Bobby Murcer
Encyclopedia
Bobby Ray Murcer was an American
Major League Baseball
outfielder
who played for 17 seasons between 1965 and 1983, mostly with the New York Yankees
, whom he later rejoined as a longtime broadcaster
. A Gold Glove
winner and five-time All-Star
, Murcer led the American League
in on-base percentage in , and in runs
and total bases
in .
A left-handed hitter, Murcer had a career .277 batting average
, finishing with 252 home run
s and 1,043 RBIs. He hit .301 with runners on third base. He was only the third New York Yankee (after Joe DiMaggio
and Mickey Mantle
) to earn $100,000 per season, and at 26 years of age was the youngest American League player to earn a six-figure salary. Murcer made the All-Star
teams from 1971 through 1974 in the American League, and in 1975 in the National League. He also won a Gold Glove in 1972.
He was noted for excelling at the delayed steal in which, as the catcher
catches the ball or is about to throw the ball back to the pitcher
, the runner on first base breaks for second base. The thought is that the second baseman
and shortstop
will be back on their heels and slow to cover the bag. After working with Mickey Mantle, he was also known as an excellent drag bunter.
At his retirement, Murcer's 252 career home runs were tied for 72nd place on the all-time home run list, and his 175 home runs as a Yankee put him 11th on the club's career list. At his death, Murcer was tied for 183rd on the all-time list.
Against Hall of Fame
pitchers, Murcer hit .291 with 17 homers and 65 RBIs in 447 at bat
s. If Tommy John
and Bert Blyleven
(both possible Hall of Famers) are inducted, Murcer's numbers total 553 at bats with 20 home runs, 76 RBIs and a .297 average, seemingly stellar numbers versus an elite group of pitchers.
In the 1970s, Murcer drove in 840 runs, the 9th most in the major leagues during that span. Murcer's 119 outfield assists
led all major league outfielders for that decade, ahead of Bobby Bonds
(106), Rusty Staub
(97), Amos Otis
(93), Reggie Smith
(86), Jose Cardenal
(85), Del Unser
(82), and Reggie Jackson
(81). His 198 homers tied for 17th in the major leagues for the 1970s, and his .282 batting average was 20th among all players who had 5,000 or more plate appearances. During the 1970s, he led his club in home runs six times (1970, 71, 72, 73, 76, 77).
In MLB history only 24 players hit above .275 while also hitting 250 or more home runs, driving in more than 1,000 runs, and stealing more than 125 bases and totaling 45 or more triples. Among that elite group only Murcer, George Brett
, and Rogers Hornsby
struck out fewer than 1,000 times.
. In his junior year, he made the All-district football team. He also helped Southeast High to the conference championship in baseball. As a senior, Murcer showed his athletic abilities by making All-State in both football (the state leading scorer) and baseball and was All-City (led the city in scoring) in basketball and baseball. As a senior Murcer hit .458 and struck out only once. Later, in the winter of 1964, he signed a letter of intent to play for the Oklahoma Sooners
, but in the spring of '65 he signed a $20,000 ($ today) bonus contract with the Yankees.
(Murcer's baseball hero). Murcer signed for a $10,000 bonus in June 1964. He began with the Johnson City, rookie-level Appalachian League
club in 1964 and hit .365 in 126 at bats.
The following season, 1965, he was the Carolina League
MVP with the Greensboro (N.C.) Yankees. Murcer hit .322, homered 16 times, drove in 90 runs and stole 18 bases, playing in his league's All-Star game that season. In 1966, he began the season with the Yankees, but was sent down to Toledo of the International League
. There he was in the All-Star game once again. He hit .266 with 15 home runs and had 63 RBIs to go along with 16 steals. He was the MVP for Greensboro (the Yankee's Single-A affiliate).
While on leave from the United States Army
in 1968, Murcer played seven games in the Fall Instructional League. After his discharge, he played third base for Caguas in the Puerto Rico League, where he drove in 18 runs in 22 games.
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Playing in the minor leagues from 1964–66, Murcer hit .302 which does not include his 1-12 stint with the Ft. Lauderdale Yankees in 1985 when he was attempting a comeback to the Yankees or his time with the Instructional League and the Puerto Rico League in 1968.
in the minor leagues, Murcer was slated to be the Yankees' shortstop
but ended up being the center fielder
, following in the footsteps of Mickey Mantle
and Joe DiMaggio
. There were strong expectations that he would be "the next Mantle"; Murcer did well enough during the years the Yankees finished second in the division to become one of the team's most popular players of the era.
His first hit in the major leagues, in 1965, was a home run that won the game for the Yankees. He also played on "Mickey Mantle Day" on September 18 of that year. Murcer said playing alongside Mantle in that game was the "greatest thrill of his career". He began the 1966 season with the major league club but was sent down to AAA. Murcer then spent the 1967–68 in the United States Army
.
After returning from the military, Murcer began the 1969 season hitting .321 with 11 homers and a league-leading 43 runs- batted-in when he jammed his heel in Kansas City. Murcer recalled, "I laid out seven days, and I lost my groove and my momentum". He ended the season batting .259 with 26 homers and playing center field, his third defensive position, after beginning the season at third base and then switching to right field. On August 10, 1969, he was part of a feat that was perhaps the highlight of the 1969 season for Yankees' fans. Murcer, Thurman Munson
, and Gene Michael hit consecutive home runs in the sixth inning against Oakland. Murcer led off the Yankees' sixth with a shot into the right field bleachers. Thurman Munson, playing in only his second major league game, hit a pitch into the left field seats, bringing up Michael, who hit a ball into the right field seats. This was the third time Yankees hit three successive home runs. Bobby Richardson
, Mickey Mantle, and Joe Pepitone
did it in 1966. In 1947 Charlie Keller, Joe DiMaggio, and Johnny Lindell accomplished the feat.
Murcer tied for the American League lead in outfield assists in 1970 with 15, while committing only 3 errors in center field. In June 1970, Murcer hit four home runs in consecutive at bats in a double header against the Cleveland Indians, tying an American League
record and joining Lou Gehrig, Johnny Blanchard, and Mickey Mantle as the only Yankees to hit home runs in four consecutive at bats. Murcer's reported salary for both 1969 and 1970 was $27,500.
In 1971 Murcer earned a raise to $35,000 and he ended the 1971 season with a career-high .331 batting average (2nd in the AL) in 1971. He led the American League in on-base percentage (.427) and times on base (266), and came in 2nd in slugging percentage (.543) and runs (94), 4th in RBIs (94) and walks (91), 5th in intentional walks (13), and 10th in home runs (25). Murcer was 7th in MVP voting and was voted to the prestigious Sporting News All-Star team. On June 2, 1971, Murcer hit two home runs and "made a spectacular shoestring catch off Rico Petrocelli in the first inning to rob the Red Sox of a run" in a Yankee win over their perennial rival Boston. On Sunday, July 25, 1971, Murcer hit a pinch-hit grand slam in a win against the Milwaukee Brewers
—the first of his seven career grand slams.
In 1972, with a new $65,000 salary, Murcer hit a career-high 30 doubles (3rd in the AL), 7 triples (4th), 33 home runs (2nd), and 96 RBIs (3rd). He also led the AL in runs scored (102), extra base hits (70), and total bases (314), was third in slugging percentage (.537) and hits (171), and 10th in batting (.292). He came in 5th in the AL MVP voting and won a Gold Glove for his fielding which included being fourth in the AL in fielding percentage (.992) and leading the league in putouts (382) and being third in outfield assists. On August 29, 1972, Murcer hit for the cycle by hitting a single, a double, a triple and a home run in one game. On June 3, 1972, Murcer's five runs scored in a game marked the 11th time it had been done in Yankee history. He was named to the Sporting News All-Star team again and Murcer's 33 home runs were the most by a Yankee center fielder since Mickey Mantle hit 35 in 1964. No Yankee center fielder has topped it since, the closest being Bernie Williams
' 30 home runs in 2000.
On March 6, 1973, Murcer asked for and received a $100,000 salary for the upcoming season, making him only the third Yankee to make six figure. For that season Murcer was 3rd in the league in hits (187), 4th in batting (.301), and 7th in RBIs (95). He was 9th in the MVP voting. He also led the American League in assists for the second time in four years, with 14. He made the Sporting News All-Star team for the third time in his career. He narrowly missed his second Gold Glove, finishing 4th in the voting among American League outfielders. He finished with 17 game-winning hits, second to AL MVP Reggie Jackson
's 18. On July 13, 1973, Murcer hit three home runs (for the second time in his career) and drove in five runs in a 5–0 win over the Kansas City Royals
.
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In early 1974, along with Mickey Mantle, Murcer flew to Washington D.C. to visit with Senator Edward Kennedy's (D-MA) son, Teddy, who recently had a right leg amputated due to cancer. Murcer and Mantle traveled at Senator Kennedy's request and George Steinbrenner's expense.
