Inducted October 13, 1973
Although born in St. John’s in 1900 “Jimmy” Murphy moved to Corner Brook at an early age. Photographs taken over forty years ago give ample evidence of his early interest in sport, especially in the area of long distance running.
Mr. Murphy’s major contribution to sport in Corner Brook was in baseball. When “Jimmy” assumed the presidency of the Corner Brook Baseball League, he was responsible for the rehabilitation of the home of baseball in Western Newfoundland “Jubilee Field”, a facility which is without parallel in the province. It was through his efforts that professional coaching in baseball was brought to Corner Brook thus contributing to the promotion of interest in baseball in that city and the whole of the province. He was also a past president of the Newfoundland Baseball Association.
“Mr. Baseball”, as Jimmy Murphy was often called in Corner Brook, did not confine his activities and interest to that sport. He played a major part in the raising of funds for Humber Gardens which was built in 1954 thus contributing greatly to that sport in Western Newfoundland.
A lifelong builder of sport in Newfoundland, especially in Corner Brook, Mr. Murphy was well known and much respected. He was married and has eight children most of whom reside in Corner Brook. He died in 1971 just short of his seventy-first birthday.