35 Facts About Thurman Munson

Thurman Lee Munson was an American professional baseball catcher who played 11 seasons in Major League Baseball with the New York Yankees, from 1969 until his death in 1979.

Thurman Munson became the Yankees' starting catcher late in the 1969 season, and after his first complete season in 1970, in which he batted.

Thurman Munson 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.

Thurman Munson was born in Akron, Ohio to Darrell Vernon Thurman Munson and Ruth Myrna Smylie, the youngest of four children.

Thurman Munson's father was a World War II veteran who became a truck driver while his mother was a homemaker.

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Thurman Munson was taught how to play baseball by his older brother Duane, and usually played baseball with kids Duane's age, who were four years older.

Thurman Munson's brother left to join the United States Air Force while Thurman was a freshman in high school.

Thurman Munson attended Lehman High School, where he was captain of the football, basketball, and baseball teams and was all-city and -state in all three sports.

Thurman Munson played halfback in football, guard in basketball, and mostly shortstop in baseball.

Thurman Munson switched to catcher in his senior year in order to handle the pitching prowess of his teammate, Jerome Pruett.

Thurman Munson attracted scholarship offers from various colleges, and opted to attend nearby Kent State University on scholarship, where he was a teammate of pitcher and broadcaster Steve Stone.

Thurman Munson was selected by the Yankees with the fourth overall pick in the 1968 Major League Baseball draft.

Thurman Munson made his major league debut on August 8,1969, in the second game of a doubleheader against the Oakland Athletics.

Thurman Munson went two for three with a walk, one RBI and two runs scored.

Thurman Munson made 97 plate appearances, but drew ten walks and had one sacrifice fly, which gave him 86 official at bats, and allowed him to go into the 1970 season still technically a rookie.

Thurman Munson received his first of seven All-Star nods in 1971, catching the last two innings without an at-bat.

Thurman Munson was known for his longstanding feud with Boston Red Sox counterpart Carlton Fisk.

Fisk held onto the ball, but Thurman Munson remained tangled with Fisk as Felipe Alou, who was on first, attempted to advance.

Thurman Munson made his second All-Star team and won his first of three straight Gold Glove Awards in 1973.

Thurman Munson emerged as more of a slugger for the Yankees, batting.

In 1974, Thurman Munson was elected to start his first of three consecutive All-Star games, going one for three with a walk and a run scored.

When Thurman Munson came to bat in the eighth, umpire Nick Bremigan warned Torrez not to throw any more brushback pitches; this time, Torrez blew kisses to Thurman Munson.

The benches cleared, but no punches were thrown; however, after Thurman Munson grounded out to end the at bat, he charged the pitcher's mound.

The Dodgers had stolen 114 bases during the regular season, yet Thurman Munson caught four of six potential base stealers in the first four games of the series to keep the speedy Dodgers grounded in the final two.

Shortly after Thurman Munson had received clearance for takeoff and three touch-and-go landings on Runway 23, which were.

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Unable to move due to what was originally thought to be the wrecked fuselage of the plane pinning him against his seat, Thurman Munson was trapped and Hall and Anderson were unable to free him in the only attempt they were able to make before flames engulfed the cockpit.

Thurman Munson died of asphyxiation due to the inhalation of superheated air and toxic substances.

Later it was revealed that Thurman Munson had suffered a cervical fracture on impact which resulted in paralysis, which rendered him unable to move.

Anderson credited Thurman Munson for remaining at the controls with saving his life.

Locker that Thurman Munson used, along with a bronzed set of his catching equipment, was donated to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Thurman Munson's locker was moved in one piece to the New Yankee Stadium.

Thurman Munson was an excellent catcher who called an outstanding game.

Rather than requiring Thurman Munson to take a two-week safety class in Kansas, FlightSafety assigned a "traveling instructor" to go on the road with him, and train him between ballgames.

In September 1968, Thurman Munson married Diana Dominick at St John's Church in Canton.

Thurman Munson enjoyed handball, which he often played at the Canton YMCA.