By Steve Daniel

Since the mid-1990s, Ed Tyree ’56 has politely waged a campaign to convince America’s baseball writers that his favorite player, Dale Murphy, should be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Each of the six years the former Atlanta Braves slugger has been eligible, however, Tyree has struck out.

Tyree, 69, who worked 33 years as an administrator for the Supreme Court of Virginia at Norfolk Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, adopted Murphy as his favorite player about 20 years ago when his family traveled to Atlanta to watch the Braves play. He has since collected an estimated 2,000 pieces of Murphy memorabilia, which are on display in his Virginia Beach home.

Tyree, whose campaign has been publicized in nearly 40 magazines and newspapers, has even written to baseball commissioner Bud Selig, pleading his case. In a recent article, Tyree urged sportswriters: “Do the right thing ... Please let the sports world know that character, integrity, sportsmanship and playing ability still survive in this world of transgressions.”

Call it hobby or obsession, Tyree continues to make Murphy’s case for Cooperstown to anyone who will listen. He argues that Murphy was as dominant as any player in the 1980s. A seven-time All-Star, five-time Gold Glove winner and the recipient of back-to-back National League MVP Awards, Murphy also led the league twice in both home runs and RBIs. While Murphy critics point to the outfielder’s .265 batting average over an 18-year career as the reason for his snubs, Tyree counters that Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson hit only .201, .211 and .149 in his final seasons.

It is Tyree’s admiration of Murphy as a person, as much as his on-the-field heroics, however, that has fueled this unique one-man crusade.

“He’s a fine fella, a true hero fathers and sons could emulate,” Tyree says. He notes that Murphy placed God and family first, country and baseball second, then proceeds to rattle off his many honors and volunteer service, which has included work with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Make a Wish, Operation Smile and Boys Club.

In the six years Murphy has been eligible for the Hall of Fame, his vote total has declined to just 8.5 percent in the 2004 election. If he doesn’t garner 5 percent next year, his name will be dropped from the ballot and his case will go to the Veterans’ Committee. Tyree is hopeful that Murphy will be regarded more favorably by former players.

Tyree, who is currently fighting prostate and bladder cancer, is well aware of the saying “nice guys finish last,” but he remains determined not to let that happen to Dale Murphy.

Tyree himself, a first baseman known for his hitting in Norfolk’s fast pitch and slow pitch softball leagues in the 1950s, was inducted in 1996 into the Tidewater Softball Hall of Fame. Both of his sons are ODU graduates: Thomas Tyree ’90 (M.P.A. ’02) and Steven Tyree ’94.