ROBERT M. MURPHY (“MURPH”)
North Rockland High School
Coach
A graduate of Xaverian High School in Brooklyn and Wagner College on Staten Island, Robert Murphy often acknowledged that those schools didn’t place an especially high value on the field events. That didn’t seem right to the young physics teacher who aptly applied advice from Isaac Newton to heavy implements that liked to defy gravity.
Young Robert Murphy began his classroom career at North Rockland High School in 1969, hopped over to Albertus Magnus in the afternoons to coach for a while, then settled in with the Red Raiders, almost always beside Gene Dall, their esteemed Hall of Fame boys’ head coach. Through season after season as Rockland County’s universally acknowledged expert in the throwing events, as well as a coach of the jumping events, North Rockland’s head girls’ coach, and a little bit of Red Raider boys’ soccer, “Murph” amassed more than 100 seasons around the circle, runway and pitch. His knowledge and passion helped to establish North Rockland as a powerhouse track AND field program throughout the state.
From 1971 to 2001, a North Rockland shot putter won the Rockland County title 20 times, including 12 years in a row. Fifty-foot shot-putters became the norm early in the Gene Dall-Bob Murphy era, with Jim Ward becoming the first in 1971 and winning back-to- back Rockland County titles. Jim Massaro, Scott Fink, Tom Gaine, Eli Cooper and others followed suit in the 1970s.
The school’s trophy case brims with a national and seven New York State titles in the shot put and countless other weight triumphs. Among those are for National Scholastic indoor champion John Stephens and fellow 60-footers Phil Caraher and Cosmo Tocci. As noted, dominant 60- and 50-foot shot-putters populate Bob Murphy’s resume, as do ace discus throwers Caraher and Darius Favors, Dave Silberstein, and others. Dennis O’Sullivan was another Murphy protégé who excelled in both throws.
Some of Murph’s most cherished accomplishments, however, came in the javelin throw. A spearman in high school and college, he was an advocate for the event, which is rarely contested in New York State meets, save the Red Raider Relays, Loucks Games, at Hendrick Hudson meets, and a handful of other venues. Protégé Andrew Silberstein took second place in the 1985 national Junior championships and competed internationally for the United States that summer. He remains the Rockland County record-holder at 225-9 set in a meet against Mexico, Italy and Canada. Fellow Hall of Famer Mike Manno sits behind him on the Top 10 list at 215-11. Brother Tony Manno, Bill Kivlehan, Jesse Goedecke and Jason Strauch, Red Raiders all, also enjoy residency.
Retiring from North Rockland in 2002, Bob, a Tomkins Cove resident, continued teaching and coaching at Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, N.J., for nine more years.
He returned to North Rockland in 2012 to focus on the throwing events. That final stint in Thiells proved impactful as he mentored reigning Rockland County indoor and outdoor record-holder Eric Favors. A two-time New York State champion and 2016 North Rockland graduate, Favors became a University of South Carolina and SEC standout, Ireland’s current indoor record-holder, and a current Olympic hopeful.
Murph is held in such high esteem in the precincts of North Rockland High School that the Robert M. Murphy Memorial Outstanding Performance Award in Boys’ Field Events is presented annually at the Red Raider Relays track & field meet in latter April.
Bob Murphy passed away in 2013 with far too much coaching left in him, but his legacy remains profound. Six of the Rockland indoor and four of the outdoor top 10 shot put marks are still held by his athletes, as are five of the top 10 discus performances and six of the top 10 javelin throws. More than a few of those enjoy Beamonesque longevity, going as far back as 1975.
Not recorded in the books --- well, maybe once or twice -– are the unforgettable stories about “Murph” and the ground-breaking influence he had on Rockland County’s throws culture.
Rankings of Bob Murphy’s throwers on all-time Rockland lists:
Outdoor Shot Put
#1 – Eric Favors 66-7
#4 – Phil Caraher 64-8
#5 – John Stephens 61-10 ½
#6 – Cosmo Tocci 60-8 ½
Indoor Shot Put
#1 – Eric Favors 66-1
#3 – Phil Caraher 62-6
#5 – John Stephens 61-9
#8 – Cosmo Tocci 59-2 ½
#9 – Andrew Silberstein 58-10 ¼
#10 – Dave Silberstein 58-7
Discus
#2 – Phil Caraher 189-6
#3 – Eric Favors 178-1
#4 – Mike Manno 173-6
#6 – John Stephens 171-4
#10 – Mark Manno 167-0
Javelin
#1 – Andrew Silberstein 225-9 (#1 all-time New York State)
#2 – Mike Manno 215-11
#6 – Bill Kivlehan 184-4
#7 – Tony Manno 181-4
#8 – Jesse Goedecke 175-11
#10 – Jason Strauch 162-7
Young Robert Murphy began his classroom career at North Rockland High School in 1969, hopped over to Albertus Magnus in the afternoons to coach for a while, then settled in with the Red Raiders, almost always beside Gene Dall, their esteemed Hall of Fame boys’ head coach. Through season after season as Rockland County’s universally acknowledged expert in the throwing events, as well as a coach of the jumping events, North Rockland’s head girls’ coach, and a little bit of Red Raider boys’ soccer, “Murph” amassed more than 100 seasons around the circle, runway and pitch. His knowledge and passion helped to establish North Rockland as a powerhouse track AND field program throughout the state.
