Read Online Munson: The Life and Death of a Yankee Captain by Marty Appel - Free Book Online
Authors: Marty Appel
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batting practice. It was pretty much a lost year professionally. He played only seventeen games for the Chiefs. But in August, Yankee catcher Frank Fernandez went off for weekend Reserve duty himself and Munson was available. The Yanks activated him on August 8 and he was on the roster, in time to catch the second game of a doubleheader. With Tom Tresh having recently been traded to Detroit, his number 15 was available and the size was correct. Pete Sheehy gave Thurman number 15—the number he had worn at Kent State.
“I had to go digging to find a pair of pants to fit him,” said Pete. “His rear end was too big. I always kidded him about that.”
The Oakland A’s were in town for the weekend, and Munson not only caught the second game of the twi-nighter but got his firstmajor league hit, a single to center off Catfish Hunter, his future battery mate and close friend. First base coach Elston Howard retrieved the ball as a keepsake. The newcomer drove in two runs and caught Al Downing’s complete game, a 5-0 shutout, giving the
New York Times
a subheadline the next morning that read “MUNSON PACES ATTACK IN 2d GAME.”
Thurman stayed at Gene Michael’s house that first Friday night. On Saturday, which was Old-Timers’ Day, he posed for photos with Gene Woodling, an invited guest. On Sunday, before he had to return to Fort Dix, he hit his first big-league homer—sandwiched between homers by Murcer and Michael. Never mind that Maris and Mantle had retired—here was a bit of M&M&M power, consecutive homers by Murcer, Munson, and Michael. Munson’s shot came off Lew Krausse.
For the weekend, Thurman was 3 for 6 with a homer, 3 RBIs, and 2 runs scored. It was a very nice start.
His Reserve duty ended on August 30. The Yanks had him go to Syracuse, where the Chiefs were in the playoffs and on their way to the International League championship. He caught two games but then rejoined the Yankees on September 5, never again to wear a minor league uniform. He played only ninety-nine minor league games, plus four postseason games.
The recall on September 5 essentially began his career as a regular, and he never looked back. The Yanks were in fifth place, twenty-four games out of first. The Mets were on their way to winning the World Series. It was as low a point as the Yankee franchise could be.
He caught both ends of a twi-night doubleheader in Cleveland, with a contingent of friends and relatives on hand. A personal highlight was working with first baseman Joe Pepitone on a successful pickoff play at first. He loved that, as he would always enjoy the challenge of showing off his strong arm and quick release. In that final month, he threw out seven of twelve runners attempting to steal, a remarkable percentage. It established his reputation early.
In twenty-six games for the Yankees in 1969, Thurman hit .256, with that homer off Krausse and 9 RBIs. He started twenty-two of the final twenty-seven games of the season, as Jake Gibbs prepared to turn over the catching job to him in 1970.
In the winter of 1969-70, the Yankees arranged for Thurman to play for San Juan in the Puerto Rican League. As he had missed so much playing time during the 1969 season, it was important that he get the experience under his belt and make up for the lost time.
In San Juan, Thurman found himself a teammate of the great Roberto Clemente. Clemente did not need winter ball at that stage of his life, but it would have been a national scandal had he sat out the winter. The Puerto Rican players were expected to play before their hometown fans.
Thurman remembered little about his relationship with Clemente when we talked about it for his autobiography. Obviously I would have loved to have written of a close friendship, or learned some personal things about Roberto for the book. But there wasn’t much there; I didn’t get a sense they hung out at all. After all, Clemente would go home to his family each evening. Thurman did speak of standing
“I had to go digging to find a pair of pants to fit him,” said Pete. “His rear end was too big. I always kidded him about that.”
The Oakland A’s were in town for the weekend, and Munson not only caught the second game of the twi-nighter but got his firstmajor league hit, a single to center off Catfish Hunter, his future battery mate and close friend. First base coach Elston Howard retrieved the ball as a keepsake. The newcomer drove in two runs and caught Al Downing’s complete game, a 5-0 shutout, giving the
New York Times
a subheadline the next morning that read “MUNSON PACES ATTACK IN 2d GAME.”
Thurman stayed at Gene Michael’s house that first Friday night. On Saturday, which was Old-Timers’ Day, he posed for photos with Gene Woodling, an invited guest. On Sunday, before he had to return to Fort Dix, he hit his first big-league homer—sandwiched between homers by Murcer and Michael. Never mind that Maris and Mantle had retired—here was a bit of M&M&M power, consecutive homers by Murcer, Munson, and Michael. Munson’s shot came off Lew Krausse.
For the weekend, Thurman was 3 for 6 with a homer, 3 RBIs, and 2 runs scored. It was a very nice start.
His Reserve duty ended on August 30. The Yanks had him go to Syracuse, where the Chiefs were in the playoffs and on their way to the International League championship. He caught two games but then rejoined the Yankees on September 5, never again to wear a minor league uniform. He played only ninety-nine minor league games, plus four postseason games.
The recall on September 5 essentially began his career as a regular, and he never looked back. The Yanks were in fifth place, twenty-four games out of first. The Mets were on their way to winning the World Series. It was as low a point as the Yankee franchise could be.
He caught both ends of a twi-night doubleheader in Cleveland, with a contingent of friends and relatives on hand. A personal highlight was working with first baseman Joe Pepitone on a successful pickoff play at first. He loved that, as he would always enjoy the challenge of showing off his strong arm and quick release. In that final month, he threw out seven of twelve runners attempting to steal, a remarkable percentage. It established his reputation early.
In twenty-six games for the Yankees in 1969, Thurman hit .256, with that homer off Krausse and 9 RBIs. He started twenty-two of the final twenty-seven games of the season, as Jake Gibbs prepared to turn over the catching job to him in 1970.
In the winter of 1969-70, the Yankees arranged for Thurman to play for San Juan in the Puerto Rican League. As he had missed so much playing time during the 1969 season, it was important that he get the experience under his belt and make up for the lost time.
In San Juan, Thurman found himself a teammate of the great Roberto Clemente. Clemente did not need winter ball at that stage of his life, but it would have been a national scandal had he sat out the winter. The Puerto Rican players were expected to play before their hometown fans.
Thurman remembered little about his relationship with Clemente when we talked about it for his autobiography. Obviously I would have loved to have written of a close friendship, or learned some personal things about Roberto for the book. But there wasn’t much there; I didn’t get a sense they hung out at all. After all, Clemente would go home to his family each evening. Thurman did speak of standing
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