Another sad situation as the ex-Yankee player and broadcaster has died of brain cancer after a two year struggle.
Murcer joined the Yanks in the late 1960’s, touted as the successor to Mickey Mantle – they were even both from Oklahoma. While never achieving Mantle’s level, he had an excellent career and then became a Yankee broadcaster.
According to all accounts he was a wonderful person.
Here’s the NY Yankee website – Former Yanks great Murcer dies at 62 | Yankees.com: News
And – Murcer’s death saddens current Yanks | Yankees.com: News
He was a great Yankee, but more importantly, he was a great friend to all of us,” said a visibly upset Yankees manager Joe Girardi. “He cared about the game — he cared whether we won or lost every day. He wore his emotions on his sleeve — in the booth and as a player.
“Bobby was just the type of man that I believe got what life was about, and that was making life better for the people around him.”
Alex Rodriguez knew of Murcer long before his days in New York. During Rodriguez’s tenure in Seattle, he played under Lou Piniella — one of Murcer’s old teammates with the Yankees — and the veteran skipper had nothing but praise for one of his lifelong friends.
“It’s just a reminder for all of us who are in the game, the media and a fan of baseball just how trivial the game can be, just for one day,” Rodriguez said. “When you look at a guy like Bobby, it makes time stop a little.
And the NY Times has a good feature – Bobby Murcer, 62, Yankee on Field and Air, Dies – Obituary (Obit) – NYTimes.com
When he made his Yankee debut in September 1965 as a teenage shortstop, Murcer evoked images in the press of a young Mantle. Murcer batted left-handed while Mantle was a switch-hitter, but both were Oklahomans, both had been signed by the Yankee scout Tom Greenwade, both possessed speed on the bases, and both had played at shortstop in the minor leagues.
But Murcer, at 5 feet 11 inches and 160 pounds, had a slighter build than Mantle. “Both of us were power hitters, the only difference being that Mickey’s power took the ball over the fence a lot more often than mine did,” Murcer said in his memoir.
Murcer eventually succeeded Mantle, his boyhood hero, in center field. He never approached a Hall of Fame career, but he proved an outstanding hitter and a fine fielder in his 17 major league seasons.
Playing mostly for the Yankees, Murcer hit 252 home runs and had 1,862 hits and a .277 career batting average. In 1971, he hit a career-high .331 and was the runner-up for the American League batting title, and he became adept at bunting. The next year, Murcer won a Gold Glove award.
He was named to five All-Star teams, from 1971 to 1974 while with the Yankees and in 1975 while with the San Francisco Giants.