Murcer, who had hit 25 homers with regularity, found it hard to hit home runs at Shea Stadium
, where the Yankees played in 1974 and 1975 while Yankee Stadium
was renovated. In the 1974 season, Murcer hit only two home runs at Shea, on consecutive days, (September 21 and 22, 1974).
In 1974 Murcer led all major league outfielders in assists by throwing out 21 baserunners. He was 2nd in the A.L. in sacrifice flies (12), 7th in RBIs (88), and 9th in intentional walks (10), and was the highest-paid player in Yankee history, earning $120,000.
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However, despite a fine offensive season, he hit only 11 home runs, eliciting this quote from Murcer, "Patty Hearst
could be hiding in Candlestick's upper deck and nobody would ever find her", referring to how tough it was to hit long balls at the park where the Giants played their home games. Author Zander Hollander noted that season that "only Murcer's dwindling power keeps him from superstar status" since other than the lack of home runs Murcer had a fine year in his first season as a Giant, although one of Murcer's homers was a bottom of the ninth solo shot in a 1–0 win against Phillies left-handed pitcher Jim Kaat.
On April 6, 1976, the Associated Press
reported that Murcer signed for a reported $175,000, making him the highest paid player in Giants history and have him about a $25,000 riase over his 1975 salary. That season Murcer regained his power swing and was 6th in the NL with 23 home runs, and 7th in RBIs (90). He walked 84 times which was sixth in the NL. He was also voted the Giants MVP after leading the Giants in home runs and tied for the team lead in steals with 12 and was second on the club with 10 game-winning RBI. His two consecutive seasons with 90 or more RBIs was not duplicated by a San Francisco Giant until Will Clark
did it in 1987–88.
On May 26, 1976, Murcer hit a grand slam against the Astros and on September 22, 1976, he stole home in a 3–1 victory against the rival Dodgers and a week later, on September 29, 1976, he gloved the final out in John Montefusco
's no-hitter
.
in a 5-player deal that sent 2-time defending National League batting champion Bill Madlock
to San Francisco
. On March 6, 1977, Murcer signed his first-ever multi-year deal, calling for $1.6 million over five seasons. The contract made him the highest paid Cub player in history. In the span of four years Murcer held that distinction for three franchises, the Yankees, Giants and Cubs. As a tribute to Mantle, Murcer wore #7 with the Cubs.
That year he led the league with 10 sacrifice flies, and was 8th in intentional walks (13) while hitting 27 home runs and driving in 89 runs which led the team. Murcer also tied for the team lead (with Bill Buckner) in game-winning hits with nine. His 16 steals were second on the club and he drew 80 bases on balls, good for 9th in the NL. Also, Murcer was third among all NL right fielders in assists. On June 29, 1977, in his return to Candlestick Park, Murcer drove in 6 runs (matching his career high) in a 10–9 win over the Giants. On September 26, 1977, Murcer hit the 200th home run of his career, off future broadcast partner Jim Kaat
.
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In 1978 he was 8th in the league with 15 intentional walks and walked a total of 80 times, which was ninth in the NL for the second time in a row. Also had one stretch of eight straight hits, a feat not duplicated by a Cub until Andre Dawson
did it in 1989. Previously only Billy Williams, in 1972, was the first and only Chicago Cubs
to perform that feat. Murcer is one of seven Cubs to have three multiple intentional-walk games since 1960, joining Ernie Banks
, Sammy Sosa
, Billy Williams, Don Kessinger
, Derek Lee and Andre Dawson. Murcer, on April 25, 1978, hit a grand slam off Steve Carlton
in a 4–2 win versus the Philadelphia Phillies
. On September 10, 1978, Murcer went 5 for 5, the only 5-hit game of his career.
During 4½ seasons in the National League
, Murcer was particularly rough on the Los Angeles Dodgers
. In 63 games against them Murcer hit .347 with 11 homers and had a slugging percentage of .538.
re-adopted the #1.
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Murcer was 5th in the league in 1980 with 9 sacrifice flies. Murcer cracked a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning on June 14, 1980, rallying the Yankees to a win over the Oakland A's. On July 4, 1980, Murcer hit a grand slam in a 11–5 rout of the Cleveland Indians
. He was also credited with 13 game-winning RBIs in his first full season back from the National League.
In the winter of between the 1980 and 1981 season Murcer traveled to Japan with an American League "All-Star" team to play a series of exhibition games against a National League team to reportedly promote American baseball.
On opening day in 1981 vs Texas, Murcer hit a pinch-hit
grand slam
at Yankee Stadium. Alfonso Soriano
and Russ Derry are the only other two Yankees to achieve that feat. On September 26, 1981, he hit a three-run pinch-hit homer in the 9th inning in a 6–4 Yankee win over Baltimore. In 1981, he led the pinch hitters of the American League with three home runs and 12 RBIs. He also led the club in slugging percentage (.470). He finished the season by batting as designated hitter
in the 1981 World Series
.
Prior to the 1982 season Murcer signed a three-year, $1.12 million contract with the Yankees. On July 28, 1982, Murcer hit a 3-run pinch hit home run to defeat the Detroit Tigers
.
On June 1, 1983, Murcer hit his 100th career home run at Yankee Stadium, which was the 252nd and final home run of his career. His retirement on June 20, 1983, was hastened by the Yankees wanting to bring up rookie first baseman/outfielder Don Mattingly
. Murcer, fittingly, was the last active player to have been a playing teammate of Mickey Mantle. His final game on June 11, 1983, occurred 19 days after Bill Robinson's final game on May 23, 1983 (for Phillies). On August 7, 1983, the Yankees honored his years in pinstripes with "Bobby Murcer Day". Since baseball's contracts are guaranteed Murcer collected the remainder of his contract (estimated at $360,000 a year) through 1984.
A 1985 comeback attempt ended after four minor league games where Murcer went 1 for 12 before suffering a shoulder injury.
Once while playing with the Yankees, he and two other teammates got caught in a bizarre 2
-5
-3
-1
triple play
. During his second tenure with the Yankees, he also served as the team's player union representative. In his career he held the distinction of being the highest paid Yankee, Giant, and Cub in history (all since broken) an his his 17-year career Murcer earned a total of just shy of $3 million, including the signing bonus he received in the 1960s meaning his career average was around $173,000.
's rehab efforts when Henderson was brought to the Yankees. In 1987, George Steinbrenner hired Murcer to coach left-handed hitters. In 1989, he became partial owner of the Class AAA baseball team in Oklahoma, the Oklahoma City 89ers. He was also a regular at the annual Yankees Old Timer's Game, playing his last game in 2007.
for the Yankees—on broadcast TV, radio, and the YES Network
—for most of the two decades. He and colleague Frank Messer
were behind the WPIX
microphones as the infamous pine tar
incident unfolded at Yankee Stadium on July 24, 1983.
Murcer continued to call games on WPIX until 1998, when the station lost the rights to broadcast the Yankees (they would pick up the broadcast rights to the Mets
instead). He then moved to WNYW
, where he and Tim McCarver
shared play-by-play roles. He would remain there until 2001 (calling, among other games, David Cone
's 1999 perfect game
), and then moved to the YES Network
to call the games there and on its broadcast partners (originally WCBS
, now WWOR-TV
), with a reduced workload. Murcer won three Emmy Awards for live sports coverage as the voice of the Yankees.
In November 2007, Murcer was nominated for the Ford C. Frick Award
, presented annually to a broadcaster for "major contributions to baseball" by the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York during the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
, Hee Haw
, What's My Line?
(as a mystery guest), appeared in national television ads in the late 1970s along with Carlton Fisk
endorsing the dipping tobacco
Skoal
, and was a guest VJ on MTV
with Billy Martin in July 1986. In 1988 Murcer entered and finished the New York City Marathon.
He recorded two country songs, "Skoal Dippin' Man" and "Bad Whiskey" in 1982, both released by Columbia Records
, and appeared in two films as himself, including The Scout. He also was part of a four-player biography in 1973, "At Bat!: Aaron-Murcer-Bench-Jackson", by Bill Gutman, published by Tempo Books.
. The Senate of the State of Oklahoma passed Senate Bill 619 that purported to "beef up local regulation of tobacco sales to minors". The bill was passed by the lower chamber and signed in to law.
since 1990. In 1995, he joined with fellow Oklahoman Mickey Mantle to raise money for the victims of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building
bombing
.
He also appeared in celebrity rodeos for various charitable organizations showing his skills in riding horses and roping.
and Andy Pettitte
who were accused of using performance enhancing drugs in the Mitchell Report
, which was released in December 2007. Murcer was quoted in the Daily Oklahoman as saying, "Roger or Andy, either one, have never been accused of taking illegal drugs," Murcer said. "I mean, they never tested positive for any of that. He further added "I can't convict somebody on allegations" and "with all the testing that's going on today, and Andy and Roger never testing positive for anything, I can't assume somebody's guilty based on the testimony of a disgruntled trainer."
, was diagnosed with a brain tumor
(glioblastoma multiforme
) on Christmas
Eve, 2006, and underwent surgery
on December 28, 2006, at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
in Houston. On January 10, 2007, it was announced that the tumor was malignant.
