Yankee Thurman Munson Plane Crash

[@johnny10301968]

Thurman Munson concerned about his friends despite being hurt himself Thurman Munson you were a 1st class act. Worried about his two friends 7:02 now that's a 100%first class act guy right there.

[@michaelm4021]

Wow, this brings back a lot of memories, both good and bad. At the time of Munson's death, I was just a child - maybe 8 years old - living on Long Island, and a huge Yankees fan. This was, for so many reasons, the Golden Age of baseball... a time when guys would play for the same team their entire career. This may sound strange, especially to young people today, but the players were like members of your family - you felt like you knew them personally, and truly loved them. Munson was one of the most beloved of them all.

[@darrellthorpe3877]

WOW!!! I remember when this happened...I was 9 years old...but I didn't realize that there were 2 others on the plane...that survived...and that Thurm was still alive & conscious after the crash...the fact that he asked if his friends were alright, just shows what a great human he was. I'd always thought he was alone & died on impact...such a testament to him checking on his friends and a testament to his friends trying to free him. So heartbreaking that they were unable to free him.

[@adamhyuro]

I heard about Thurman Munson's death while playing ball with friends. A genuine loss to the world of professional baseball. Thanks for posting!

[@MikeJones-rk1un]

To have to leave your friend behind to die in a burning plane.... Poor guys.

[@TheMistysFavs]

C'mon people, enough with the Sox/Yankees and Fisk/Munson arguments here! Even MANY of us who are Sox fan were brokenhearted when we lost Thurman. Have some respect for who was a most excellent player and a man whose family was his universe and always showed it, always talked about them. His humanness and love of family, the game, his fans are what matters here and his loss to all of us. THAT'S what matters. This video is heartbreaking but I appreciate the share. Remember the MAN, not only the ball player. Rest in sweet peace, Thurman, and peace always to his Diana, his children, his friends. Thanks for the good memories.

[@johnalbertson6406]

Mary Mclocke Well put!!

[@vanillacreem816]

Classy words from a classy Red Sox fan.

[@crouchingcaterpillar]

I'm a NYY fan. Thank you for remembering the man. Pulling for the Sox right now though.

[@SlickNickVids]

Honestly I don’t give a fuck

[@CoIoneIPanic]

But he didnt put the flaps down. That's like dropping the ball on strike three and not tagging the batter.

[@dominiccarlin8265]

A real baseball player when baseball was still great. l was 14 when I heard the news. I was just about to play a little league game. I cried like a baby and was devastated that my childhood idol was gone

[@stoneymcneal2458]

As a little leaguer in the 70’s, Thurmond Munson was my first baseball hero. To this day, I know the spot at my favorite fishing hole where I heard the news on my transistor radio.

[@ajbono42]

althought the sox/yankee rivalry were intense duirng that era..I still remember how sox fanz were saddened when the heard the news..something about the rivalry and the respect for each other..thats when baseball was a game and life was bigger

[@drumsport]

Terrific loss, but thank God his family wasn't aboard. RIP Thurman.

[@robandrene]

Oh Captain, MY Captain......

[@Yankeesrule1022]

I was 13 yrs. old and on my way home from Florida to New York. We found out when we landed about the plane crash. We were told that when the people at Laguardia Airport had initially heard of a plane crash they thought it might have been our plane at first but then they found out it was Thurman Munson's plane. I not only miss him but I also miss watching the Yankees of that era. That was baseball at its finest. Today's baseball is all about money, style and fame not about the sport. very sad.

[@TaborTalk]

OMG - I had no idea..I was a kid too when this happened. I knew he was killed in a plane crash but didn’t know the details. I’m horrified to learn that he was conscious with a broken neck trapped as the flames consumed him. What a horrible death. Too sad to comprehend.

[@gravesclayton3604]

I remember that day, too. Catfish Hunter & Thurman Munson were the greatest pitcher-catcher duo at that time for many of us. My parents were also pilots and we flew a lot as a family. Even my mother cried when it was announced on TV. I was 14, and I felt like baseball died for me that year. I still tear up seeing this 42 years later.

