Rant #2,420: Fly Like An Eagle

Today is August 2, and today, we remember Thurman Munson, who perished on this day 40 years ago.

Munson's tragedy is right up there, maybe not as high as when President Kennedy succumbed to his wounds, but certainly up there with the Challenger tragedy as a defining moment in many people's lives, one they would rather not have experienced.

It was 1979, and New York Yankees catcher Thurman Munson was one of the best players in baseball. The former Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player established himself as a superstar, but Munson was a gruff person, even with the spotlight shone on him as the captain of the Yankees.

Munson was a family man, and he missed his family in Ohio greatly during the long baseball season. To try to temper that, he learned to fly a plane, and when days off came about, he would fly back and forth from New York to home to be with his family. He had purchased a Cessna Citation jet for this purpose.

He had had his pilot license for about a year when tragedy struck. To hone his piloting, he would often spend afternoons before home night games or on off days practicing taking off and landing, and on the afternoon of August 2, in Canton, he was doing just that, with his flight instructor and a friend on board

On his final landing of the day, he had some major trouble landing, and lost control of the plane. It crashed, and while the two men were cognizant and able to escape, Munson was evidently pinned under the rubble of the plane--I believe the force of the crash also broke his back and paralyzed him--and although the two men tried to get Munson out, flames were spreading in the plane, and they had to leave it to preserve their own safety.

Munson soon succumbed, and word spread quickly about what had happened.

Unlike the JFK and Challenger disasters, I do not remember clearly where I was or what I was doing when I heard what had happened. I was at home, so I assume I was watching television when the news broke--and once it did, I remember very clearly that I was on the phone with my friend, also a big Yankees fan, and we talked for hours about Munson.

I suppose I wasn't alone in doing this. Baseball fans from all over the world mourned that day, and it became even more difficult weeks later when we found out that an investigation showed that it was pilot error that caused the crash. Munson simply did not have enough time in the air as a pilot to maneuver such a plane safely.

But let's go back to early August 1979, right after the tragedy struck. I remember that the local New York channels gave almost full coverage of Munson's funeral, which was attended by the Yankees team and staff.

The Yankees were about ready to start a series with the Baltimore Orioles when Munson perished, and the team decided to play the first game of the four-game set, which I believe was set for the day after Munson died.

The game was nationally telecast by ABC, and was as different a game as I have ever seen before or since.

Before the top of the first inning, each Yankee starter lined up at their respective position, and took off their caps, save the catchers position, which remained empty.

Prior to the game, owner George Steinbrenner retired Munson's No. 15, and I believe that that was announced to the crowd as the players took their positions.

If I remember correctly, a moment of silence was asked for, Terrence Cardinal Cooke made a short eulogy, and Robert Merrill sung "America the Beautiful."

Yankee players were crying, in particular Lou Pinella and Bobby Murcer, Munson's two best friends on the team.

Right after Merrill, 51,000 people in attendance gave Munson an eight-minute standing ovation which would have gone longer if Bob Sheppard was not given the go ahead to say, "Now it is time to play ball," and catcher Jerry Narron ran onto the field to take Munson's open spot as catcher.

There wasn't a dry eye in the stadium that day, nor at home, as the Yankees won the game 5-3. Murcer had one of the greatest individual performances I had ever seen in a game, driving in all five runs with a homer and a game winning single. I don't think that he had stopped crying the entire game, and I believe he ended up giving his bat for the game to Diane Munson, the catcher's widow.

And until the new Yankee Stadium opened, Munson's locker remained in the Yankee clubhouse, never used by another player again.

Munson is not in baseball's Hall of Fame, as he should be, and every few years, there is a groundswell effort to get him inducted into the hallowed shrine. This year, the 40th anniversary year, was no exception, and there is some hope that the oldtimers committee will finally induct Munson the next time they have a vote.

During his relatively short career, Munson was a .292 hitter, he had a rifle arm, and he was truly the heart and soul of the team. I hope that one day, sometime soon, he and his family get their due, and he does go into the Hall of Fame.

He deserves it. He was that good.

Speak to you again on Monday. Have a great weekend.