Rest in Peace Bobby Murcer.

The great Yankee center fielder Bobby Murcer has passed away at the age of 62 from complications related to Brain cancer. He was a true Yankee in every sense of the word.

I remember when he first came up as shortstop in 1965. I think I was at his first game. We had to duck along the first base line because he was so nervous he put a few throws into the seats. He soon moved to center field and for a while he and Roy White were the heart of those bad Yankee teams. Horace Clarke, Mel Stottlemeye, Fitz Peterson, Jake Gibbs, Jerry Kenny, those were the guys I grew up with when I went to about fifty home games a year. Bobby was our all-star, a great hitter and a good fielder. He was an Oklahoma kid who was supposed to be the new Mickey Mantle and could never quite live up to that. But he was great as Bobby Murcer.

Then the new regime traded him to San Francisco for Bobby Bonds, father of Barry. Everyone was excited about Bonds because he was the first 40/40 guy with forty home runs and forty stolen bases. But one year was enough of him and he was traded for Mickey Rivers and Ed Figueroa. That was the trade that put the Yankees back in the World Series.

Bobby Murcer hated San Francisco and was eventually traded to the Chicago Cubs when he languished even though he had some decent years. Finally he came back to the Yankees to play with his own true team. The most memorable game I ever saw him have was the one when we beat the Orioles after Thurman Munsons funeral. Bobby drove in all five runs to win the game for the fallen captain. Bobby was a clutch player and a real pro.

He later went on to broadcast for the Yankees and was always a decent and kind voice in the broadcast booth. His Okie drawl was the sound of baseball in the summer for Yankee fans along with the Scooter for all of those years.

When he was diagnosed with brain cancer, he had all of the prayers of the Yankees both players and fans. He was the epitome of Yankee class. A great player. A great team mate. A great role model. A great Yankee.

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord,
And let perpetual Light shine upon him.
May his souls
And the souls of all the faithful departed
Through the mercy of God
Rest in peace.
Amen.