MLB: Braves' legend Dale Murphy on the Hit By Pitches Controversy

Atlanta Braves legend Dale Murphy speaks to ESPN America at the MLB Fan Camp in Italy about the recent "Hit By Pitches" controversy and recounts a story of being 'targetted' by his former team.

[@EliasVoorhees]

Murphy is a great guy. I remember making him a birthday sign on a poster board when I was like 10. Bob Horner grabbed it and held it up behind Murphy as he was doing an interview with tv. Murph wrote a thank you note, and signed the card I made. It was an unbelievable moment for a 10 year old. I kept that on my wall for years.

[@adambartlett1458]

Moose Portmess are u kidding I hope you still have it, that's fucking amazing bro

[@bryanclark1246]

Moose Portmess you were like 10?

[@monkeyattackedmyass5435]

That's so cool.

[@ag3nt_green]

I went to a Phillies home game the year they acquired Murphy…it was my first major league game and I got to watch that man hit an extra inning walk off grand slam. I dont remember the team they played that night but I never heard human beings make a louder collective sound in my life to that point. I was 10 and the energy was absolutely insane.

[@adambartlett1458]

can't help but smile during this story

[@vegassports]

Put Murph in the Hall of Fame!

[@lazycat3562]

Dale Murphy is my over all favorite Baseball Player of all time, He was the reason that I started watching baseball and even now I am a life time Braves fan. I also would like for him to also talk on Head Injuries in baseball. Like When I was 15 years old I got hit it the left side of Head and yes I was wearing a Batting Helment. I mainly like to hear what he would advise to younger players and even coaches on the proper way to handle younger players who have had Head Injuries. Maybe he will manage the Braves somtime

[@herberthinton1499]

Class act, and a great ballplayer and teammate. Always respected Dale Murphy.

[@DontrelleRoosevelt]

One of my favorite all-time players... I still adore the guy to this day!

[@aaacomp1]

I was watching that game live when Nixon stormed the mound, jumped and kicked the pitcher. I still tell that story to people to this day. It was an insane moment that i had never seen before, nor since.

[@jordanwhite8567]

Tom was definitely trying NOT to hit him. He had 12 strikeouts that night and could have hit a fly from 50 yards away. He was throwing changeups at like 70mph in the general vicinity of the box but in no real danger of contacting Dale. You can tell from his body language during the AB that he did not want to be in this position. He starts walking off the field before he’s even ejected basically. Both those guys absolute class acts.

[@juggernaught79]

Wow! So glad I found this!!! I remember this. I also felt if Glavine wanted peg Murph he would’ve. Love them both! Legendary players

[@patricksbaseballcards]

And this is why although Murph’s stats are borderline HOF worthy, he should still be inducted. He’s a class act, and a great ambassador for our national pastime! Takes his time for everyone of all ages, and will always be one of my favorite players!

[@cc23klaid]

This was great stuff. I could listen to these sort of stories all day / everyday. I hope this beautiful game never changes #baseball ⚾️

[@dadadruma]

Being a long time Dodger fan, Dale Murphy and Bob Horner were Atlantas lethal weapons against Dodger pitching and would rain on my parade every single time lol, Awesome players and team!

[@danausmus9807]

Murph and Tommy a real pair of class acts. Loved watching them play and hearing them today. Can't wait for spring training 2024.

[@vertebrate746]

Man, I loved to watch Dale Murphy play ball. I grew up near Philadelphia but would spend summers down in south Georgia with my grandparents. The days were fun fishing, walking around the woods, etc. But the main event would be sitting down to watch the Braves at night and Murph was always my favorite. I was sorry to see him leave the Braves but was obviously thrilled that it was to the Phillies. I remember being at a Phillies/Braves game in Philadelphia when Murph was still a Brave. Was with a 3 other friends who wanted to go get some food, but Murph was due up in a few minutes, so I told them we had to wait because I wanted to see Murphy bat. He hit the ball a country mile....I don't know if I have ever seen a baseball hit one that hard. Glad I didn't go for that food. Great player, class act, and real easy to root for. He belongs in the HOF in my strong opinion. I do have a question though as my memory is now starting to fail. Did Horner bat third and Murph 4th or was Horner 5th? I am pretty sure Murph was 4th but can't remember the exact lineup.

[@aaacomp1]

Murph was always clean up

[@Mark-sj3xb]

Actually, the lineups varied. Was always Murphy, Horner, and Chambliss back to back but in no particular order, but usually in the 3-5 spots. When Brett Butler was here, Claudell Washington batted 3rd and the trio went 4-6. After Butler was traded, Claudell moved to leadoff

[@myjunkisstuffgarage967]

That's a funny story. Loved Murphy and was sad when he went to the Philly's.

