Who was Beth Murphy? Tributes pour in as Murphy's Bleachers owner dies at 68

Beth Murphy, owner of Murphy's Bleachers, a popular bar amongst Chicago Cubs fans, recently passed away. She died on Monday, April 24, 2023, at the age of 68. Beth Murphy was battling cancer and breathed her last at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

Murphy's Bleachers' official Twitter handle shared a post on Twitter as they announced Beth Murphy's demise. The tweet featured a picture from the bar where a poster was hung in memory of Beth, that read, "We will miss you Beth." Another picture featured the Wrigley Field Home of the Chicago Cubs paying tribute to Beth.

The tweet read:

"It is with great sadness we announce that our owner and the heart of Murphy’s Bleachers, Beth Murphy, peacefully passed away early this morning. The Murphy’s family and all of us here would like to thank everyone for their support during this difficult time. May she Rest In Peace."

The popular bar Murphy's Bleachers is located at 3655 N. Sheffield Ave. – opposite the entrance of the Budweiser Bleachers at Wrigley.

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Beth Murphy took over as the owner of the bar in 2003

Murphy's Bleachers was first established in 1930 and at the time, it was named Ernie's Bleachers. When it first opened, the establishment was known for its hot dogs and beer. Later, in 1965, they changed their name to Ray's Bleachers when the original owner Ernie Paret sold the place to Ray Meyers.

In 1980, Jim Murphy, a former Chicago police officer, bought the bar. He named it Murphy's Bleachers and the establishment was frequented by a number of Cubs players including Rick Sutcliffe, Jody Davis, Keith Moreland, Mark Grace, and more.

It was then in 2003 that Jim Murphy died and his widow, Beth Murphy, took over as the owner and manager of the bar.

A close family member of Beth said that she was the heart and soul of the operation. Beth meant a lot to the neighborhood and the community and always greeted customers with a smile.

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Twitter users paid tribute to Beth and said that they will miss her

As news of Beth's demise came to light, several netizens took to social media platforms like Twitter to pay tribute to her. One individual called her a "Phenomenally nice person" while another mentioned that she will be "missed but not forgotten."

Meanwhile, Cubs Vice President Mike Lufrano told the Chicago Sun-Times that Beth had credibility and respect for the neighborhood. She "understood the relationship between the Cubs and the community" really well and was always rooting to see the Cubs win.