Determined Society with Shawn French | Adversity & Mindset - Inspiring Stories of Determination: Tori and Daniel Murphy on Community and Legacy

Episode Date: October 21, 2024

This podcast episode features a lively conversation between Shawn French and guests Tori and Daniel Murphy, two Jacksonville natives with impressive careers and inspiring community involvement. The discussion covers a range of topics from their personal achievements in sports (Daniel's MLB career and Tori's creation of Prom Series, a nonprofit supporting foster children) to their family life, determination, and hobbies. The episode is recorded live at Lynch's Irish Pub in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, highlighting the couple's sincere dedication to giving back to the community and their shared passion for positivity and growth. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Thank you, everyone, for having us. Thank you to the bartenders who have been taking care of us all day. We're here filming another live episode of Determine Society podcast with Mr. Sean French. And our next guests are Jacksonville natives. They both dominated on the diamond here in Jacksonville. And then one of them went on to an illustrious MLB career. I'll let you figure out who's who. It's Tori and Dan.

Neil Murphy. You're welcome. Great, thanks, City. I appreciate it, brother. Thank you. Hello. Hi. We're going.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. It's going to be fun. Be a good time. Oh.

Oh, don't. Welcome back, everybody. We are here at Lynch's Irish Fubb in Jacksonville Beach, Florida for another amazing episode of The Determin Society. I have with me right now two amazing Jacksonville. amazing Jacksonville legends, Tori and Daniel Murphy. Welcome to the show. Thank you so much for Sean.

Thank you for having us. Yeah, this will be fun. Thank you. I'm so excited. I remember, you know, having conversations with Pat, I don't know, four months ago. I'm like, you're going to have to give me Daniel Murphy. And here we are. And I'm just so excited.

And Tori, I'm so excited to hear everything that you've created. And you both played and dominated on the diamond. UNF softball, JU, baseball, fins up. That's what you guys do. That's right, fins up. Okay, okay, okay. And we swoop.

Uh-huh. So it's, yeah, so she went to the public university here in Texasville. Oh, man. And I went to the, I went to the private university. So what is that like that's, uh, what are you implying? We were a little more. We were a little more, we're a little tidier. A little tidier, bund up like in the educational front.

I feel like we win more, though. Oh. Not on the baseball field. Not on the. Yeah. Oh my gosh. The banter is amazing. I love it. But it's really cool that you guys met here. You moved on to an illustrious MLB career. I mean, dude, you know, three MLB All-Star games. NLCS MVP. A world baseball class. I said go meth. Yeah, that was a sneaky one. Yeah. How was that one? So I was a bit of a passenger on that one. I only got four at bets. I didn't get to play that much. Yeah. So I, wow. I know how I felt my career. I hit into a double play like my second at bat and thought that may be one of the last at vats I get

and so but it was it was a great time I mean Adam Jones makes that catch out in San Diego and we end up winning the whole thing so I have a medal for it the achievement even though I didn't really participate you were there though it was cool man super cool and Tori you have such

an amazing thing called prom series yeah I love it I might be jumping the gun here but I want to talk about it because it's do it It's so amazing. When I, you know, watch this stuff on YouTube. Why don't you see the audience what prom series is? Prom series is a nonprofit that I started.

We're on Year 5. And our main goal is just to serve children in foster care. And we do that in two ways. With the title prom series, we get children, teenagers who need a prom dress. And we get them brand new prom dresses. And we make it a whole event where we do their hair and their makeup. And we link them with a personal shopper. That's just their cheerleader, the whole new.

night. So to see a teenager, like, come in very guarded and to, like, see her, like, just open up and just get poured on with, like, words of encouragement. It's, it's my faith. And love, right? Yeah. Love. So much love. Right. And I think, you know, it's everything. My buddy Matthew Head always says, yeah. The answer is always love. Yeah. Right? And the fact that you guys are doing that in love. And it's really quite you've integrated baseball. Yeah. You've gotten the, the, the, the players' wives involved. Did you guys do it in suites? That big, big organizations, right? Major League Stadium.