[@NYC1370]

i remember that day watching grown men cry very sad day in the baseball world gone but never forgotten R.I.P 15

I'm not a Yankees fan, but it was sad that Munson was taken at such young age

[@jeffhodge6624]

And in such a horrible way. Death is never pleasant. But...

[@Guiltless765]

My dads favorite Yankee of all time..R.I.P. Mr.Munson!

[@tracyroadarmel6738]

I was 11 years old and i lived 3 miles from the crash. My father was from NY city and we where all Yankee fans. My father didnt even tell us he crashed there. I live in Canton now and my aunt and uncle are buried 20 yards from him. God bless you Thurman! Tracy Roadarmel

[@hikewithmike4673]

Thurman munson..class act...i remember that day as a child and yankee fan in the 1970s

[@biffroberts1007]

Thanks for posting this video. Its perhaps the best video recounting this tragedy in baseball. And while I'm no Yankees fan, it made me respect Thurman Munson in a whole new light. You did a great job with this & may Thurman Munson RIP.

[@mikescorpio1108]

I remember when my mom told me that he died. She knew how much I loved the Yankees. I was 9 y.o., & I just came home for dinner after hanging out in front of our house with some friends that evening. I thought she had said "Herman Munster died," (she really had no idea who Thurman was). Then I saw the news on Channel 11 around 7 o'clock and realized it was Thurman. I was so sad.

[@Retiredmco]

I WAS FIFTEEN WHEN IT HAPPENED. I WAS AWOKEN FROM A NAP. I THOUGHT I DREAMING THIS COULDN'T BE REAL!!!

[@kyokogodai-ir6hy]

I was 14, and didn't hear the news until around 11:30PM, since my family and I were camping in Northern Ontario.

[@nala3038]

CAPS LOCK

[@Retiredmco]

@@nala3038 The event called for all caps.

[@sammeyer6644]

wow. Munson is my dads favorite player and he was crying for days because of his death. But he didnt know who else was in the crash. He watched this video and he was so stunned because his dads brother knew one of the guys in the crash. The video was so heartbraking and I sure hope this doesnt happen again.

[@melvinmunson8331]

A Day I will never forget.The one that really Amazes me is his Widow Diane.She raised 3 Very Successful Children on her own.Never Remarried and was able to do that.Thurman was my Childhood Hero and I cried the day he died

[@brenbal823]

my dad was 17 when he found out. he cried all day and stayed home from school. :(

[@kyokogodai-ir6hy]

Stayed home from school? I should think so, considering it was during the summer.

[@mariothemenace5303]

kyokogodai her dad obviously had summer school

[@analogkid4957]

That’s right it was in the Summer

[@B1900pilot]

I remember the ay this happened, and how saddened I felt because like me he loved Aviation. In retrospect, I think that he was a bit over his head in the Citation at the time he had less than 1000 hours total time and recently transitioned from a King Air. The King Air and Citation share some common flight characteristics with the same basic straight wing. I think it was a case of lack of experience, poor training, and in the final analysis...Failing to abandon the approach and simply go-around. Over 50% of hull-loss accidents could have been avoided by that simple procedure.

[@oldmanballer5088]

When i was a kid i was a catcher and Munson was my favorite big league catcher. I will never forget when my mom told me what happened!

[@m.scottreeder]

I was 15 years old in the summer of 1979, and I was stunned when I first learned about this tragedy. I went back and recalled this incident. Two days after the crash, I was watching NBC’s Baseball Game Of The Week on a Saturday, and there the story was. I remember Carlton Fisk giving a statement.

[@jacobstopper3804]

RIP Thurman Lee Munson 1947-1979

[@patrickgray5633]

He was a hell of a hitter.

[@ronachten2902]

Incredibly sad, but as someone born a few years too late to experience this era of baseball, I must say I'm jealous of fans who had this type of bond with one of "their guys".

[@crouchingcaterpillar]

He was as nice as he was talented. I heard about 1-2 hours after his death. Hard to believe.

[@ronachten2902]

@@crouchingcaterpillar I hope to make it to Monument Park one day soon and pay my respects.

[@crouchingcaterpillar]

@@ronachten2902 I hope you do. I'd love to do that as well.

