Murcer/Munson Game

I've written about this a couple of times over the last few years, and obviously nothing has changed. However, as a Bobby Murcer fan, always a day I try to recognize. I also realize you can find this information other places on the internet, like I have over the years. 

August 6, 1979 is known around the Yankees and the baseball world as either "The Bobby Murcer game" or "The Thurman Munson Game." 

The Yankees defeated the Orioles 5-4. That score doesn't tell the story at all. 

This was after the Yankees' team attended the funeral for their captain, Thurman Munson, earlier in the day. Munson was tragically killed in a plane crash on August 2. 

Bobby Murcer was a eulogist, along with Lou Pinella, at Munson's funeral. 

A famous excerpt from Murcer's eulogy was "Thurman Munson wore the pinstripes as number 15, but in living, loving, and legend, history will forever remember my friend as number one." (2:25 of clip)

In the game on August 6, Murcer drove in all five runs, with a three-run home run in the seventh inning and a walk-off two-run single in the ninth. 

Side note: I like Howard Cosell for certain reasons but he says way too much here. Let it breath. 

Yankees Manager Billy Martin had told Murcer to take the game off, but Murcer told Martin he felt like he had to play. Sometimes, that's what people need. Murcer didn't just play. He honored his friend and teammate so well. 

Bobby had some special moments over his career, but this may have been the most special, as it was about more than baseball. 

The bat that Murcer used that game, he never used it again. He gave it to Diana Munson. 

This is a date that will live in Yankees' history forever, and as a Murcer fan, a date I always think about.