From 1971 to 2001, a North Rockland shot putter won the Rockland County title 20 times, including 12 years in a row. Fifty-foot shot-putters became the norm early in the Gene Dall-Bob Murphy era, with Jim Ward becoming the first in 1971 and winning back-to- back Rockland County titles. Jim Massaro, Scott Fink, Tom Gaine, Eli Cooper and others followed suit in the 1970s.
The school’s trophy case brims with a national and seven New York State titles in the shot put and countless other weight triumphs. Among those are for National Scholastic indoor champion John Stephens and fellow 60-footers Phil Caraher and Cosmo Tocci. As noted, dominant 60- and 50-foot shot-putters populate Bob Murphy’s resume, as do ace discus throwers Caraher and Darius Favors, Dave Silberstein, and others. Dennis O’Sullivan was another Murphy protégé who excelled in both throws.
Some of Murph’s most cherished accomplishments, however, came in the javelin throw. A spearman in high school and college, he was an advocate for the event, which is rarely contested in New York State meets, save the Red Raider Relays, Loucks Games, at Hendrick Hudson meets, and a handful of other venues. Protégé Andrew Silberstein took second place in the 1985 national Junior championships and competed internationally for the United States that summer. He remains the Rockland County record-holder at 225-9 set in a meet against Mexico, Italy and Canada. Fellow Hall of Famer Mike Manno sits behind him on the Top 10 list at 215-11. Brother Tony Manno, Bill Kivlehan, Jesse Goedecke and Jason Strauch, Red Raiders all, also enjoy residency.
Retiring from North Rockland in 2002, Bob, a Tomkins Cove resident, continued teaching and coaching at Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, N.J., for nine more years.
He returned to North Rockland in 2012 to focus on the throwing events. That final stint in Thiells proved impactful as he mentored reigning Rockland County indoor and outdoor record-holder Eric Favors. A two-time New York State champion and 2016 North Rockland graduate, Favors became a University of South Carolina and SEC standout, Ireland’s current indoor record-holder, and a current Olympic hopeful.
Murph is held in such high esteem in the precincts of North Rockland High School that the Robert M. Murphy Memorial Outstanding Performance Award in Boys’ Field Events is presented annually at the Red Raider Relays track & field meet in latter April.
Bob Murphy passed away in 2013 with far too much coaching left in him, but his legacy remains profound. Six of the Rockland indoor and four of the outdoor top 10 shot put marks are still held by his athletes, as are five of the top 10 discus performances and six of the top 10 javelin throws. More than a few of those enjoy Beamonesque longevity, going as far back as 1975.
Not recorded in the books --- well, maybe once or twice -– are the unforgettable stories about “Murph” and the ground-breaking influence he had on Rockland County’s throws culture.
Rankings of Bob Murphy’s throwers on all-time Rockland lists:
Outdoor Shot Put
#1 – Eric Favors 66-7
#4 – Phil Caraher 64-8
#5 – John Stephens 61-10 ½
#6 – Cosmo Tocci 60-8 ½
Indoor Shot Put
#1 – Eric Favors 66-1
#3 – Phil Caraher 62-6
#5 – John Stephens 61-9
#8 – Cosmo Tocci 59-2 ½
#9 – Andrew Silberstein 58-10 ¼
#10 – Dave Silberstein 58-7
Discus
#2 – Phil Caraher 189-6
#3 – Eric Favors 178-1
#4 – Mike Manno 173-6
#6 – John Stephens 171-4
#10 – Mark Manno 167-0
Javelin
#1 – Andrew Silberstein 225-9 (#1 all-time New York State)
#2 – Mike Manno 215-11
#6 – Bill Kivlehan 184-4
#7 – Tony Manno 181-4
#8 – Jesse Goedecke 175-11
#10 – Jason Strauch 162-7