Nice Guys Should Finish First

Dale Murphy, one of the most beloved and appreciated athletes to play for the Atlanta Braves, makes his home in Alpine, Utah, which is around 36 miles south of Salt Lake City, but people see him often enough around the capital city of Georgia that they might conclude that ole No. 3 is still anchored in the place he called home for more than a decade.

He owned a restaurant, aptly named Murph’s, at the former Cobb Galleria Centre from 2017 until its closure last year. Another reason he’s in Metro Atlanta a lot: His grown son’s family lives in the area. Murphy also visits several weekends each year to host his “MVP experience” in which 40 fans and collectors get to spend time with him, get his autograph, talk baseball and then watch a game with him in a private suite at Truist Park.

When he is not coordinating such appearances or spending time with his 23 grandkids, he is often on the road speaking, offering words to live by and reminiscing about his back-to- back MVP awards with the Braves in 1982-83, always underscoring faith, hope and charity.

Born in Portland, Oregon, Murphy was a raw talent at the outset of his career. He stood 6-foot-4 and weighed 210 pounds, which gave him excellent power and range. He started out as a catcher, but that was not a fit for him. He also spent time at first base. Eventually, Braves Hall of Fame manager Bobby Cox moved him to the outfield. “He saved my career,” says Murphy unhesitatingly. “I owe everything to Bobby Cox.”

What resonated with all Braves coaches and instructors was that he had the tools of a big leaguer and he had fire in the belly. He loved the game and was steadfastly committed to playing baseball for a living.

Murphy says Major League Baseball’s Special Assistant to the Commissioner Joe Torre, who managed the Braves from 1982 to 1984, is the one who made him realize that he could do more than hit home runs. That led to Murphy becoming a competent base stealer, which accented his value to the club’s offense.

His highlights include 398 home runs, 2,111 hits, 1,266 runs batted in and a batting average of .265. He was a seven-time All-Star selection and was the sixth player in history to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season. That’s not all. He won five consecutive Gold Glove Awards. And he played 740 consecutive games from 1981-1986, his endurance a reflection of how much he enjoyed playing the game.

Every baseball player has two images – on the field and off. Some, like the universally popular Murph, are recognized and appreciated for their life away from the game as much as they are for what they achieve in competition.

While he never met fellow baseball great Leo Durocher, who famously wrote the book Nice Guys Finish Last, Murphy’s baseball lifestyle was the antithesis of that sentiment.

When his playing days were over, the Braves retired his number. Ever humble, he was overwhelmed during that 1994 ceremony and still speaks about it with a sense of reverence.

“You mean I am in that distinguished group of guys like Hank Aaron, Bobby Cox, Warren Spahn, Phil Niekro, Greg Maddux – all 10 of ‘em? Wow, that is unbelievable!”

While his athletic achievements are impressive, his character is equally admirable. Coaches say he provided a positive influence in the locker room and was among the nicest guys ever to wear a Braves uniform. His teammates will tell you that underneath that nice guy demeanor, Murph was a seasoned competitor.

If there were statistics for signing autographs, stopping to pose for pictures with fans, answering fan mail, taking the time to speak to a charity or youth group and giving of himself to his church and community, he’d be at the top of the list.

In 2000, the Braves elected him to the club’s Hall of Fame. He is also in the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame and the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame. In February, Gov. Brian Kemp honored him with an official commendation and the legislature recognized him for being a role model.

He remains on the bubble when it comes to admission to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, but perhaps someday he will get enough votes from the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee to attain that high honor.

It would be an all-time injustice for Dale Murphy not to make it to Cooperstown as an inductee.