Serving up stories for decades at the Morris Inn

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NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- While most fans head to Notre Dame for the football, others go for the bar at the Morris Inn, where one bartender has been serving up stories for decades.

This bartender's notoriety is approaching that of the namesake of his trademark drink: the Hesburgh Manhattan.

It's a regular manhattan with rye whiskey, cherry juice and two cherries.

But what whets the palette of Patrick Murphy, or Murf, as most people know him, are what the folks on the other side of the bar are serving.

“It’s all the stories over the years, the seeing the kids leave here and come back. It’s a wonderful thing," said Patrick Murphy.

Murf's story at the Morris begins in the 60s.

“I started in 1966 as a busboy...I parked cars on football weekends and then would come in at 7 o’clock in the morning, take all the keys, hand them back out to the people...and then I would go into the bar and work from three till close...Many different hats I guess," he said.

Whether it's a regular stopping by to say hi or his idol Joe Montana sitting across from him, Murf treats everyone the same--pours a drink and listens.

“Someone will walk up and say is that old bartender still here?" said Murf laughing.

“He definitely has a soft spot. When he talks about a few stories, or he’ll tell you about a few stories, he tends to get teary-eyed,

“It’s been a good life. At this point in my life, I can see it coming to an end eventually, and  I hate to see it, because I have so much fun back here. It’s not often that you get to go to a job and you enjoy it. Management has been great to me," said Murf.

The Michigan game marks his 232nd game in a row that he's worked.

Murf says he hasn't missed working a football game since Missouri in 1977.

While his circumstances have been pretty extraordinary, Murf says he's just doing a job he was lucky enough to get

"I’m just a bartender, a normal guy that’s been fortunate that’s been able to be back here and be here for the games...As I get older and older, I’m part of the stories," said Murf.

His goal is to work 250 games in a row.


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