Murcer made his first post-operative appearance on fellow Yankee broadcaster Michael Kay's radio show on WEPN
on January 23, 2007. He was interviewed by Kay and took phone calls from listeners. Murcer concluded the interview by saying, "I want to thank you very much for giving me the forum to do this because I wanted you to know that even though this looks bad, I'm doing great. I really am. I'm in a great place. God
has given me peace and the overwhelming love has been insurmountable for me to even deal with. I can feel the fans. I can feel their thoughts and their prayers and I wanted to tell them how much I love them."
Murcer returned to Yankee Stadium
for Opening Day of the 2007 season
. He called an inning with the YES Network crew, and once his presence was pointed out on the video scoreboard, he received a standing ovation from the crowd, with the Yankees coming out of the dugout to applaud him. He returned to work as an announcer in the booth on May 1, 2007.
The Tug McGraw
Foundation, which supports research to improve quality of life for brain tumor patients and their families, honored Murcer as their "Good Guy of 2007". The award was given at the "Denim & Diamonds: An Evening with Tim McGraw
and Friends" on November 2, 2007, St. Louis.
In January 2008, he was honored by the New York Chapter of the BBWA as the winner of the "You Gotta Have Heart" award for his battle against cancer.
In late February 2008, an MRI
scan led Murcer's doctors to perform a biopsy
, and, optimistically, the biopsy revealed scar tissue, rather than a recurrence of brain cancer. Murcer stated he planned to rest until spring training where he planned to call Yankee games and work in the YES Network studio. He released his autobiography Yankee For Life, co-authored with Glen Waggoner, on May 20; he appeared in the broadcast booth for the last time two weeks earlier to promote it. The book dealt with his forty years in Major League Baseball and his battle with brain cancer. His last public appearance was May 27, in New York while promoting his book, signing autographs for 2,000 fans despite being frail and physically weak. In addition, he had planned to work 60 Yankee home games for the 2008 season.
On June 30, Murcer's family released a statement that he had suffered a relapse:
Two weeks later, on July 12, Nancy Newman
of the Yankees' YES Network
reported that Murcer had died due to complications related to brain cancer. He was reportedly surrounded by family in his deathbed in his home in Oklahoma City
. Yankees owner George Steinbrenner
issued a statement following his death: "Bobby Murcer was a born Yankee, a great guy, very well-liked and a true friend of mine. I extend my deepest sympathies to his wife Kay, their children and grandchildren. I will really miss the guy." Baseball commissioner
Bud Selig
eulogized, "All of Major League Baseball is saddened today by the passing of Bobby Murcer, particularly on the eve of this historic All-Star game at Yankee Stadium, a place he called home for so many years. Bobby was a gentleman, a great ambassador for baseball, and a true leader both on and off the field. He was a man of great heart and compassion."
The memorial service for Bobby was held in Edmond, OK on August 6, at the Memorial Road Church of Christ. Among the some 2,000 attending the memorial were Reggie Jackson
, Derek Jeter
, Andy Pettitte
and Joe Girardi
. Also in attendance Diana Munson, widow of Yankee captain Thurman Munson
. The August 6 date was 29 years, to the day, since Murcer gave a eulogy at Thurman Munson
's funeral and is also the 25th anniversary of Bobby Murcer Day at Yankee Stadium
. The uniform worn by Murcer at his final Yankee Stadium Old Timer's Day appearance in 2007 was presented to his spouse Kay. His tomb can be located in Rose Hill Mausoleum, in Oklahoma City, in the left side of the building.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
who played for 17 seasons between 1965 and 1983, mostly with the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, whom he later rejoined as a longtime broadcaster
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
. A Gold Glove
Rawlings Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
winner and five-time All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
, Murcer led the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
in on-base percentage in , and in runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
and total bases
Total bases
In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total....
in .
Career recap
After coming up briefly to the Yankees in 1965 and 1966 amid high expectations—he was hailed as the "next Mickey Mantle"--Murcer fulfilled his military obligation in 1967 and 1968 before being called up to the majors to stay in 1969.A left-handed hitter, Murcer had a career .277 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, finishing with 252 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 1,043 RBIs. He hit .301 with runners on third base. He was only the third New York Yankee (after Joe DiMaggio
Joe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio , nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak , a record that still stands...
and Mickey Mantle
Mickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle was an American professional baseball player. Mantle is regarded by many to be the greatest switch hitter of all time, and one of the greatest players in baseball history. Mantle was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.Mantle was noted for his hitting...
) to earn $100,000 per season, and at 26 years of age was the youngest American League player to earn a six-figure salary. Murcer made the All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
teams from 1971 through 1974 in the American League, and in 1975 in the National League. He also won a Gold Glove in 1972.
He was noted for excelling at the delayed steal in which, as the catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
catches the ball or is about to throw the ball back to the pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
, the runner on first base breaks for second base. The thought is that the second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
and shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
will be back on their heels and slow to cover the bag. After working with Mickey Mantle, he was also known as an excellent drag bunter.
At his retirement, Murcer's 252 career home runs were tied for 72nd place on the all-time home run list, and his 175 home runs as a Yankee put him 11th on the club's career list. At his death, Murcer was tied for 183rd on the all-time list.
Against Hall of Fame
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
pitchers, Murcer hit .291 with 17 homers and 65 RBIs in 447 at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s. If Tommy John
Tommy John
Thomas Edward John Jr. is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball whose 288 career victories rank as the seventh highest total among left-handers in major league history...
and Bert Blyleven
Bert Blyleven
Bert Blyleven is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played from to , and was best known for his curveball. Blyleven was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011...
(both possible Hall of Famers) are inducted, Murcer's numbers total 553 at bats with 20 home runs, 76 RBIs and a .297 average, seemingly stellar numbers versus an elite group of pitchers.
In the 1970s, Murcer drove in 840 runs, the 9th most in the major leagues during that span. Murcer's 119 outfield assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
led all major league outfielders for that decade, ahead of Bobby Bonds
Bobby Bonds
Bobby Lee Bonds was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball from to , primarily with the San Francisco Giants...
(106), Rusty Staub
Rusty Staub
Daniel Joseph "Rusty" Staub is an American former Major League Baseball right fielder, designated hitter, and first baseman. He enjoyed a 23-year baseball career with 5 different teams...
(97), Amos Otis
Amos Otis
Amos Joseph Otis is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets , Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates . He batted and threw right-handed....
(93), Reggie Smith
Reggie Smith
Carl Reginald Smith is a former Major League Baseball outfielder, coach and front office executive. During a 17-year big league career , Smith appeared in 1,987 games, hit 314 home runs and batted .287. He was a switch-hitter who threw right-handed. In his prime, he had one of the strongest...
(86), Jose Cardenal
José Cardenal
José Rosario Domec Cardenal is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the San Francisco Giants , California Angels , Cleveland Indians , St...
(85), Del Unser
Del Unser
Delbert Bernard Unser is a retired Major League Baseball center fielder and utility player who had a 15-year career from 1968 to 1982. Unser played for the Washington Senators from 1968 to 1971 and the Cleveland Indians in 1972...
(82), and Reggie Jackson
Reggie Jackson
Reginald Martinez "Reggie" Jackson , nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason with the New York Yankees, is a former American Major League Baseball right fielder. During a 21-year baseball career, he played from 1967-1987 for four different teams. Jackson currently serves as...
(81). His 198 homers tied for 17th in the major leagues for the 1970s, and his .282 batting average was 20th among all players who had 5,000 or more plate appearances. During the 1970s, he led his club in home runs six times (1970, 71, 72, 73, 76, 77).
In MLB history only 24 players hit above .275 while also hitting 250 or more home runs, driving in more than 1,000 runs, and stealing more than 125 bases and totaling 45 or more triples. Among that elite group only Murcer, George Brett
George Brett (baseball)
George Howard Brett , nicknamed "Mullet", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman, designated hitter, and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Kansas City Royals. Brett's 3,154 career hits are the most by any third baseman in major league history, and 15th...
, and Rogers Hornsby
Rogers Hornsby
Rogers Hornsby, Sr. , nicknamed "The Rajah", was an American baseball infielder, manager, and coach who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball . He played for the St. Louis Cardinals , New York Giants , Boston Braves , Chicago Cubs , and St. Louis Browns...
struck out fewer than 1,000 times.
High school career
Murcer played on the football, baseball, and basketball teams as a sophomore at Southeast High School in Oklahoma City, OklahomaOklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
. In his junior year, he made the All-district football team. He also helped Southeast High to the conference championship in baseball. As a senior, Murcer showed his athletic abilities by making All-State in both football (the state leading scorer) and baseball and was All-City (led the city in scoring) in basketball and baseball. As a senior Murcer hit .458 and struck out only once. Later, in the winter of 1964, he signed a letter of intent to play for the Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
, but in the spring of '65 he signed a $20,000 ($ today) bonus contract with the Yankees.
