Murphy brings stars to Daytona

By SEAN KERNAN
Daytona Beach News Journal

DAYTONA BEACH -- Chuck Murphy isn't only the Florida State League's president. He's its biggest fan.

That's why the timing of this weekend's FSL All-Star Weekend at Jackie Robinson Ballpark couldn't be any better. Murphy, in his 18th season as president of the advanced Class-A league, has longed for the mid-season classic to be played just outside his office at the historic City Island ballpark. Until this season, that hadn't happened.

But the Daytona Cubs have made it possible for some of the league's best baseball talent to be on display here by hosting tonight's Fan Fest (autograph session, skills competition and home run derby) and Saturday night's game between the East and West All-Stars.

The timing is right, in Murphy's case, because the league president had quadruple bypass heart surgery about a week before the season started and he undergoes regular dialysis treatment. Travel isn't as easy for the 75-year-old retired Army Lieutenant Colonel and Emo, his wife of 46 years. In years past, the couple easily made road trips to all of the FSL stadiums each season.

Having the game and festivities here allows Murphy to fulfill two of his favorite ceremonial duties this weekend: The presentation of special awards to players and the acceptance, on the league's behalf, of a $10,000 donation from the Florida Marlins to the FSL Scholarship fund that awards grants to college students who have a connection to the league.

The scholarship program is one of Murphy's favored accomplishments during his tenure and many a college student has been assisted over the years. The FSL supports the program by allocating fine money from ejections and on-field bench-clearing incidents.

"All I need is two on-field incidents and I'll get our scholarship money," Murphy said.

As the league's top executive, Murphy deals with the day-to-day operations of the league, enforcement of rules, overseeing umpires and operating the league office with the aid of his assistant, Peggy Catigano. He has his fingers on the pulse of the league.

A former general manager of the Evansville Triplets and Daytona Beach Islanders, Murphy's as comfortable dealing with a municipal stadium groundskeeper as he is a major-league general manager. He's as appreciative of a stadium concession worker's efforts in making a fan's trip to the ballpark a fun outing as he is of a team's star player creating memories that will last a lifetime for some 10-year-old Little Leaguer like his grandson Logan.

Murphy once said that he enjoyed the job so much that he'd do it for nothing.

"Oh no, don't say that," Ken Carson, who was the director of Florida operations for the Toronto Blue Jays for many years, told him.

LIFETIME CONTRACT

Fortunately for Murphy, the league didn't take him up on the offer. Instead, the league's board voted to give him what amounts to a lifetime contract, with a modest raise each year, because the FSL ship has sailed so smoothly since Murphy took over in the 1990 season. Back then he inherited two boxes of league papers and a budget filled with red ink.

Those are distant memories now. Murphy quickly turned around the league's finances and began accumulating an impressive collection of baseball memorabilia, photos and collectibles, of which he's proud.

"There wasn't anything for our history and I wanted to change that," Murphy said. "I want to make sure that whoever takes over for me will have a few things to display about our league history."

It was at the fall league meeting in 1989 that the FSL board of directors made the decision to hire Murphy. By all accounts, it was the best decision the board made in the last two decades.

The league's directors and general managers, many of whom were young men early in their professional careers, got more than a league president. They also got league parents.

"When you got Chuck, you got Emo," said Rob Rabenecker, a league vice-president and manager of the Jupiter Stadium that is home to two FSL teams. "It was like they were the parents of the league. That relationship was one like we were dealing with our parents. They brought a human element to it."

And in a business that often requires 12-to-14 hour work days during the season, parental advice was needed at times.

"Chuck and Emo have been an example for us that you can be in this game and still have a family and be devoted to each other," Rabenecker said.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

There was one concern shared by the young GMs around the league, however.

"Because of his Army background, it was, 'Oh crap. Here's comes the General," Rabenecker said of worries that proved unfounded.

Murphy still has a bit of Army in him. Twenty-one years with Uncle Sam, including two tours in Korea and one in Vietnam, leave a lifetime imprint on one's character. Tough but always fair is a general description used by those who've worked with him over the years. And his judgment is respected beyond the FSL.

"I know other league presidents call him for advice," Carson said.

Around the league, Murphy gets respect because he doesn't abuse his authority.

"If I had to pick one word to describe him it's integrity," Rabenecker said. "He's the most trustworthy individual around."

Carson said the respect extends from the front office to the field.

"The managers and on-field personnel all have the utmost respect for him," Carson said. "When he was out after the surgery, I was filling in for him and I found it always helped if I started off my conversation with, 'I'm calling on behalf of Chuck Murphy.' That always made it a lot easier."

Murphy also has a great sense of humor. He loves to laugh, even if the joke's on him. The general managers around the league enjoy impersonating their league president, offering up his favorite expression: "God bless America."

Quite a few years ago, a group of GMs were out late one night, and they thought it would be funny to call the FSL office and each take a turn at repeating Murphy's message on his answering machine: "Hi, this is the Florida State League," each said in his best Chuck Murphy voice. "Please leave your message. We'll get back to you later. Thank you."

That was many years ago, and that same message is still on the answering machine.

It will be there for as long as Chuck Murphy wants it.