Jack V. Murphy honored by THSCA
KLTV story: https://www.kltv.com/video/2024/07/23/legendary-gladewater-coach-inducted-into-thsca-hall-honor/
By PHIL HICKS Tyler Morning Telegraph
Jack V. Murphy, legendary football player, coach and personality, was honored and celebrated last week in San Antonio.
Murphy, a Tyler native and Chapel Hill High School graduate who won more than 200 games as head football coach at Gladewater High School, was inducted into the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor during a banquet on Saturday at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in the Alamo City.
The event kicked off the 92nd Annual Texas High School Coaching School and Convention.
Murphy, who was born in Tyler on Oct. 19, 1938, passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer one day before his 62nd birthday on Oct. 18, 2000. He was married to Jo Leah Murphy and they had three children, son Kelly and twins — Jack Jr. and Jill.
He was inducted into the Hall of Honor along with Lee Bridges, Ken Cook, Chris Koetting and Mel Maxfield.
The THSCA stated, "Jack Murphy's journey from standout player to influential coach epitomizes dedication and leadership. His coaching philosophy transcends the game, emphasizing character development and life lessons for his players. Murphy's significant contributions to THSCA, coupled with his coaching excellence and impact on young minds, solidify his place in the Hall of Honor."
Murphy's Gladewater teams compiled a 205-110-7 record and won or shared nine district championships with 14 playoff appearances and a semifinals berth. Six times his Bears made it to the regional quarterfinals.
He was a four-sport letterman at Chapel Hill High School. After earning a scholarship to the University of Tulsa, Murphy played his freshman year for the Golden Hurricane before returning to play for Tyler Junior College (1958-59) and Coach Floyd Wagstaff. As an Apache he earned all-conference and All-America honors for the Apaches.
Murphy then returned to Tulsa where he achieved All-Missouri Valley Conference and All-America honors. He earned his degree in kinesiology and life science. He later earned his masters at East Texas State University, along with a postgraduate degree from Stephen F. Austin State University.
He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Tulsa before moving on to Clarendon High School and then back to East Texas as head junior high coach at Judson in Longview.
In 1965, Murphy moved to Gladewater High School, serving as assistant coach before taking the head coaching position during the 1969 season. He was the Bears head coach from 1969-1998.
His Gladewater teams earned 11 straight playoff berths from 1982 to 1992, compiling 38 straight district wins during that span.
The Bears finished 12-1 in 1975, 12-2 in 1983, 13-0-1 in 1984, 10-3 in 1985, 13-1 in 1987, 13-2 in 1989 and 13-1 in 1990.
He was voted district Coach of the Year eight times and East Texas Coach of the Year twice. In 1998, he was awarded the Tom Landry Coach of the Year.
The Tom Landry Award acknowledges outstanding contributions to the game of football by a Texas high school coach. Award winners, through their life and actions, serve as positive role models for athletes and are a credit to the coaching profession. This award is presented by the Texas High School Coaches Association in memory of Coach Landry's legacy on and off the field.
Murphy is also enshrined in the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in Waco, the Gladewater Hall of Fame and the Tyler Junior College Sports Circle of Honor.
In 1998, the Gladewater school board passed a resolution to rename the football stadium Jack V. Murphy-Bear Stadium.
At the dedication of the stadium on Sept. 4, 1998, Coach Murphy was asked about his coaching philosophy.
He told the Tyler Morning Telegraph, "My philosophy has also been, 'Love makes the world go 'round. All the credit goes to Lord Jesus Christ."
