Jim Murray (football)
Encyclopedia
Jim Murray is the co-founder of the Ronald McDonald House and a former General Manager
of the Philadelphia Eagles
. He is a native of West Philadelphia
and is also president of Jim Murray Ltd, a sports promotion and marketing firm.
parents who worked long hours at hard jobs, he grew up in a rowhouse
in West Philadelphia
and attended Our Mother of Sorrows Parish grade school and West Catholic High School
. He graduated from Villanova University
in 1960. Jim is the brother of Francis W. Murray, who was so influenced by his sibling's success in professional sports that he embarked on an impossible odyssey to purchase the New England Patriots of the NFL, in the late 1980s, after Jim's tenure as GM with the Eagles had ended due to the financial pressures faced by Leonard Tose, the former owner of the Eagles. His influence was truly based in their childhoods, as both brothers, growing up poor Irish kids in West Philadelphia, sought the sanctuary of sports in a tough neighborhood where a basketball court was an impenetrable fort.
Jim and Fran preferred a ball rather than a book, and athletics became a metaphor for where life was a game and to live your dream was the only way to score. One generation later, Jim would influence his nephew and the youngest son of his brother Fran, an independent award winning filmmaker named T Patrick Murray who produced for ESPN a football documentary that USA Today critic Mike Clark gave "4 out of 4 stars" entitled THE LAST GAME.
. After a tour of active duty with the Marine Corps
Reserve, he returned to baseball as assistant general manager of the Atlanta Crackers
, an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals
. In 1964, he left baseball to enter the restaurant
business, but returned to Villanova
as sports information director in 1966.
' public relations
staff and became the NFL team's administrative assistant two years later. In 1974, five years after joining the organization, Murray was named general manager
for the Eagles.
For more than nine years, Murray served as general manager and took the franchise from the NFL's cellar to Super Bowl
heights. In 1976, he and owner Leonard Tose
hired Dick Vermeil
as head coach
. From 1978 through 1981, the Eagles made the NFL playoffs. After the 1980 season, the Eagles played the Raiders
in Super Bowl XV
, which was the only Super Bowl appearance in the franchise's history prior to 2005. Murray left the Eagles in 1983.
These activities have endeared Murray to people all around the Philadelphia area.
in 1999, the Distinguished Service Award from the American Legion
in 1992, inducted into the Philadelphia City All-Star Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1992, President Ronald Reagan
's Medal for Volunteers of America in 1987, the prestigious Bert Bell Man of the Year Award from the Bakers Club of Philadelphia in 1983, 2005 Award for Outstanding Catholic Leadership given by the Catholic Leadership Institute.
Murray and his wife, Dianne, reside in Rosemont, Pennsylvania
. They have five children and four grandchildren.
Productions about the Philadelphia Eagles.
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
of the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He is a native of West Philadelphia
West Philadelphia
West Philadelphia, nicknamed West Philly, is a section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Though there is no official definition of its boundaries, it is generally considered to reach from the western shore of the Schuylkill River, to City Line Avenue to the northwest, Cobbs Creek to the southwest, and...
and is also president of Jim Murray Ltd, a sports promotion and marketing firm.
Childhood Influences
The son of Irish CatholicIrish Catholic
Irish Catholic is a term used to describe people who are both Roman Catholic and Irish .Note: the term is not used to describe a variant of Catholicism. More particularly, it is not a separate creed or sect in the sense that "Anglo-Catholic", "Old Catholic", "Eastern Orthodox Catholic" might be...
parents who worked long hours at hard jobs, he grew up in a rowhouse
Terraced house
In architecture and city planning, a terrace house, terrace, row house, linked house or townhouse is a style of medium-density housing that originated in Great Britain in the late 17th century, where a row of identical or mirror-image houses share side walls...
in West Philadelphia
West Philadelphia
West Philadelphia, nicknamed West Philly, is a section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Though there is no official definition of its boundaries, it is generally considered to reach from the western shore of the Schuylkill River, to City Line Avenue to the northwest, Cobbs Creek to the southwest, and...
and attended Our Mother of Sorrows Parish grade school and West Catholic High School
West Philadelphia Catholic High School
West Philadelphia Catholic High School is a co-educational Catholic high school in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. It is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at 45th and Chestnut Streets, the University City neighborhood of West Philadelphia.- Mission :...
