Thurman Munson

American LeagueRookie Of The Year 1970
Golden Glove Winner 1973, 74, 75
American League MVP, 1976
All-Star Selection 1971, 1973-78
 
Full Name: Thurman Lee Munson
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Height: 5-11 Weight: 191 lbs.
Born: Jun 07, 1947 in Akron, OH
Major League Debut: Aug 08, 1969
Died: Aug 02, 1979 in Canton, OH
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GALLERY


CAREER BATTING STATISTICS
 BATTING
YEAR TEAM LG AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K OBP SLG
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
 NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
 AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
 .256
.302
.251
.280
.301
.261
.318
.302
.308
.297
.288
 26
132
125
140
147
144
157
152
149
154
97
 86
453
451
511
519
517
597
616
595
617
382
 6
59
71
54
80
64
83
79
85
73
42
 22
137
113
143
156
135
190
186
183
183
110
 1
25
15
16
29
19
24
27
28
27
18
 2
4
4
3
4
2
3
1
5
1
3
 1
6
10
7
20
13
12
17
18
6
3
 9
53
42
46
74
60
102
105
100
71
39
 10
57
52
47
48
44
45
29
39
35
32
 10
56
65
58
64
66
52
38
55
70
37
 .330
.386
.335
.343
.362
.316
.366
.337
.351
.332
.340
 .349
.415
.368
.364
.487
.381
.429
.432
.462
.373
.374
Totals AVG
.292		 G
1423		 AB
5344		 R
696		 H
1558		 2B
229		 3B
32		 HR
113		 RBI
701		 BB
438		 K
571		 OBP
.346		 SLG
.410


 BATTINGBASERUNNINGMISC
YEAR TEAM LG HBP GDP TB IBB SH SF SB CS SB% AB/HR AB/K
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
 NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
 AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
 0
7
7
3
4
1
6
9
2
3
0
 5
13
10
13
12
14
23
17
18
20
15
 30
188
166
186
253
197
256
266
275
230
143
 1
6
1
5
4
12
8
6
8
6
2
 0
5
4
4
1
1
3
1
0
1
1
 1
4
3
2
4
8
10
10
2
10
4
 0
5
6
6
4
2
3
14
5
2
1
 1
7
5
7
6
0
2
11
6
3
2
 .000
.417
.545
.462
.400
1.000
.600
.560
.455
.400
.333
 86.0
75.5
45.1
73.0
26.0
39.8
49.8
36.2
33.1
102.8
127.3
 8.6
8.1
6.9
8.8
8.1
7.8
11.5
16.2
10.8
8.8
10.3
Totals HBP
42		 GDP
160		 TB
2190		 IBB
59		 SH
21		 SF
58		 SB
48		 CS
50		 SB%
.490		 AB/HR
47.3		 AB/K
9.4


CAREER FIELDING STATISTICS
YEAR TEAM LG POS G Ch PO A E DP FPCT
1969
1970
1971
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1975
1975
1975
1976
1976
1977
1978
1978
1979
1979
 NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
NYY
 AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
 C
C
OF
C
C
C
C
3B
OF
1B
C
OF
C
C
OF
C
1B
C
 25
125
1
117
132
142
137
1
2
2
130
11
121
136
13
125
3
88
 139
719
0
615
661
765
840
0
5
20
818
11
627
742
33
737
23
459
 119
631
0
547
575
673
743
0
5
20
700
9
537
657
32
666
23
405
 18
80
0
67
71
80
75
0
0
0
95
0
78
73
0
61
0
44
 2
8
0
1
15
12
22
0
0
0
23
2
12
12
1
10
0
10
 0
11
0
4
11
11
10
0
0
1
14
0
8
4
0
4
2
5
 0.986
0.989
-.---
0.998
0.977
0.984
0.974
-.---
1.000
1.000
0.972
0.818
0.981
0.984
0.970
0.986
1.000
0.978
Totals G
1311		 Ch
7214		 PO
6342		 A
742		 E
130		 DP
85		 FPCT
0.982


LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES BATTING STATISTICS
 BATTING
YEAR TEAM LG AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K OBP SLG
1976
1977
1978
 NYY
NYY
NYY
 AL
AL
AL
 .435
.286
.278
 5
5
4
 23
21
18
 3
3
2
 10
6
5
 2
1
1
 0
0
0
 0
1
1
 3
5
2
 0
0
0
 1
2
0
 .435
.273
.278
 .522
.476
.500
Totals AVG
.339		 G
14		 AB
62		 R
8		 H
21		 2B
4		 3B
0		 HR
2		 RBI
10		 BB
0		 K
3		 OBP
.333		 SLG
.500


 BATTINGBASERUNNINGMISC
YEAR TEAM LG HBP GDP TB IBB SH SF SB CS SB% AB/HR AB/K
1976
1977
1978
 NYY
NYY
NYY
 AL
AL
AL
 0
0
0
 1
0
1
 12
10
9
 0
0
0
 0
0
0
 0
1
0
 0
0
0
 1
0
0
 .000
-.---
-.---
 --.-
21.0
18.0
 23.0
10.5
--.-
Totals HBP
0		 GDP
2		 TB
31		 IBB
0		 SH
0		 SF
1		 SB
0		 CS
1		 SB%
.000		 AB/HR
31.0		 AB/K
20.7


WORLD SERIES BATTING STATISTICS
 BATTING
YEAR TEAM LG AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K OBP SLG
1976
1977
1978
 NYY
NYY
NYY
 AL
AL
AL
 .529
.320
.320
 4
6
6
 17
25
25
 2
4
5
 9
8
8
 0
2
3
 0
0
0
 0
1
0
 2
3
7
 0
2
3
 1
8
7
 .529
.370
.393
 .529
.520
.440
Totals AVG
.373		 G
16		 AB
67		 R
11		 H
25		 2B
5		 3B
0		 HR
1		 RBI
12		 BB
5		 K
16		 OBP
.417		 SLG
.493

 BATTINGBASERUNNINGMISC
YEAR TEAM LG HBP GDP TB IBB SH SF SB CS SB% AB/HR AB/K
1976
1977
1978
 NYY
NYY
NYY
 AL
AL
AL
 0
0
0
 0
1
1
 9
13
11
 0
1
0
 0
0
0
 0
0
0
 0
0
1
 0
0
0
 -.---
-.---
1.000
 --.-
25.0
--.-
 17.0
3.1
3.6
Totals HBP
0		 GDP
2		 TB
33		 IBB
1		 SH
0		 SF
0		 SB
1		 CS
0		 SB%
1.000		 AB/HR
67.0		 AB/K
4.2


LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES FIELDING
YEAR TEAM POS G Ch PO A E DP FPCT
1976
1977
1978
 NYY
NYY
NYY
 C
C
C
 5
5
4
 26
28
26
 18
24
22
 6
4
4
 2
0
0
 0
0
0
 0.923
1.000
1.000
Totals G
14		 Ch
80		 PO
64		 A
14		 E
2		 DP
0		 FPCT
0.975


WORLD SERIES FIELDING
YEAR TEAM POS G Ch PO A E DP FPCT
1976
1977
1978
 NYY
NYY
NYY
 C
C
C
 4
6
6
 27
44
38
 21
40
33
 6
4
5
 0
0
0
 0
0
1
 1.000
1.000
1.000
Totals G
16		 Ch
109		 PO
94		 A
15		 E
0		 DP
1		 FPCT
1.000


ALL-STAR STATISTICS - BATTING TOTALS

BATTING PERCENTAGES
YR
1971
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978		 TM
NY
NY
NY
NY
NY
NY
NY		 LG
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL		 G
1
1
1
1
1
1
0		 AB
0
2
3
2
2
1
0		 R
0
0
1
0
0
0
0		 H
0
0
1
1
0
0
0		 2B
0
0
1
0
0
0
0		 3B
0
0
0
0
0
0
0		 HR
0
0
0
0
0
0
0		 RBI
0
0
0
0
0
0
0		 TB
0
0
2
1
0
0
0		 BB
0
0
1
0
0
0
0		 K
0
1
0
0
0
1
0		 SB
0
0
0
0
0
0
0		 BAVG
-.---
.000
.333
.500
.000
.000
-.---		 SLG
-.---
.000
.667
.500
.000
.000
-.---		 AB/HR
--.-
--.-
--.-
--.-
--.-
--.-
--.-		 AB/K
--.-
2.0
--.-
--.-
--.-
1.0
--.-
Totals G
6		 AB
10		 R
1		 H
2		 2B
1		 3B
0		 HR
0		 RBI
0		 TB
3		 BB
1		 K
2		 SB
0		 AVG
.200		 SLG
.300		 AB/HR
--.-		 AB/K
5.0


