NL Manager of the Year has Central New York roots

The first year Milwaukee Brewers skipper was a three-sport star at Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse

Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy, who was named the 2024 National League Manager of the Year this week, was a football, basketball and baseball star at Christian Brothers Academy in the 70's. / Mark Hoffman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Pat Murphy made an immediate impact in his first season as manager of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Fresh off of receiving the 2024 National League Manager of the Year honors, Murphy’s coaching career began in the early 1980s. Before that, Murphy’s upbringings began in Central New York.

Murphy, who grew up in the Syracuse neighborhood of Eastwood, is a Class of 1977 graduate of Christian Brothers Academy. He was a three-sport athlete – football, basketball and baseball – for the Brothers. 

Murphy’s high school career concluded by receiving first team All-City nods in football and baseball. He was inducted into CBA’s hall of fame in 2008.

In football, he was a lineman for CBA. Murphy played through an injury during his senior season on the gridiron.

CBA won its second-straight league championship in 1977. Murphy was the centerpiece of the Brothers’ championship run by pitching and also playing some first base.

The 1977 season included a pitching performance by Murphy that was unmatched by others. Despite losing 3-2 to rival Bishop Ludden in extra innings during the regular season, Murphy pitched all 14 innings and had 17 strikeouts.

According to information on Murphy’s career at CBA, he threw over 200 pitches against Bishop Ludden that day. During the evening of that same day, Murphy competed in a boxing competition and knocked out opponents to win the championship trophy.

Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy makes a point with umpire Chris Segal, after being thrown out of game against the Arizona Diamondbacks this summer. Murphy, however, had more highs and than lows in 2024, recently being named National League Manager of the Year. / Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Murphy got his redemption against Bishop Ludden on CBA’s way to a championship title. He shut out Bishop Ludden on a three-hitter and drove in the only run that the Brothers needed to win.

Murphy went on to play basketball at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, then played football and baseball at Division I’s Bowling Green State University. He transferred to Florida Atlantic University and played baseball there in 1981-82.

Pitching for the Owls, Murphy was named the team’s pitcher MVP in 1982 after he recorded a 2.66 earned-run average. An 2008 FAU Baseball Ring of Honor inductee, he tossed 11 complete games – which is 4th-most all-time in Owls baseball history.

After he spent some time with the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres organizations, Murphy took his first coaching job at Maryville College in 1983. Since then, Murphy has coached at all levels of baseball.

Murphy went on to have an illustrious college baseball coaching career with Notre Dame and Arizona State, compiling a record of 947-400-2 in 22 combined seasons.

He won National Coach of the Year in 1998 after he led the Sun Devils to the national championship that season.

Murphy was interim manager with the Padres in 2015. After the season ended, he became a bench coach for the Brewers on then-manager Craig Counsell’s staff.

Once Counsell left the Brewers to become the manager for the Chicago Cubs, Murphy was promoted to the vacant position. Murphy led Milwaukee to a 93-69 record and an NL Central Division title.

Murphy was inducted into the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame on Nov. 11 as part of the Class of 2024. CBA also recently honored him by announcing the Pat Murphy ‘77 Head Baseball Coaching position – the first-ever endowed coaching position at the school.