Football days : $b memories of the game and of the men behind the ballEdwards, William H. (William Hanford)
General
Football days : $b memories of the game and of the men behind the ball
Edwards, William H. (William Hanford)
Football
"He could have thirty men on the field at once and carry on
conversations with visitors and graduates; issue orders to workmen and
never lose sight of a single one of his men. He was popular wherever he
went. His fame was not only known here, but abroad. His charm of manner
and his cheerful courage will be remembered by all who knew him, but
only those who knew him well realize what an influence he had on the
boys with whom he worked, and how high were his ideals of manhood. The
amount of good done by Mike Murphy in steering boys into the right track
can never be estimated."
Prep' School boys athletically inclined followed Murphy. Many a man went
to college in order to get Murphy's training. He was an athletic magnet.
"The Old Mike"
The town of Natick, Mass., boasts of Mike Murphy's early days. Wonderful
athletic traditions centered there. His early days were eventful for his
athletic success, as he won all kinds of professional prizes for short
distance running. Boyhood friends of Mike Murphy tell of the comradeship
among Mike Murphy, Keene Fitzpatrick, Pooch and Piper Donovan--all
Natick boys. They give glowing accounts of the "truck team" consisting
of this clever quartet, each of whom were "ten-second" men in the
sprinting game.
If that great event which was run off at the Marlboro Fair and Cattle
Show could be witnessed to-day, thousands of admirers would love to see
in action those trainers, see them as the Natick Hose truck defeated
the Westboro team that day, and sent the Westboro contingent home with
shattered hopes and empty pocketbooks.
"In connection with Army-Navy games," writes Crolius of Dartmouth, "I'll
never forget Mike Murphy's wonderful ability to read men's condition by
their 'mental attitude.' He was nearly infallible in his diagnosis."
Once we questioned Mike. He said, "Go get last year's money back, you're
going to lick them!" And true to his uncanny understanding he was right.
Was it any wonder that men gave Murphy the credit due him?
Mike Murphy had a strong influence over the players. He was their
ever-present friend. He could talk to a man, and his personality could
reach farther than any of the coaches. The teams that Murphy talked to
between the halves, both at Yale and Pennsylvania, were always inspired.
Mike Murphy always gave a man something of himself.
It is interesting to read what a fellow trainer, Keene Fitzpatrick, has
to say of Mike:
"Mike first started to train at Yale. Then he went to the Detroit
Athletic Club in Detroit; then he came back to Yale; then he went to the
University of Pennsylvania; then back to Yale again, and finally back to
the University of Penn', where he died.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account