Minor league career (1964–68)
Murcer signed a contract with Yankees' scout Tom Greenwade, the same scout who signed fellow Oklahoman Mickey MantleMickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle was an American professional baseball player. Mantle is regarded by many to be the greatest switch hitter of all time, and one of the greatest players in baseball history. Mantle was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.Mantle was noted for his hitting...
(Murcer's baseball hero). Murcer signed for a $10,000 bonus in June 1964. He began with the Johnson City, rookie-level Appalachian League
Appalachian League
The Appalachian League is a Rookie-class minor league that began play in 1937 with one year of inactivity in 1956. From 1937 to 1962, it was a Class D League. Teams are located in the Appalachian regions of Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee...
club in 1964 and hit .365 in 126 at bats.
The following season, 1965, he was the Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
MVP with the Greensboro (N.C.) Yankees. Murcer hit .322, homered 16 times, drove in 90 runs and stole 18 bases, playing in his league's All-Star game that season. In 1966, he began the season with the Yankees, but was sent down to Toledo of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
. There he was in the All-Star game once again. He hit .266 with 15 home runs and had 63 RBIs to go along with 16 steals. He was the MVP for Greensboro (the Yankee's Single-A affiliate).
While on leave from the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in 1968, Murcer played seven games in the Fall Instructional League. After his discharge, he played third base for Caguas in the Puerto Rico League, where he drove in 18 runs in 22 games.
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Scout-gate
One scout still thinks the Yankees hid Murcer and fellow Yankee, Jerry Kenney, off Yankee rosters so they would be, in effect, unavailable for the 1968 expansion draft. The scout, not seeing the names on a major league of Triple AAA roster found them, with no help from the Yankees, at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, where Murcer was playing on the base team. The scout "raised a little heck" and the rule was changed at the last minute, allowing players in the military to be protected giving the Yankees 17 protected players, not 15.
----
Playing in the minor leagues from 1964–66, Murcer hit .302 which does not include his 1-12 stint with the Ft. Lauderdale Yankees in 1985 when he was attempting a comeback to the Yankees or his time with the Instructional League and the Puerto Rico League in 1968.
New York Yankees (1965–66, 1969–74)
A shortstopShortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
in the minor leagues, Murcer was slated to be the Yankees' shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
but ended up being the center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
, following in the footsteps of Mickey Mantle
Mickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle was an American professional baseball player. Mantle is regarded by many to be the greatest switch hitter of all time, and one of the greatest players in baseball history. Mantle was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.Mantle was noted for his hitting...
and Joe DiMaggio
Joe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio , nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak , a record that still stands...
. There were strong expectations that he would be "the next Mantle"; Murcer did well enough during the years the Yankees finished second in the division to become one of the team's most popular players of the era.
His first hit in the major leagues, in 1965, was a home run that won the game for the Yankees. He also played on "Mickey Mantle Day" on September 18 of that year. Murcer said playing alongside Mantle in that game was the "greatest thrill of his career". He began the 1966 season with the major league club but was sent down to AAA. Murcer then spent the 1967–68 in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
.
After returning from the military, Murcer began the 1969 season hitting .321 with 11 homers and a league-leading 43 runs- batted-in when he jammed his heel in Kansas City. Murcer recalled, "I laid out seven days, and I lost my groove and my momentum". He ended the season batting .259 with 26 homers and playing center field, his third defensive position, after beginning the season at third base and then switching to right field. On August 10, 1969, he was part of a feat that was perhaps the highlight of the 1969 season for Yankees' fans. Murcer, Thurman Munson
Thurman Munson
Thurman Lee Munson was an American Major League Baseball catcher. He played his entire 11-year career for the New York Yankees...
, and Gene Michael hit consecutive home runs in the sixth inning against Oakland. Murcer led off the Yankees' sixth with a shot into the right field bleachers. Thurman Munson, playing in only his second major league game, hit a pitch into the left field seats, bringing up Michael, who hit a ball into the right field seats. This was the third time Yankees hit three successive home runs. Bobby Richardson
Bobby Richardson
Robert Clinton "Bobby" Richardson is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees from through . Batting and throwing right-handed, he was a superb defensive infielder, as well as something of a clutch hitter, who played no small role in the Yankee baseball...
, Mickey Mantle, and Joe Pepitone
Joe Pepitone
Joseph "Joe" Anthony Pepitone is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and outfielder who played the bulk of his career for the New York Yankees. He also played several seasons with the Chicago Cubs and had short stints with the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves...
did it in 1966. In 1947 Charlie Keller, Joe DiMaggio, and Johnny Lindell accomplished the feat.
Murcer tied for the American League lead in outfield assists in 1970 with 15, while committing only 3 errors in center field. In June 1970, Murcer hit four home runs in consecutive at bats in a double header against the Cleveland Indians, tying an American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
record and joining Lou Gehrig, Johnny Blanchard, and Mickey Mantle as the only Yankees to hit home runs in four consecutive at bats. Murcer's reported salary for both 1969 and 1970 was $27,500.
In 1971 Murcer earned a raise to $35,000 and he ended the 1971 season with a career-high .331 batting average (2nd in the AL) in 1971. He led the American League in on-base percentage (.427) and times on base (266), and came in 2nd in slugging percentage (.543) and runs (94), 4th in RBIs (94) and walks (91), 5th in intentional walks (13), and 10th in home runs (25). Murcer was 7th in MVP voting and was voted to the prestigious Sporting News All-Star team. On June 2, 1971, Murcer hit two home runs and "made a spectacular shoestring catch off Rico Petrocelli in the first inning to rob the Red Sox of a run" in a Yankee win over their perennial rival Boston. On Sunday, July 25, 1971, Murcer hit a pinch-hit grand slam in a win against the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
—the first of his seven career grand slams.
In 1972, with a new $65,000 salary, Murcer hit a career-high 30 doubles (3rd in the AL), 7 triples (4th), 33 home runs (2nd), and 96 RBIs (3rd). He also led the AL in runs scored (102), extra base hits (70), and total bases (314), was third in slugging percentage (.537) and hits (171), and 10th in batting (.292). He came in 5th in the AL MVP voting and won a Gold Glove for his fielding which included being fourth in the AL in fielding percentage (.992) and leading the league in putouts (382) and being third in outfield assists. On August 29, 1972, Murcer hit for the cycle by hitting a single, a double, a triple and a home run in one game. On June 3, 1972, Murcer's five runs scored in a game marked the 11th time it had been done in Yankee history. He was named to the Sporting News All-Star team again and Murcer's 33 home runs were the most by a Yankee center fielder since Mickey Mantle hit 35 in 1964. No Yankee center fielder has topped it since, the closest being Bernie Williams
Bernie Williams
Bernabé Williams Figueroa Jr. is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and Puerto Rican musician.-Early life:...
' 30 home runs in 2000.
On March 6, 1973, Murcer asked for and received a $100,000 salary for the upcoming season, making him only the third Yankee to make six figure. For that season Murcer was 3rd in the league in hits (187), 4th in batting (.301), and 7th in RBIs (95). He was 9th in the MVP voting. He also led the American League in assists for the second time in four years, with 14. He made the Sporting News All-Star team for the third time in his career. He narrowly missed his second Gold Glove, finishing 4th in the voting among American League outfielders. He finished with 17 game-winning hits, second to AL MVP Reggie Jackson
Reggie Jackson
Reginald Martinez "Reggie" Jackson , nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason with the New York Yankees, is a former American Major League Baseball right fielder. During a 21-year baseball career, he played from 1967-1987 for four different teams. Jackson currently serves as...
's 18. On July 13, 1973, Murcer hit three home runs (for the second time in his career) and drove in five runs in a 5–0 win over the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
.
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The Gaylord Perry "Feud"
Murcer was fined $250 on June 30, 1973, by baseball Commissioner Bowie KuhnBowie KuhnBowie Kent Kuhn was an American lawyer and sports administrator who served as the fifth Commissioner of Major League Baseball from February 4, , to September 30,...
for saying Kuhn didn't have the "guts" to stop Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord PerryGaylord PerryGaylord Jackson Perry is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1962-1983 for eight different teams in his career. During a 22-year baseball career, Perry compiled 314 wins, 3,534 strikeouts, and a 3.11 earned run average...
from throwing the spitballSpitballA spitball is an illegal baseball pitch in which the ball has been altered by the application of saliva, petroleum jelly, or some other foreign substance....
. That night he hit a two-run homer off Perry that put the Yankees ahead in a 7–2 victory over the Cleveland Indians. Murcer made his original comment about Kuhn after Perry beat New York the previous week, which ended the Yanks' eight-game winning streak. Kuhn said Murcer apologized in their meeting but Murcer refused to tell newsmen that he did and he "didn't sound too contrite". Murcer, who flung his right hand into the air when he rounded first after hitting the 'homer, said to reporters "I hit a hanging spitter."
For his career, Murcer hit Perry at a .232 clip with 2 home runs in 69 at bats. However, much of that low batting average was due to the 2 for 20 performance in the 1972 season, which caused Murcer's ire in the first place. Aside from the abysmal 1972 summer he had against Perry, who won the A.L. Cy Young AwardCy Young AwardThe Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
that year, Murcer hit .286 against him.
