Fred J. Murphy
Encyclopedia
Fred J. Murphy was an American football
player and coach of football, basketball
, and baseball
. He played college football
as a tackle
at Yale University
was selected as an All-American in 1895
. Murphy served as the head football coach at the University of Missouri
(1900–1901), Northwestern University
(1914–1918), University of Denver
(1920–1922), and University of Kentucky
(1924–1926), compiling a career football coaching record of 46–47–6. He was also the head basketball coach at Manhattan College
(1912–1913) and at Northwestern (1914–1917), and the head baseball coach at Northwestern (1914–1916) and Kentucky (1925–1926).
where he played tackle for the school's football team. He was selected as an All-American at that position in 1895.
In 1894, Murphy was injured in the Harvard–Yale football game that became known as the "Hampden Park Blood Bath." The game had become increasingly brutal with the introduction of mass formation. In the 1894 game, four players on each team suffered serious injuries, resulting in the cancellation of the football rivalry between the two schools. Murphy was left unconscious for five hours in a hospital as a result of the beating he took in the game.
from 1900 to 1901 and compiled a 6–10–2 record.
and he held that position for five seasons, from 1914 until 1918. His coaching record at Northwestern was 16–16–1. This ranks him 11th at Northwestern in total wins and tenth at Northwestern in winning percentage.
, a coaching position he held for three seasons until 1922. At Denver, he compiled a record of 12–7–2. His best season at Denver was 1922, when the team's record was 6–1–1, second only to his 6–1 season at Northwestern in 1916.
from 1924 to 1926. There he compiled a record of 12–14–1.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and coach of football, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
as a tackle
Tackle (American football)
Tackle is a playing position in American and Canadian football. Historically, in the one-platoon system a tackle played on both offense and defense. In the modern system of specialized units, offensive tackle and defensive tackle are separate positions....
at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
was selected as an All-American in 1895
1895 College Football All-America Team
The 1895 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans for the 1895 college football season, as selected by Caspar Whitney for Harper's Weekly and the Walter Camp Football Foundation...
. Murphy served as the head football coach at the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
(1900–1901), Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
(1914–1918), University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
(1920–1922), and University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
(1924–1926), compiling a career football coaching record of 46–47–6. He was also the head basketball coach at Manhattan College
Manhattan College
Manhattan College is a Roman Catholic liberal arts college in the Lasallian tradition in New York City, United States. Despite the college's name, it is no longer located in Manhattan but in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, roughly 10 miles north of Midtown. Manhattan College offers...
(1912–1913) and at Northwestern (1914–1917), and the head baseball coach at Northwestern (1914–1916) and Kentucky (1925–1926).
Playing career
Murphy attended Yale UniversityYale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
where he played tackle for the school's football team. He was selected as an All-American at that position in 1895.
In 1894, Murphy was injured in the Harvard–Yale football game that became known as the "Hampden Park Blood Bath." The game had become increasingly brutal with the introduction of mass formation. In the 1894 game, four players on each team suffered serious injuries, resulting in the cancellation of the football rivalry between the two schools. Murphy was left unconscious for five hours in a hospital as a result of the beating he took in the game.
Missouri
Murphy started as the head football coach at the University of MissouriUniversity of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
from 1900 to 1901 and compiled a 6–10–2 record.
Northwestern
Murphy was the 12th head coach at Northwestern UniversityNorthwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
and he held that position for five seasons, from 1914 until 1918. His coaching record at Northwestern was 16–16–1. This ranks him 11th at Northwestern in total wins and tenth at Northwestern in winning percentage.
University of Denver
Murphy returned to coaching in the 1920 season to coach at the University of DenverUniversity of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
, a coaching position he held for three seasons until 1922. At Denver, he compiled a record of 12–7–2. His best season at Denver was 1922, when the team's record was 6–1–1, second only to his 6–1 season at Northwestern in 1916.
Kentucky
Murphy's next move was to become the head coach at the University of KentuckyUniversity of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
from 1924 to 1926. There he compiled a record of 12–14–1.
Football
External links
- Fred J. Murphy at College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com