[@JasonKTerry]

Me too. I loved him as a kid and waited years to see him play. We finally got tickets when the Braves came to Houston, and they traded him to Philly just a few days before that. Missed out.

[@achilleshoplites6298]

glavine wasnt even tryin to hit him

[@adambartlett1458]

Achilles Hoplites ikr, Dale knew, too. I know he knew Tom was being put up to it, he knew why, he knew Tom didn't want to, he understood the whole deal

[@TheVCRTimeMachine]

12 years? Glavine came up to the Braves in 1987 and Murphy was traded in 1990.

[@paleo704]

@@TheVCRTimeMachine I thought the same

[@prowlprime]

@@TheVCRTimeMachine Murphy played for Atlanta from 1975 to 1990. He became a full-time starter in 1978 at age 22.

[@TheVCRTimeMachine]

@@prowlprime Yeah I know that. The original comment, since deleted, stated that Murphy and Glavine were teammates for 12 years. Which is obviously not true.

[@Youre_Right]

I still don’t understand how Murphs not in the HOF. He may not be in the talks of greatest players, but he was always consistent and a team leader.

[@paleo704]

Didn’t get to 400 HRs

[@aaacomp1]

unfortunately none of his career stats are hall worthy. A career batting average of .250, over 1700 strike outs, and only 398 homers. He really only had about 5 years where he was truly great in the statistics department.

[@cagedtigersteve]

Dale didn't get hit by Tom Glavine in that incident. He gave him four inside pitches and was ejected.

[@heat4yoass]

Yeah, Tom looked like he didn't care if he got ejected. He didn't want to throw to Dale. I remember that game fondly.

[@nintendonerdsvideos4727]

Murphy told Glavine to go ahead and hit him if that ever came about again in the future.

[@jonlate4581]

Glavine got tossed and just walked off the mound as if the inning were over. Even the commentator said something to the effect of, 'he's obviously not throwing at him .....or maybe he is.'

[@jonathanfunnell4167]

love dale murphy with all my heart and always will love sports

[@johnnydobbs1736]

Great story Dale love it that's super funny! thanks for giving me such great child hood memories as a little boy hear in Atlanta GA . I still have a foul ball I was able to retrieve that you knocked back behind the home plate fence that was my first major league baseball game ever I was 6 years old and to be able to get a foul ball from my child hood idle was the highlight of my life at that point. Me and my friends would fight over who was better you or horner? and I was a fan of you both but when it come time to choose who was the best it was always you Murphy, your a class act in the highest degree on the field and of thef field you are a person that is an amazing example of how a person should carry them selves there are not many positive role models anymore but I'm thankful that I had you as one to look up to and of course my dad !!!!!..

[@OliveOyl12590]

I felt horrible for Tom Glavine having to hit Dale Murphy in the 1991 game at Philly. Glavine said that he received death threats for two years after that incident. Braves fans were annoyed because Murphy was still view as an icon back then.

[@Nihilianth]

Glavine revieved death threats for that? Source? Braves fans aren't Philly fans. They're not thugs. That's what the city of Philadelphia is for. Also, anyone who saw that incident, would know that Glavine wasn't trying to hit him.

[@arturbello4213]

Tom Glavine was a wuss.

[@branden3785]

@@Nihilianth Tom Glavine talks about it in many interviews.

[@eltravo2112]

I remember watching that game live on TBS back in 1991

[@bobmurica4174]

Legend and role model

[@eddiewillers1442]

I remember the lollipops Glavine tossed. If one had actually hit Murf it would have felt like a wiffle ball.

[@goodlookinghonkey8382]

I remember this like yesterday lol. Thanks Dale for the inside information lol. Love ya brother.

[@user-tu2gl6pl5m]

I love Dale Murphy. Best slugger of the 80s. Great player.

[@MrJking065]

Great story during the time of Old Style Baseball. I still enjoy baseball...but I LOVED the old way. Spez I really hope Murph mades the HOF one day.

[@eddiewillers1442]

I remember the four lollipops Glavine threw. I was laughing my butt off.

[@anthonyburns8563]

All 80s kids wanted to be you Dale Murphy #ChopOn

[@scottmanning1907]

I had a poster of Murphy in my bedroom love the guy what a good player and person.

[@brianwoodward2462]

Love this!!!

[@martyyoung3611]

One of my favorite players.

[@travisedmondson3227]

Just looked that all up before I noticed you had already typed it out haha

[@scotthulsey8763]

Glavine never threw three pitches that far outside the strike zone.

[@Ralphinsc]

The video is up on youtube. He threw four. The last three were almost soft tosses, they were so far outside and soft.

