Dale Murphy again not elected to Hall of Fame

A sizable contingent of baseball fans and analysts have long argued Murphy’s case. A seven-time All-Star, Murphy won consecutive MVPs in 1982-83 (only 14 players have done so), earned five Gold Glove awards (1982-86), four Silver Slugger awards (1982-86) and the Roberto Clemente Award (1988).

The center fielder twice led the National League in home runs (1984-85). He twice paced the Senior Circuit in RBIs (1982, 1983) and slugging percentage (1983-84). In 1985, he also led MLB in runs scored (118) and walks (90). He hit 398 total homers — sixth in NL history among right-handed hitters — and had 2,111 hits and 1,266 RBIs.

Murphy didn’t miss a game from 1982 through 1985. He played in at least 153 games every year from 1982 through 1991. Beyond his two MVP wins, he finished in the top 12 of MVP voting four other times.

Overall, Murphy hit .268/.351/.478 across 15 seasons with the Braves from 1976 to 1990. He finished his career with the Phillies (1990-92) and Rockies (1993). His later years were mired in injuries and resulted in a statistical drop-off, which led to his debated Hall candidacy (Murphy was worth 1.8 bWAR across his age 33-37 seasons after accruing 45.5 bWAR from age 24 through 32).

His overall career didn’t get him enough support on the writers’ Hall of Fame ballot. He first appeared on the writers’ ballot in 1999 and remained for 15 years, never generating much momentum (his most support came during his second year on the ballot). His case shifted to the Modern Baseball Era ballot, where his case has still struggled to gain momentum.

There have been plenty of Murphy lobbyists through the years, be that those associated with the Braves, historians who favor his case or just fanatics who appreciated his career (like those driving the Murphy To The Hall campaign). Murphy, who played in front of the nation on TBS, was among the sport’s faces in the 1980s. He captured fans’ hearts during that era.

Murphy embodies the Atlanta Braves. He’s synonymous with what was an otherwise difficult time before the team’s rise in the early 1990s. Murphy was a bright spot on many poor Braves teams, and the franchise reached the postseason just once during his tenure (1982).

Murphy has remained a pillar with the franchise and community. He’s admired as much for his character as his play. But his wait to potentially join baseball’s immortality persists.

Candidates needed to garner at least 75% of the ballots cast by the 16-member Contemporary Baseball ERA committee (12 votes). Murphy and Kent were joined by six other eligible candidates: Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Carlos Delgado, Don Mattingly, Gary Sheffield and Fernando Valenzuela.

Sheffield, a former Brave, received less than five votes, so he won’t be eligible again until 2031. The same goes for Bonds, Clemens and Valenzuela. Murphy, meanwhile, had enough support to return to the ballot.

The 2025 voting committee included Hall of Famers Fergie Jenkins, Jim Kaat, Juan Marichal, Tony Perez, Ozzie Smith, Alan Trammell and Robin Yount; MLB executives Mark Attanasio, Doug Melvin, Arte Moreno, Kim Ng, Tony Reagins and Terry Ryan; and media members/historians Steve Hirdt, Tyler Kepner and Jayson Stark.