It’s no secret that I’m a Dodgers fan, and I don’t go around pumping up Yankees or Giants players all the time, but great is great, and that is the only thing that should matter. The one Yankee that I think was severely overlooked for the Hall of Fame was Thurman Munson. That really isn’t a secret either! But this brings a whole new light to Thurman. Buster Posey is said to be a lock for the Hall of Fame in 2027. I totally agree with that…but if he does get in… I’d better see Thurman finally get his due. I think his arch-rival Carlton Fisk agrees.
Look at the comparison…
It’s so hard to compare eras. Catchers caught in the 70s without much rest. It was a tougher game at that time.
Thurman is more remembered today for how his life ended than for being a great baseball catcher. He didn’t look like a prototypical Yankee. He was short and squatty with a sometimes difficult personality. He never did hit with a lot of power; the most home runs he ever hit in a season were 20. He ended up with a career batting average of .292 and an OBP of .346…very good for a catcher in that time period or now. One thing to remember…he was a catcher in the 1970s. His use was not closely monitored like today. His defense was excellent, and he was one of the best clutch-hitting catchers at the time.
Posey has better power numbers because Munson was playing in a stadium that had the Grand Canyon in left field. Old Yankee Stadium was great for left-handers but not for right-handers. Thurman was probably the toughest catcher I’ve ever seen. Both catchers’ careers were cut short. Thurman’s tragic end in a plane crash, and Buster decided enough was enough and retired.
Here is a list of Thurman’s accomplishments…but remember, he was passed in many categories after he died. He is one of the 15 best players not in the Hall of Fame. He should have been inducted in 1984.
- 1st all time – Singles in World Series, 9
- 10th all time – Batting average by catcher, .292
- 11th all time – Postseason batting average, .357
- 11th all time – Caught stealing percentage
- 16th all time – On base percentage by catcher
- 20th all time – OPS by catcher
- 24th all time – Slugging by catcher
- 26th all time – Hits by catcher
- 26th all time – Runs by catcher
- AL Rookie of the Year (1970)
- AL MVP (1976)
- 3× Gold Glove Award
- 3 AL Pennants
- 2 World Series titles
- 7× All Star
…
