James Patrick Murray

James Patrick Murray – Life, Career, and Legacy

: James Patrick “Jim” Murray (1919–1998) was an iconic American sportswriter and columnist at the Los Angeles Times. Discover his life story, style, awards, and influence on sports journalism.

Introduction

James Patrick Murray, better known as Jim Murray, was one of the most celebrated sports columnists in American journalism. Born on December 29, 1919, and passing away on August 16, 1998, his career spanned decades, during which he helped elevate sports writing to an art form. His columns blended humor, empathy, sharp insight, and elegance in prose.

Murray worked for the Los Angeles Times from 1961 until his death, with his columns syndicated nationwide. His columns were beloved not just by sports fans, but readers who admired his humanistic bent, wit, and craftsmanship.

Early Life and Education

James Patrick Murray was born on December 29, 1919, in Hartford, Connecticut. He later attended Trinity College in Hartford, graduating in 1943.

In his early days, Murray worked in various reporting roles—reporter, general assignment, copy desk, rewrite work—before settling into sports writing. His early journalism career included stints at the Hartford Times and Los Angeles Examiner.

Career and Achievements

Early Journalism and Transition to Sports Writing

Murray’s reporting foundation—covering crime, local news, human stories—gave his later sports writing depth and context. In 1948, he joined Time Magazine as a Hollywood correspondent, writing on film and celebrity subjects. However, sports remained his passion, and in 1950 he published his first bylined sports article.

In 1953, he became part of the founding staff of Sports Illustrated, contributing to its early development as a national venue for sports journalism.

Los Angeles Times and Syndication

In 1961, Murray joined the Los Angeles Times, where he wrote until his death in 1998. His columns were syndicated nationally; readers across the country followed his take on baseball, football, boxing, horse racing, and more.

He was known for a style that mixed humor, pathos, strong voice, and respect for athletes as human beings—not just performers.

Awards and Honors

• In 1987, Murray received the J. G. Taylor Spink Award, a prestigious recognition in baseball writing.

• In 1990, he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary, in honor of his 1989 sports columns.

• He was repeatedly named “Sportswriter of the Year” by the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association (NSSA)—14 times, 12 consecutively.

• He was also honored with the Red Smith Award by the Associated Press Sports ors.

Later Years & Legacy

Towards the end of his life, Murray became visually impaired but continued writing and covering sports as much as possible. On the day before his death, he even wrote a column from the Del Mar racetrack.

After his passing, his works were collected and published in compilations such as Jim Murray: The Last of the Best and The Great Ones. His widow established the Jim Murray Memorial Foundation, which supports journalism scholarships via essay contests.

Style, Influence, and Personality

Jim Murray’s writing stood out for its warmth, humor, literary flair, and emotional insight. He often highlighted the human dimensions of sporting life: triumphs, failures, aging, mortality, and character.

He was able to reach beyond fanbases; for many non-sports readers, his columns were first encounters with well-told stories of sport as metaphor. His influence is seen in generations of sportswriters who aimed to write with integrity, wit, and narrative depth.

Murray also had a self-deprecating sense of humor. On winning the Pulitzer Prize, he quipped that a columnist “should have had to bring down a government or expose major graft” rather than merely quoting Tommy Lasorda correctly.

Selected Quotes by Jim Murray

Here are a few representative lines that illustrate Murray’s voice:

• On the Indianapolis 500:

  “Gentlemen, start your coffins.”

• When describing Rickey Henderson:

  “Rickey Henderson has a strike zone the size of Hitler’s heart.”

• On UCLA basketball coach John Wooden:

  “So square he was divisible by four.”

• On humility about awards:

  “Correctly quoting Tommy Lasorda shouldn't merit a Pulitzer Prize.”

These lines reflect his sharp wit, ironic voice, and ability to encapsulate vivid images in few words.

Lessons from Jim Murray

1. Write with heart, not just headlines
   Murray’s success came from treating athletes, games, and moments as human stories—not simply statistics.

2. Cultivate one’s own voice
   His combination of humor, empathy, and clarity made his columns distinct and readable across space and time.

3. Persevere through adversity
   Even as his sight declined, he continued writing. His dedication offers inspiration for sustaining craft through challenges.

4. Blend insight and restraint
   Murray rarely resorted to gratuitous provocation; his power lay in letting stories and well-chosen words carry emotional weight.

5. Invest in legacy
   By gathering and publishing his works, and enabling scholarships, Murray ensured that his approach would influence future journalists.

Conclusion

James Patrick “Jim” Murray left an indelible mark on American journalism and sports writing. He showed how columns could be more than play-by-play—how they could be essays in voice, feeling, and human understanding.