A clandestine undertaking on behalf of Israel, the Jets and the Jews.

 
Bob Murphy Retires

After 42 years as Mets announcer, Bob Murphy announced yesterday that he would retire at the end of the season.

Murphy has been around since the formation of the Mets in 1962 (and for eight seasons before that, with the Red Sox and Orioles). It is truly impossible to imagine the Mets without him. While at 78 retirement would seem appropriate, he is in fact retiring too early, and will be very sorely missed.

I've always been an avid Mets fan, but in the 80's I was an especially fanatical fan. Aside from games on the Jewish sabbath and holidays, I very rarely missed one and even when I watched on TV, I'd often also have the radio on. Once my brother moved out of our room around 1984 (when I was 11), when games went into extra innings or the Mets were playing on the West Coast and it was past my bedtime, I'd put a small radio under my pillow and listen to games on WHN. Sometimes I'd fall asleep during the (hopefully happy) recap and wake up to the country music played by that station, which became defunct when WFAN commenced broadcasting in 1987. That radio is still in my old room in my parents' house, right next to my bed.

In 1990, I was hired by The Jerusalem Post to be some freelance sportswriting. Press access includes many nice perks, and for me, the two biggest ones were walking around the Shea Stadium field and dugouts to watch batting practice before the game, and encountering Bob Murphy.

Aside from the '86 season, my favorite memories of listening to the Mets come from the 1983 season. The Mets actually finished last that year, with a 68-94 record. But they improved throughout the season, and played very well in the second half. Murphy conveyed an optimistic feeling that after seven bad seasons (which was all that I, then 10 years old, ever knew), the Mets would soon be the team to watch, a feeling which of course was true. Keith Hernandez was acquired that season, and Darryl Strawberry and Ron Darling were called up to the majors. Rusty Staub set the (then) record for pinch hits and the (still standing) record for pinch hit RBIs. Tom Seaver came back to the Mets (though he was gone by '84), while Jesse Orosco had a career year, with a 13-7 record and a 1.47 ERA in 110 innings pitched.

Murphy hinted that he may come back next season for a game a month. That'd be better than nothing, but not enough. A game a week should be the minimum, with the stipulation that he announce key September and postseason games when the Mets return to contention.
posted on 7/28/2003