EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) – Hundreds of Brewers fans packed the Pablo Center in Eau Claire to hear from manager Pat Murphy. Murphy was speaking as part of a statewide tour to connect with Brewers fans outside of Milwaukee.
“I just want to keep it light, you know what I mean, and let them know that I’m no different than them,” said the two-time National League Manager of the Year. “It’s like we’re all in this together and you know, I have the privilege of, leading this team. It really is a privilege and I want to let them know that. That’s what I believe and I’m in it with them.”
Among the crowd were a number of area baseball coaches eager to take in the stories and advice of the Brewers’s bench boss.
It kind of shows manager Murphy’s dedication to the game of baseball in the state and you can tell how passionate he is about the game,” said Eau Claire Memorial Head Baseball Coach Kyle Kaufman. “To have him come and give some time this afternoon is really, really cool.”
That sentiment was echoed by UW-Eau Claire Head Baseball Coach Patrick Reilly. “Can’t imagine something that happens often, and a guy like him with big energy and just a great personality, someone that I’m sure the community will love to hear speak today.”
WEAU’s Justus Cleveland and Brewers’ sideline reporter Sophia Minnert helped coordinate the afternoon’s festivities that featured Murphy telling jokes and stories from his time coaching Milwaukee.
The afternoon also featured a few notable interactions with members of the crowd. Murphy made sure to acknowledge UW-Eau Claire Athletic Director Jason Verdugo who played for Murphy collegiately at Arizona State.
Another interaction featured For The Hobby card shop owner Jordan Hagedorn being welcomed on stage to gift Murphy a Bob Uecker rookie card. Uecker and Murphy had developed a strong bond, especially after he took over as Brewers manager.
For the Milwaukee skipper, the event was all about connecting with Brewers fans, even though they live hours away from Milwaukee.
“I mean, it’s a great thing to know. It’s also a responsibility, you know, to know how passionate they are from 4 hours away. It’s been a great eye-opener education for me, and I love getting to meet the fans.”
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