TEAM ABBREVIATION KEY
YEARS
1969-1979		 TM
NY		 LG
AL		 TEAM NAME
New York Yankees		 LEAGUE NAME
American League

During the 1970's, he was the best catcher in the American League. His career lasted for 11 years (all with the New York Yankees). On August 2, 1979 Thurman's twin-engine jet fell short of the runway during an attempted landing at the Akron-Canton airfield and tragically burst into flames. He was trapped inside and died.

The 7-time All-Star was only 32 years old and had already established himself as one of the game's premier catchers. In three consecutive World Series appearances (1976-1978) Munson hit .529, .320 and .320 respectively. He started his career by winning the American League Rookie of the Year in 1970, batting .302 (just one of five seasons he hit over the .300 mark).

In 1976 Munson led the Yankees into the World Series and earned Most Valuable Player honors in the American League while hitting .302 and driving in 105 runs. From 1975 to 1977 he hit over .300 and drove in over 100 runs each year. He had a lifetime World Series batting average of .373 which is third highest of all time.

He was a good defensive catcher and won the Golden Glove award three times. He was named the captain of the Yankees in 1976, which was the first captain that the Yankees picked since Lou Gehrig. Following his death in 1979, the Yankees honored Munson by retiring his uniform number (15) and placing a memorial plaque on the center field wall at Yankee Stadium. Although he is not in Baseball's Hall Of Fame his locker with spikes, glove, and jersey have been preserved in Cooperstown.

After fewer than 100 minor league games, Munson became the Yankees' starting catcher in 1970. The Yankees went from a mediocre team to back-to-back World Championships and Munson rivaled Fisk in the AL as the decade's top catcher.

The gruff Munson immediately established his ability to handle veteran pitchers, but had a terrible start as a rookie. Manager Ralph Houk, a former catcher, stuck with him and was vindicated when Munson came around (.302) and captured AL Rookie of the Year honors. Munson's power was slow to develop, but he hit for average and usually batted second in his early years. He was an outstanding fielder, with perhaps the league's quickest release in throwing out basestealers. A sore shoulder later reduced his accuracy.

During the Yankees' mini-dynasty of 1976-78 Munson was at his peak. Off the field, he was a leader in the team's vicious clubhouse humor. On the field, he piled up his career-best offensive statistics (even a surprising 14 stolen bases in 1976). He hit over .300 with 100 or more RBI three years in a row (1975-77), won the MVP Award in 1976, and hit .529 in the 1976 WS and .320 in the 1977 and 1978 WS. Munson deserves much of the credit for the late-season surge by a shaky Catfish Hunter during the Yankees' 1978 comeback.

During the Yankees' rebuilding years, Bobby Murcer and Munson were the stars around whom the team was constructed, and they were close. Murcer was traded in 1975, but the pair were reunited briefly in 1979. Munson had a more volatile relationship with Reggie Jackson. Initially resented in 1977 for his big free-agent contract, Jackson was shunned by his new teammates. It was Munson, the team captain, who broke the ice and worked to include Jackson in team banter. But then a pre-season interview was published in which Jackson claimed that he was "the straw that stirs the drink. It all comes down to me. Maybe I should say Munson and me, but he really doesn't enter into it. Munson thinks he can be the straw that stirs the drink but he can only stir it bad." Later in the season things were smoothed over, but the relationship was never again more than professional.

Eventually the strain of catching 130 games a year began to show, and Munson started playing the outfield and DHing more. However, on August 2, 1979, Munson died as the private plane he was flying crashed in Canton, Ohio.