Source:ABC Sports– New York Yankees catcher Thurman Munson.
“With the 34 year Anniversary Of The Death Of Yankee Great Thurman Munson approaching (August 1 ) YankeesRetro has decided to post the Farewell To The Captain Game. Arguably One Of The Finest Yankee Games Ever. A MUST SEE FOR ALL YANKEE FANS. This video cannot be found anywhere on the internet .Yankees Retro is the only place to catch this legendary game in it’s entirety.Yankee great Thurman Munson Was Tragically Killed In A Airplane Crash just 5 days prior to this game.This day he would be buried in his native Ohio, just several hours later the Yankees flew back to New York To take on the First place Baltimore Orioles,The game was telecast on August 6,1979 on ABC TV. The Yankees were well out of the pennant race at this point but their task was to win this one for their beloved captain.Falling quickly behind 4 To 0,it seemed likely they would loose,But The Heroics Of Bobby Murcer (Who was a One Man Wrecking Crew ,driving in all 5 Yankee Runs was enough to win it for Munson).Murcer Belted a 3 run homer in the bottom of the 7th to bring the Yankees to within 1 run. Trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the 9th with Bucky Dent and Willie Randolph on Base .Murcer jerked a line drive double down the left field foul line,scoring both men.The Yankess won the game 5-4…. Keith Jackson,Don Drysdale & Howard Coselle bring you the play by play. Commentary from then Oriole Outfielder ,now Yankee Broadcaster Ken Singleton, And the hero The Late Bobby Murcer. Video Quality is quite good !………Moderators of Yankees32Retro.”
From Yankees 32 Retro
Thurman Munson definitely would’ve been a Hall of Famer had he lived and not have died prematurely. Because he was that great of an all around player. A great defensive catcher and hitter who hit for average, power, and a great clutch hitter.
When the New York Yankees lost Thurman Munson, they didn’t lose their starting catcher. They lost their captain, their leader, their best all around player. The man who is in the same class as a Johnny Bench or Carlton Fisk, when it comes to catchers in baseball. The best of the best, because that is exactly who Thurman was. You couldn’t of had a better player and man than Thurman Munson as your starting catcher back in the 1970s and I would argue certainly today.
There has really only been on catcher who is in the same class of a Bench, Fisk, or Munson, today. Ivan Rodriguez, who really does represent old school MLB players and catchers. Someone who was great at calling the game and defending his position, first. But who was never an easy out and someone you would ever have hitting in the bottom of your lineup, because he was not only a great catcher, but a great hitter as well. Both Thurman and Ivan, were catchers who you could have sitting at the top of your lineup, because they hit for average, didn’t strike out much, and could also hit for power.
That is how great a player Thurman was. Before the 1970s, catchers were almost looked at like pitchers. You expected them to defend their position and if they could do anything other than that, that was considered a plus. Bench, Fisk, and Munson, changed how we look at the catcher position today. We look at them now as great athletes and not just guys who call the game and defend home plate.
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The Daily Journal 