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Fans Jonesing for a Dale Murphy Hall of Fame Induction
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When I first arrived in Atlanta over 40 years ago as the weeknight sports anchor at WAGA TV, Dale Murphy was the biggest sports star in the metro, the state and the region. The Braves outfielder was the face of professional sports, on field and off.
The daily conga line of baseball fans flocking to his Roswell home in the early 1980s led to a change of address, necessitating a residence with more privacy for his young family.
Murphy’s star was so Atlanta bright, he was seemingly everywhere: The WAGA news desk had a giant photograph placard of the Braves slugger behind me as I read stories of the Falcons, Hawks and college teams.
So, here we are, decades later, and the surefire Hall of Famer experienced a career slowdown after the age of 32 and was traded to Philadelphia in 1990, ending his MLB playing life with the expansion Rockies in Denver.
In some ways, like QB Russell Wilson who was Seattle fabulous for a decade and then wasn’t.
It doesn’t erase the greatness — or does it?
If someone would have told us in the 1980s that Dale Murphy would not be in Cooperstown by 2025, we would not have believed it!
How could he possibly miss?
“What happened to Dale after age 32 is what happened to many players of his era: He slowed down. Maybe training. Maybe diet,” said Mark Meltzer, Executive Vice President of public relations firm Hope, Beckham, Espinosa. “But despite that drop off, Murphy’s numbers are comparable to other Hall of Famers Jim Rice, Tony Perez, Harold Baines and Ralph Kiner.”
The Atlanta-based public relations firm has launched a campaign this week to get Dale elected to Cooperstown. Hope, Beckham, Espinosa is powerful and influential but is that enough? Bob Hope was once the Braves' PR czar and understands the ways, means of MLB and creating public energy, inertia.
Murphy is expected to be on the ballot in early December when the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee votes. The committee considers players who made their greatest impact after 1980 to the present and have been retired 15 years.
“It’s not too late for Dale; it wasn’t too late for Dick Allen. Murphy has the numbers and deserves the recognition,” added Mr. Meltzer.
The case for Murphy can be made by illustrating he is one of only 10 players in baseball history to hit 398 home runs and earn five Gold Gloves. All are in the HOF except Andruw Jones, who may be elected within a few years.
“How rare are those 398 home runs? Only 62 players have done so,” said Mr. Meltzer.
There are these numbers to consider, too.
Jim Rice: 47.7 WAR, 382 home runs, .298 batting average, eight-time All Star. (I swapped the second and third stat so that it matched those below)
Dale Murphy: 46.5 WAR, 398 HRs, .265 average, seven-time All Star
Harold Baines: 38.8 WAR, 384 HRs, .289 average, six-time All Star
And of course, Murphy was never tarnished during an era of performance enhancement through pharmaceutical concoctions. Dale is forever a role model and “good guy.”
“Maybe some hold his impeccable character against him,” Mr. Meltzer told me.
The Braves are behind this effort, as is another Hall of Famer, Chipper Jones.
Murphy, for eight seasons, was one of the top five players in MLB, and accrued two MVPs.
Is that enough?
There is the Bill James Hall of Famer Standard Test. The average HOF inductee scores a 50. Murphy has 36 points, 252nd all time.
But for those of us lucky enough here in Atlanta to have seen him in his prime and to know him, Murphy is always a Hall of Famer amidst those wretched Braves teams of the 1980s and the dim-witted decision to play him in center field instead of right or left.
Murphy deserved better as a player and better in retirement.
Should he be in the HOF come 2026 and beyond?
Put him in.
If you support his inclusion send an email.
Josh Rawitch
President
Baseball Hall of Fame
25 Main Street
Cooperstown, NY 13326
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