[@willdrucker4291]

Ehhh...the pitches were not outside....they were INSIDE....still, Murph was able to easily back away from them...no way would Glavine have plunked the legend....

[@Ralphinsc]

Will Drucker meant inside. not sure why I said outside.

[@Ralphinsc]

I think I was saying outside, as in outside of the zone. The pitches we're obviously in on him.

[@MrJking065]

If they had been on the other side of the plate..he may of gotten a stricke call or 2. He and Maddox made their living way outside of the zone!

[@Geotubest]

Dale Murphy should be in the HOF:

[@defiantone8556]

While its true, its an unwritten rule not to steal bases when the lead is big, if the team who is down don't like it, don't allow for it to happen in the first place. Not that I'm all for running up the score or anything, but where's it written that a team must stop trying to score just because the lead is to big? You don't want the other team to run up the score anymore than it already is, the simple solution to that is, don't allow for em to score. And if you do, its your own fault, now isn't it. Besides, I've seen many a games in my day, & trust me when I say this. In baseball, NO lead is safe. I think in the early or maybe it was the mid 90's the Mariners had this huge lead over the Indians & I mean it was huge. A blow out ya might say. And believe it or not, the Indians came back & won the game. I think its on youtube somewhere or at least the comeback part is. In fact, I think that's what they called it. The "Come Back." So after seeing that, do you STILL think it should be an unwritten rule when it comes to scoring? Or perhaps the late great Yogi Berra said it best. "It ain't over till its over." And I might echo that, with what Tom Hanks said in the movie A League Of Their Own when Hank said, "There's no crying in baseball." In short, if I ever were to manage, my team will score any damn way they can. And while I have all the respect in the world for ALL MLB teams that are out there, you can bet your bottom dollar son, for 9 innings & 27 outs, once the other team steps between those lines, that means their ass belongs to my team. Hit & run, small ball, stealing bases, stealing signs, or the Home Run, whatever it takes, my team is in it, to WIN IT!!! Because after all these years, & after watching all these games, lets just say I've seen allot of strange & crazy things happen on the field. And what I take from it all is, NO LEAD IS SAFE. Just ask the Mariners.

[@adambartlett1458]

defiantone baseball has more unwritten rules than any other sport...it's the sport known as "America's past time"...I agree with everything you said, I am just pointing out that, MLB is more like a backyard game more than any other major sport, and there is a lot of culture to be honorable and gracious in victory. whether it should be that way or it should be the way you describe, probably the way you describe, but maybe it's that rich, unique history that makes baseball more special than other sports, or makes it special in its own way.

[@joeyfanof88hotmail]

Why that man isn't in the HOF is beyond me.

[@jbayone]

How can you not be romantic about Dale Murphy?

[@FredGSanford.]

This is one of those perfect bar stories except with Murph it's with milk and cookies. Much love Murph.

[@crispy6311]

To be fair, Richie got the spikes for throwing at Nixon's knees. I love hearing this story though. Murph is one of my favorites.

[@TheJesusLifeX]

Murf needs to also note Glavin wasn’t really trying to hit him. He was throwing at him but it was just to make a statement. Any other batter would have been drilled. Lol

[@habyss]

If Fregosi doesn't wan't the other team stealing anymore bases, he should first promise not to score any more runs.

[@o0TylerDurden0o]

Am I the only person that thought Dale Murphy died? Grew up a Braves fan and saw him play when I was a kid and I thought I remembered him dying not long after his career was over with the Phillies. WTF.

[@user-tu2gl6pl5m]

Lenny Dykstra you mean?

[@aaacomp1]

Yes, you're the only one. He's still keeps a pretty high profile. He has a restaurant in Atlanta and still does public appearances.

[@cortchiewelch9492]

i don't remember seeing glavine throwing at dale. would love to see the video. this is like throwing at your brother.

[@brandondaniels9471]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/emnLgomLp8d7sNE

[@Hitit123]

What a guy what a story👊😂🔥💪

[@WilliamtheWorst]

I don't care, I love the unwritten rules of sports.

[@captainkev10]

It's funny. Many retaliatory unwritten rules of baseball follow gang mentality. Then you realize that the players have their own symbols, colors, and uniforms and that they really are gangs. Lol I love baseball.

[@captainkev10]

It's interesting. Baseball really has a gang mentality. Each gang has their own name, colors, creeds, and retribution "killings" or HBP.

[@tedgey4286]

Unwritten rule: don't try to sit through a Dale Murphy speech.

[@avalsonline2]

when a legend is talking, you sit down and shut the fuck up

[@crimsontide1980]

I'd listen to Dale Murphy talk about ironing clothes for an hour. He's a legend and a hell of a guy