1979-Thurman Munson Death Announced During Mets Game

-On August 2, 1979, Yankees catcher Thurman Munson was killed when he crashed his private plane at the Akron-Canton Airport. News of Munson's death broke while the Mets were playing a doubleheader at Shea Stadium against the Phillies.
-This compilation features clips from the broadcast when Ralph Kiner and Bob Murphy learned the news over the wire services, the moment when the announcement was posted on the Shea Stadium scoreboard, and some comments by Murphy and Kiner afterwards. Also included from that day is an early radio report from ABC Entertainment News and a late evening report from CBS News.

[@Robert-qm5so]

My Grandmom was devastated when she heard the news, her all time favorite baseball player Thurman Munson. They both shared the same birthdate June 7 1947 . May they both R.I.P. 🌟🌟🙏

[@jayburdification]

I was at that Mets Phils doubleheader. I’ll never forget that bulletin and how shocked we all were at the game.

[@stevedrums1675]

I was nine years old and cried my eyes out for days. My dad even let me stay up late to watch that Yankees/Baltimore game. He was a Brooklyn dodgers fan, but knew greatness. And he knew Munson was great.

[@danswiecki546]

I was turning 12 a week later, also cried, enough said

[@Dano-jb1ze]

I was 15 at the time. Cried for days.

[@roopan1968]

I was 10, and I was devastated

[@darrinwm1914]

I was 9.

[@AMEER-114-]

Is this where I come to give my age in Aug. 1979 ?

[@dawnjensen5615]

My dad was a die hard Yankee fan since he was 6. The first time I saw him cry was when Thurman passed away. I was 7..

[@scooteragnew9248]

I was ten - I was on a bike with my friend coming home from buying candy at a local store. Another kid came toward us on his bike. He told us Thurman Munson was killed. Still a very distinct memory.

[@markravitz1684]

Still sends chills down my spine. I remember when I first heard the news that day, eating dinner at my mom's house.

[@TempeSoldier123]

Wow. What do you remember about the late 70’s and early 80’s?

[@mikefriedman593]

three weeks before my 18th birthday. I stopped my motorcycle on my front lawn and weeped. Had a small transistor radio with an earpiece I carried while riding the dirt bike. My friend came to comfort me. It was quite a shock to hear of my favorite player die in this manner. A shame.

[@fbmg_stagelife3120]

My dad was almost 30 and a lifelong Yankee fan at this time...remember him telling me he cried like a child, every so often he gets sad over this. Got him a collectible set of Yankee teams and models, and Mr. Munson sits in the center of one of them. #GoYanksForever

[@JackCallSports]

My dads birthday was in 4 days He was at a gas station Someone told him Thurman was killed Thought he was joking Saw the TV in the gas station that Thurman died He dropped to his knees and cried for a couple days

[@fbmg_stagelife3120]

@@JackCallSports sheesh man.

[@jeffhodge6624]

Wow. Must have really felt weird in that stadium. Everyone at once all feeling the same emotional surge.

[@jackkitchen737]

I thought of this today. I was 13 when it happened, and he was my favorite player. I think it was a Thursday, and the news got out around 7PM or so that evening. I was listening to Pete Franklin's Sportsline on WWE in Cleveland, Ohio. They spoke of "a tragedy that afternoon," but I didn't know what they were talking about. My dad came into my room to tell me what happened. I was devastated. I can still remember it so well, forty years later.

[@Steve98NYy12550]

This game was actually the first game of a twi night doubleheader. They didn’t do separate admission in those days. The first game started around 5:00-5:30 or so, it was definitely before 6PM when the news broke. I remember watching this in the evening news which aired at 5 and 6 PM in NY

[@michaell874]

I was at that Mets game when the message came up. The Yankees were never the same after that, and truly never had a catcher for ten years until they acquired Matt Nokes. When Thurman died, it felt like the heart and soul of the Yankees had gone down with plane too.

[@TommyD_62691]

The Yankees did have a true catcher during that time. Rick Cerone was THAT catcher during that ten year span.

[@michaell874]

@@TommyD_62691 Cerone wasn’t very good. He could not hit a lick, was good defensively but was not great in handling the pitchers.

[@paktype]

Never the same? They won the AL East the following season and went to the WS in 1981. They were competitive all through the middle ‘80s with Winfield and Rickey Henderson in the lineup. They didn’t start falling apart until George started to interfere with signings in the late ‘80s.

