Saying he was a nice guy is not enough. In fact, it is woefully insufficient. What a sweetheart of a human being! This is how I accurately remember my friend, Jim Murray. Once a Philadelphia Eagle. Always a Philadelphia legend.
I always called him and spoke fondly of him as “Jimmy.” In turn, he always called me “Tommy.” No direction. It happened organically. However, on more occasions than I can count, I honored him with a smile, a hug, and the greeting, “St. Jimmy of West Philly.”
My guess is over 87 years of life, Jim Murray had to be one of the holiest humans ever. Surely, he was one the holiest I ever knew. I say this not because he went to Catholic Mass every morning, but for how he lived and loved. Jimmy was also fun, interesting, positive, and kind.
Leonard Tose and Jim Murray
From a distance, most people who observed or followed the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1970s missed it. They would say there couldn’t have possibly been more of an odd couple than Jim Murray and Leonard Tose. But having known and liked them both, I hereby disagree.
Starting with “Mr. Tose.” The Notre Dame grad was the flashy multi-millionaire owner of the Philadelphia Eagles from 1969 to 1985. To his credit, he was able to buy an NFL team because he was rolling in money from the Tose trucking business. He took ownership of a team that hit hard times in the years after winning the NFL Championship in 1960.
But Leonard Tose wasn’t afraid of gambling or winning. He not only returned the franchise to prominence, but the Philadelphia Eagles made its first Super Bowl appearance in 1980. One of the big reasons was because Tose bet on Jim Murray as a leader.
Philadelphia Eagles General Manager
Jim Murray was the model Good Irish Catholic Boy.” The kid from West Philadelphia began in the public relations department when Mr. Tose bought the team in 1969. Within 5 years, Jimmy was promoted to General Manager.
To say Jim wasn’t a popular choice is an understatement. It seems many thought this nice guy might finish last. He wasn’t bitter. Yet, I know the criticism and lack of public support hurt his feelings as a homegrown product. However, it also helped to fuel his success over 14 years leading the team he grew up rooting for as a kid.
Founding Ronald McDonald House
Aside from building a winning NFL Team, the Tose – Murray team build fields of dreams for those who needed them. They established the Philadelphia Eagles Fly for Leukemia initiative. It was a campaign which had quite a good run.
Furthermore, Jim Murray was one of the co-founders of the first Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia. It kicked off the charity which now 50 years later serves families of very sick children around the world. This is one of the big pieces of the richly deserved legacy of a man with a huge heart.
Remembering Jim Murray
This gives you a taste of what many didn’t see. Yes, Leonard Tose and Jim Murray had different personalities and lifestyles. Yet, they were two of the most generous people in sports at the time. They loved the Philadelphia Eagles and knew they shared that love with so many.
Sadly, Leonard Tose lost all his fortunes due to his well-documented addictions of alcohol and casino gambling. But he made the world a better place by going all in on giving Jim Murray a chance to fly. Jimmy was like a 4-leaf clover to those who knew him. But no doubt, he was also one of a kind.