David Murphy of Rangers moved by ceremony for Sandy Hook victims

ARLINGTON, Texas—Texas Rangers left fielder David Murphy was part of a poignant pre-game ceremony Friday in which Robbie Parker, the father of 6-year-old Emilie Parker, who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in Newtown, Conn., threw out the first pitch.

After Ivan Rodriguez caught the pitch, the former Rangers catcher and Parker shared a long embrace between the mound and home plate at the Ballpark in Arlington. Murphy then presented the Parker family with a Rangers jersey and posed with the family for pictures.

“That was a very humbling experience,” Murphy said, before getting choked up and pausing. “I have three kids of my own. I can’t imagine what that would be like. It makes you realize the insignificance of baseball.”

Murphy went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in the Rangers’ 3-2 victory over the Angels, but it was hard for him to be disappointed.

“Just to be able to spend those few minutes on the field was pretty amazing,” he said. “They’re a beautiful family. It was a great moment for them. I had to really hold it together.”

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