[@michaell874]

@@paktype They would have won with Munson because Thurman knew how to call great games. Just take a look at the pitchers’ stats during the time Thurman played and date he died, and do it also for the postseason. They had a better hitting team when they brought in Henderson and Winfield and then Mattingly, but Thurman Munson was a big difference because those Dodgers teams the Yankees in the 70’s were better than the Dodgers’ team that won in the strike shortened 1981 season in which they didn’t even finish with the best record in their own division.

[@epaddon]

@@michaell874 Cerone had one great season, 1980. He fell off after that (though he hit a key HR in the 81 ALDS clincher) and was platooning with Butch Wynegar through 84 when he got traded away. He had two more stints in 1987 and 1990 both as a declining backup. The first really good Yankee catcher for a sustained period post-Munson was Mike Stanley in 1993-95.

[@jeffmeinhardt5247]

Hard to believe it's been 40 years. Still remember where I was when hearing about it.

[@MustangMike012]

I was at Ted Williams camp in Lakeville, Ma. I still remember all the kids from New York crying. I was 10 years old.

[@malcolmainspan5036]

I was a counselor at a camp in Palmer, MA. Kids from Boston, Providence, Worcester, and Springfield. RedSox fans all. They were stunned and crying. We cancelled all evening activities - no one was in the mood to do anything. Yes, life transcended Munson vs. Fisk.

[@bostonwhofan]

I am and was a Red Sox fan. The rivalry between Carlton Fisk and Thurman Munson was pretty intense. I hated Munson because of the uniform he wore. But when I heard the news of the plane crash, I bawled my eyes out. I live near Boston but at night we could pickup the Yankees radio broadcasts on AM radio if the conditions were right. I remember the first game at Yankee Stadium after the horrendous news, and Bob Sheppard was the announcer during the tribute to Thurman Munson. I was listening on the radio that night.

[@marcsonnenberg623]

I was a Mets fan who had been invited to go to that next game at Yankee Stadium by a friend which was planned before the accident. It was a very somber event. One which I will never forget.

[@underwriter100]

The Friday night game, 1-0 loss? I was there. It was both intense & somber

[@jeffreynegron2708]

My father kept that NY Post with the MUNSON title on the cover for years. I wonder if he still has it.

[@kascnef]

40 years ago today

[@feddi7693]

Now 45 years ago

[@igorgopshtein9754]

I was 9 years old, and was listening to this Mets/Phillies game on my small radio, and this was what I remember hearing exactly like it was yesterday. I was shocked, even as a kid to hear this news.

[@robertpisciotti5930]

I was 19 and he is and always be my favorite Yankee.. I wore number 15 all my life ..

[@dennismacdonald2003]

You I love the Yankees rip Thurman my favorite Yankee ever

[@garymerrill5246]

My Dad was ashen-faced when my brother and I came back from the movies. (Nightwing, it was-- we remember these moments) "Wha.. what's " We knew it was bad. "Thurm... Thurman Munson died in a plane crash this afternoon." Dad spoke softly. Up in Livermore Maine, Bretton's Pond during summer vacation. I was nearing my 14th birthday. An indeminal moment of change

[@AMEER-114-]

No english grammar nonsense

[@MarkTitus420]

Wow, I never knew this. My generation was so deprived of vital information back in the internet-less days. The only thing we had was TV with four channels and many people fighting over what to watch. Munson was a great ball player; that much I knew.

[@WaltGekko]

This doubleheader was NOT televised by the Mets/WOR-TV (Channel 9). The only people in the New York area who saw it had to have WPHL-TV (Channel 17) out of Philadelphia on cable (all of Manhattan had that back then along with WSBK-TV (Channel 38) out of Boston when that was the Red Sox TV home).

[@matthewguzda4075]

I was in my family's basement. My friend Jeff was a big Yankees fan and we were sitting around just chilling when my dad comes down the stairs and asked if we'd heard about Thurman. My friend Jeff guessed " he got traded?!!" When my dad told us the news. We were Mets fans, still are. But those were some great Yankee teams in those years . Damn if he wasn't one of the great catchers of that time and always. A real tragedy.

[@salvatoresgobbo3307]

My idol and all time favorite player

[@llbigwave]

I was at that Mets game and also at the Yankees game the next night. Ten year old me didn’t fully appreciate the magnitude of it all, but I knew I didn’t want to be the first to sit down during the pregame tribute at Yankee Stadium.

[@brianmccormick3837]

Hard to believe that it's been 45 years already. This past Friday. RIP Captain Thurman.⚾

[@drowssapma]

I heard a story of when Red Sox catcher, and arch enemy Carlton Fisk heard the news, he cried.

[@alexanderwinkins7158]

Munson and Roger Maris should be in the dam HOF!!!! I think Munson is in, though.