So we were talking about it today. She's had, she's hosted 75 events, you know, over 75 events and probably in at least 20, 20 major league stadiums, maybe 20. Yeah, I think even more. Maybe 25 major league stadium. Yeah. Unbelievable. And, I mean, with the fact that there's 75 events, like multiple organizations have asked the prom series to come back for both events that they have, back to school drive as well, too, that she can talk about because they're right in the middle of. of it. The girls and the wives are about for the teams they're going to go shopping for girls in the

foster care system in their own city. So they shop back to school for them for the girls in their own city. And then also the prom as well too where they she has them come into the suite and they get to watch a ball game. Get dressed up. Get their makeup done. So cool. But yeah, she can talk about the back to school. Yeah. Tell me about that. Yeah. We're doing this year we're doing homecoming with the Orioles. So that's going to be our homecoming with the Orioles. We are. That's cool. A little candy. yard action. Yeah. Yeah. We're going to do a big like get them their homecoming dresses and get them all prepared and that's going to be my first homecoming. So I'm excited. And then right now we're in 21 stadiums doing a back to school drive. So we work with 27 foster agencies across the country. And then I get

names of kids in care and they write in like what they would want their ideal back to school outfit. And then the wives on the team go shopping and like make that dream come to life. They go crazy. I can only imagine. I remember going back to little shopping with my family. You know, we didn't have a whole lot of money growing up. So you always tell there was some stress there. Yeah. You know, so that's a big service, you know, giving back and taking the pressure off the parent that may not be able to afford that. Totally.

That's just so amazing. I love it. And, you know, like, again, you know, you guys have done so much in your lives. But what's the point if you're not giving back, right? Right. I was giving back satisfied you post career and just kind of what you're in. Well, I think now is like I look back. I actually went and played baseball last year.

And one of the biggest reasons I went back and played after two years is not because I thought I was very good. But because I just felt so grateful for all that baseball has given us and our family. And then to see Tori, who helped our family build what I would consider this like, I consider it a kingdom. Even though it's not. But like she has helped us our family build that to take what we were able to get in the big leagues and then just spread it out all over the. girls that she comes in contact with. One cool thing is, is the back to school drive, actually. In 2019 was the prom series event she did in Denver while we were there.

So she hosted it. Put it together in about 10 days, maybe. It was a beautiful event. And then COVID happens. So she had been anticipating getting in five, 10 stadiums at least that year. And then COVID happens. She immediately did a pivot and said, we're going to do back to school drive because we can do that from home. We can shop for the girls.

And now it's in its, you know, multiple years they're doing it now. It's amazing. Very creative. and what she's done is to give back has been, has been. It's committal. You're spreading joy to those, those children, and they get to have that experience that that otherwise they wouldn't be able to have. I have to ask you, though.

I mean, I grew up playing a baseball. I was a baseball player. Louisiana State University. You know, I'm an SEC guy. Played to LSU? I did. Man, you could ball. Well, not like you.

No, you can ball. Listen, once I got there, it was like I was almost washed up. I got hurt and it's just, you know, but talking about that. I dreamed about playing in the big leagues. and you had this illustrious career. What was it like for you, man? So you're about to make a trade based on a friend's text.

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Availability, amount of discounts and savings, and eligibility vary by state. Like when you first get there, I'm certainly all, I was certainly all struck, and it was moving a thousand miles an hour, kind of like when you were a freshman and you go out there for the first inner squad and you're playing against a grown men. Yeah. Like, that's what it was for me.

But then once you keep showing up and hopefully have a bit of success, now you're the person that can do that. That belongs to you. And then I was always a bit afraid of the lineup. You know what I mean? I was kind of scared of it because what if I get beat up today? What if it's not a good day? But each time that you go and, you know, go and post each day, like now you're a,

bit braver to do it the next day. And so it becomes a bit of a job where you go in there and you find the routines and see how good you can get at it and find where the cheat reps are. Yeah. I mean, pretty cool things that you did in your career, right? I mean, NLCS MVP, that had been a pretty cool dang thing. We were rolling pretty good at that time as a ball club. And I remember telling Tori, I hit a home run in Chicago, certainly.

And I came home to the hotel and opened the door and looked at her. And I was kind of like, we looked at each other like, I don't know. I don't, we still want to talk about it. We never talked about it. It really was just one of those moments that when my eyes asked my body to do something, my body happened to listen. I think I hopefully was playing like a child. Like our children go out and play just like unsuper, like a hippie. Yeah.

I'm just out here having a play about. Yeah, exactly. So that's the way I remember that. That's amazing. And so this is kind of a two part question for both of you guys because determination is always a fact of. in your career and then what you're building in the kingdom of prom series how has the determination been a factor for each of you yeah i think for me i just really after the first event was like determined like i felt like this is it like i remember driving home that night i'm like oh i can do this

and i genuinely just enjoy it like it's just my favorite thing to do and like to really get involved with kids that just need that encouragement and need to be seen loved and valued and like i just like strive to do that so yeah determine is kind of a good word. Yeah, when you feel like, right, you're like, this is it. Like, I'm going for it. The stories that she tells me and the messiness that she's willing to voluntarily move into with these girls, like she had one where this girl comes to the event and Tori can immediately tell, like,

you want to be anywhere else on the planet but here. And so Tori walks up to it instead of trying to explain to her how wonderful time she's supposed to ask, she goes, you can sit right next to me. I won't say a word to you if you don't want me to, and nobody will mess with me. with you and that's what they did. But then come back and you saw her again. Yeah. And then she came to the next, this past year, we went again.

