For most fans under the age of 40, Thurman Munson is better known for his tragic death than for his remarkable career. That’s a shame, because Munson was a complete player who could hit for average and power, played great defense, and even ran the bases well for a catcher. Perhaps most importantly, Munson was a natural leader on and off the field, traits which led the Yankee brass to name Thurman the team's first captain since the retirement of Lou Gehrig in 1939.
With the thirty year anniversary of Munson’s death approaching, it’s time for those who never saw Munson, or who may have forgotten how good he was, to look back on his brilliant playing career.
Thurman Munson’s Early Yankee Years
After playing in a few games with the Yankees at the end of the 1969 season, Thurman Munson broke into the big leagues for good in 1970, and won the American League Rookie of the Year Award.
Over the next five seasons, Munson steadily improved both offensively and defensively. He won three straight Gold Glove Awards between 1973 and 1975, and in 1975, he hit .318 with 102 RBI.
Munson's MVP and Championship Years
The 1976 season was special for both the Yankees and Munson. The team hadn’t won a pennant since 1964, which the longest drought they had suffered since they first started winning pennants, way back in 1921. So when the Yankees won 97 games and won their division over the Baltimore Orioles, there was a lot of excitement in New York baseball.
Much of that excitement centered around Munson, who hit .302 with 17 home runs and 105 RBI. He struck out only 38 times in 665 plate appearances. He also had 10 sacrifice flies and 14 stolen bases. He made his fith All-Star team and won the American League MVP Award.
The Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals in the 1976 American League Championship Series to win their first pennant in more than a decade. Munson was the offensive star of the series, hitting .435 with 10 hits, 2 doubles and 3 RBI. He was even better in the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. Although the Reds swept the Yankees in four games, Munson hit a Series-best .529.
1977 saw the arrival of Reggie Jackson to the Yankees. Jackson was the most famous of Steinbrenner’s free agent corps, and many believed that he was the last piece of the puzzle. Many were right. Jackson hit 32 homers and had 110 RBI in his debut season. Munson had another great all-around season, batting .308 with 18 HR and 100 RBI. He made his sixth all-star team and became just the second catcher to knock in 100 or more runs in three straight seasons.
Oh, and the Yankees went on to win the ALCS against the Royals, and then won the World Series over the Dodgers in 6 games. Though Reggie Jackson provided the most lasting memories (with his three home runs in Game 6), Munson also had a fine series, batting .320 with 2 doubles, a home run and 3 RBI.
Chronic knee pain and other assorted injuries began to take their toll on Munson by the 1978 season. He had a good year, batting .297 with 183 hits, but his power numbers dropped significantly to just 6 home runs and 71 RBI.
The Yankees won the division in a memorable one game playoff against the Boston Red Sox, and then faced the Royals for the third straight year in the ALCS. The team split the first two games, and the Yankees found themselves down 5-4 in the bottom of the eighth inning in Game 3. Munson came to the plate with a man on base and hammered a 475 foot, two-run homer off Kansas City’s Doug Bird. It was the longest home run of Munson’s career. The monumental blast clinched the game, and propelled the Yankees to win the ALCS the next day.
Munson stayed hot through the World Series, batting .320 and driving in seven runs. The Yankees repeated as champions by knocking out the Los Angeles Dodgers in 6 games.
The Yankees Lose Their Captain
Munson continued to hit for average in 1979, but his power continued to decline. Through the end of July, he had only three home runs and 39 RBI. His knees were getting worse, and during the season, there was talk of trading him closer to his home in Columbus, Ohio. Perhaps he would go play for the Cleveland Indians as a designated hitter for a few years, Munson once mentioned to a reporter.
It was this passion for home and family that led Munson to obtain his pilot’s license and buy a small two-engine plane so that he could visit his family on off days. In the summer of 1979, he bought a new, larger, faster plane, one that could shuttle him back and forth more quickly. A few weeks later, on August 2, 1979, Munson was practicing takeoff and landing maneuvers at the Canton-Akron Airport when he lost control of the plane, crashed, and was killed in the accident. He was 32 years old.
Munson’s career was cut short, but his memory lives on. The Yankees retired his number 15 and dedicated a plaque to their lost captain in Monument Park. A replica locker is still reserved for Munson in the Yankees clubhouse. His actual locker, with his uniform and catcher's equipment, was donated to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, where it remains on display to this day.
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