Leo Murphy (baseball)

{{Short description|American baseball player (1889–1960)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Leo Murphy

|image=

|position=Catcher

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{birth date|1889|1|7}}

|birth_place=Terre Haute, Indiana

|death_date={{death date and age|1960|8|12|1889|1|7}}

|death_place=Racine, Wisconsin

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=May 2

|debutyear=1915

|debutteam=Pittsburgh Pirates

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=September 25

|finalyear=1915

|finalteam=Pittsburgh Pirates

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Games played

|stat1value=31

|stat2label=At bats

|stat2value=41

|stat3label=Hits

|stat3value=4

|teams=

• Pittsburgh Pirates ({{baseball year|1915}})

}}

Leo Joseph "Red"{{cite news|title=He Got the Dollar|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2668982/leo_murphy_18891960/|newspaper=The Racine Journal-Times|date=October 15, 1934|page=6|via=Newspapers.com|accessdate=June 23, 2015|archive-date=August 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819062656/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2668982/leo_murphy_18891960/|url-status=live}} {{Open access}} Murphy (January 7, 1889 – August 12, 1960) was a catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates during the {{baseball year|1915}} season. Listed at {{height|ft=6|in=1}}, 179 lb, Murphy batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Terre Haute, Indiana.

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.