Thurman Munson: A Baseball Biography [Paperback]

Christopher Devine (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2001

When in 2000 the Baseball Writers Association of America elected the ever-durable Carlton Fisk to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, many fans quietly pointed to the Hall's omission of Fisk' greatest American League contemporary, Thurman Munson. And when in 2001 the writers honored Kirby Puckett, the Twins star forced to retire with glaucoma after a brilliant but brief 12-year career, the same fans began to raise their voices in support of Munson, another short-timer who was once the toast of his team's hometown. In a position that requires the strapping on of hot, awkward equipment and the torturous alternation of standing and squatting, most catchers struggle to maintain electrolytes, let alone a respectable batting average. It is, in fact, a position so demanding, that men deemed good ball-handlers or pitcher confidants might hang on in the big leagues for years despite their drag on a team's offensive production. Munson, like Fisk and National Leaguer Johnny Bench, was a tough-as-nails backstop, a Gold Glove winner, and the unquestioned leader of his team. Like Bench and Fisk, too, though to a lesser degree, Munson had home run power. But the Yankee captain was in, at least one respect, an even rarer breed of catcher-one who manages despite the physical and mental demands of his position to finish each year somewhere near the .300 mark. Munson, who ranked in the top 10 among A.L. hitters five of the nine full seasons he played, was widely considered one of his generation's great clutch hitters. When the star catcher died at age 32, he was still in his prime, and it seems clear to many that on August 2, 1979, misfortune denied Munson his place in Cooperstown. Outlived by his contemporaries, who went on to post more impressive career numbers, and now overshadowed by the accomplishments of catchers from the current batter-biased era, Munson's chances for recognition grow increasingly faint. But for all the praiseworthy things he did on the field in his short career, Thurman Munson accomplished as much in between the innings and games he labored through. And it might be his influence for which he's ultimately remembered. In this work, author Chris Devine pays special attention to Munson as teammate, friend, husband, and father.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Writer and baseball fan Christopher Devine lives in Westfield, Massachusetts.

Product Details

• Paperback: 271 pages
• Publisher: McFarland & Company (April 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786410892
• ISBN-13: 978-0786410897
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,918,737 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not the best book I've ever read..., October 30, 2002

By 

Peter J Gael (Dubuque, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thurman Munson: A Baseball Biography (Paperback)

I need to first state that I am a HUGE Thurman Munson fan. I have almost every book written about him. I couldn't wait to read this book but after I finished I was pretty disappointed. There really is nothing new in this book. We know that Munson was a great player, that he loved his family, that he had a difficult relationship with his dad, etc. Devine seems to have taken the easy route in writing this book which is to say that he got most of his information from already printed sources. He doesn't seem to have spent a lot of time doing original research. For example: there are NO interviews of his own. He didn't speak to any teammates, players from other teams, much less any of his family. If you have the books written about Munson or the articles from newspapers or magazines then there is really no need for this book. On the other hand, if you want a one stop synopsis of all of these media, then this is a good book for you. Just don't expect to learn anything new.

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thurman Munson : A Baseball Biography, May 27, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Thurman Munson: A Baseball Biography (Paperback)

In documenting Munson's life,Devine took on the task of resurrecting an intriguing life long overshadowed by death. On August 2,1979, Munson died when a plane he was piloting crashed near his hometown of Canton, Ohio, leaving behind a wife, three children, and a Hall of Fame-worthy career. The sudden passing made such an impact on the emotions of America that he became readily identified with it. What most forgot was a unique man and ballplayer. Munson was a dominant on-field star who captured several awards - Rookie of the Year,Most Valuable Player,three time Gold Glove catcher,captain of three consecutive pennant-winning Yankee teams-within a span of eleven seasons. He captured at least one of those awards in seven of nine full seasons. As a man,he was a reluctant star caught in the middle of the most storeid era in the history of baseball's most storied franchise, the "Bronx Zoo" period which included daily in-fighting and annual pennants. Munson,the captain, was encouraged by the media to join the fray, but instead he spoke loudly with his bat and glove on the field. The sum total of Munson's life and career is argued in this book to be largely unappreciated by the Hall of Fame and the American mind. Devine makes a compelling case for a change of perception in each.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Grade School Writing, April 24, 2002

By 

"jersey304" (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thurman Munson: A Baseball Biography (Paperback)

I ordered this book before it was published and I jumped on it when it finally arrived at the house. After about an hour of reading I had to take a break from the book and I have never picked it up again. The writing was terrible, I felt like I was reading a book designed for sixth graders. The book has no style, it never draws you into the life of Thurman Munson. After the first chapter I had to wonder why I thought this guy was so great that I'd want to read his biography. It seems to me that someone with such a great life as Munson would be an easy target for a great book--it would almost write itself. But Devine took any and all life out of this great character. I'll keep the book only to add to my collection and it will gather much dust on that shelf.