[@raymondlucero4999]

I was 12 years old when this tragedy happened. Ill never forget that day. I didn't care for the Yankees because they had beaten my team the dodgers the previous year. However because of my love for baseball this one really did hit home. Very sad that a successful accomplished athlete a father and husband had lost his life.

[@johnschober5240]

Not a Yankees fan,but Thurmon Munson is my fav catcher of all time.

[@pgraybengal]

Reds fan so I'm bias to Bench but Munson was a damn good catcher tough as nails to

[@jojogunn7077]

Patrick Gray Reggie Jackson said that Thurman Munson doesnt belong in the baseball hall of fame.

[@davidellis7081]

Thanks for a well-done documentary on this tragic end to a Yankee legend. I had forgotten many of the details, including the airfield this happened at. As fate would have it, I drove past that airfield many times as a truck driver picking up loads at the nearby Wal-Mart distribution center.

[@pngwynn1966]

This Man had Guts and Class. He Deserves the Accolades of a Hero and a Hall of Famer. A True Legend on and off the Field.

[@nickgray6305]

Why did his wife tell the two survivors it wasn’t their fault? Of course it wasn’t, they should have reminded her that her husband killed himself, and almost took them with him

[@dannygiangrande9027]

My dad is a huge Yankee fan, and Thurman was his favorite player growing up. He had never been to Shea Stadium for a game, and he went to one with a couple of his friends and they announced middle of the game that Munson had died. He didn't go to another game at Shea Stadium for 27 years, and the next time he did, it was the day cory Lidle died. Something about Shea Stadium and Yankees dying in plane crashes does not agree with my dad.

[@scain54]

#15, thanks

[@ericwalker7189]

The Captain was a great ball player and a good man. He was the backbone and very spirit of the Yankees. I was three weeks shy of being honorably discharged from the USAF when he was killed . I have been a Yankees fan since I was seven years old. It hit me real hard. Thurmond was and still is a true and great Yankee,. After we lost him we did not win a World Series until 18 years later. I loved his toughness and how he led the club. Class act. Should and will be in the HOF.

[@Fremen2]

Growing up in the Bronx I remember whenever he used to get pissed off at Steinbrenner he wouldn't shave for like a week and all the NYC papers would write about it like Nixon went to China. RIP.

[@johngembka7052]

Wow. I just stumbled upon this video. Very sad. I was only 14 when this happened, but I still remember when the news hit the airwaves. In the early 1990s, I had some cases to work on in the Canton, OH area and I flew into the Akron-Canton Airport several times. One time I asked where the Thurman Munson memorial was located and the airport representative simply said "there isn't one - we don't talk about it."

[@vinmad6669]

Damit ...... Definitely one my favorite yankees of all time ..... started watchin the yankees in 1970 ------ #PINSTRIPES4EVER

[@davidleach5646]

I was working at a beverage distributer in Augusta, Maine. The boss's all time favorite was Thurman Munson--I had just heard it on the radio, and relayed the bad news to him. His license plate read "THURM," and his 3 kids, "THURM1" "THURM2" and "THURM3.

[@mortalclown3812]

I was all of 7 years-old when I decided that I wanted to be a NY Yankee. 😂 My Mom never mentioned that it was an impossibility, but my best friend's Dad, cracking up laughing, said, 'Girls can't play baseball!' But that didn't stop me from being a huge fan. I cried that summer: I was 14 and one of the first places I visited when I moved to NYC from GA was the Thurman Munson Diner on the west side. Lou Gehrig and Thurman. Rest in paradise, guys. Your legacies are alive in so many 💕 hearts.

[@victorkreitner754]

I was 13 at the time and still remember the day happened. Summer vacation from school, everyone outside having fun and walking in the house for dinner with the tv on in the background saying a Yankee is being mourned tonight. I figured some old timer from the past died, then I saw a picture of Munson on the screen and my stomach sank...so sad.

[@irishhome4]

A great player,a great man

[@DennisRivenburg-de4sg]

I'm watching this on father's day 2017, RIP Thurman

[@dg91xj]

A role model who did his best to put his wife and kids first. Not all of us can measure up to that.

