A native of Beverly, Massachusetts, Murphy signed with the Cubs for a $100,000 bonus[1] as an outfielder on June 15, 1960, following his graduation from St. John's Preparatory School after an illustrious career in youth and schoolboy baseball.

Three days later, he made his professional and Major League debut as the Cubs' starting center fielder in a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Crosley Field.

He went hitless in four at bats against Jay Hook,[2] but the following day, he took over from the Cubs' regular center fielder, Richie Ashburn, late in the game and collected his first MLB hit, a single against left-handed relief pitcher Bill Henry.

[3] He became the youngest Cub to hit a home run at the age of 18 years, three weeks, when he connected on September 13, 1960, off the Reds' Bob Purkey with two runners on base.

His ERA rose to 5.69 and he yielded 82 hits and 49 bases on balls in 80+2⁄3 innings pitched—although Murphy connected for his fourth and final career home run off Bill Zepp in a winning effort against the Minnesota Twins on June 28.