A Reminder Of A Great Yankee Captain

Nestled comfortably next to my CDs is a bobblehead figure that I received while attending a New York Yankee game many years ago. The promotion for the bobblehead Thurman Munson figure took place many years after his death. He was my favorite player from that era in the 70's that was very exciting for a Yankee fan.

I will never forget that day (August 2, 1979) when Munson's plane went down. Even though I lived in The Bronx, I was spending my summer down the Jersey shore. I was playing pinball in the Asbury Park Casino building when I heard the news on the radio that was playing in the background. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Munson played hard every time he was on the field. He had won both the Rookie Of The Year Award and the Most Valuable Player Award. He hit over .300 in five of his nine full seasons. He was the only player that I ever remember seeing that knocked in 100 runs in a season with just 13 homers. Bobby Murcer wrote his eulogy.

Munson was as much a part of the Yankee-Red Sox rivalry as any ballplayer. It always boiled down to Thurman Munson vs. Carlton Fisk! I will never forget a game where Thurman Munson was the runner at third and Carlton Fisk was catching for the Sox. Gene Michael was the hitter and the suicide squeeze was on. Michael couldn't connect with the ball because it was too far outside and Munson came barreling home. In those days, collisions at the plate weren't frowned upon. Munson and Fisk sprung up from the ground with fists flying while the ball was rolling around on the ground by the homeplate area. Both benches emptied and the ejections ignited the rivalry to new heights.

Whether it was that sweet stroke to right field or his cat-like reflexes behind the plate, Munson was a force to reckon with. Bill Gallo did a beautiful drawing for the Daily News. It showed the faces of babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in the clouds with Gehrig stating, "Kid's name is Munson, Babe - Thurman Munson, a catcher."