 While some sources say Murnane attended Holy Cross prep school in Worcester, Massachusetts, this is doubtful; searches in the school's archives show there was another man with the same name who attended, but he was from Fitchburg MA, and Murnane was playing baseball in Connecticut during the years he was said to be at Holy Cross.During Murnane's early years in baseball, he played as a catcher for the Stratford, Connecticut club in ; some old-timers of that era said this club was called the Savannah Seniors.Murnane remained at catcher for two seasons with the Savannah Seniors, but moved to center field while with the Middletown Mansfields club of Middletown, Connecticut, halfway through the season.