Murcer had some fun with Gaylord; he once caught a fly for the last out of an inning and spit on the ball before tossing it to Perry. Another time he sent Perry a gallon of lard. Perry retaliated by having a mutual acquaintance cover his hand with grease before shaking hands with Murcer and saying "Gaylord says hello."
----
In early 1974, along with Mickey Mantle, Murcer flew to Washington D.C. to visit with Senator Edward Kennedy's (D-MA) son, Teddy, who recently had a right leg amputated due to cancer. Murcer and Mantle traveled at Senator Kennedy's request and George Steinbrenner's expense.
Murcer, who had hit 25 homers with regularity, found it hard to hit home runs at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
, where the Yankees played in 1974 and 1975 while Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
was renovated. In the 1974 season, Murcer hit only two home runs at Shea, on consecutive days, (September 21 and 22, 1974).
In 1974 Murcer led all major league outfielders in assists by throwing out 21 baserunners. He was 2nd in the A.L. in sacrifice flies (12), 7th in RBIs (88), and 9th in intentional walks (10), and was the highest-paid player in Yankee history, earning $120,000.
----
The Murcer for Bonds swap
Murcer was traded to the San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
for Bobby Bonds in 1975 in baseball's first-ever even swap of $100,000 superstar players. In October the Yankees were looking for a quality starter and a righthanded power man. On the 22nd, in the early hours of the morning, Bobby Murcer was awakened in his Oklahoma home by the ring of his telephone. It was Gabe PaulGabe PaulGabriel Howard Paul was an American executive in Major League Baseball who served as general manager of three teams and, perhaps most famously, as president of the New York Yankees under George Steinbrenner during the 1970s....
. Murcer had been traded straight up to San Francisco for Bobby Bonds. "The trade came," he remembered sourly, "just after I had told Gabe I could finally accept right field if I knew I would be a Yankee the rest of my career, He said there was no way the Yankees could trade me. Three days later, I was gone."
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San Francisco Giants (1975–76)
In 1975, wearing uniform #20, Murcer led the National League in sacrifice flies with 12 and was 5th in walks with 91 and drove in 91 runs and batted .298. He also led the Giants in game-winning hits with 13. Additionally he was fourth among NL right fielders in fielding percentage with .981. On May 24, 1975, Murcer went 2 for 3 with a triple and a home run and had a career-high 6 RBIs in a win over the Cubs. That week he won the first of two National League Player of the Week awards. (He won the second two weeks later when he hit .483 for the week, including one home run and seven RBI).However, despite a fine offensive season, he hit only 11 home runs, eliciting this quote from Murcer, "Patty Hearst
Patty Hearst
Patricia Campbell Hearst , now known as Patricia Campbell Hearst Shaw, is an American newspaper heiress, socialite, actress, kidnap victim, and convicted bank robber....
could be hiding in Candlestick's upper deck and nobody would ever find her", referring to how tough it was to hit long balls at the park where the Giants played their home games. Author Zander Hollander noted that season that "only Murcer's dwindling power keeps him from superstar status" since other than the lack of home runs Murcer had a fine year in his first season as a Giant, although one of Murcer's homers was a bottom of the ninth solo shot in a 1–0 win against Phillies left-handed pitcher Jim Kaat.
On April 6, 1976, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
reported that Murcer signed for a reported $175,000, making him the highest paid player in Giants history and have him about a $25,000 riase over his 1975 salary. That season Murcer regained his power swing and was 6th in the NL with 23 home runs, and 7th in RBIs (90). He walked 84 times which was sixth in the NL. He was also voted the Giants MVP after leading the Giants in home runs and tied for the team lead in steals with 12 and was second on the club with 10 game-winning RBI. His two consecutive seasons with 90 or more RBIs was not duplicated by a San Francisco Giant until Will Clark
Will Clark
William Nuschler Clark, Jr. is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball best known for his years with the San Francisco Giants from to .Will was known by the nickname of "Will the Thrill"...
did it in 1987–88.
On May 26, 1976, Murcer hit a grand slam against the Astros and on September 22, 1976, he stole home in a 3–1 victory against the rival Dodgers and a week later, on September 29, 1976, he gloved the final out in John Montefusco
John Montefusco
John Joseph Montefusco Jr. is a former Major League Baseball pitcher from 1974 to 1986 for the San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, and New York Yankees. Named the National League Rookie of the Year in 1975, Montefusco's nickname was "The Count", a pun on his last name which...
's no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
.
Chicago Cubs (1977–79)
On February 12, 1977, he was traded to the Chicago CubsChicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
in a 5-player deal that sent 2-time defending National League batting champion Bill Madlock
Bill Madlock
Bill "Mad Dog" Madlock, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball player. From 1973 to 1987, Madlock was a right-handed hitter who won several National League batting titles. His record of four batting titles as a third baseman would be eclipsed in 1988 by Wade Boggs. Since 1970, only Tony Gwynn has...
to San Francisco
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. On March 6, 1977, Murcer signed his first-ever multi-year deal, calling for $1.6 million over five seasons. The contract made him the highest paid Cub player in history. In the span of four years Murcer held that distinction for three franchises, the Yankees, Giants and Cubs. As a tribute to Mantle, Murcer wore #7 with the Cubs.
That year he led the league with 10 sacrifice flies, and was 8th in intentional walks (13) while hitting 27 home runs and driving in 89 runs which led the team. Murcer also tied for the team lead (with Bill Buckner) in game-winning hits with nine. His 16 steals were second on the club and he drew 80 bases on balls, good for 9th in the NL. Also, Murcer was third among all NL right fielders in assists. On June 29, 1977, in his return to Candlestick Park, Murcer drove in 6 runs (matching his career high) in a 10–9 win over the Giants. On September 26, 1977, Murcer hit the 200th home run of his career, off future broadcast partner Jim Kaat
Jim Kaat
James Lee "Jim" Kaat , nicknamed "Kitty", is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins , Chicago White Sox , Philadelphia Phillies , New York Yankees , and St...
.
----
The Scott Crull game
On August 8, 1977, Murcer promised to try and hit a home run and a double for terminally ill fan Scott Crull whom he had spoken to by phone. That night, against the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh PiratesThe Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, Murcer hit two home runs. Broadcasting the game nationally on ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, Keith JacksonKeith JacksonKeith Jackson is an American sportscaster, known for his long career with ABC Sports , his coverage of college football , his style of folksy, down-to-earth commentary, and his distinctive voice, with its deep cadence, and operatic tone considered "like Edward R...
told the country how Murcer had fulfilled the dying boy's last wish. However, no one had told the young man he was dying. Murcer, however, denied he made an outright promise to Crull, as ABC had reported during the game.
Scott's mother told the AP, "It's wonderful that he got to talk to one of the players, and by Murcer hitting the home runs...he was thrilled." The APAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
later reported comments from Kenneth Crull, the young boy's uncle said "Bobby Murcer did a wonderful thing for Scotty . . . it was the highlight of his whole life." Linda Crull, the boy's aunt added, "What Bobby Murcer did was great. But what happened afterward we'd just as soon forget about." ABC's Jackson had relayed the story that had been told to him by a Chicago Cub official Buck Peden and alerted the boy to his own medical condition. Three weeks later, On August 22, Crull died. Ten hours later the Cubs beat the Giants 3–2 at Wrigley FieldWrigley FieldWrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
and Murcer hit his 24th home run. At that point the Cubs' record was 70–53, and they were 7½ games out, in 2nd place. The Cubs slumped and finished at .500 with an 81–81 record. The homer in the August 22, 1977, "Scott Crull" game was one of 5 game-winning home runs Murcer had in 1977.
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In 1978 he was 8th in the league with 15 intentional walks and walked a total of 80 times, which was ninth in the NL for the second time in a row. Also had one stretch of eight straight hits, a feat not duplicated by a Cub until Andre Dawson
Andre Dawson
Andre Nolan Dawson , nicknamed "The Hawk", is an American former center fielder and right fielder. During a 21-year baseball career, he played for four different teams, spending most of his career with the Montreal Expos and Chicago Cubs .An 8-time National League All-Star, he was named the...
did it in 1989. Previously only Billy Williams, in 1972, was the first and only Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
to perform that feat. Murcer is one of seven Cubs to have three multiple intentional-walk games since 1960, joining Ernie Banks
Ernie Banks
Ernest "Ernie" Banks , nicknamed "Mr. Cub", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and first baseman. He played his entire 19-year baseball career with the Chicago Cubs . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977.-High school years:Banks was a letterman and standout in football,...
, Sammy Sosa
Sammy Sosa
Samuel Peralta "Sammy" Sosa is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder. Sosa played with four Major League Baseball teams over his career which spanned from 1989-2007....
, Billy Williams, Don Kessinger
Don Kessinger
Donald Eulon Kessinger is a former American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop from to for the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago White Sox...
