Herbert Murphy

Herbert Courtland Murphy
(Pat)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 165 lb.

• Debut April 14, 1914
• Final Game May 7, 1914
• Born December 18, 1886 in Olney, IL USA
• Died August 10, 1962 in Tallahassee, FL USA

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Biographical Information

Herbert Courtland Murphy played nine games in the majors with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1914 and 13 years in the minors. Although given the common derogatory nickname "Dummy" for deaf people of the time, his friends reportedly called him "Pat". [1] Newspapers referred to him as Herbert or Herb. [2] Although there had been a number of deaf major leaguers before him, it would be three decades before another deaf big leaguer came after him, Dick_Sipek.

Murphy was tried at shortstop by the Phils the season before future Hall of Famer Dave Bancroft became the regular shortstop in 1915.

He started in the minors in 1912, and with the 1913 Thomasville Hornets he hit .338. In 1914, he was with the Phillies in April plus one game in May, with 5 of his 9 games against the New York Giants. His one hit was off Dick Crutcher of the Boston Braves.

Pat spent most of 1914 with the Jersey City Skeeters and continued to play in the minors through 1924. He had three seasons with teams in Seattle, WA in three different leagues. In 1921, he hit .316 with 23 home runs for the High Point Furniture Makers. Three of the years that he played in the minors he was also the team's manager.