[@georgeh.6273]

I became a pilot in 1974. This crash was widely known as the result of a pilot whose budget exceeded his skill level. In 2021, it was repeated at Smyrna, TN when another Citation, piloted by Joe Laura (Tarzan actor), crashed after takeoff and killed all 7 on board! Tragedy often results when pilots’ budget allows them to leap-frog the lessons learned from flying low and slow for years in 4 seat, single engine aircraft.

[@penguin363]

HAPPY 69TH BIRTHDAY Thurman Munson

[@obanionm]

This is so deja vu. I live in Canton, Ohio and was working near the airport the night it happened. Looking at the family photos is so strange. For the past 3 or 4 years I have become close friends with his widow and family.

[@kshepard52]

He forget to deploy the flaps... the gear too, but the right seater reminded him about the gear, but didn't know what his intentions were so he didn't mention the flaps. Without the flaps, which increase lift, their airspeed was too slow. The airplane stalled, fell out of the air, and they hit the ground before the runway. The gear had nothing to do with the crash.

[@Radiskull11]

I was working for the manufacturer of the engines for that plane, in product support. When they arrived for investigation, they were crumpled, burned and blackened. It was so sad and depressing to see.

[@chuckHart70]

I was just a kid and being a KC resident we hated the Yankees like they hated us. But when TM died we all cried. There needs to be a memorial there if anyone knows of a way to donate please share it

[@BadGuyGoodAudioReviews]

Hall said in his deposition that Munson's last words were “Help me, Dave. '' The two men could not free Munson and fled as smoke and flames entered the cockpit.

[@patrickgray5633]

I’m sure it didn’t help that Munson was a bigger guy then the 2 guys he was with body wise built like an athlete, but if a smaller man was in the pilot seat they probably would have been able to get him out of there.

[@crouchingcaterpillar]

@@patrickgray5633 Probably not. Munson was paralyzed and unable to be of much help himself. They would have died too if they stayed longer. Must have been a horrible feeling knowing they had to go.

[@downhill240]

Going from a piston twin to a Citation is very hazardous for most pilots. Sometimes having a lot of confidence can lead you into a place you don't want to go. Sad. These planes have tons of power but when on approach, if you're short it takes the engines longer to spool up that a piston driven plane, especially if you're dirty (gear down, flaps down) hence you have less wiggle-room.

[@briancampbell2334]

when this happened, I talked to my Dad who was a pilot about it. It was particularly sad for me as I knew Thurm from grade and high school and we all celebrated his success with the Yankees. Anyway, my Dad explained that it was exactly as you are saying here. Munson was fine as a pilot with a prop driven plane but the switch to jets and his amazing ability to always excel at whatever he did, got him in over his head. It was a very sad day for all those who knew Thurmon.

[@davem5333]

It is extremely difficult for a piston twin pilot to transition to a jet the way Munson was attempting. By getting instructions on a piece meal basis. He should have waited for the off season then done the two week transition training course. There is so much material to cover. It's all the handling idiosyncrasies of the particular aircraft and the systems and emergency procedures. I am surprised he was able to obtain insurance.

[@gregsmith2190]

Wow. Sad. He was a great one.

[@BBQFanNo1]

This is why i find August and September one of the most depressing months of the year. Marilyn Monroe's Death in August 1962, Elvis Presley's Death in August 1977, Keith Moon's Death in early September 1978, then Thurman Munson's Death in August 1979, John Bonham in September 1980 and the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks.

[@BBQFanNo1]

Something about these two most depressing late Summer Months i hate to this day.

[@JackCallSports]

And now Jose Fernandez

[@THECLARENCES]

Thurman will forever be missed. Xoxo The Clarences (robert, erin & leslie)

[@richardfox8168]

What a tragedy. Munson was a great catcher player.

[@MrGuitarman58]

made me sad to watch this story. Munson was a great player and i remember taht he learn to fly so he could be closer to his family. I was not a Yankee fan but his passing made me sad. Even over 30 years later this story made me choke up.

[@willietherescue8627]

The saddest day💔

[@dennismacdonald2003]

The day my hero died, I cried so much

[@MagSeven7]

So sad. I was at the Yankees game the day after this happened and it was such a difficult time to cheer for anything that happened in that game. Of course not much happened except really good pitching. The Yanks lost to the Orioles 1-0. I remember like it was yesterday.

