Formative Relief Pitcher
After attending Fordham University in his native New York City, Murphy signed a professional contract with the New York Yankees. In 1934, his first full season with the Yankees, Murphy started 20 games (completing 10); for the remaining 11 years of his major league career, he would start only 20 games more, as he became one of the top bullpen specialists of his day. Moreover, his Yankees were one of the most powerful teams of all time, winning consecutive World Series championships from 1936 to 1939, and again in 1941 and 1943. Murphy's teammates included Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Bill Dickey, Red Ruffing, Lefty Gomez — and, through 1934, Babe Ruth. Murphy spent his final year in the American League with the 1947 Boston Red Sox, the Yankees' arch-rivals.
Overall, he appeared in 415 games, winning 93, losing 53 (for a winning percentage of .637) with an earned run average of 3.50. He led the AL in wins for a relief pitcher seven times. While the save was not then an official statistic, Murphy four times led the AL in that category. In eight World Series games and 16⅓ innings (spread over six different Series), Murphy won two games, lost none, saved four, and posted an ERA of 1.10. Johnny Murphy was on 7 World Series winning teams, the most of any pitcher in history.
Read more about this topic: Johnny Murphy
Famous quotes containing the words formative, relief and/or pitcher:
“The social forces that operate on a family during the daughter’s formative years continue to shape her experience. Thus the families, schools, and jobs that involve poor women are likely to be very hierarchically arranged, demanding conformity, passivity, and obedience—all unsupportive of continued intellectual growth.”
—Mary Field Belenky (20th century)
“Passengers in 1937 totaled 270,000; so many of these were celebrities that two Newark newspapers ran special airport columns.”
—For the State of New Jersey, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)
“Indolence is heaven’s ally here,
And energy the child of hell:
The Good Man pouring from his pitcher clear
But brims the poisoned well.”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)