Dale Murphy, in his 12th try, finished far below the needed 75 per cent of the vote from the Baseball Writers Association of America. That result suggests the electors failed to do their homework.
Of the nine eligible players who won consecutive Most Valuable Player awards during their careers, only Murphy and Roger Maris remain outside the gates of Cooperstown. Maris was often considered a one-year wonder because of his then-record 61 home runs in 1961 but Murphy's lifetime achievements were more memorable.
A converted catcher who blossomed into an All-Star after moving to center field, Murphy made the National League All-Star team seven times, earned five Gold Gloves for defensive excellence, and very nearly became the first player to win three straight MVP awards (1982-83-84).
Murphy's Marks Top Many Hall of Famers
When compared with incumbent Hall of Famers, Murphy fares well. He won more home run crowns than Stan Musial, more RBI titles than Willie Mays, and more Gold Gloves than Jim Rice. He also hit more home runs than Rice, finishing with 398 after his surgically-repaired knees finally failed. By comparison, first-ballot inductee Al Kaline hit just one more.
Dominance during a decade -- usually used as a yardstick for Hall of Fame enshrinement -- also benefits Murphy. During the decade of the '80s, he finished first in total bases, ahead of such Cooperstown denizens as George Brett, Robin Yount, and Paul Molitor. In one season, he even had 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases -- a rare feat achieved only by two Hall of Famers, Hank Aaron and Willie Mays.
Unlike Aaron and Mays, however, Murphy never played under the World Series spotlight. Nor did he toot his own horn when he first became eligible for Cooperstown in 1999.
Tough Competition Hurt Slugger in Initial Try
That hurt, since his name came up the same year that Brett, Yount, and Nolan Ryan were all elected in their first try. With the exception of the inaugural five-man class, the Hall of Fame has never had an induction class of four or more (excluding those added by the Veterans Committee).
So what is the rap against Murphy's rep? It could be his .265 career average, caused by several sour years at the end of his 18-year career. It could be his campaign against allowing women in the clubhouse, an event that Murphy felt compromised his personal privacy. It could even be his Mormon religion, which also proved a handicap for Mitt Romney when he ran for President in 2008.
To be sure, there are Hall of Famers with lower batting averages, fewer home runs, fewer Gold Gloves, and certainly fewer MVP awards than Dale Murphy. There are also Hall of Famers who reside in Cooperstown because they played for popular, visible teams in major markets.
With the exception of his last two-and-a-half seasons, Murphy was signed and groomed by the Atlanta Braves. He arrived in 1978 as a catcher with a strong arm but a phobia about throwing to second base. Only after manager Bobby Cox moved him to the outfield did Murphy harness his arm's immense power.
Joe Torre, now managing the Dodgers, later convinced Murphy the benefit of hitting to all fields, turning the young slugger into a .300 hitter, home run king, and MVP.
Minimal Postseason Exposure Hurt his Chances
Murphy made it to postseason play only once, in 1982, when his Braves were swept in a three-game playoff by the St. Louis Cardinals. Had he reached October ball more often, he almost certainly would have been more highly regarded by the writers who do the voting.
Since Cooperstown voting rules use character as a reference, Murphy's omission becomes even more of a mystery. The National League's version of Cal (Mr. Clean) Ripken, he did not smoke, drink, swear, or turn away autograph seekers. He was polite to a fault with teammates, managers, and even opponents.
Dale Murphy is already enshrined in the Braves Hall of Fame at Turner Field in Atlanta, where his No. 3 jersey has long been retired. For some reason, however, the journey to Cooperstown hasn't been so simple.
Dan Schlossberg - Former AP newsman Dan Schlossberg is the only American journalist who covers baseball and travel exclusively. The 1969 Syracuse University ...
