here with the fans and everybody in this organization,” Markakis said. “I’m enjoying it. It’s been an experience so far. It’s been awesome.”

These days, Markakis lives in Georgia, where he grew up and finished his career.

“I’m an Uber driver right now,” he joked. “The boys are playing football and baseball. It’s one thing after another. I live on a farm so I’m constantly doing stuff outside. I’ve got donkeys, dogs. I coach my oldest son’s team. My youngest, I coach with two kids I grew up with. I’m just a helper. My middle one, he’s good. He’s got a great coach.

“I don’t have a summer. I don’t think I’ve had a summer in 20 years between my career and my kids’ career. Just being home and being present with the kids. I missed a lot from their early lives. Full attention to them. Trying to avoid schoolwork with them.”

He’s taken time out in late summer to go in the Orioles’ Hall of Fame with his mentor, and it just seems right.

“To be remembered in such a way makes you feel good that all the hard work and the hard times didn’t go unnoticed,” Crowley said.

“I think it’s a perfect fit of me and Crow going in together,” Markakis said. “Especially with everything that we’ve been through with my career with the Orioles, the influence that he has made in my life, my career. I’m happy and thrilled to be here to do it with him.”