. He graduated from Villanova University
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
in 1960. Jim is the brother of Francis W. Murray, who was so influenced by his sibling's success in professional sports that he embarked on an impossible odyssey to purchase the New England Patriots of the NFL, in the late 1980s, after Jim's tenure as GM with the Eagles had ended due to the financial pressures faced by Leonard Tose, the former owner of the Eagles. His influence was truly based in their childhoods, as both brothers, growing up poor Irish kids in West Philadelphia, sought the sanctuary of sports in a tough neighborhood where a basketball court was an impenetrable fort.
Jim and Fran preferred a ball rather than a book, and athletics became a metaphor for where life was a game and to live your dream was the only way to score. One generation later, Jim would influence his nephew and the youngest son of his brother Fran, an independent award winning filmmaker named T Patrick Murray who produced for ESPN a football documentary that USA Today critic Mike Clark gave "4 out of 4 stars" entitled THE LAST GAME.
Early career
He began his career in sports administration with the Tidewater Tides of baseball's South Atlantic LeagueSouthern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
. After a tour of active duty with the Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
Reserve, he returned to baseball as assistant general manager of the Atlanta Crackers
Atlanta Crackers
The Atlanta Crackers were minor league baseball teams based in Atlanta, Georgia, between 1901 and 1965. The Crackers were Atlanta's home team until the Atlanta Braves moved from Milwaukee in 1966....
, an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. In 1964, he left baseball to enter the restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
business, but returned to Villanova
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
as sports information director in 1966.
Philadelphia Eagles
In 1969, he joined the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
' public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
staff and became the NFL team's administrative assistant two years later. In 1974, five years after joining the organization, Murray was named general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
for the Eagles.
For more than nine years, Murray served as general manager and took the franchise from the NFL's cellar to Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
heights. In 1976, he and owner Leonard Tose
Leonard Tose
Leonard Hyman Tose was an owner of the Philadelphia Eagles from 1969–1985. He made a fortune in the trucking industry and was known for his lavish lifestyle...
hired Dick Vermeil
Dick Vermeil
Richard Albert "Dick" Vermeil is a former American head coach for the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles , St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs...
as head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
. From 1978 through 1981, the Eagles made the NFL playoffs. After the 1980 season, the Eagles played the Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in Super Bowl XV
Super Bowl XV
Super Bowl XV was an American football game played on January 25, 1981 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1980 regular season...
, which was the only Super Bowl appearance in the franchise's history prior to 2005. Murray left the Eagles in 1983.
Charity work
During his 14 years with the Eagles, Murray assumed leadership roles in a number of community projects. He helped start the successful Eagles Fly for Leukemia campaign. He was the co-founder of the first Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia along with Dr. Audrey Evans and persuaded many of his peers in the NFL to become involved in the unique Ronald McDonald House concept. The Ronald McDonald Houses provide temporary homes, at little or no cost, for the families of children undergoing treatment for various illnesses at nearby hospitals. Started in Philadelphia in 1974, there are now over 300 Ronald McDonald Houses worldwide.These activities have endeared Murray to people all around the Philadelphia area.
Awards
His numerous honors and awards include the first annual Leonard Tose Award in 2002, Citizen of the Year Award from the American Medical AssociationAmerican Medical Association
The American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
in 1999, the Distinguished Service Award from the American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
in 1992, inducted into the Philadelphia City All-Star Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1992, President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
's Medal for Volunteers of America in 1987, the prestigious Bert Bell Man of the Year Award from the Bakers Club of Philadelphia in 1983, 2005 Award for Outstanding Catholic Leadership given by the Catholic Leadership Institute.
Murray and his wife, Dianne, reside in Rosemont, Pennsylvania
Rosemont, Pennsylvania
Rosemont is a community in Pennsylvania on the Pennsylvania Main Line lying partly in Radnor Township, Pennsylvania and partly in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania.Part of the geographic area is served by the Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, ZIP code...
. They have five children and four grandchildren.
Film and television
Murray can be found being interviewed on numerous NFL FilmsNFL Films
NFL Films is a Mount Laurel, New Jersey-based company devoted to producing commercials, television programs, feature films, and documentaries on the National Football League, as well as other unrelated major events and awards shows...
Productions about the Philadelphia Eagles.