Book Review: Munson

When I was contacted by the promoter of Munson: The Life and Death of a Yankee Captain, I wasn't quite sure what to think.  Obviously, this wasn't quite in the wheelhouse of this Cardinal blog, as Thurman Munson played his whole career in the American League at a time when there was no interleague play (you real youngsters in the audience may gasp at that) and so didn't have much, if any, interaction with St. Louis.

However, I've always wanted to know a little more about Munson.  The only thing I knew about him was that he died in a plane crash on August 2, which sticks out to me because that's also my birthday.  Because of that, and because I will never turn down a free baseball book, I agreed to read through it.

The book is written by Marty Appel, who was the Yankees' PR director for most of the time that Munson played for the Bronx Bombers.  Appel has personal stories and insights to share as well as a narrative account of Munson's growing up and playing days.  He had written a biography with Munson a couple of years before Munson's death and relies somewhat on those interviews as well as extra work and his own memories in constructing this tale.

It was 30 years ago today that Munson died in a crash at the airport in Canton, Ohio.  That was the extent of what I knew about it.  I didn't realize that it wasn't a landing when he was flying in, but an accident when he was just taking a couple of guys up for a spin.  I didn't realize that there were two others in the crash as well, both of whom survived.  Munson also survived the crash, at least initially, but died when the fire engulfed him, as there was no way to remove him from the plane in time.

The details of the crash and of the response from the Yankee teammates and front office, as well as baseball as a whole, were fascinating to me.  As Cardinal fans, we remember the death of Darryl Kile and how things came to a screeching halt for us.  Munson's death was like that, but even bigger due to the large market of New York.  Kile was known in baseball circles and his death was keenly felt.  Munson was known in a wider context and that made his death have even more impact, at least to those at the time.

Munson's life story, though, was compelling enough on its own.  A boy that never earned his father's respect (the stories of his actions after Munson's death and at the funeral will turn your stomach), his life was turned around by being accepted into the family of his high school sweetheart, whom he eventually married.  His toughness and determination helped drive him to the majors, where he became the first captain of the Yankees since Lou Gehrig.

Appel goes to pretty good lengths to help counteract some of the gruffness that is Munson's reputation.  He portrays Munson as a guy that had a good heart, that would take care of people without much fanfare.  Of course, Munson did have his rougher side.  He had a not-so-friendly rivalry with Boston Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk.  He could be difficult to get to know.   Appel makes the case that when you did know him, though, he was as good of a friend as you could ask for.

The book runs over 350 pages, so it's a solid read for anyone with a baseball interest.  Whether you know much about Thurmon Munson or if you know about what I knew going into it, you'll find interesting stories as well as the names that you know from the Bronx Zoo days of the Yankees.  You can find it on Amazon (link above) or, I'm sure, in a local bookstore.  It's worth the time to give it a shot.