by Bobby Murcer
First published 2008
Bobby Murcer opens his story at Yankee Stadium on Opening Day 1966, when he stepped to the plate carrying fans' hopes of becoming the next Mickey Mantle. The Oklahoma native shares his journey from shortstop to centerfielder, his relationships with teammates like Phil Rizzuto and Lou Piniella, and his complicated dealings with George Steinbrenner. His deepest friendship was with Yankees captain Thurman Munson, whose 1979 plane crash death devastated Murcer. After delivering Munson's eulogy in Ohio, Murcer drove in all five runs that same evening in a 5-4 extra-inning victory to honor his fallen captain. Following his playing days, Murcer moved to the broadcast booth, where he watched Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and Mariano Rivera develop into stars. On Christmas Eve 2006, doctors diagnosed him with a brain tumor. Five days after surgery, he learned the cancer was terminal. Through this ordeal, his wife, family, faith, and fan support sustained him. Murcer reveals how he found strength in facing mortality while remaining connected to the team that defined his identity.
Genres: 20th-century, american, sports, biography-memoir, baseball
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: friendship, grief
Setting: Ohio, Yankee Stadium
Period: 1966, 1979, 2006
320 pages · Hardcover · Harper