Despite not being a Yankees fan...

[kat_chan]

I'm not a fan of the Yankees (as the icon demonstrates), but I grew up in Connecticut in the late 70s, and my older brother is a die-hard fan of the Pinstripers. So I could not let the passing of Bobby Murcer go by without notice. My earliest memories of Murcer were actually of him with the Cubs, being too young to remember his first stint with the Yankees, or his being traded to the Giants for Bobby Bonds immediately after the '74 season. But I remember when the Cubbies sent him back to the Yanks in mid-'79, and how excited my brother was with the trade. He was the player my brother felt would ensure that the Yanks would hold off the Sox and the Orioles and win the AL East once again that year. This was about five weeks before Munson's plane crash, which seemed to be the final nail in the Yankees' pennant hopes that year. They continued a spirited run with the Sox and O's, with the O's winning the division, then the AL pennant before choking a 3-1 series lead to the Pirates (for the Bucs' last series win). After retiring in the mid-80s, Murcer became a broadcaster for the team, and is remembered by a younger generation of fans as one of the enduring voices in the team's broadcast booth (much as Rizzuto and Bill White were in my youth, and for older generations it was Mel Allen and Red Barber). Despite the 4+ seasons in the NL, Murcer was a Yankee through-and-through, and one of their legends less well-known outside of the Tri-State. He will be missed by many baseball fans.

Rest in Peace, Bobby. And raise a few up there with Thurm, Howser and the Mick.