Yeah. I was, you know, nervous to see her. I'm like, oh my gosh, I hope it's better than last time. And to see her like be a different person and she went and tried on a thousand dresses and just was so app. Like it just was. That's amazing. Yeah. It's like that was how what kind of so within everything that you're building, right?

Yeah. We're all building something, right? A brand, a business. a career and there's always that point of that resistance, right? Yeah. Yeah. How did you move through that? I mean, I know you said, hey, we'll do back to school, but was there any point

where you're like, oh, no, here we go. Yeah. I think then I was so like it was just at the starting gates that I, and even now, I don't know what the end looks like. Like I just feel like I'm going to continue like I feel really led to do this and I feel like I do it with open hands. Like I'm like, Lord, if you're going to change. it I will go where you want to change it but like so that is kind of this cool thing that I was like oh this will work and then that year our home was definitely turned into like an American Eagle warehouse like when the like I was like a couple jeans like it will be fine and then when the first like shipment came in I'm like oh this is this is so when I can't find close on the internet it's your fault there are there at our house like it was got it yeah that's cool yeah that's really awesome man what about you I mean

What do I do for fun now? No, we can talk about that. Oh, no, I'm sorry. I interrupted you. I'm asking. No, I'm just thinking like, you know, the road from, you know, division one to minor leagues to the big leagues, I mean, determination is a massive factor.

I think, yeah, certainly. But I never really felt like it was work. That's talking to me about that. So it always felt like play to me, except for defense. Yeah. Defense didn't feel like play. It was more of it. I didn't necessarily not like defense.

I just wasn't very good at it, so I did it less, but I really enjoyed hitting. And so that aspect of it was always kind of voluntary, and I was always trying to just, I was curious about it. And so even when I got, I had a couple injuries, which everyone does in their career, but I went down and played winter ball in the Dominican Republic, and that didn't feel like work. And then I'd come home, and she always gave me the freedom to express myself as freely entrusted me to be able to lead our family well. And so, like, to have that as a foundation,

and I like to hit, man. Yeah, I like to hit, like. You still like to hit, don't you? I like, I mean. You still swing it a little bit? Well, so, like, I'm not a boxer, you know what I mean? But I like to fight. I just prefer my, I prefer my opponent to be 60 feet away.

You know what I mean? Exactly. I dig it. Exactly. I love it. How did you do the home run derby? Against Utley? No.

No, the home runs in JU. Oh, how many home runs did I hit? Oh, not many. Eight, total. Yeah. Really? Wow. Yeah.

I was more like a contact kind of average. You were more like me, just a punch in Judy at this way? I was very much a punch in you. Oh my gosh, sorry of my life. Yeah. So you brought up, what do you do for fun now? So now one of the things I really enjoy is playing with my kids and like baseball because I do think a little bit in new sports now, we tend to the children are a bit, I think, suffocated.

Yes. Maybe I would say even overcoached. So I like to have children have their own style. Yes. And so that's what I do with my boys. I got them moving around like Walter Johnson and love. And then I'm dabbling a little bit in broadcasting. The Mets have been nice enough to let me come out and do a ball game with them.

I just did one Tuesday. You just went to New York. Just went to New York and did a ball game Tuesday against the Nationals. And did the pre and post game Wednesday. And so that was fun and got pretty good reviews on it. Okay. Certainly many things to work on, but it was fun to watch ball and talk it. That's really cool.

Was it uncomfortable at any point because it's a new thing? It was. So I did get the good fortune of doing two games in spring training. Okay. So I learned in spring training that it's better if I watch the monitor, because you can You can kind of pitch it watching the monitor or watching the game live, but I want to know what's going on in the strike zone. So I watched the monitor this time, and it was moving just a bit slower for me. So I felt a little more comfortable.

Okay, cool. Which was nice. What are your thoughts on? I've gotten a lot of flack for this talking on social media, but I don't like the pitch clock. Okay. What are your thoughts on these new rules, man? So I'm with you because I like that baseball doesn't have a clock. But at the same time, myself and my peers were unwilling to get in the box on time.

Yeah. Because I want to watch baseball. I want to watch the pitcher and the batter. And then all hell breaks loops. Like that's American as you get. You know what I mean? It's a heavyweight bow. And then all hell breaks.

There was too much time in between those. And so we were told to get in the box in like 2015, 2016, but nobody listened. Until you start taking strikes from the players, you know what I mean? Then they'll get in. So I think the game tempo is much better now. But the fact that the clock was needed does frustrate me because I did like the idea that we were a game without a clock. What about the bigger bases and all that stuff? That's just kind of more gimmicky to me.

