by Marty Appel
First published 2023
Thurman Munson sits down to record his life story, knowing his body is breaking down from years behind the plate. The Ohio native who became Yankees captain chronicles his rise from the minors to Yankee Stadium, where he caught for Ron Guidry, Catfish Hunter, and Goose Gossage during the team's championship runs in 1977 and 1978. Munson navigates his complex relationship with teammate Reggie Jackson, his heated rivalry with Boston's Carlton Fisk, and his clashes with owner George Steinbrenner. Through it all, he maintains his dedication to his wife Diana and their children, even as the demands of being the first Yankees captain since Lou Gehrig weigh on him. Written in collaboration with Yankees historian Marty Appel just one year before Munson's tragic death at thirty-two, this memoir captures a player who gave everything to baseball while never losing sight of what mattered most.
Genres: 20th-century, american, sports, biography-memoir, baseball
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: New York, Ohio, Yankee Stadium
Period: 1977, 1978
241 pages · Kindle Edition · Diversion Books