Dwayne Murphy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dwayne Murphy |
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Murphy as Blue Jays first base coach, 2009.
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| Center fielder | |||
| Born: March 18, 1955 Merced, California, U.S. |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: April 8, 1978, for the Oakland Athletics | |||
| NPB: April 7, 1990, for the Yakult Swallows | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| MLB: October 1, 1989, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| NPB: May 24, 1990, for the Yakult Swallows | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .246 | ||
| Home runs | 166 | ||
| Runs batted in | 609 | ||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .229 | ||
| Home runs | 5 | ||
| Runs batted in | 22 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Dwayne Keith Murphy, born on March 18, 1955, is a former American professional baseball player. He played most of his career as an outfielder for the Oakland Athletics in Major League Baseball (MLB).
While playing for the Athletics, Murphy often batted right after the famous player Rickey Henderson. He was known as one of the best defensive outfielders of his time. He won six Gold Gloves in a row from 1980 to 1985. Murphy currently works as a minor league assistant hitting coach and outfield coordinator for the Texas Rangers. He also coached for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Toronto Blue Jays teams.
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Playing Baseball
Starting with the Oakland Athletics (1978–1987)
Dwayne Murphy was born in Merced, California. This city is about 120 miles from Oakland. After finishing high school, Murphy was chosen by the Oakland Athletics in the 1973 draft. He had turned down a football scholarship to play baseball.
Murphy joined the major leagues for the first time in 1978 when he was 23 years old. He spent most of his playing career with the Oakland Athletics.
In his first year, Murphy played in 60 games. He had 10 hits and a batting average of .182. He did not hit any home runs that season. As he became the team's everyday center fielder, his performance improved. He also started hitting more home runs. In the early 1980s, the Athletics had a strong outfield. It included Murphy, Rickey Henderson, and Tony Armas. Many people thought they were the best young outfield in baseball.
The Athletics made it to the playoffs in 1981. They lost to the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series. During those playoffs, Murphy had a batting average of .421. He also hit one home run in six games.
Best Offensive Season and Defensive Skills
Murphy's best year for hitting was in 1984. He batted .256, hit 33 home runs, and had 88 RBI. He also walked many times, which helped him get on base often. Murphy was very fast on the bases. He stole 26 bases in both 1980 and 1982.
Murphy was also an amazing defensive player. He won six straight Gold Gloves from 1980 to 1985. A "Gold Glove" is an award given to the best defensive players in baseball. His hat often flew off his head when he made plays. This became a fun thing people noticed about him.
Teamwork with Rickey Henderson
Murphy usually batted second in the lineup for the Athletics. He batted right after Rickey Henderson. Henderson has said that Murphy helped him set a record in 1982. That year, Henderson stole 130 bases, which was a single-season record.
After stealing his 119th base, Henderson kept the base. He later said, "If I could break this base in half, I'd give the other half to Dwayne Murphy." Murphy also said that Henderson helped his career. He explained that he would take pitches, allowing Henderson to steal bases. This put Murphy in a good position to hit runs in.
During his nine years with the Athletics, Murphy played for managers Billy Martin and Tony La Russa.
Later Years in MLB and Japan (1988–1990)
After playing ten seasons with Oakland, Murphy spent his last two years in MLB with other teams. In 1988, he played 49 games for the Detroit Tigers. He batted .250 with four home runs. In 1989, his final MLB season, he played for the Philadelphia Phillies. He hit .218 with nine home runs.
In 1990, Murphy went to Japan to play for the Yakult Swallows. This team is part of Nippon Professional Baseball. Injuries made it hard for him to play well, and he left the team in August.
Coaching Career
After his playing days, Dwayne Murphy became a baseball coach.
Early Coaching Roles
He coached for the Arizona Diamondbacks from 1998 to 2003. In 2001, he was the hitting coach when the Diamondbacks won the World Series. In 2005, the Toronto Blue Jays hired him as a hitting coach. He first worked with their minor league team, the Syracuse SkyChiefs. Later, he became a "roving" instructor. This meant he visited all the Blue Jays' minor league teams to help players with their hitting.
Coaching for the Toronto Blue Jays
On June 20, 2008, Murphy became the Blue Jays' first base coach. This happened when Cito Gaston became the new manager. Blue Jays outfielder Adam Lind said that Murphy helped him stay relaxed. Lind mentioned that Murphy was fun to be around and they would joke with each other.
On October 30, 2009, Murphy became the Blue Jays' hitting coach. He took over after Gene Tenace retired. Murphy and Cito Gaston were praised for helping José Bautista become a superstar. They helped him change his batting swing. On November 24, 2012, Murphy was named the Blue Jays' first base coach and outfield coach again. This happened after John Gibbons returned as the team's manager.
Murphy announced he was retiring after the 2013 season. However, on January 13, 2015, he was hired by the Texas Rangers. He became their new minor league assistant hitting coach and outfield coordinator.
Personal Life
Dwayne Murphy enjoys playing the bass guitar. He also helped fund the first record label and album for the musician MC Hammer. The album was called Feel My Power.
His brother, Rod Murphy, also played minor league baseball. He played for teams like the Victoria Mussels and the Modesto A's.