[@adamsoboleski6857]

Fisk was told by a fan walking into Milwaukee's stadium. Fisk thought he was joking. The fan so it was real and it hit Fisk walking in. That's how Fisk found out.

[@storyofcory]

Ugh... what an awful way to find out. 😑

[@leroystover1062]

I remember this like yesterday AUGUST 1979 GOING 2 NINTH GRADE RIP MR MUNSON

[@crowmedicine4520]

This was terrible I was only 6 and didn’t quite understand but my mom who was pregnant with my youngest brother just days before his birth. Was outside crying and I asked why and she just cried more and she wasn’t even a Yankee fan (cardinals) very sad day indeed

[@stephenmadonna6142]

Phillies Announcers: Rich Ashburn: Harry, I got some terrible news, Thurman Munson has been killed in a plane crash. Harry Kalas: Oh no. Eventually, Joe Torre came out and got the message taken down.

[@stevep8445]

He tried to get the score taken down as well

[@WaltGekko]

Yes. The doubleheader only aired in Philly on WPHL-TV (Channel 17) and only those who got that on cable saw it in the New York area.

[@mikehunt8997]

@@stevep8445 😂😂😁

[@wc1068]

Grew up on Long Island. I was 10. I had just arrived for baseball practice about 5pm and one of the kids asked if I heard about Thurman Munson. Still remember

[@WaltGekko]

I remember this doubleheader very well. Back then, WPHL-TV (Channel 17 in Philadelphia) was the Phillies TV station and was seen on cable TV in New York (at least in Manhattan, the other boroughs did not begin getting cable until 1987 or so) and I saw the game on that as this doubleheader was NOT televised by WOR-TV (Channel 9) in New York.

[@choptanktuxent2]

I lived in the Philly area at the time and was watching this game on 17 and remember Richie Ashburn saying funereally, "We just received some tragic news... " and reported Munson's death. Fast forward to 1999 and my NE Ohio vacation built around visits to the PFHOF and the R&RHOF. In Canton my hotel was across the street from Sunset Hills Cemetery which I explored (a beautiful boneyard IMO), and fond Munson's monumental grave, RIP Thurman and Whitey.

[@TheBatugan77]

I remember that day. It was devastating.

[@swst]

I remember being 9 years old & when the news broke about his passing it was like time stopped here in NYC, everyone was devastated!!!

[@moboutmen]

One of the saddest days in my life.

[@christopherneyfeldt4587]

Very sad day that’s for sure. Thurman was my favorite Yankee. I haven’t had a favorite since. RIP THURMAN GONE BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN.

[@GaryJacobs-g7n]

I was overseas in the navy and I read the report. It shook me up bejng a yankee fan so far from home. Took me many years to process it. We miss the captain.

[@irt3rdavenueel172]

I was at home watching WCBS 2 when all of a sudden at approximately 335PM there was a CBS 2 News Special Report and up popped the news of the tragic end of the captain and catcher Thurman Munson. My jaw dropped far down and my eyes bulged out of my eye sockets as soon as the news struck. I immediately called a few of my friends on my landline because at the time we didn’t have cell phones we only had landline phones either rotary or digital so I ran to my rotary telephone and dialed a number of my friends to turn on the tv Thurman Munson is dead, they immediately turned on their televisions and they became sick after they saw the news and they immediately dropped their handsets ran to their bathrooms and threw up because it was such a horrible sight to see that it made all of us sick and we told ourselves we are probably gonna have to go to his funeral to pay our final respects to the captain. We traveled out there to his funeral and hundreds of Yankee fans including hundreds of Thurman Munson fans were at his funeral. It was so awful that now we had no other choice but to retire his number 15 immediately after his memorial service. Nowadays his locker still sits empty with his original jersey but the same number in the Yankee Stadium Museum at the new Yankee Stadium. We all tell the very tragic story of his final moments all the way to his death of how it happened. His original catching gear sits inside his locker as well including his baseball cap. If people were to recreate his locker such as adding the drywall the doorway to get in there the seat he sometimes sat in if he did hangout in his locker but mostly used to put his uniform down so he can change as well as the hooks his 1969 jersey or even his 1978 jersey the shelves a mirror his catching gear and everything that was as the materials to make this locker including the jersey number above where you come in to the locker to identify who worn it then you have a piece of history that you can preserve forever. I’m hoping I can make one to remember the late captain/catcher that was on the Yankees for only 10 years and never got a chance to retire. He will be missed forever

[@jamesslick4790]

Somewhat ironic that the news "broke" during a Mets game. The Pirates and the Yankees were (and are) my favorite teams. The Buccos would go to and take the Series a few months later, But I was STILL upset..... even in October. 😢

[@InMotionForAMillion]

Why is it ironic?

