Dwayne Murphy Essentials

Positions: Outfield 
Bats: L Throws: R
Height: 6-1″ Weight: 185
Born: Friday, March 18, 1955 in Merced, CA USA
Debut: 4/8/1978
Last Game: 10/1/1989
Full Name: Dwayne Keith Murphy

Notable Events and Chronology

SearchSearch Events, Dates and More Date (Newest)Title (A - Z)

August 4, 1979

Mariners’ Ruppert Jones hits a foul ball that sticks in the speaker above the first base dugout

November 27, 1984

The American League Gold Glove team is announced, and it is made up of the same nine players as the 1983 team

September 1, 1986

A’s rookie Jose Canseco become the first major league player with 100 RBI this season

Biography

Dwayne Murphy

His biggest offensive year came in 1984, when he hit 33 home runs and drove in 88 runs. He was one of the best defensive players in the game, winning six straight Gold Gloves from 1980 to 1985. His signature play became a trademark of sorts for him – his hat blowing off his head on virtually every play he made, from tracking down routine fly balls to making spectacular catches deep in center.

Murphy hit second in the lineup throughout most of his career with the A’s batting behind Rickey Henderson. Henderson credits Murphy for helping him set the single-season stolen-base record of 130 steals in 1982. After Henderson stole his 119th base that season, he pulled the base up out of the ground and kept it. Afterwards, in an interview, he said, “If I could break this base in half, I’d give the other half to Dwayne Murphy.”

Murphy also credits Henderson with helping him have a good career. “I took a lot of pitches for him”, Murphy said. “He made my career, I believe, because I let him steal and that put me in a position to knock in runs. I loved to watch him play. Let him steal second, let him steal third, knock him in. It gave me a respectable career.”