[@pgraybengal]

What an awful feeling having to leave that airplane knowing that Munson was gonna die I can't imagine dealing with that

[@joesakic91]

Alfonso Soriano did win two WS rings as a call-up with the Yankees in 1999 and 2000. And Jeff Kent did get a WS ring as a Toronto Blue Jay despite being traded to the New York Mets on August 27, 1992 for David Cone.

[@crouchingcaterpillar]

Soriano. Loved.

[@vicepresidentmikepence889]

Kobe Bryant brought me here

[@renzo5282]

Lord Beasley me too

[@adamdorgant9454]

Yes, now that you mentioned it!!!

[@vccstudents]

My brother-in-law drove me past that spot when we were going to the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton. While there are no memorials, people still drive by and point. When the narrator said Munson's neck was broken, I think it's safe to say even had Munson survived, he'd have ended up like Roy Campanella, Christopher Reeve, or worse. He might not have survived beyond getting to the hospital.

[@philbrown9764]

I grew up watching the Yankees in the 50s. Texas...that's where I live...didn't have a team then and the Yankees were always on TV, so I've always had a thing for them. But I remember him playing and his passing. Sad.

[@petersmithyy4556]

I remember hearing about this combo when someone said Thurman Munson died, I thought wait fred Gwyne died? His name sounds a lot like Herman Munster hahaha

[@TampaJohn]

As much as I hate the Yankees, I always Saw Munson as one of the grittiest and classiest players in the league. The type of guy that ANY team would love to have on their team.

[@bobbypaluga4346]

He could really power the ball, and his defending the plate was excellent. Then it comes to flying he made mistakes he should have never have been flying a jet. Another 4 or 5 years with a single or twin spinner before moving up may well have made him a good jet pilot. We had a KC Royals player crash into the ocean, Oct. 11, 2006 - New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle, when his small plane crashed into a 40-story apartment building in New York. Lidle was taking flying lessons at the time. As easy as their athletic ability came, maybe they expected to handle piloting their own aircraft as easily.

[@jeffreed7540]

No matter the rivalry between 2 teams Yankees vs Red Sox there is respect even tho that was be4 my time still sad also like to pray for David Ortiz

[@william8654]

Most inexperienced pilots have no idea how difficult it is to control a jet airplane..sad that pilot error took his life.

[@3rdraillive654]

Very Sad! R.I.P. Brother!

[@djaggrey1]

He helped me learn a lot never to repeat his mistakes

[@acornsucks2111]

I learned never to repeat your mistakes.

[@zebroes9326]

Miss him so much

[@dsscam]

Makes no sense why so many people insist on flying themselves when they have no idea what they're doing. From Munson to Halladay to JFK Jr, etc. Just hire a @#@# pilot. His wife said she's not placing blame on to them? Munson's the one who crashed the plane and almost cost his buddies THEIR lives.

[@pgraybengal]

I'm a Reds fan think Bench was the best ever but Munson was damn good tough as nails always played hurt this story is just sad I feel for those guys cause it had to be real tough to leave him cause of flames

[@80sruler]

Patrick Gray Bench, Fisk, Thurm - all some great catchers and terrific rivalries

[@philiptucci2458]

I remember that very sad day, just a tragedy, Thurman was a great player and competitor

[@slapshot68]

Landing a small plane n landing a big jet are 2 very different things, he learned that the hard way

[@jeffreynegron2708]

My father held onto that NY Post with the big MUNSON headline from the day after for many years.

[@tcabbie691]

i was 14yrs old when munson died , and i cried all that day , i was crushed . and i also remeber the next game the yankees played after muson was gone . luis tiant pitched at yankee stadium and the yankees lost 1-0 against the orioles , r i p thurman #15

[@joseyeastwood]

Rest In Peace Thurman 🙏⚾️

[@leezeidel2208]

When i think of the ultimate catcher i think of Thurman Munson RIP my friend you will never be forgotten.

[@joesakic91]

I also remember that too when the Red Sox organization gave it to the likes of Fisk, Johnny Pesky and Nomar Garciaparra. Most of the sports teams front office has the final say on who gets the rings. The Yankees are no different. They gave other players like Chien-Ming Wang, Sergio Mitre and Chad Gaudin in the 2009 world championship.

