Maybe the Chicago White Sox should invite Abbey Murphy out to Guaranteed Rate Field more often.
When Murphy, an Evergreen Park native and Mother McAuley graduate who stars for the U.S. women’s national team and the University of Minnesota in hockey, threw out the first pitch Aug. 12 as the South Siders went on to stomp the New York Yankees 12-2.
Murphy, who has been a White Sox fan her whole life, is well aware that wasn’t a typical result this season.
“It was just so cool, especially with them beating the Yankees,” Murphy said. “It’s been a rough year for them, but we’ll root for them no matter what.”
Murphy also has relished the opportunity to be involved with her hometown baseball team as a member of the CHISOX Athlete NIL program.
The White Sox have 12 college athletes from the Chicagoland area involved in the program, which allows the athletes to receive financial incentives for participating in branding opportunities and promoting the team on social media through the NCAA’s name, image and likeness rules.
Other Southland products involved include Saint Louis basketball player Robbie Avila (Oak Forest), Notre Dame football standout Pat Coogan (Marist), Ohio State football player Carnell Tate (Marist) and Purdue wrestler Matt Ramos (Lockport).
Murphy has participated in events as part of the program, including a recent Women in Sports panel hosted by the White Sox.
“Oh my gosh, when they first reached out with everything, I was honestly mind-blown at first,” Murphy said. “Just to be a part of a team I’ve been rooting for since I was born, it’s really cool.
“They care about us and everyone who is a part of it. I think it’s so cool. Everything I’ve done with them has been great. I want to thank Madeline Hamada and Thomas Lotspeich with the White Sox, who have made the whole process so much easier.”
Palos Heights native Kendall Coyne, left, and Evergreen Park’s Abbey Murphy show off silver medals they won as members of the Team USA women’s hockey team on Sunday, March 13, 2022. (Jeff Vorva / Daily Southtown)
Now, back to that first pitch. The White Sox weren’t the only ones who won that night. Murphy delivered a strike, making sure she stayed far away from the infamy that comes with botching one of those.
Ask 50 Cent, Carl Lewis and even Michael Jordan about that.
“When I first started telling everyone I was throwing the first pitch, I had a bunch of people sending me compilations of all the mess-ups people have had, hitting the dirt, going wide left or right or way high,” Murphy said. “When I went to go out there, my family was like, ‘Don’t embarrass us.’
“That put a lot of pressure on me, but I just went out there and let it rip, and I think it was all right.”
Of course, we shouldn’t be surprised that Murphy handled pressure just fine.
This is a girl who played in her first World Championships for Team USA when she was 16 and won an Olympic silver medal in 2022 before she turned 20.
Murphy’s latest national team experience came in April at this year’s World Championships. She had three goals and five assists over seven games as the U.S. won another silver medal.
“Of course, we go into every competition expecting to win the whole thing, but those moments we have together as a team are some of the best times I’ve had in my life,” Murphy said. “Playing every game for our country, my teammates, my family is one of the best opportunities I’ve been given, and hopefully I’m a part of that for a really long time because that’s my goal.
“I’m just trying to take in every little bit of it.”
Canada’s Emily Clark, left, checks the United States’ Abbey Murphy during the first period of the IIHF Women’s World Championship final in Calgary, Alberta on Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. (Jeff McIntosh / AP)
Murphy is currently prepping for her senior season at Minnesota, with the Golden Gophers’ opening game set for Sept. 27 at Connecticut.
“College hockey I would say is the most fun time of the year,” Murphy said. “It’s my senior year. I’m just trying to be that game-changer in any way I can. Minnesota is the state of hockey, and we always have the goal to win a national championship. I think this year we have the team to do it.”
Then, Murphy’s focus can turn toward the 2026 Olympics in Italy.
“I still get chills every time I put that USA jersey on,” Murphy said. “Playing for your country, your teammates, your family, the younger kids who look up to us as role models, I’m just doing everything I can to make everyone proud.”
Abbey, we are certainly proud in the Southland.
