The difference between almost running into Dale Murphy and running into Dale Murphy

I was a huge baseball fan growing up. Some of my best memories with my father are when he would take me to Giants games as a boy.

In 1982, we had one of our best experiences at a game. We attended a double header in June. The Atlanta Braves were visiting Candlestick Park and it was banner day. Between the games fans who made a banner got to parade them around the field.

My dad made a beautiful banner that celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Giants in San Francisco.

I remember walking out on the field and being thrilled that at twelve years old I was on a major league field with thousands of fans sitting in the stands watching us.

As we walked near one of the bullpen areas we came face to face with Dale Murphy, star outfielder for the Atlanta Braves, who eventually won the National League MVP award that year. His mere presence froze me. Then, we moved left to avoid him as he moved right to avoid us. We did one of those awkward left-right-left things where it can appear to others you are dancing but you're really just trying to get past each other. At least that's how I remember it.

Dale Murphy was more than a great baseball player. He was and is a man of integrity, somebody with a firm belief in God. In 1986, a book about him called "Murph" was released. I thumbed through the book this morning and there is a picture of him and his wife in front of the Salt Lake Temple on their wedding day. The caption below it reads: "I've had a lot of great experiences in my life, but none could top this."

In 1987, my father, concerned about some of the decisions I was making in life, purchased the book for me.

Inside the front cover he wrote:

Paul,

Everyone should emulate someone -- Let yours be the
ones of good.

Love,

Dad

I read the book, but not because I wanted to read about a man who was trying to life a clean life. I read it because I still loved baseball and I remembered the dance Dale and I and my father shared together near the bullpen at Candlestick Park.

This gift from my father became more significant to me a few years later when I started to notice that I wanted to be like people who strived to have integrity and live by faith.

About 10 years after receiving this gift, I was a student at Brigham Young University, when I came across an announcement that Dale Murphy was going to be speaking on campus.

After classes one day, I went alone and listened to him speak about his experiences as a major league baseball player and about being a man trying to live by faith.

I had brought my "Murph" book with me. Afterward, a small crowd gathered around him and asked for autographs and politely asked him questions. I stood quietly among his fans.

After he signed a baseball for someone, I opened my book to the inside cover and without saying a word, I handed it to him. He was about to sign it when he saw my father's inscription and read it.

I could see it touched him. He turned to me and asked if the book he was holding was mine. I told him, "yes."

Then he signed it:

Best Wishes, Paul!

Dale Murphy

My favorite part of this whole story is the phone call I shared with my father after I got home from campus that day. I thanked him for directing me toward "the ones of good" and let him know that I was doing the best I could.

And, I'm still doing that today.

Thanks Dad -- Happy Birthday.