[@gabbleratchet1890]

@@InMotionForAMillion Because he doesn't know what the word "irony" means.

[@OriginalGateKeeper]

I was at that Mets game when the message was posted.

[@thomasrogers202]

I heard it on TV, walked outside, I was 17. My neighbor's dad came to his front door, and we were stunned.

[@pluggy86]

That's exactly how I heard the news. We were getting a cookout ready in our backyard. They must have been playing a twinight doubleheader to be playing at that time. Back then about a third of their schedule was not televised. Games on cable hadn't really gotten going yet. We didn't have cable anyway. They only had 3 announcers who worked a rotation system, so the fact that two were on the radio indicates it was not televised. What a shocker. So sad. He wanted to be able to fly back to Ohio and see his family on off days.

[@jeffreyadams207]

14 years old, actually came home from babe Ruth baseball practice as a catcher! It was a sad day

[@TR-vr5pz]

Was 21 awaiting my friends to go see Chicago in Rochester NY - my dad yelled out the window that Thurman had crashed and died - could tell in his quivering voice he had been crying - terrible day in history

[@scottodonnell7121]

I was in Germany watching AFN. They broke in on whatever I was watching to announce this. I was speechless.

[@HHH-ye1ro]

Wow, they stopped the game. So sad.

[@fafafofo2]

I was watching when Lee Mazzilli was at bat.

[@davidellis5141]

He got a ring in 86

[@paulhanley3098]

I remember Mazzilli walking back toward the dugout (I am not sure if it was before or during his at bat), because he saw the news posted on the scoreboard and was apparently too upset to stand in the box.

[@davidellis5141]

He was so good & well respected. Flying was his passion.

[@lloydbraun6445]

Only time I heard my grandfather curse.

[@carljansen6896]

I was at work when I got the news. I was devastated and could not finish my shift.

[@privatepenguin3137]

I remember this day, I was 10 years old. I grew up in the Boston area and remember the story broke around 5:30pm just as local news were going on the air. When I saw this clip....I figured there is no way this could've broken during a game (starting at 7pm or 7:30pm)....BUT, as I read the description, this was during a double-header, so there was probably a 4pm game and a 7:30pm game...so this makes sense. Terrible day.

[@slapshot68]

I saw his locker in the Yankees museum, no one has ever ben in it since he passed

[@Jdwify]

Why does death have to be so cruel?

[@ryanstrnad8442]

I attended his last game as a CATCHER. In Milwaukee,

[@Bruce12867]

It will be 45 years ago on August 2.

[@JDAWGTampa]

Not a Yankees fan , but Thurman was one of the best ever!

[@perryickes8991]

I would have never announced this till after the game... you knew the reaction would be one of dis belief and sadness to flash this type of news during the game was wrong

[@jeffreyreyes6800]

Gone too soon so sad

[@raygordonteacheschess5501]

This shook me. I heard it on channel 11. Then Lytleflew a plane into a building a few blocks from where I grew up.

[@globalmegabankNA]

Was 15 and at Shea RF box seats 3rd row ran to sports phone & headed back to Long Island was beginning of twi light DH

[@altfactor]

If I had been the commissioner of baseball, once I learned about Munson's death, I might have ordered all games in progress suspended (to be resumed at a later date, picked-up at the point the game was suspended) and any games not yet started postponed.

[@fafafofo2]

@Matt Pizzano It was raining and Munson's face was in the rain. something like, "Naw Yuchie, I just don't feel like playing ball today." img.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_1484w/WashingtonPost/Content/Production/Blogs/comic-riffs/Images/Obit_Gallo_0fb1f-009.jpg?uuid=5e9mmnxIEeCrwU3SJUu-gA

[@stevedrums1675]

It was a different time. That might happen today, but not then.

[@WaltGekko]

@@stevedrums1675 I don't think it would happen as many games can't easily be rescheduled. And back then, it would have been replayed from the beginning, not suspended.

[@StatsRob1975]

Right their were only 6 games that day and none had started yet when Thurman died@@stevedrums1675

[@marcuscook2460]

I remember this very well. I didn't really know about the Mets yet (my Father only had the Yankee games on). I remember walking in the front door and the radio was on and it came up and I had to run and tell my Mom who loved him and called him Thurm the Sperm.

[@carlosquimtw1080]

I was 14 when that happened. I was playing baseball with my friends, on a hot summer evening.

