The Baseball Legacy Society

Coach Steve Murfin served as head baseball coach at Blake High School from 1999 to 2022, becoming the school’s longest-serving coach and leading the team to four regional finals. Under his leadership, 27 players advanced to college baseball, including 21 Division I athletes, four All-Americans, and one professional player. Murfin has also served as a coach for the Baltimore Orioles amateur teams, leading them to three world championships, including a recent victory in 2023. He has an incredible passion for giving back and has been involved in organizing the "Baseball for Troops" campaign, which provided 850 lbs. of equipment for Maryland National Guard units in Iraq. He has hosted European international students through programs teaching baseball and has helped lead fundraising efforts to replace equipment for high schools suffering from tsunamis in Japan. Murfin is featured in five Sports Halls of Fame, most notably the Towson University Athletic Hall of Fame, Baltimore Orioles Fantasy Camp Baseball Hall of Fame and Adult Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame. 

Baseball has always been an important part of Ira Dorfman’s life. He played Little League from age 5 to 12 and participated in Babe Ruth baseball thereafter. In high school, Ira pitched for the Cheshire Academy Cats’ Junior Varsity team in Cheshire, CT, before playing outfield on the Division III Varsity baseball team of Kenyon College in Ohio. Upon graduating, Ira played recreational and industrial league softball until he learned about the opportunities to play adult hardball baseball. Ira participated in multiple Baltimore Orioles Fantasy Camps in Sarasota, Florida and other spin-off tournaments including Delmarva Baseball, JSB Baseball, and Baseball4Causes. Ira has participated in Roy Hobbs World Series and Baseball International tournaments in Fort Myers, Florida, as well as numerous tournaments at his favorite venue, Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, NY. This year he looks forward to playing in the Midnight Graham Classic at the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa.

Ira has never undervalued the life experiences baseball has provided him, the lasting friendships and the opportunity to give back to fellow players, and the community as a whole – through tournaments, local fundraisers, participation with the Washington Nationals Youth Academy, and now to serve on the Baseball Legacy Society Advisory Board.

Steve Freeman is a lifelong communicator, performer, and baseball enthusiast whose career has spanned music, media, and Major League Baseball. From 1976 to 1988, he worked full-time as a professional guitarist and vocalist, studying under former Peabody Conservatory professor Asher Zlotnik. Shifting gears, he earned his degree in Communications with a focus on Public Relations and Psychology from Towson University.

In 1993, Steve joined the Baltimore Orioles, where he spent over 25 years in various roles including sales, alumni relations, and fan engagement. He led the Orioles’ volunteer sales group—the Designated Hitters—from 1997 to 2008, and worked closely with former Orioles players from 2007 through 2020. He also directed the beloved Orioles Fantasy Camp from 1999 to 2019. After a final year as an independent consultant, Steve retired in the summer of 2020.

After a 23-year career as a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter pilot, Todd Hyson rediscovered his passion for organized baseball at age 48, inspired by a 2012 Orioles broadcast he saw while deployed in Afghanistan. What began as a leap of faith into Orioles Dream Week turned into a full-blown second act in baseball.

Since then, Todd has played in tournaments across the country—from Cooperstown to Key West—and internationally with Baseball International. He's a regular in senior leagues in Maryland and Pennsylvania and now manages his own tournament team, “The Hot Toddies.” Known for his love of fundamentals and team camaraderie, Todd cherishes the friendships and meaning baseball has brought to his life, especially the opportunity to play alongside his daughter in 2015.

Outside the game, Todd continues to serve as a pilot—instructor for the Maryland State Police—after previous missions flying in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also serves on the Baseball Legacy Society Advisory Board, committed to giving back to the game that continues to shape his life.

Bill Bratten has spent over three decades immersed in education, music, and architecture—but his deepest and most enduring passion has been the game of baseball. In the summer of 2025, he entered his 54th consecutive season as a player, a streak that began with his first organized league game in 1972 in suburban Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. 

Over the years, Bratten has played on 76 different teams and earned recognition at the local, state, and regional levels. His honors include multiple all-star selections, MVP and Rookie of the Year at Central Dauphin East High School, and invitations to professional tryout camps. He has competed in prestigious leagues such as the East Shore Twilight League, won multiple championships, and played on iconic fields across 14 states—including Doubleday Field and Dodgertown USA. 

Off the field, he has coached youth and high school players, attended historic MLB events, and remains a devoted advocate for the spirit and integrity of the game. Bratten is best known not just for his longevity, but for the enthusiasm, joy, and sportsmanship he brings to every inning he plays.