, Derek Lee and Andre Dawson. Murcer, on April 25, 1978, hit a grand slam off Steve Carlton
Steve Carlton
Steven Norman Carlton , nicknamed "Lefty", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1965-1988 for six different teams in his career, but it is his time with the Philadelphia Phillies where he received his greatest acclaim as a professional and won four Cy Young Awards...
in a 4–2 win versus the Philadelphia Phillies
1978 Philadelphia Phillies season
The 1978 Philadelphia Phillies season was the 96th season in the history of the franchise. The Phillies won their third straight National League East title with a record of 90-72, a game and a half over the Pittsburgh Pirates, as the Phillies defeated the Pirates in Pittsburgh on the next to last...
. On September 10, 1978, Murcer went 5 for 5, the only 5-hit game of his career.
During 4½ seasons in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
, Murcer was particularly rough on the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
. In 63 games against them Murcer hit .347 with 11 homers and had a slugging percentage of .538.
New York Yankees (1979–83)
On June 26, 1979, Murcer returned to the Yankees in a trade for Paul Semall and cash. After wearing uniform #1 from 1969 through 1974, Bobby donned the jersey #2, since manager Billy MartinBilly Martin
Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin, Jr. was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times...
re-adopted the #1.
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The Munson game
Murcer gave one of the eulogies at catcher Thurman MunsonThurman MunsonThurman Lee Munson was an American Major League Baseball catcher. He played his entire 11-year career for the New York Yankees...
's funeral on August 6, 1979, in Canton, OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
in which he quoted the poet and philosopher Angelo PatriAngelo PatriAngelo Patri was an Italian-American author and educator.His real surname was Petraglia, and he was born in Piaggine . Patri came to the United States when he was five. He gained a B.A. at the College of the City of New York in 1897, and an M.A. at Columbia University in 1904...
: "The life of a soul on earth lasts longer than his departure. He lives on in your life and the life of all others who knew him." Afterward, the team flew home to play the first-place Baltimore OriolesBaltimore OriolesThe Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
in a game which was broadcast nationally on ABC-TV. Yankee manager Billy Martin wanted to give Murcer the day off, but Murcer insisted on playing—and play he did. Murcer practically won the game single-handedly, bringing the Yankees back from a 4–0 deficit with a 3-run homer in the 7th, then hitting a walk-off 2-run single down the left-field line in the bottom of the 9th, causing Howard CosellHoward CosellHoward William Cosell was an American sports journalist who was widely known for his blustery, cocksure personality. Cosell said of himself, "Arrogant, pompous, obnoxious, vain, cruel, verbose, a showoff. I have been called all of these...
to exclaim what a heroic performance Murcer had put on for the deceased Yankee captain Munson, who had died in a plane crash 4 days earlier. Murcer never used the bat from the game again and gave it to Munson's widow, Diana.
On July 2, 2004, the Seattle Times reported that Diana Munson put the bat, along with other items of Munson's, up for auction. Mrs. Munson said she wants to use the proceeds to open trust funds for her grandchildren. "You reach an age when you think about the future," she said.
In August 2007, the YES NetworkYES NetworkThe Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network is a New York City-based, regional cable television channel; it broadcasts a variety of sports events, with an emphasis on New York Yankees baseball games, and New Jersey Nets basketball games. YES made its debut on March 19, 2002...
replayed the game for a new generation of Yankee fans due to a switch of the copyright of the game from ABC to Major League Baseball. About the game, Murcer says that he was playing on "shock adrenaline" and that the game has become "part of my legacy".
After the murder of NFL player Sean TaylorSean TaylorSean Michael Maurice Taylor was an American football free safety who played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Taylor was drafted in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Redskins...
, the Washington Post asked Murcer about how an organization deals with such a tragedy, "You can't forget the moment, because it's so emotional," said Bobby Murcer, "It's a very moving experience ... that next game, we got to remember him as an individual and as a team. But it's not only us that's hurting. It's the fans. It's as much for them as it is for you as an individual. It reminds you that the fans who follow the team, it's as big a part of their lives as it is for you."
----
Murcer was 5th in the league in 1980 with 9 sacrifice flies. Murcer cracked a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning on June 14, 1980, rallying the Yankees to a win over the Oakland A's. On July 4, 1980, Murcer hit a grand slam in a 11–5 rout of the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. He was also credited with 13 game-winning RBIs in his first full season back from the National League.
In the winter of between the 1980 and 1981 season Murcer traveled to Japan with an American League "All-Star" team to play a series of exhibition games against a National League team to reportedly promote American baseball.
On opening day in 1981 vs Texas, Murcer hit a pinch-hit
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
at Yankee Stadium. Alfonso Soriano
Alfonso Soriano
Alfonso Guilleard Soriano is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Chicago Cubs....
and Russ Derry are the only other two Yankees to achieve that feat. On September 26, 1981, he hit a three-run pinch-hit homer in the 9th inning in a 6–4 Yankee win over Baltimore. In 1981, he led the pinch hitters of the American League with three home runs and 12 RBIs. He also led the club in slugging percentage (.470). He finished the season by batting as designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
in the 1981 World Series
1981 World Series
The 1981 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Los Angeles Dodgers, marking their third meeting in the Series in five years as well as a record eleventh Series meeting overall and last Series meeting to date...
.
Prior to the 1982 season Murcer signed a three-year, $1.12 million contract with the Yankees. On July 28, 1982, Murcer hit a 3-run pinch hit home run to defeat the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
.
On June 1, 1983, Murcer hit his 100th career home run at Yankee Stadium, which was the 252nd and final home run of his career. His retirement on June 20, 1983, was hastened by the Yankees wanting to bring up rookie first baseman/outfielder Don Mattingly
Don Mattingly
Donald Arthur "Don" Mattingly is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and current manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Nicknamed "The Hit Man" and "Donnie Baseball", he played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
. Murcer, fittingly, was the last active player to have been a playing teammate of Mickey Mantle. His final game on June 11, 1983, occurred 19 days after Bill Robinson's final game on May 23, 1983 (for Phillies). On August 7, 1983, the Yankees honored his years in pinstripes with "Bobby Murcer Day". Since baseball's contracts are guaranteed Murcer collected the remainder of his contract (estimated at $360,000 a year) through 1984.
A 1985 comeback attempt ended after four minor league games where Murcer went 1 for 12 before suffering a shoulder injury.
Once while playing with the Yankees, he and two other teammates got caught in a bizarre 2
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
-5
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
-3
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
-1
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
triple play
Triple Play
A triple play is a baseball play in which three outs are made as a result of continuous action without any intervening errors between outs.Triple play may also refer to:...
. During his second tenure with the Yankees, he also served as the team's player union representative. In his career he held the distinction of being the highest paid Yankee, Giant, and Cub in history (all since broken) an his his 17-year career Murcer earned a total of just shy of $3 million, including the signing bonus he received in the 1960s meaning his career average was around $173,000.
Honors
- 1963 Battlefield League Most Improved Player
- 1965 Carolina League Most Valuable Player
- 1969 Voted "Most Popular Yankee" by the Catholic Youth OrganizationCatholic Youth OrganizationA Catholic Youth Organization is an organization for young Catholics. Usually each group uses the church for meeting and gathering, although some have their own premises. It was initiated by Bishop Bernard J...
in NYC. - 1971 AL All-Star team; The Sporting NewsThe Sporting NewsSporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
AL All-Star - 1972 AL All-Star team; The Sporting NewsThe Sporting NewsSporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
AL All-Star; Gold Glove - 1973 AL All-Star team; The Sporting NewsThe Sporting NewsSporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
AL All-Star - 1974 AL All-Star team
- 1975 NL All-Star team
- 1993 inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame
- 1990s The Oklahoma Sports Museum's Bill Teegins Award winner.
- 2000 Named as one of the top 100 athletes in Oklahoma history
- 2004 Inducted Oklahoma Hall of Fame.
- 2005 Received the Legend Award for his "lone and meritorious service to baseball" by the Association for the Help of Retarded Children
- 2007 honored by Oklahoma City University with the Abe Lemons/Paul Hansen Award for Sports Excellence. The Abe Lemons/Paul Hansen Award recognizes an individual who significantly contributes to the growth of sports in the state.
- 2007 featured as one of "100 Leaders for the Next 100 Years" by Oklahoma Sports Heritage Museum.
Baseball post-playing career
Murcer also was involved in the team as management and part-time coach as well. He was an assistant Yankee general manager in 1985, and individually worked with Rickey HendersonRickey Henderson
Rickey Henley Henderson is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four stints with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. Nicknamed The Man of Steal, he is widely regarded as the sport's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner...
's rehab efforts when Henderson was brought to the Yankees. In 1987, George Steinbrenner hired Murcer to coach left-handed hitters. In 1989, he became partial owner of the Class AAA baseball team in Oklahoma, the Oklahoma City 89ers. He was also a regular at the annual Yankees Old Timer's Game, playing his last game in 2007.
Broadcasting
After his retirement, Murcer turned to a career in broadcasting. He was a sportscasterSportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
for the Yankees—on broadcast TV, radio, and the YES Network
YES Network
The Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network is a New York City-based, regional cable television channel; it broadcasts a variety of sports events, with an emphasis on New York Yankees baseball games, and New Jersey Nets basketball games. YES made its debut on March 19, 2002...
