Murphy'sBoy
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For anyone who's ever seen this guy at Minute Made. RIP.
With a simple toss, Astros’ ‘Peanut Dude’ became legend
By DAVID BARRON Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
May 20, 2009, 9:03PM
Arnie Murphy, Houston’s famed “Peanut Dude,” was remembered Wednesday for the marksmanship, flair, charity and showmanship that made the simple act of ordering a bag of peanuts a highlight of attending Astros games at Minute Maid Park.
Murphy, 61, died Tuesday night at his home. Family members said he had been suffering from heart disease for several years.
Once described by People magazine as the Pedro Martinez of peanut vendors, Murphy learned the art of salesmanship while hawking peanuts at Cleveland Indians games as a teenager. He could chunk them in at 42 mph, and, in the parlance of big league pitchers, he could paint the corners with pinpoint accuracy.
“At heart, he was an entertainer,” said Marty Price, the Astros’ vice president of guest experiences. “He was part of the show, and he got a rush out of entertaining people in the seats. He was a guy who enjoyed life and did amazing things for charity.”
Several family members attended Wednesday night’s Astros game, where the team honored Murphy with a video tribute that noted his charitable efforts on behalf of the Sunshine Kids.
“He absolutely loved the Astros organization and this ballpark,” said his sister, Shannon Jones. “He lived for what he did, and he adored what he did for the Sunshine Kids. It filled him with joy.”
In a 2005 interview, Murphy said he was born in Virginia and worked as a child at a lemonade stand, where he learned the value of humor in the art of salesmanship. He moved to Houston in the 1970s and worked at several jobs while operating concessions at the Astrodome.
He began working in the mid-1990s with the Sunshine Kids organization, which benefits children living with cancer. He deputized several as “Junior Peanut Dudes,” teaching them some of his tricks of his trade, and donated a portion of the proceeds from each bag to charity.
He was selected by Aramark, which operates concessions at Minute Maid Park, to work at several All-Star Games, the most recent one in 2006. He also operated a concessions business with his wife, Betty, who died in 1995.
Murphy suffered a heart attack in 2005 and had recently undergone treatment designed to help regenerate damaged heart muscle, his sister said. He had worked the Astros’ most recent homestand and planned to work the rest of the season before retiring.
“The Peanut Dude was pretty popular around here,” Jones said. “We can’t express how much we appreciate what the Astros and the fans meant to him over the years.”
Arrangements are pending with Forest Park Westheimer Funeral Home.
With a simple toss, Astros’ ‘Peanut Dude’ became legend
By DAVID BARRON Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
May 20, 2009, 9:03PM
Arnie Murphy, Houston’s famed “Peanut Dude,” was remembered Wednesday for the marksmanship, flair, charity and showmanship that made the simple act of ordering a bag of peanuts a highlight of attending Astros games at Minute Maid Park.
Murphy, 61, died Tuesday night at his home. Family members said he had been suffering from heart disease for several years.
Once described by People magazine as the Pedro Martinez of peanut vendors, Murphy learned the art of salesmanship while hawking peanuts at Cleveland Indians games as a teenager. He could chunk them in at 42 mph, and, in the parlance of big league pitchers, he could paint the corners with pinpoint accuracy.
“At heart, he was an entertainer,” said Marty Price, the Astros’ vice president of guest experiences. “He was part of the show, and he got a rush out of entertaining people in the seats. He was a guy who enjoyed life and did amazing things for charity.”
Several family members attended Wednesday night’s Astros game, where the team honored Murphy with a video tribute that noted his charitable efforts on behalf of the Sunshine Kids.
“He absolutely loved the Astros organization and this ballpark,” said his sister, Shannon Jones. “He lived for what he did, and he adored what he did for the Sunshine Kids. It filled him with joy.”
In a 2005 interview, Murphy said he was born in Virginia and worked as a child at a lemonade stand, where he learned the value of humor in the art of salesmanship. He moved to Houston in the 1970s and worked at several jobs while operating concessions at the Astrodome.
He began working in the mid-1990s with the Sunshine Kids organization, which benefits children living with cancer. He deputized several as “Junior Peanut Dudes,” teaching them some of his tricks of his trade, and donated a portion of the proceeds from each bag to charity.
He was selected by Aramark, which operates concessions at Minute Maid Park, to work at several All-Star Games, the most recent one in 2006. He also operated a concessions business with his wife, Betty, who died in 1995.
Murphy suffered a heart attack in 2005 and had recently undergone treatment designed to help regenerate damaged heart muscle, his sister said. He had worked the Astros’ most recent homestand and planned to work the rest of the season before retiring.
“The Peanut Dude was pretty popular around here,” Jones said. “We can’t express how much we appreciate what the Astros and the fans meant to him over the years.”
Arrangements are pending with Forest Park Westheimer Funeral Home.
