John Murphy (murphjo03)

John Patrick Murphy
(Soldier Boy)

• Bats Unknown, Throws Unknown
• Height 5' 7", Weight 160 lb.

• Debut September 10, 1902
• Final Game September 25, 1903
• Born May 20, 1879 in New Haven, CT USA
• Died April 20, 1949 in Andover, MA USA

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Biographical Information

John Murphy went 2-for-3 in the one game he played for the St. Louis Cardinals near the end of the 1902 season. He came back the next year, 1903, for five games with the Detroit Tigers. Murphy was also with the Lawrence Colts in 1902, 1903 and 1904. Most of John's minor league career was spent in the New England League, which was natural because John was born in Connecticut.

John had played third base for the Cardinals but was used at shortstop by the Tigers. He made four errors in five games for the Tigers, but to be fair, shortstop was not his normal position. He made a good impression on the reporters from Sporting Life (see below). The most-utilized shortstop for the 1903 Tigers was Sport McAllister, who made 26 errors in 46 games there, but it wasn't his usual position either.

He is not to be confused with several other players named either John Murphy or Johnny Murphy. In addition, another Murphy, Danny Murphy, also played infield in the American League in 1903.

"Manager Donovan tried young Murphy, of Lawrence, at third for the St. Louis in Boston. The young man made good with the stick, and in the field handled himself well." Sporting Life, September 20, 1902 issue, about John Murphy's one game in the 1902 National League

"In the games here (in Boston) Detroit tried at short Murphy, who has played with the Haverhill and Lawrence Clubs of the New England League, and he made a very good showing in the field and not showing up at all badly with the stick. Murphy is an energetic and ambitious ball tosser and has done some very fine work in the New Eng­land League field." - report dated Sept. 29 in the Sporting Life, October 3, 1903 issue

"Shortstop John Murphy, of Manchester, played finely for Detroit." - report about Murphy's play on September 22, 1903 in the Sporting Life issue mentioned above

"Young Murphy, of Roxburg, fitted in well for the Detroits at short. He is an energetic, hard­working player." - yet another comment from the same issue