—for most of the two decades. He and colleague Frank Messer
Frank Messer
Wallace Frank Messer was an American sportscaster that was best known for his 18 seasons announcing New York Yankees baseball games, and as the recognizable emcee voice of various Yankee Stadium festivities during a three decade span.-Background:An Asheville, North Carolina native, Messer was a...
were behind the WPIX
WPIX
WPIX, channel 11, is a television station in New York City built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WPIX also serves as the flagship station of The CW Television Network...
microphones as the infamous pine tar
George Brett (baseball)
George Howard Brett , nicknamed "Mullet", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman, designated hitter, and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Kansas City Royals. Brett's 3,154 career hits are the most by any third baseman in major league history, and 15th...
incident unfolded at Yankee Stadium on July 24, 1983.
Murcer continued to call games on WPIX until 1998, when the station lost the rights to broadcast the Yankees (they would pick up the broadcast rights to the Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
instead). He then moved to WNYW
WNYW
WNYW, virtual channel 5 , is the flagship television station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, located in New York City. The station's transmitter is atop the Empire State Building and its studio facilities are located in the Yorkville section of Manhattan...
, where he and Tim McCarver
Tim McCarver
James Timothy "Tim" McCarver is an American former Major League Baseball catcher, and a current sportscaster in residence for Fox Sports.-Playing career:...
shared play-by-play roles. He would remain there until 2001 (calling, among other games, David Cone
David Cone
David Brian Cone is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1986-2003 for six different teams. Cone pitched the sixteenth perfect game in baseball history. He also set the MLB record for most years between 20-win seasons. He was a member of five...
's 1999 perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
), and then moved to the YES Network
YES Network
The Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network is a New York City-based, regional cable television channel; it broadcasts a variety of sports events, with an emphasis on New York Yankees baseball games, and New Jersey Nets basketball games. YES made its debut on March 19, 2002...
to call the games there and on its broadcast partners (originally WCBS
WCBS-TV
WCBS-TV, channel 2, is the flagship station of the CBS television network, located in New York City. The station's studios are located within the CBS Broadcast Center and its transmitter is atop the Empire State Building, both in Midtown Manhattan....
, now WWOR-TV
WWOR-TV
WWOR-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the flagship station of the MyNetworkTV programming service, licensed to Secaucus, New Jersey and serving the Tri-State metropolitan area. WWOR is owned by Fox Television Stations, a division of the News Corporation, and is a sister station to Fox network flagship...
), with a reduced workload. Murcer won three Emmy Awards for live sports coverage as the voice of the Yankees.
In November 2007, Murcer was nominated for the Ford C. Frick Award
Ford C. Frick Award
The Ford C. Frick Award is presented annually by the National Baseball Hall of Fame in the United States to a broadcaster for "major contributions to baseball." It is named for Ford Christopher Frick, former Commissioner of Major League Baseball...
, presented annually to a broadcaster for "major contributions to baseball" by the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York during the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
In the media
Aside from Murcer's broadcasting, he was active in the media. He had guest appearances on Beat the ClockBeat the Clock
Beat the Clock is a Goodson-Todman game show which has aired on American television in several versions since 1950.The original show, hosted by Bud Collyer, ran on CBS from 1950–1958 and ABC from 1958–1961. The show was revived in syndication as The New Beat the Clock from 1969–1974, with Jack Narz...
, Hee Haw
Hee Haw
Hee Haw is an American television variety show featuring country music and humor with fictional rural Kornfield Kounty as a backdrop. It aired on CBS-TV from 1969–1971 before a 20-year run in local syndication. The show was inspired by Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, the major difference being...
, What's My Line?
What's My Line?
What's My Line? is a panel game show which originally ran in the United States on the CBS Television Network from 1950 to 1967, with several international versions and subsequent U.S. revivals. The game tasked celebrity panelists with questioning contestants in order to determine their occupations....
(as a mystery guest), appeared in national television ads in the late 1970s along with Carlton Fisk
Carlton Fisk
Carlton Ernest Fisk , nicknamed "Pudge" or "The Commander", is a former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 24-year baseball career, he played for both the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox .Fisk was known by the nickname "Pudge" due to his 6'2", 220 lb frame...
endorsing the dipping tobacco
Dipping tobacco
Dipping tobacco, traditionally referred to as moist snuff, is a type of finely ground or shredded, moistened smokeless tobacco product. It is commonly and idiomatically known by various terms – most often as dip and sometimes rub or chew...
Skoal
Skoal tobacco
Skoal Tobacco is a division of U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company . USSTC distributes dipping tobacco and, more recently, snus, both of which are marketed as smokeless tobacco. Skoal was first produced by US Smokeless Tobacco in 1934.-Cuts and Flavors:Skoal is packaged in 1.2 oz plastic can and is...
, and was a guest VJ on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
with Billy Martin in July 1986. In 1988 Murcer entered and finished the New York City Marathon.
He recorded two country songs, "Skoal Dippin' Man" and "Bad Whiskey" in 1982, both released by Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, and appeared in two films as himself, including The Scout. He also was part of a four-player biography in 1973, "At Bat!: Aaron-Murcer-Bench-Jackson", by Bill Gutman, published by Tempo Books.
Autobiography
In May 2008, Murcer's autobiography, "Yankee for Life: My 40-Year Journey in Pinstripes", was published by Harper Collins. The book received widespread critical acclaim. The book was a retrospective on Murcer's baseball career and also his personal struggles with illness. It covers the pressure of being the "next Mickey Mantle", his disappointment at being traded away from the Yankees, his "feud" with Gaylord Perry, and lists his "1965-2007 Yankee All-Star team".Bobby Murcer Tobacco Addiction Prevention bill
After being a tobacco user most of his life, in the late 1990s Murcer conceded what he thought was the error of his ways. After having a family member that suffered from cancer, Murcer became an anti-tobacco activist, according to the APAssociated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
. The Senate of the State of Oklahoma passed Senate Bill 619 that purported to "beef up local regulation of tobacco sales to minors". The bill was passed by the lower chamber and signed in to law.
Charity
Murcer was involved with many charities, including serving as the chairman of the board of the Baseball Assistance Team (BAT), which grants money to former players and other baseball figures who are in need, and holding an annual golf tournament which has raised more than $1 million for the American Cancer SocietyAmerican Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...
since 1990. In 1995, he joined with fellow Oklahoman Mickey Mantle to raise money for the victims of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building
Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building
The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was a United States Federal Government complex located at 200 N.W. 5th Street in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. The building was the target of the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995, which killed 168 people, including 19 children...
bombing
Oklahoma City bombing
The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. It was the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Oklahoma blast claimed 168 lives, including 19...
.
He also appeared in celebrity rodeos for various charitable organizations showing his skills in riding horses and roping.
Murcer's take on the Mitchell Report
Murcer defended Yankee pitchers Roger ClemensRoger Clemens
William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...
and Andy Pettitte
Andy Pettitte
Andrew Eugene Pettitte is a retired American left-handed Major League Baseball starting pitcher.In his major league career, he played for the New York Yankees from 1995–2003. He then signed with the Houston Astros, and played for them from 2004 through 2006. In 2007, Pettitte rejoined the Yankees...
who were accused of using performance enhancing drugs in the Mitchell Report
Mitchell Report (baseball)
The Report to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation into the Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball, informally known as the "Mitchell Report", is the result of former Democratic United States Senator from Maine...
, which was released in December 2007. Murcer was quoted in the Daily Oklahoman as saying, "Roger or Andy, either one, have never been accused of taking illegal drugs," Murcer said. "I mean, they never tested positive for any of that. He further added "I can't convict somebody on allegations" and "with all the testing that's going on today, and Andy and Roger never testing positive for anything, I can't assume somebody's guilty based on the testimony of a disgruntled trainer."
Personal
- Murcer married his high-school sweetheart, Diana Kay Rhodes (known as "Kay"), in 1966. They were married for 42 years until his death, and had two children, Tori and Todd.
- In July 2006, Aduddell Industries of Oklahoma City named Murcer as corporate spokesperson.
- In his career has invested in jewelry stores, an oil drilling company, and race horses.
- He was a big fan of comedianComedianA comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
Robin WilliamsRobin WilliamsRobin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
, artist Picasso, writerWriterA writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
Norman MailerNorman MailerNorman Kingsley Mailer was an American novelist, journalist, essayist, poet, playwright, screenwriter, and film director.Along with Truman Capote, Joan Didion, Hunter S...
, consumer advocate Ralph NaderRalph NaderRalph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
, boxerBoxingBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
Jerry QuarryJerry QuarryJerry Quarry , nicknamed "Irish" or “The Bellflower Bomber,” was an Irish-American heavyweight boxer. Quarry was rated by Ring Magazine as the most popular fighter in the sport, 1968–1971, and was one of the biggest stars of arguably the greatest era in the history of the heavyweight division.-...
