Lang
5/19/23
Longtime Iowa City businessman and legendary Hawkeye fan Earle Murphy has died. His family posted on Facebook that Murphy died Thursday morning at the age of 99.
Murphy’s clothing store Bremers was a staple of downtown Iowa City for decades. He was also known as an avid Hawkeye fan, including being named the I-Club Man of the Year in 1976. He traced his fandom to his recovery from foot surgery following a bout with polio in 1934. As he was recovering, Hawkeye football player Ozzie Simmons visited Murphy’s then-Dubuque Street home and asked his mother for permission to take him to practice. She agreed, and Murphy got to participate in a private practice, cementing him as a Simmons fan for life.
Murphy helped found the Johnson County I-Club in 1973, becoming its president the next year.
He would later co-host the “Sports Opinion” television show on PATV.
In 2016, Murphy released a book called, “A ‘Hawk’ for All Seasons”, telling memorable stories of his personal interactions with Hawkeye players, coaches, administrators and fans throughout his life.
Details on a celebration of life will come at a later date.