[@paulsonj72]

They had the break as the Mets and Phillies were playing a doubleheader that Thursday

[@fjr3950]

Loved Munson. I always wore # 15 in Babe Ruth League. Such a gritty player.

[@kevinallen1699]

How sad.

[@williampremo9807]

Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk, who was Munson's rival, was told about Munson's death as he arrived at County Stadium for a game against the Brewers. He thought the person was telling a bad joke at first.

[@chuckHart70]

Was 9 and a KC fan during that rivalry. The teams hated each other but a lot of sadness in KC that day for sure. I realized it was bigger than baseball. Very sad still.

[@cjprice1700]

I was there. RIP The Captain 15

[@vincentfiore7588]

Such a shame he was for sure on his way for a hall of fame career. RIP Munson

[@thomaskay779]

I remember watching this

[@littleblackduck3134]

"Thurman Munson was just killed when, there's a base hit up the middle by Luzinski"

[@spjfrat]

He was a tough, no nonsense player. So unnecessary.

[@BigB932]

I was catching in a yumas game wearing number 15. When my brother told me

[@miguelestrada9206]

😢😢😢😢

[@kingdingaling2469]

I love how the New Yankee Stadium still has his locker just how it was Minus The PlayBoy mags But You can go check it in The Yankees HOF So Dope. Only better HOF in Baseball is @ GABP , The REDS HOF It’s SO DOPE.

[@johnsantello8515]

Not much in the way of sugar-coating.

[@sammalone4239]

I was coming home to the Bronx from a day at GREAT ADVENTURE ( N.J) I HEARD IT ON 10.10. .ALSO THE TIME OF ODD AND EVEN GAS ..RAN OUT OF GAS.HAD TO. WAIT TILL MIDNITE TO GET CAR FILLED BACK UP( VINCE LOMARDI STOP STATION ! I WAS 8 YRS OLD

[@watchout361]

SAD!

[@stevedrums1675]

Was this game televised?

[@epaddon]

I believe it was but on Sportschannel rather than WOR-Channel 9.

[@WaltGekko]

@@epaddon Actually neither in New York as neither game of that doubleheader were televised (while the Yankees did have games on SportsChannel back then, not every game that wasn't on WPIX-TV (Channel 11) was televised by SportsChannel, I believe the Mets didn't go there until after the 1981 strike). It only aired in Philly on WPHL-TV (Channel 17), which was available to many on cable in the New York area at the time and that is how I saw this doubleheader.

[@epaddon]

@@WaltGekko No, the Mets were on Sportschannel in that era starting in 1979 at least. There is a clip "courtesy of Sportschannel" of the moment of silence for Munson before Game 2 of the DH in my other upload of TV news coverage of Munson's death.

[@WaltGekko]

@@epaddon Oh okay. I did not remember this game being televised in New York, I saw it via the Phillies as what then was Manhattan Cable had WPHL-TV out of Philly which had that doubleheader. Sportschannel was only available in NYC on what then was Teleprompter, which was north of 86th Street on the east side and 79th Street on the west side of Manhattan. Manhattan Cable would not get Sportschannel for a couple of years at least.

[@yisroelfrank3150]

Is that tim mccarver?

[@TheYamahog12]

No.

[@holdenmcgroin9774]

They should write a clause in a player's contract. No operation of planes. do it after you retire.

[@HHH-ye1ro]

It’s much more statistically dangerous to drive a car, then fly a plane.

[@TheBatugan77]

@holdyourtongue You should mind your own f'n business, son.

[@gabbleratchet1890]

​@@HHH-ye1ro Munson was a very low time pilot (only 428 hours as PIC and only 6 hours in the Citation)) operating a small jet. I still find those numbers a bit shocking, but things were different in the 1970s.

[@StrivingTowardsWhatIsAhead]

It was foggy in Canton that day.

[@Salvatore1268]

As a yankees fan, i wish the yankees would have traded Thurman to the Cleveland Indians. This may not have happened if that had happened. Just an awful day

[@WaltGekko]

Yeah, but George didn't want to do that as Munson was too valuable to him as a player. Who knows how that would have played out if he had been traded.

[@Salvatore1268]

@@WaltGekko will never know

[@TheYamahog12]

It wouldn’t have happened if he took the bus either but what’s the point of what if’s?

[@james---b]

Errily similar to what happened to Cory Lidle.

[@jamessollazzo4860]

mets probably got swept

[@donwert70]

split

[@jamessollazzo4860]

@@donwert70 shocker

[@mikefagan6840]

LOOK!......The Mets were losing even then too. 😂😂😂😂

[@zxccxz164]

Foul play