Growing up in the south as a young boy, I was a New York Yankee fan for the simple fact my two older brothers were. During this time the one name I remember most was Thurman Munson.
Born in Ohio, Munson played for the Yankees for 11 seasons as catcher and captain of the team, from 1969 to 1979. The AL Rookie of the year in 1970, and in 71 selected to the All-Star team where he would repeat seven more times in his career.
Munson was also an amateur pilot. He used his pilot licenses and the planes he bought to fly home to his family in Ohio on off days. But on the afternoon of August 2nd, 1979, Munson was practicing “touch and go landings” with two others. On the fourth run, the plane clipped a tree. Munson was killed from the crash.
The video link here is of the honoring of Munson after his death. At the 18:18 minute mark is where the Cardinal enters the field.
The Yankees took up their defensive positions except for the catcher. Jerry Narron, who was in the lineup for Munson, remained in the dugout. Cardinal Terence Cooke offered the prayer and Robert Merrill sang American the Beautiful.
Over 50,000 fans attended the game and following Merill’s voice, an almost eight-minute standing ovation echoed throughout New York.
Munson was survived by his wife, Diana, a childhood sweetheart, who began signing her name “Mrs. Thurman Munson” when she was in the sixth grade, and three children. Diana threw out the ceremonial first pitch for Game 3 of the 1997 World Series in Cleveland.
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