In 1976, fans packed the historic Civic Stadium while they anxiously awaited for their favorite player to step onto the field. 

Once he returned to the Emeralds from Tampa, Florida, the entire fanbase got together to plan the first George McPherson Night. He was a crowd favorite, and they couldn’t risk him leaving again without letting him know how much the Emeralds and the city of Eugene appreciated him. 

The fans surprised him by flying out his mom and younger brother to the game and presented him with a plaque that read “Most Favorite Ballplayer in 1974-1975-1976.”

“That was the most significant moment in my career,” McPherson said. “I knew that I could probably run for mayor and win, but it was a really nice feeling.”

As much as the fans loved McPherson, he loved them just as much, if not more. After spending the 1974-1977 season in an Emeralds uniform, he returned to the team in 2004 as the official scorer. 

“I love Eugene,” McPherson said. “This town has given me so much and I got to live my dream out here, and I can’t stay away.” 

McPherson first arrived in Eugene after his college coach, Jim Dietz, suggested he try out for the Emeralds when they were an independent team. He and his teammate from San Diego State, Steve Callahan, drove up to Eugene to try out for the team. That afternoon, the general manager Hugh Luby, told McPherson that he would like to sign him.
“I told him, ‘I’m waiting for Larry Barton [a scout for the Cincinnati Reds] to give me a call because the Reds are interested,’” McPherson said. “He said, ‘well I’ll give you a call in a day or two,’ and I signed two days later.”

The next day, Barton called McPherson and let him know that the Reds had a contract for him. But it was too late. 

“They kept dragging their feet,” McPherson said. “And I just wanted to play and the Emeralds wanted to start right away.”

Ironically, the Emeralds became an affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds the following year, so he ended up in their organization anyways. 

From 1974 to 1977, no Emerald played in more games, stole more bases or scored more runs than McPherson. While playing between Double A and Triple A during that span, he had 227 hits, scored 189 runs and swiped 82 bags during the 239 games he played in. 

For an independent team that had no money or resources, it was a miracle to win it all in 1974. Winning the championship again the following year put Eugene on the map as no independent team had ever won the Northwest League Championship, and no one could imagine them winning it back-to-back.

“We were a team with no prospects, money or resources,” McPherson said. “No one expected us to win any games, so a championship wasn’t even in the picture, but we did it anyway.”

The center fielder was known for his tough and fast playing style. If he couldn’t get to a fly ball, he would run into the wall trying, which is why he was a fan favorite. On the offensive side of the ball, he was the fastest athlete on the team. He could reach first base in less than four seconds. 

Despite competing with teams that had money and resources, it was the type of athlete like McPherson who could lead the Emeralds to two consecutive championships. He was a guy who would sacrifice everything for the ball. But it would be those types of sacrifices that would take him out of the game. 

By the time McPherson was 26, he was done playing. After a second baseman tried to disconnect his knee while breaking up a double play, a series of nine baseball-related knee surgeries that would cause the end of his career followed. Before retiring, he tore the cartilage in his knee and continued to play on it for a month.

“I’d do it all over again!” McPherson said while laughing. 

After leaving baseball as an athlete, he ventured off into different things like owning bowling alleys and other businesses, but found his way back to the Emeralds in 2004 as the official scorer. He couldn’t stay away from the game – or the town – because it was still his number one focus and love. In fact, he said he had the choice between getting married and baseball, and he chose the sport.

“I figured I could get married at any time,” McPherson said. “But, baseball only comes around once in life.”

The official scorer has a lot of responsibilities throughout the game. They control the players’ individual stats, pace of game and can be a big factor in the outcome of a game. It’s a big role that teams rely on. The Emeralds and Eugene have given so much to McPherson, so it’s important to him that he returns the favor. 

“Eugene was my major leagues,” McPherson said. “Even if I never went anywhere else, I always consider Eugene my major leagues. That’s why I’m still here. I fell in love with the town and the people, and I just decided, this is where I want to be.”

In the 68-year history of Emeralds baseball, there is no one that could match McPherson’s loyalty and longevity to the team. Baseball was the love of his life, and the Emeralds gave him the opportunity to live out his dream. Even though he never made it to the show, he has no regrets about choosing to sign with the Emeralds. He has given his life — and knees — to the team that loved him first.