The First of the Yankee Firemen

By Mike Whiteman November 15, 2026 Question: What Yankee reliever was a three-time All-Star, had a career 1.10 ERA in the World Series with four saves, and was on the mound closing out two championships? These attributes sound like those of a modern day reliever, and may evoke guesses of guys like Sparky Lyle and Goose Gossage. They would be close. Alas, we need to go back about 90 years to appreciate the career of Johnny Murphy.

Nicknamed "Grandma" either because of his rocking motion while pitching or his tendency to complain about travel accommodations on the road (there are accounts of both), Johnny Murphy was the first Yankee to truly establish himself as an ace relief pitcher. The decade of the 1930s certainly wasn't the golden era of relievers. In fact, most relief pitchers of the era were failed starters. Murphy fit the mold with a mediocre results as a starter in the minors and his stuff didn't impress - mixing of curveball, an OK fastball, and change. Murphy knew how to pitch though. In 1933 while with the Newark Bears he was put into primarily a relief role, and excelled to the tune of a 2.97 ERA. In a move unique for the times, Murphy was promoted New York after his fine year in relief. In his rookie year of 1934, he both started and relieved 20 games. The only season of his career in which he started more than ten games. Starting in 1935, Murphy was a mainstay in the Yankee bullpen, with occasional spot starts. Manager Joe McCarthy knew what he was doing - Murphy had a 4.08 career ERA as a starter, 3.29 as a reliever. He had a specific knack for bearing down in close games, with a 2.98 career ERA in save situations (retroactively assessed), and consistently allowed fewer inherited runners to score than the league average. He could bounce back quickly as well, with a career 2.67 ERA when pitching with zero days or one day of rest. McCarthy was confident in Murphy, utilizing him primarily in high leverage situations and often with runners on base. Murphy was an American League all-star each season from 1937 to 1939, going 24-12, 4.25 ERA and 40 saves (retroactively awarded - there was no save statistic then). He led the AL in saves in four of five seasons between 1938 and 1942 and when he retired he held the MLB "record" of 107 until passed by Roy Face in 1962. His best season was 1941, when he was 8-3, 1.98, 15 saves. He was even better in the World Series, tossing six scoreless innings and winning Game Four. That was one of the six World Series rings Murphy collected in his career. Murphy played his career with only the Yankees except for his last season of 1947 when he signed with the Boston Red Sox. He then served in scouting and player development roles for the Sox until 1961, when he joined the newly formed New York Mets. Murphy rose through the front office ranks, ultimately becoming General Manager in 1967, and was an architect of the 1969 World Series champion Miracle Mets. Sadly, Murphy passed away in January 1970 after a heart attack.

Murphy was among the first relievers to gain real respect, with his three All-Star selections and MVP votes in 1943, when he went 12-4, 2.51. Despite the notoriety, he still felt a bit slighted, saying in 1941 "People think relief pitcher have an easy time of it, because they only work a couple of innings now and then. They don't realize that starting pitchers work one day and rest three, while we have to be ready to work practically every day. Some days I may not face a batter, but I'll throw as many balls in the bullpen as the fellow who's pitching in the game. Other times I may work a couple of innings four or five games in a row." His career 3.50 ERA and ERA+ of 117 was good, but not great, but his work in tight spots made him valuable to one of the greatest teams of all time, and a pioneer of modern relief pitching.