ATLANTA — Dale Murphy finds himself incredibly thankful for all that baseball has provided him and his family. This includes the incredible amount of support he has received from countless fans who are hoping he is elected to Baseball’s Hall of Fame when the Era Committee ballot results are announced on Dec. 7.
“It’s been overwhelming,” Murphy said. “It’s been exciting and it’s been fun. I’ve never felt like this about anything during my career or since I’ve been retired. I’m just thankful for the involvement.”
A Murphy to the Hall campaign features video essays written by Wright Thompson and narrated by both country music star Jason Aldean and renowned broadcaster Ernie Johnson Jr. The publicity has reignited debate about a man some considered to be the best player of the 1980s.
The site also features these quotes gathered from stars during Murphy’s playing days:
“I can’t imagine Joe DiMaggio was a better all-around player than Dale Murphy,” Nolan Ryan said.
“If you’re a coach, you want him as a player,” Joe Torre said. “If you’re a father, you want him as a son. If you’re a woman, you want him as a husband. If you’re a kid, you want him as a father. What else can you say about the guy?”
Murphy has been considered somebody who would have been a first-ballot electee to the Humanitarian Hall of Fame. He and his wife, Nancy, continue to enrich the lives of others through the Dale Murphy Foundation.
Murphy’s Thanksgiving dinner conversations might include the experiences he and Nancy had while visiting the Dominican Republic last week. They are preparing to return to the Caribbean nation in January to continue working with Baseball Island, an organization designed to help Dominican children pursue their baseball dreams while focusing on education.
Along with helping provide on-field instruction in the D.R., the Murphys have purchased equipment, helped refurbish fields and financially aided the efforts of Baseball Island’s founder Jay Quinn, who has been heavily involved in promoting baseball internationally over the past couple decades.
The Dale Murphy Foundation website includes an opportunity for fans to purchase signed memorabilia or simply make donations. All proceeds will be used to aid the Murphys’ effort to ensure kids have an opportunity to play and benefit from youth baseball. The foundation has aided the efforts of L.E.A.D., whose mission is to advance equity and well-being through youth sports in Atlanta, and Braves Country baseball.
Murphy won consecutive NL MVP Awards (1982 and ’83) and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting in four consecutive years (1982-85). His 32.4 fWAR ranked ninth in MLB from 1982-87.
Each of the eight players who ranked ahead of him are Hall of Famers — Wade Boggs, Rickey Henderson, Cal Ripken Jr., Mike Schmidt, Tim Raines, Gary Carter, Eddie Murray and Alan Trammell.
Murphy produced the second-most home runs (308) and RBIs (929) during the 1980s. Schmidt hit the most home runs, with 313, and matched Murphy’s RBI total, which was trumped only by Murray’s 996.
There was a time when Murphy seemed like a lock for the Hall of Fame, but his candidacy weakened when he hit just .238 with 86 homers and a .715 OPS from 1988-91 and saw scant playing time during his final two seasons. His decline was influenced by multiple knee ailments. He underwent surgery to repair structural damage after the 1989 season and then dealt with a blood infection that caused further deterioration.
At the end of the 1987 season, Murphy was 31 years old with 310 homers and a .862 OPS over 6,383 plate appearances. He averaged 36 homers from 1982-87, but then never again hit more than 24 in a season. Even accounting for a steady decline, it was easy to project that he would easily surpass the 400-homer mark and keep his career OPS around .850.
All 17 players who hit 400 homers with a career OPS of at least .850 through 1991 are Hall of Famers.
Murphy has never expressed bitterness about never receiving more than 23.2 percent of the votes (75 percent required for election) during his 15 years on the baseball writers’ Hall of Fame ballot. Nor has he ever used his knees as an excuse for his sudden decline.
He just appreciates still being part of the conversation, one that has grown louder as fans once again campaign for his election.
“It’s hard to put into words how grateful Nancy and I are,” Murphy said. “I’m just very thankful.”
