Norm: I am with 7 time All-Star, 5 time Gold Glove winner, and 2 time NL MVP award winner Dale Murphy. I really appreciate you taking the time today. Growing up you were my favorite player. In the Twin Falls Idaho area the Atlanta Braves were the only thing that we could get on TV. Thank you for taking some time today this is quite an honor.
Murphy: Thank you very much for having me on and I appreciate the support all the way from Twin Falls back in the TBS days. Thank you very much.
Norm: What you are up to these days?
Murphy: Well, I got a few things going on. I did a few radio and TV broadcasts for the Braves last year and I’ll do that again this summer. Another thing I look forward to [is that] I’m going to be one of the coaches for the World Baseball Classic team USA this March. So that will be a lot of fun.
Norm: Let’s talk about your career for a little bit. Who was the toughest pitcher you have ever faced?
Murphy: Well the toughest pitcher I ever faced, and pretty much everyone who played in the late 70s and the early 80s pretty much says the same thing, J.R. Richards with the Houston Astros. First of all he was about 6’8” Maybe even taller. [He] threw in the high 90s. Fastball, slider, and his control wasn’t the best so it always made things a little interesting.
Norm: Kind of like Rick Vaughn from the movie Major League.
Murphy: Exactly. It was always an adventure trying to get a hit off of J.R.
Norm: What are your most Memorable homeruns?
Murphy: I’d have to say, I only got into the post season once and we only played three games. I only got a couple hits; I didn’t do to well. But I hit a homerun in 1984 in the All-Star game in San Francisco so that was a big thrill.
Norm: Your children in the end made a big push to get you into the Hall of Fame. How did that come about?
Murphy: Well they just got together and said, ‘Hey were going to do something.’ My daughter Madison tweeted out a picture of the Hall of Fame ballot, which I get a sample of. You get one every year you are on the ballot, and she took a picture and tweeted it with a caption saying ‘Put my dad in the Hall’ and everyone else just kind of joined in. Chad wrote an open letter to the baseball writers, Taylor started a petition and everything just kind of snowballed from there. It was a lot of fun.
Norm: I believe I signed that petition by the way. In my mind you are a Hall of Famer. Your character … I have no problem with my children wearing a Dale Murphy jersey and this [interview] is quite an honor.
My next questions is dealing with PED’s. If someone tests positive for PED’s during there career should they get into the Hall of Fame?
Murphy: I don’t think so. The guys that were involved in it knew that even though we weren’t testing early on, 10 to 15 years ago, they knew it was either against the law or against the spirit of the game. Most guys just didn’t take it and just didn’t do that stuff. Anybody that makes a conscience decisions to do that shouldn’t be eligible.
Norm: What does Jack Dunn mean to you?
Murphy: For a lot of us that were able to play for him he taught us how to play the game of baseball and develop a love for the game. Really being able to play for Jack Dunn in high school was a great foundation for me and the rest of my professional career. I just learned so many things about the game that I applied through out my career. And then just the value of hard work and dedication. That served all of us really well — those who were able to play underneath Jack’s leadership and having him as a mentor.
Norm: Well I really appreciate you taking time today and want to wish you best of luck. It is a shame that you are not in the Hall of Fame but in my book you are a Hall of Famer.
Murphy: Well thank you very much.
Murphy is a Hall of Famer in my book, great interview!!!!
Thanks! It was a fun interview.
[…] 5 Good Questions With Norm: Dale Murphy. […]
Murph, you will always be a Hall a Famer in my book too! You gave this youngster living in north Atlanta a great example for being a human being and doing things the right way. Far greater than bronze statues and plaques in my book too.
I completely agree that a bronze statue and plaque doesn’t even come close to showing how important he was for so many baseball fans across the nation.
There is a whole generation of kids that grew up isolated and outside of Saturday game of the week, and Monday night baseball, WTBS was their baseball. Dale was the face of the Braves through those years. He deserves the Hall, but the Hall doesn’t deserve him. The HOF has become a joke, based on specific numbers and not what the player meant to the church of baseball. But as my little bro (huge Murphy fan) says…. This is Karma, now in 5 years when the vet committeevptes Dale in, Chipper will be a first ballot, so he can travel to Cooperstown and see his two favorite players inducted together!
Norm, great interview. Thanks for sharing. Like yourself, I too followed Murphy and the Braves on TBS. At 4:35 in the afternoon it was about the only thing that could take me away from wiffle ball and riding my bike. It’s a shame that Murphy hasn’t been voted to the HofF. The letter from his son Chad to voters was exceptionally well written and made many strong arguements for his enshrinement. Hopefully the Veterans Committee will right the wrong. Keep up the good work, maybe we’ll cross paths at Volcano Stadium.
[…] Here is a part of the Dale Murphy interview but you can read the entire thing at 5 Good Questions With Norm: Dale Murphy. […]
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