Braves icon Dale Murphy knows that time has nearly run out on him to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by writers. After this election there will be one more year on the ballot for “Murph,” who admits being surprised by the low percentage of votes he’s received in the past 13 years.
With the 2012 Hall of Fame class to be announced Monday by the Baseball Writers Association of America, Murphy still thinks he belongs in Cooperstown and remains hopeful of enshrinement. Fifteen years is the maximum on the BBWAA ballot, but there’s always the Veterans Committee if he’s not voted in by writers.
Reasons cited by writers for leaving out Murphy were his .265 career batting average and brief period as an elite player. A former catcher converted to center fielder, “Murph” was a two-time National League MVP (1982, 1983), seven-time All-Star and recipient of five Gold Glove and four Silver Slugger awards.
Despite being one of the finest players of the 1980s, Murphy has never been named on as many as 25 percent of writers’ ballots, and was on fewer than 13 percent in 2011. Enshrinement requires 75 percent. Passed-over players can be selected to the hall by the Veterans Committee at a later date.
Murphy, 55, a Utah resident and father of eight, spoke with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution about the Hall of Fame and his career with the Braves.
Q: Murph, has this time of year become frustrating for you because of the annual Hall of Fame voting announcement? Or do you still allow yourself to be optimistic?
A: I’m always kind of optimistic. Not really frustrated, I think because my percentage hasn’t really been knocking on the door, you know? I think if it’d been at 60 percent for five years, it might be different. I know my percentage is pretty low and you need 75. And I’m not really close.
To be honest, I thought my percentage would be higher over the years. It hasn’t been high. I tend to feel like I’ll get a bump this year. There’s been some talk about guys that played in the ’70s and ’80s, that there might be some revisiting of their careers [by voters], and I have some people that have been supportive. So we’ll see. I appreciate the support and I try to stay optimistic.
Q: John Schuerholz emailed a letter on behalf of the Braves this year to Hall of Fame voters and other members of the BBWAA in support of your candidacy. Is there anything else that you think could be done or could have been done over the years?
A: That letter from John and the Braves was really nice, and I really appreciated it. I’m in the camp that you let things happen. I’m a little uncomfortable in some ways campaigning and tooting your own horn. Even talking about it sometimes, you don’t know exactly what you’re supposed to say. But one of the requirements they list going in is to believe you belong. I think there’s a place for me in there.
Q: Do you think you’d have received more votes if you’d played in a larger market, or even if you’d played for the Braves during their run of division titles?
A: I have said before, and I think it, that postseason play is an advantage for guys being considered. Your career gets imprinted more there, and I was only there once — it was ’82, a long time ago. That would have helped to have been [in more postseasons].
Q: Would getting into the Hall change the way you’re viewed or even the way you view your own career? Or are you satisfied with what you accomplished regardless of whether you can ever put “HOF” next to your signature?
A: It’s one of those things — obviously what a great thing to be able to be a part of. But there’s the career that stands and there’s really no going back. Are there some things I’d do differently? Oh, I’ve always felt I can think of things I wish I’d done — played in more postseasons. But as far as what I did, I just tried to approach every year the same way, to work hard at it, do the best you can.
Q: You’ve maintained a close association with the Braves, coming to spring training in recent years, stopping by to see Bobby Cox and his teams on the road. Even though you played for Philly and Colorado at the end, do you still consider yourself a Brave?
A: Oh, definitely. I had a great experience in Philly and Colorado, but I came up in Atlanta. They gave me a shot. ... I love showing up at [Braves] spring training; it’s a blast. The Braves have always been very accommodating, and we show up whenever we can on the road. I’m definitely a Brave.
Q: What do you think of the state of the Braves, as far as the direction the organization is headed. Do you like their young talent?
A: I do. I love some of these young players. How can you not love them? And Chipper [Jones] has hung in there tough, looks like he’s still going strong. I love some of these guys, they’re fun to watch. I appreciate the Braves organization, how they do things. They maintain that strong commitment to young players.
Q: Chipper’s nearing the end of his career, all spent with the Braves. What have you thought watching him over the years, seeing him grow up a Brave and experience so much success, but also deal with disappointment and adversity?
A: You’ve seen a young kid grow up right before our eyes as Braves fans, and he’s had a tremendous career and given it all to Atlanta. Speaking from personal experience, that’s something you don’t see. And having him here, one of the great third basemen in the history of the game — I’ve loved watching Chipper. One of the premier hitters in the history of the game. He’s matured, and he’s been able to do things that a lot of players have not been able to do, to maintain production at the end of his career, like Mike Schmidt did. That’s the problem when you get to his age, just staying 100 percent. But I think it’s been fantastic to see what he’s been able to do.
