Friday, April 17, 2015

no. 401 - tom murphy


Who is the man: Tom Murphy was a big part of the surprising California Angels in 1970. He won 16 games, second only to Clyde Wright's 22 victories, as the Angels finished third in the AL West.

Can ya dig it: Murphy looks better than most executing the pitching follow-through pose.

Right on: Background vehicle! For a moment I thought that was a VW bug, but I think it's a van of some sort.

You see that cat Murphy is a bad mother: Murphy began his 12-year career as a starter, but remade himself into a reliever after being acquired by the Brewers. He saved 20 games in back-to-back years in 1974 and 1975, posting a 1.90 ERA in 1974.

Shut your mouth: Murphy was part of a trade between the Brewers and the Red Sox that sent Bernie Carbo to Milwaukee in 1976. The Brewers were sinking and placed last in the division that season, while the Red Sox were the defending AL champions. Murphy and Bobby Darwin, who was also sent from Milwaukee to Boston, gloated to teammates in the locker room about leaving the Brewers.

No one understands him but his women: Murphy was one of two American League pitchers to get a hit in 1974, one year after the start of the designated hitter. He singled in the 11th inning of a game against the Royals on June 12th.


(A word about the back): That's an interesting and unexpected factoid: Murphy's first pitch in professional baseball was an HBP.

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