Yeah, I agree. I don't think it's necessary. Just a little bit bigger to incentivize stolen bases. Incinivize stolen bases. That's crazy. That's crazy. It's just bringing them closer then. Yeah.

I mean, another one would have been like the three-batter minimum rule. So you don't see left-handed relievers quite. Like, unfortunately, it was an attack right on Pat Sickens. You know what I mean? A three-batter minimum. Yeah. You just come in and just spot. wear out the lefties. Now, he'd get right. He's out too, but, you know. He's like, come in,

one pitch done. Well, yeah. That's what he did. He was brutal on lefties. I had no chance against him when I was a freshman. Really? Like, you gotta think that when I had Pat at J.U. Like, he was a senior and he knew all, he knew the ropes all over the campus. He's very smart. Yeah. And like he felt like he was the godfather, man. Yeah. You know what I mean? I kind of feel like that for me. Yeah. And so I looked at him with this kind of, you know, aura like this guy has sorted out this campus. I need to watch what he's doing. Yes. Well, it's kind of like, I feel like the campus that he's figured out for me is my mind. And like, what not, Sean, no, don't do that.

No, no, no. Like, he stops me from doing something before I even do it. Yeah. Because he knows I'm going to. Like, hey, that's not going to be good. Why don't you do that? So it's amazing. But so, you're, for fun, you like to play with your kids in sports.

And I do also agree that kids are now suffocated in sports or specializing too soon. There's a whole other show we can go on about travel ball and all that kind of stuff. But I really want to, what do you? do for fun me yes you oh me i i i'm crafting love crafts and stuff like i'm a doodleer like to doodle handwriting and different things like that and then definitely hang out with the kids all the time we do that and oh i played tennis yes yeah you play tennis yeah okay cool yeah so that's been fun we've been working out at like six o'clock in the morning and that's been pretty it's been good workouts, but somewhat leisurely as well, too, to kind of get up and get the day started

that well. That's good. Yeah. You did it done early, you get, you get your exercise. So much better. You guys are able to do it together? Yeah, so we have someone that comes to the house and we just walk outside and we do the workout for 30 minutes.

There's like no excuse. It's like, you know you're going to be there. Blake is coming every morning. Yeah. So a trainer comes? A trainer comes right to the house and then walk outside on the street at 545 or 6 o'clock in the morning and get it on. But once you're done, you've got like the whole dagum day in front of you.

It's like you got this huge W on the board. Yes. Go and take the day on her, and she does. You know what I mean? We'll do that. We may read our Bibles a little bit and have a coffee, and then she may go to the office and sort out the stuff for prom series, or we'll grab our 18-month-old, and, like, we'll bring so much energy.

So we have four children. Wow. 10, 8, 6, and 18 months. And so three boys and her girl. And, like, I was, I had been more present with our children as I've gotten further away from baseball. So, like, I'm like, with this new one. Yeah. And he's kind of prickly, too. Oh, really?

But he likes me, which I'm very happy about. He likes you, that's good. He wasn't certain at first. He wasn't? No, he was a little bit. What was his deal with you? I was gone because I played last year, so I left for like four months. He's like, who's the new guy?

Who's the new guy? Who's the new guy? Hey, you're not telling me what to do. He showed him to live here. But he brings so much energy to the house, like just tons of it. That's amazing. So my wife and I, we have a 10, a 10-year-old boy, and then a 7-year-old daughter and a 5-year-old daughter, which you met.

Yeah. So like the age is kind of the same. You just need to do one more because that's what we're at. We were in the same thing. No, no, no, no. No, no. It's exactly what we did, though. Yeah, but we did the same thing.

Really? Were you saying no? Oh, we didn't plan any of them. We just knew the rules. Okay, you just knew the rules. You knew what caused it. Yeah. Yeah.

So I have TVs in every room now. So I don't, yeah, so we watch every room to give us preoccupy because I knew the rules too. Yeah. Oh my gosh. Well, listen, guys, I appreciate you guys for coming on. It's been such an amazing. conversation. You guys are truly class act people and

one of the most kindest couples I've ever met. And it's been a pleasure having you on. Thank you for all you're doing for the community. And coming on the show and sharing your day with me. Right. Sean, thank you so much. And thank you what you're doing today as well too. You're hustling. We love it. We're going. This is great. We'll stop. It's yeah. But I just appreciate you guys so much.

Thank you. Tori and Daniel Murphy, everybody. Thank you. Appreciate it, Doug. That was awesome. How's how? We enjoyed that. Amazing. Amazing.

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