Leo Joseph "Red"[1] Murphy (January 7, 1889 – August 12, 1960) was a catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates during the 1915 season. Listed at 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m), 179 lb, Murphy batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Leo Murphy | |
---|---|
Catcher | |
Born: (1889-01-07)January 7, 1889 Terre Haute, Indiana | |
Died: August 12, 1960(1960-08-12) (aged 71) Racine, Wisconsin | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
May 2, 1915, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
Last MLB appearance | |
September 25, 1915, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
MLB statistics | |
Games played | 31 |
At bats | 41 |
Hits | 4 |
Teams | |
|
Murphy started his professional career in 1912 with Double-A Columbus Senators of the American Association. He spent three years in the Minor leagues before joining the Pirates early in the 1915 season. While in Pittsburgh, he served as a backup for regular catcher George Gibson. He hit .098 (4-for-41) in 31 games, including four RBI and four runs scored.
Following his majors career, Murphy returned to minor league action for five more years between 1916 and 1927. In a nine-season career, he was a .255 hitter with 15 home runs in 801 games. He later coached in the minors and also managed during five years in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League for the Racine Belles, leading them to three consecutive playoff appearances, including the Championship Title in 1946. He posted a combined 310–259 record for a .554 winning percentage.
Murphy was a longtime resident of Racine, Wisconsin, where he died at the age of 71.