Many would say that Dale Murphy was the National League's version of Cal Ripken and that wouldn't be far off,except I really liked Dale Murphy and never cared for Cal Ripken.
But I look at Dale Murphy as the first favorite player over a national basis and not just because he was a great player.
Dale Murphy was the star of the Atlanta Braves when WTBS was just starting to cover the country and give areas that didn't have a team in their area a team that they could watch every night as if they were the home team.
The station began to market the Braves as "America's Team" and they truly were as can be seen to this day with the large amount of Braves fans between the current ages of 21 and up.
I'll never understand why TBS traded the Braves everyday following in return for a game of the week and a few playoff games,but the WTBS story with the Braves,Hawks and Wrestling will wait for another day because this is about the franchise player in the days before the Braves became the powerhouse that we know them as now.
Dale Murphy played on a lot of bad Atlanta teams,only reaching the playoffs one time on the NL West champions in 1982 and only that team and the 83 Braves finished more than one game over .500 in his tenure (the 1980 Braves finished 81-80).
Eight of Murphy's seasons in Atlanta ended with more than ninety losses,so Dale Murphy can be given credit for much of the fan base that would become hooked on the Braves because more often than not,Murphy was the only reason to watch such a forlorn franchise.
Playing in often in front a sparce crowd in a stadium a quarter full,Murphy was the Braves in those years.
Starting as a catcher,Murphy was moved to the outfield and quickly proved to be the among the best defensive outfielders in the game as he was the winner of six gold gloves as he patrolled center in Fulton County Stadium,a less than visually exciting stadium,unless the sight of Chief Nok-A-Homa and his teepee turns one on.
Murphy started to impress in 1978 with 23 homers,but he did it hitting just ,228,it was the following season when despite missing almost 60 games,he raised his average fifty points and still hit 21 homers.
In 1980,Murphy began a run that lasted through 1987 that one could make a legitimate argument that he was the best player in the game.
During this run,Murph won two MVP's never hit fewer than 29 homers (with 44 as a high) three seasons in a row of 36 homers and followed up with a 37 HR year,over 100 RBI's five times (on a team that he carried on his back far more often than not) and underrated speed,usually finishing in double digits in steals.
That changed dramatically in 1988,when Murphy's batting averaged dipped into the .220's with mid-20's power.
When the following year resulted in similar statistics,Murphy was clearly on the downside.
In the middle of 1990,the Braves shipped Murphy to the Phillies in a mid-season trade and it was hoped that the change would revitalize the bat of the veteran as well.
Murphy's produced a decent 1991,but that proved to be his final stand as he would play just 18 games for the 92 Phillies and another 26 for the 93 Rockies before throwing in the towel for good.
Dale Murphy was the favorite player of so many,including Ryan,so I do get the occasional question-Is Dale Murphy a hall of famer?
His peak was eight years and his dropoff was very quick,but two more homers would have given him 400 for a career in an era where that was far more impressive than it looks today.
The rapid decline hurt his candidacy,but to me if you put Jim Rice in (the numbers are very similar,except for average) and I supported his induction-I would have no problem giving a vote to Murphy.
I know many would argue that Murphy's resume' wasn't long enough at the highest level,but I've written before that I'd rather have seven or eight years at the top of the game rather than 12 to 15 of being good to very good and under that argument,Murphy would earn entry,especially consider the induction of Rice.
Combine on the field excellence,being a great ambassador for the game and being so popular with so many and Dale Murphy still may not make the hall,but he will be welcomed into the forgotten superstars universe with pride!
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