Red Murff

Red Murff
Red Murff
Saves	2
Teams
	Milwaukee Braves (1956–1957);

John Robert Murff (April 1, 1921 – November 28, 2008) was an American

Milwaukee Braves. Listed at 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m), 195 lb., Murff batted and threw right-handed. He attended Gettysburg College

.

A native of

Dallas Eagles

.

Murff entered the majors in 1956 with the Braves as a 35-year-old rookie, having been signed by Milwaukee scout Earle W. Halstead. In a story chronicled in Murff's biography "The Scout", Halstead negotiated with Dick Burnett, owner of the Dallas Eagles in the Texas League, where Murff played. The two sides reached an impasse until Halstead proposed a game of gin rummy with the winner setting the terms of the trade. Halstead won and the Braves paid Burnett $40,000 and three players from the 40 man roster to obtain Murff's contract. In part of two seasons, he posted a 2–2 record with a 4.65

saves in 26 appearances, including two starts, giving up 26 earned runs on 56 hits and 18 walks while striking out

31 in 501⁄3 innings of work.

Following his majors career, Murff

All-Star catcher Jerry Grote. Ryan, later named president of the Texas Rangers

, noted his friendship with Murff in his 1999 Hall of Fame induction speech.

In the early 1970s, Murff helped start the

University of Mary Hardin-Baylor baseball program, and retired to Tyler, Texas

, in 1991 after serving 34 years as a scout. He was inducted into the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Texas Scouts Association Hall of Fame in 1999, and in 1994 the UMHB's ballpark was named in his honour, Red Murff Field.

Murff died in a Tyler nursing home at the age of 87.

In the 2023 film The Hill, Murff is portrayed by actor Scott Glenn.