35 Years Ago Today…We Remember The Captain, Thurman Munson

Munson made his Yankee Stadium debut in 1968 as a member of the Binghamton Triplets, during what turned out to be the final season for the great Mickey Mantle. After being drafted fourth overall, 1968 was Munson’s only season in the minors, something the Yankees would NEVER do today, which is bring a talented, deserving player up to the show so early.

In his big league debut on August 8th, 1969 during the second game of a double-header, Munson went 2-for-3, with a run driven in and a pair of runs scored. Munson didn’t have enough at-bats to qualify as a rookie in 1969, as he finished that initial campaign by hitting .256, with a single bomb, and nine driven in. The following season in 1970, Munson brought home the American League Rookie of the Year Award, hitting .302, with 7 home runs and 57 runs driven in.