There are some friends who make you laugh, some who inspire you, and then there are the rare ones—like Tori Murphy—who make you believe the world really can be better. Married to former MLB player Daniel Murphy (yes, Hall of Fame ballot Daniel Murphy!), Tori has spent 16 years navigating stadium life, raising four kids, and quietly becoming a force of compassion. Her heart for teen girls—especially those in foster care—sparked the birth of Prom Series, a nonprofit movement transforming stadium suites into spaces of dignity, beauty, and belonging. This is the story of a woman who sees a need, meets it with courage, and reminds all of us what can happen when faith and purpose collide.
What team were you with the longest?
Tori: We were with the Mets for 7 years. This is a special place for us because we grew up with the Mets, from being boyfriend and girlfriend through marriage and babies, it will always be our home away from home.
What inspired you to start Prom Series while Daniel was playing?
Tori: “I was a high school teacher before Daniel and I got married and so teen girls is where I have always felt led to serve. I was sitting in a meeting to brainstorm ways to serve the community of Denver (we were on the Rockies at this time) and just boldly said, “Hey, if you give me a suite I will turn it into a dress store and we can let kids come in and shop for dresses.” After a few logical follow up questions from the team’s GM (that I totally lied my way through) he gave me 8 days to make the event happen. Since that first event we still have never had so many kids attend. The Rockies built dressing rooms for us, we brought in makeup and hair people and essentially got these girls ready from prom at the stadium. It was the coolest thing ever.”
What is the most powerful thing about these events?
Tori: Every teen that comes to the event gets partnered with a player’s wife who is just their buddy and cheerleader for the entire night. They get showered with positive words, encouragement, genuine kindness and love. I will never ever forget the first time one of the girls came out of the stadium bathroom in her beautiful gown all done up and the women around her lavishing her with compliments about how beautiful she was. This is such a great representation of how Jesus sees us, messy hair, feeling exhausted and far from beautiful and he looks at us with so much love and only sees our beauty.
So that is how Prom Series began, but does it look like today?
Tori: It has definitely evolved. Once covid hit we couldn’t facilitate the 5 events I had scheduled for the year so we had to make a shift. I thought to myself, “All kids like to start school with a brand new outfit and these kids should have a chance to do that as well.” So that’s what we did we hosted a back to school night. It is more than a dress and more than a new outfit-it is truly catering to the needs of those teens in foster care and seeing what the teams come up with.
Is this just you running all of these details?
Tori: The women of major league baseball have run with this and have taken it so much
further than I ever could have on my own. I would say that my role now is more of a
coordinator, I connect different foster care agencies to the teams and try to get as many
teens to these events as I can-and the ladies on the team, they really make it their own
and what they do is absolutely incredible.
Bree: I have been watching from behind the scenes and to see the way that it has grown and just taken off within this baseball community is something that is so inspiring. I know that it isn’t easy, and I am just so proud of what you have done.
What have you learned the most about YOURSELF in this game?
Tori: All of it- The biggest growth has been with my faith in the Lord and that has bled into our marriage and how we raise our kids. Now, as one of the “veteran couples” we are able to pour into others and it is so crazy to think that we are here because I remember when we were the younger couple- needing the wisdom on how to navigate this life.
The struggle for identity in baseball women is real. How have you seen this fill that void for the ladies helping serve with Prom Series?
Tori: “Women in baseball are really cool and they are adorable and they come up with AMAZING ideas. To see the women take their talents and words to just shower these teens with so much love and care has been amazing. It is so cool to be able to mesh these two groups of women that I love: teens in foster care and the women in baseball, and to bring them together to do something that is equally as impactful for both sides.
But I hold this with open hands, it is an idea and they can build off it or totally go in a different direction, and I think that mentality is really what has made it become so much bigger and better than I imagined.”
How does someone get in touch with you to host an event or a foster care
establishment partner with you?
Tori: [email protected] is the easiest way to get connected. We work hard to find a match for any team that wants to have an event. This year we even have a minor league team that wants to do one so that’s really exciting!
After retirement, what has been the most important step to take?
Tori: “Find your community. It is so important to find your people and it takes longer than you think so get started on it. In baseball the friendship “courtship” happens fast because you are with them every day from spring training on, but friendship outside of the game isn’t like that, it takes time.”
Tori shows us what it looks like to live with open hands and a willing heart. Her story inspires all of us to step into the needs right in front of us.
