A Wisconsin native, Murphy moved to Chicago as a child and lived there most of his life. He competed in North America for most of his life, only travelling to Europe once, for the 1928 Olympics. There he competed in three events, with his best placement being fifth in the 1,500. Four years later, he took advantage of the North American packstyle being used in the Games to win a silver medal in the 5,000 m, the highlight of his career. In North American competition, his best result was a third place in the “World Outdoor Championships” of 1925. In 1932, Murphy also made an appearance in the official World Championships - held in Lake Placid after the Olympics - but achieved poor marks.
Personal Bests: 500 – 44.9 (1928); 1500 – 2:25.9 (1928); 5000 – 9:13.0 (1928); 10000 – 20:06.2 (1932).
United States