[@crouchingcaterpillar]

NYY fan but I loved Garciaparra!

[@gman5-035]

Thurman’s final words…. according to the depositions given for the lawsuit filed by the family …. ‘Help me, Dave.’ They were not the one’s reported in this piece

[@playsbass1969]

1947-1979

[@TWA-km9wt]

Munson's crash still haunts me to this day. I was only 15 at the time, and I remember saying to my father, what the hell was the instructor doing? He just admitted that he was descending too fast, and lowered the gear too late, and he did nothing to stop it, and what's even more disturbing, is he knew they were going to crash, and he still did nothing about it.

[@crouchingcaterpillar]

No use judging a situation when you weren't there. Seems like they knew for seconds and couldn't react fast enough. Blame is not the way to go.

[@TWA-km9wt]

@@crouchingcaterpillar Blame goes to the instructor buddy. Thanks.

[@crouchingcaterpillar]

@@TWA-km9wt I understand. I just mean forgiveness is the only way to heal. Those men with him (both instructors?) have to live with that horror every day. I doubt that Munson, being how he was, would want that for them. Thank you too.

[@TWA-km9wt]

@@crouchingcaterpillar Very nice. Thanks.

[@crouchingcaterpillar]

@@TWA-km9wt 😉 I was almost 15 at the time. Was a baseball-loving girl then and now. Have a great evening.

[@joesakic91]

Like I said, any sports organization like the Yankees for example, have the final word on who gets the rings. I look at it like this: Alfonso Soriano won two World Series rings as a Yankee despite not being a full-time player until 2001. The Yankees also gave Hideki Irabu two rings in 1998 and 1999 despite pitching only one game and having no postseason decisions. Jose Canseco even got a WS ring with us in 2000 despite limited playing time.

[@ExclusiveLM]

Thurmon would have probably ended up in a wheelchair for the rest of his life if he would have survived because he broke his neck on impact. I'm a Yankee fan to the bone......I was born in Manhattan and loved going to the original Yankee Stadium. I just think of Thurmon's last seconds alive......what must gone through his head when he no longer felt his buddies around him and he knew he was alone and couldn't breath or move. That haunts us Yankee fans to this day. RIP Captain.

[@tomholland2707]

truly a good guy. FAA made changes, but money can exceed experience easily

[@nightowl5475]

I was lucky enough to see him play. He was one of my favorites. You know, the funny thing that keeps going through my mind is, why did he lower the landing gear late? He knew he was going to another landing strip. I was shocked when I heard the news. It’s like, I didn’t want this to happen. I couldn’t believe it at first. I didn’t want to believe this. I guess he tried to get the nose up and it was too late.

[@Gerryb6]

After Munson died, I never watched another MLB game.

[@Tom-tq2uq]

whatever loser

[@Gerryb6]

Nice comment. It is good to know that there are sensitive commentators out there and not just ignorant trolls.

[@tonytaglalucci7778]

+T Bone why don't you just shut up you piece of garbage... He can do what he wants... What are you a dictator? you going to control everybody's lives? What are you Obama or something? just shut your stupid mouth up and go get a life loser

[@robertbonter1190]

Extremely insensitive and unfeeling response. I take it you are cruel to animals and suffered an abusive/deprived childhood.

[@Tom-tq2uq]

Tony Taglalucci - Tony, read more son. Not my fault the SATs were a struggle for you. Clearly you are struggling in the W2s...not my fault. Do better son. Last warning, or I remove you from KZbin.

[@thomasl8734]

Sadly Thurman wasn't the first, nor will he be the last, to think they can fly a jet but have no right to be behind the controls.

[@Tarheel13]

Thomas Linski He has every right.

[@williamgallucci9913]

I was down the jersey shore 15 what a shock it was for me at that age

[@bdfm34]

I was 10 when happened and we didn't recover until 1996

[@jackjohnson7396]

Sad event, burnt conscious and alive!

[@jcassidy938]

I don't know, they couldn't help him out?

[@AJ-uh1kj]

T - Man...... One of the best ever. Saw him hit a homer in N.Y. against White Sox to win it extra innings. Murcer was on base with 2 outs.