Thurman Munson
From BR Bullpen
Thurman Lee Munson (Tugboat, Squatty Body, or The Wall)
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 11", Weight 191 lb.
- School Kent State University
- Debut August 8, 1969
- Final Game August 1, 1979
- Born June 7, 1947 in Akron, OH USA
- Died August 2, 1979 in Canton, OH USA
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[edit] Biographical Information
"Probably the best clutch hitter in baseball." - Tommy Lasorda
Thurman Munson, perhaps the most beloved of the high-profile New York Yankees of the 1970s, was the 1970 American League Rookie of the Year and the 1976 American League MVP. Munson's career was prematurely ended by his tragic death.
He attended Kent State University in 1967-68, at the same time as Steve Stone. Drafted #4 by the Yankees in the first round in 1968, he hit well in the minors in 1968 and 1969 and was up in the majors by August of that year.
Munson was a catcher who made his big league debut with the 1969 Yankees, a sub-.500 team which had Jake Gibbs as its regular catcher. In 1970, Thurman hit .302 for the Yanks, appearing in 132 games, and was named the American League Rookie of the Year.
He won Gold Gloves in 1973, 1974, and 1975. In 1976, he hit .302 with 17 home runs and 105 runs batted in and was named the American League Most Valuable Player. During his career, he was a seven time All-Star.
In World Series play from 1976 to 1978, he hit .373 with 12 RBI in 16 games.
His life was cut short when he was killed piloting his private plane on August 2, 1979. In 1989 the city of Canton, OH named their new ballpark after him, calling it Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- 1970 AL Rookie of the Year Award
- 1970 Topps All-Star Rookie Team
- 7-time AL All-Star (1971 & 1973-1978)
- AL MVP (1976)
- 3-time AL Gold Glove Winner (1973-1975)
- AL Singles Leader (1975)
- 20-Home Run Seasons: 1 (1973)
- 100 RBI Seasons: 3 (1975-1977)
- Won two World Series with the New York Yankees (1977 & 1978)
| AL MVP | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 1976 | 1977 |
| Fred Lynn | Thurman Munson | Rod Carew |
| AL Rookie of the Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 1970 | 1971 |
| Lou Piniella | Thurman Munson | Chris Chambliss |
[edit] Further Reading
- Marty Appel: Munson: The Life and Death of a Yankee Captain, Doubleday Books, New York, NY, 2009.
- Thomas Boswell: "Captain Bad Body", in How Life Imitates the World Series, Penguin Books, New York, 1982, pp. 225-228.
