Died: August 2, 1979(1979-08-02) (aged 32) Green, Ohio, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
August 8, 1969, for the New York Yankees
Last MLB appearance
August 1, 1979, for the New York Yankees
MLB statistics
Batting average
.292
Home runs
113
Runs batted in
701
Teams
New York Yankees (1969–1979)
Career highlights and awards
7× All-Star (1971, 1973–1978)
2× World Series champion (1977, 1978)
AL MVP (1976)
AL Rookie of the Year (1970)
3× Gold Glove Award (1973–1975)
New York Yankees No. 15 retired
Monument Park honoree
Thurman Lee Munson (June 7, 1947 – August 2, 1979) was an American professional baseball catcher who played 11 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the New York Yankees, from 1969 until his death in 1979. A seven-time All-Star, Munson had a career batting average of .292 with 113 home runs and 701 runs batted in (RBIs). Known for his outstanding fielding, he won the Gold Glove Award in three consecutive years (1973–75).
Born in Akron, Ohio, Munson was selected as the fourth pick of the 1968 MLB draft and was named as the catcher on the 1968 College Baseball All-American Team. Munson hit over .300 in his two seasons in the minor leagues, establishing himself as a top prospect. He became the Yankees' starting catcher late in the 1969 season, and after his first complete season in 1970, in which he batted .302, he was voted American League (AL) Rookie of the Year. Considered the "heart and soul" of the Yankees, Munson was named captain of the Yankees in 1976, the team's first since Lou Gehrig. That same year, he won the AL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award.
As captain, Munson helped lead the Yankees to three consecutive World Series appearances from 1976 to 1978, winning championships in the latter two years. He is the first player in baseball history to be named a College Baseball All-American and then in MLB win a Rookie of the Year Award, MVP Award, Gold Glove Award, and World Series championship. He is also the only catcher in MLB postseason history to record at least a .300+ batting average (.357), 20 RBIs (22), and 20 defensive caught stealings (24).
On August 2, 1979, Munson died in a crash while practicing landings in his aircraft at Akron–Canton Airport.[1][2][3] The Yankees honored him by immediately retiring his uniform 15,[4] and dedicating a plaque to him in Monument Park.
^"Munson dies in plane crash". Chicago Tribune. August 3, 1979. p. 1, sec. 5.
^"Yankees' star Munson is killed in plane crash". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). Associated Press. August 3, 1979. p. 1.
^"'New love' claims life of Yanks' Munson". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. August 3, 1979. p. 33.
^Bock, Hal (August 4, 1979). "Yankees, O's, fans in Munson tribute". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). Associated Press. p. 13.
Thurman Lee Munson (June 7, 1947 – August 2, 1979) was an American professional baseball catcher who played 11 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with...
ThurmanMunson Memorial Stadium is a stadium in Canton, Ohio, United States, primarily used for baseball. The facility is named after former Major League...
that stirs the drink. Maybe I should say me and Munson, but he can only stir it bad." ThurmanMunson was "uncharacteristically happy" about the team getting...
drafted fairly early during this period due to their lackluster records, ThurmanMunson was the only pick who lived up to his billing. On January 3, 1973, CBS...
up Thurman in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Thurman may refer to: In the United States: Thurman, Indiana Thurman, Iowa Thurman, Kansas Thurman, New...
seven errors. ThurmanMunson caught the final out of the game on a foul pop by Cey. This would be the final post-season game for ThurmanMunson before his...
vacant until team owner George Steinbrenner named ThurmanMunson as captain in 1976. Following Munson's death, Graig Nettles served as captain. Willie Randolph...
responded with consecutive two-out singles by ThurmanMunson, Reggie Jackson, and Chris Chambliss, scoring Munson. In the top of the sixth inning, Steve Garvey...
and ThurmanMunson, Both ascending up into heaven. I just can't get it out of my mind. I just saw the full moon, And it just reminded me of Thurman Munson...
franchise. The season was marked by the death of their starting catcher, ThurmanMunson, on August 2. The team finished with a record of 89–71, finishing fourth...
die during the regular season since 1979, when the New York Yankees' ThurmanMunson died in a plane crash. Kile was born on December 2, 1968, in Garden...
perhaps the highlight of the 1969 season for Yankees' fans. Murcer, ThurmanMunson, and Gene Michael hit consecutive home runs in the sixth inning against...
Herzog's decision to go with Doug Bird in the eighth inning to face ThurmanMunson resulted in him belting a go-ahead two-run shot as the Yankees won 6-5...
DiMaggio Lou Gehrig Ron Guidry Derek Jeter Mickey Mantle Don Mattingly ThurmanMunson Paul O'Neill Mariano Rivera Babe Ruth Joe Torre Bernie Williams Yogi...
and current PGA member Ben Curtis, former New York Yankees catcher ThurmanMunson, Thomas Jefferson 1984 200m Olympic bronze medalist, former Pittsburgh...
moved to Canton, Ohio, and became the Canton-Akron Indians playing at ThurmanMunson Memorial Stadium. After the 1996 season, the franchise moved up I-77...
Award The John J. Claffey Outstanding New England Player Award The ThurmanMunson Award for Batting Champion Individual season records below are for a...
hungry for a title. Added to the mix was Kent State University catcher ThurmanMunson, who hit .420 on the season and was named league MVP. During the regular...
McGregor, and Rick Dempsey. The heart of the team was Yankee captain, ThurmanMunson, whose grit and determination were factors in his winning the 1976 American...
subtitled On and Off The Field with ThurmanMunson. Dan Epstein, a well-known baseball writer, assisted Blomberg, and Munson's widow wrote an introduction. Blomberg...
of Crews and Olin were the first deaths of active MLB players since ThurmanMunson in 1979. In their memory, the Cleveland Indians wore a patch on their...
John Mayberry hit a two-run home run off of Dick Tidrow in the third. ThurmanMunson provided the Yankee runs in the third with a two-run home run of his...
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