, cellist Yo-Yo MaYo-Yo MaYo-Yo Ma is an American cellist, virtuoso, and orchestral composer. He has received multiple Grammy Awards, the National Medal of Arts in 2001 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011...
, Chaos TheoryChaos theoryChaos theory is a field of study in mathematics, with applications in several disciplines including physics, economics, biology, and philosophy. Chaos theory studies the behavior of dynamical systems that are highly sensitive to initial conditions, an effect which is popularly referred to as the...
, Harry HoudiniHarry HoudiniHarry Houdini was a Hungarian-born American magician and escapologist, stunt performer, actor and film producer noted for his sensational escape acts...
and the Beatles.
Illness and death
Murcer, who had been suffering from headaches and a lack of energy according to the New York Daily NewsNew York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
, was diagnosed with a brain tumor
Brain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
(glioblastoma multiforme
Glioblastoma multiforme
Glioblastoma multiforme is the most common and most aggressive malignant primary brain tumor in humans, involving glial cells and accounting for 52% of all functional tissue brain tumor cases and 20% of all intracranial tumors. Despite being the most prevalent form of primary brain tumor, GBMs...
) on Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
Eve, 2006, and underwent surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
on December 28, 2006, at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is one of the nation's original three comprehensive cancer centers established by the National Cancer Act of 1971. It is both a degree-granting academic institution and a cancer treatment and research center located at the Texas Medical Center in...
in Houston. On January 10, 2007, it was announced that the tumor was malignant.
Murcer made his first post-operative appearance on fellow Yankee broadcaster Michael Kay's radio show on WEPN
WEPN
WEPN is a 24-hour sports talk formatted radio station in New York City featuring national and local sports talk programs and live broadcasts of sports matches. It is the New York affiliate for ESPN Radio...
on January 23, 2007. He was interviewed by Kay and took phone calls from listeners. Murcer concluded the interview by saying, "I want to thank you very much for giving me the forum to do this because I wanted you to know that even though this looks bad, I'm doing great. I really am. I'm in a great place. God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
has given me peace and the overwhelming love has been insurmountable for me to even deal with. I can feel the fans. I can feel their thoughts and their prayers and I wanted to tell them how much I love them."
Murcer returned to Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
for Opening Day of the 2007 season
2007 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion – [Boston Red Sox]*Postseason – October 2 to October 28Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
. He called an inning with the YES Network crew, and once his presence was pointed out on the video scoreboard, he received a standing ovation from the crowd, with the Yankees coming out of the dugout to applaud him. He returned to work as an announcer in the booth on May 1, 2007.
The Tug McGraw
Tug McGraw
Frank Edwin "Tug" McGraw Jr. was a Major League Baseball relief pitcher and the father of Country music singer Tim McGraw and actor/TV personality Mark McGraw and Cari McGraw...
Foundation, which supports research to improve quality of life for brain tumor patients and their families, honored Murcer as their "Good Guy of 2007". The award was given at the "Denim & Diamonds: An Evening with Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw
Samuel Timothy "Tim" McGraw is an American country singer and actor. Many of McGraw's albums and singles have topped the country music charts with total album sales in excess of 40 million units in the US, making him the eighth best-selling artist, and the third best-selling country singer, in the...
and Friends" on November 2, 2007, St. Louis.
In January 2008, he was honored by the New York Chapter of the BBWA as the winner of the "You Gotta Have Heart" award for his battle against cancer.
In late February 2008, an MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging , nuclear magnetic resonance imaging , or magnetic resonance tomography is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to visualize detailed internal structures...
scan led Murcer's doctors to perform a biopsy
Biopsy
A biopsy is a medical test involving sampling of cells or tissues for examination. It is the medical removal of tissue from a living subject to determine the presence or extent of a disease. The tissue is generally examined under a microscope by a pathologist, and can also be analyzed chemically...
, and, optimistically, the biopsy revealed scar tissue, rather than a recurrence of brain cancer. Murcer stated he planned to rest until spring training where he planned to call Yankee games and work in the YES Network studio. He released his autobiography Yankee For Life, co-authored with Glen Waggoner, on May 20; he appeared in the broadcast booth for the last time two weeks earlier to promote it. The book dealt with his forty years in Major League Baseball and his battle with brain cancer. His last public appearance was May 27, in New York while promoting his book, signing autographs for 2,000 fans despite being frail and physically weak. In addition, he had planned to work 60 Yankee home games for the 2008 season.
On June 30, Murcer's family released a statement that he had suffered a relapse:
Two weeks later, on July 12, Nancy Newman
Nancy Newman
Nancy Newman is an anchor and reporter on the YES Network. Having joined the network in 2005, she is a host/anchor for the New York Yankees Pre-Game Show and the New York Yankees Post-Game Show for New York Yankees telecasts, as well as the pregame and postgame shows for New Jersey Nets...
of the Yankees' YES Network
YES Network
The Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network is a New York City-based, regional cable television channel; it broadcasts a variety of sports events, with an emphasis on New York Yankees baseball games, and New Jersey Nets basketball games. YES made its debut on March 19, 2002...
reported that Murcer had died due to complications related to brain cancer. He was reportedly surrounded by family in his deathbed in his home in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
. Yankees owner George Steinbrenner
George Steinbrenner
George Michael Steinbrenner III was an American businessman who was the principal owner and managing partner of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees. During Steinbrenner's 37-year ownership from 1973 to his death in July 2010, the longest in club history, the Yankees earned seven World Series...
issued a statement following his death: "Bobby Murcer was a born Yankee, a great guy, very well-liked and a true friend of mine. I extend my deepest sympathies to his wife Kay, their children and grandchildren. I will really miss the guy." Baseball commissioner
Baseball Commissioner
The Commissioner of Baseball is the chief executive of Major League Baseball and its associated minor leagues. Under the direction of the Commissioner, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball hires and maintains the sport's umpiring crews, and negotiates marketing, labor, and television contracts...
Bud Selig
Bud Selig
Allan Huber "Bud" Selig is the ninth and current Commissioner of Major League Baseball, having served in that capacity since 1992 as the acting commissioner, and as the official commissioner since 1998...
eulogized, "All of Major League Baseball is saddened today by the passing of Bobby Murcer, particularly on the eve of this historic All-Star game at Yankee Stadium, a place he called home for so many years. Bobby was a gentleman, a great ambassador for baseball, and a true leader both on and off the field. He was a man of great heart and compassion."
The memorial service for Bobby was held in Edmond, OK on August 6, at the Memorial Road Church of Christ. Among the some 2,000 attending the memorial were Reggie Jackson
Reggie Jackson
Reginald Martinez "Reggie" Jackson , nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason with the New York Yankees, is a former American Major League Baseball right fielder. During a 21-year baseball career, he played from 1967-1987 for four different teams. Jackson currently serves as...
, Derek Jeter
Derek Jeter
Derek Sanderson Jeter is an American baseball shortstop who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. A twelve-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Jeter's clubhouse presence, on-field leadership, hitting ability, and baserunning have made him a central...
, Andy Pettitte
Andy Pettitte
Andrew Eugene Pettitte is a retired American left-handed Major League Baseball starting pitcher.In his major league career, he played for the New York Yankees from 1995–2003. He then signed with the Houston Astros, and played for them from 2004 through 2006. In 2007, Pettitte rejoined the Yankees...
and Joe Girardi
Joe Girardi
Joseph Elliott Girardi is a former Major League Baseball catcher and current manager of the New York Yankees. During a 15-year playing career, he played from 1989–2003 for the Chicago Cubs, the Colorado Rockies, the New York Yankees, and St. Louis Cardinals...
. Also in attendance Diana Munson, widow of Yankee captain Thurman Munson
Thurman Munson
Thurman Lee Munson was an American Major League Baseball catcher. He played his entire 11-year career for the New York Yankees...
. The August 6 date was 29 years, to the day, since Murcer gave a eulogy at Thurman Munson
Thurman Munson
Thurman Lee Munson was an American Major League Baseball catcher. He played his entire 11-year career for the New York Yankees...
's funeral and is also the 25th anniversary of Bobby Murcer Day at Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
. The uniform worn by Murcer at his final Yankee Stadium Old Timer's Day appearance in 2007 was presented to his spouse Kay. His tomb can be located in Rose Hill Mausoleum, in Oklahoma City, in the left side of the building.
Notable quotes
(Murcer hit only .208 with no home runs in 48 career at bats versus the knuckleballer Niekro.)See also
- List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
- Hitting for the cycleHitting for the cycleIn baseball, hitting for the cycle is the accomplishment of one batter hitting a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game. Collecting the hits in that order is known as a "natural cycle". Cycles are uncommon in Major League Baseball , occurring 293 times since the first by Curry...
- List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions
External links
- Statistics and comments on Murcer
- Oklahoma Hall of Fame page
- Murcer comments on Babe Ruth, Micky Mantle, and his most thrilling moments in baseball
- Quotes by and about Bobby Murcer
- Bobby Murcer Tribute
- Bobby Murcer at Find a GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...