My only tie with Munson is he is from my "home" town of Canton. It was a really BIG deal when he crashed at Akron-Canton Airport. My boyfriend at the time was taking flying lessons and had talked to him shortly before Thurman got in his plane. His son Mike has opened a resturant here. I think it is pretty cool that the Yankees still honor his memory after all these years. Canton has is a street and a baseball stadium (that sits empty) named after him.
I remember when Munson died, and I think it's great that the Yankees honored him, but a permanent empty locker after 30 years is waaaaaayyyy over the top. Steinbrenner has a tendency to go overboard honoring players, like Elston Howard, Ron Guidry, and Roger Maris. It cheapens the accomplishments of the true immortals on any team, when good players retired numbers are hung alongside the truly great ones.
Watch out Sonny, you will offend a lot of people around here like that. Your statement doesn't make much sense really though. When Munson died he was the team captain, and their first one of those since Lou Gehrig! He died too early to only be classified as just a good player, you may want to brush up on what he did while he was here.
I remember when Munson died, and I think it's great that the Yankees honored him, but a permanent empty locker after 30 years is waaaaaayyyy over the top. I think your sense of "waaaaaaayyy over the top" could use some adjusting. It's a locker, not Mount Rushmore.
I remember when Munson died, and I think it's great that the Yankees honored him, but a permanent empty locker after 30 years is waaaaaayyyy over the top. Don't you think that dying while still playing and being the Captain is waaaaaaay rare enough to warrant some special treatment? Even baseball occassionally isn't solely about accumulation statistics.
Don't you think that dying while still playing and being the Captain is waaaaaaay rare enough to warrant some special treatment? Agreed. I'm not sure that the empty locker will have the same impact on today's lineup that it did 30 years ago. Maybe the new building would allow a dedication in a different way. Statue in a concourse, maybe? Maybe an eternal flame? I'm a thinkin that it should be visible for all the fans to see, unless there are game-day tours through the Yankee locker room.
Statue in a concourse, maybe? Maybe an eternal flame? If it were me, I'd want to be memorialized with a golden trough in Fenway. Ladies room.
I'm not sure that the empty locker will have the same impact on today's lineup that it did 30 years ago. I disagree. Veterans make sure that the younger guys know what locker means to the team and the organization. Plus there are always guys around that played with Munson, so I don't think they will let the impact get lost. I'm a thinkin that it should be visible for all the fans to see, unless there are game-day tours through the Yankee locker room. There are Stadium tours that take you through the club house when the team is out of town. But the way I see it, that locker really isn't for the fans. Most fans know about the locker, but I don't think it's something that needs to be on public display. That's what Monument Park is for. And I believe there will some sort of museum area in the new stadium as well.
There are Stadium tours that take you through the club house when the team is out of town. I did not know that. That's what Monument Park is for. I did not know that either. I guess my chances of seeing Yankee Stadium are getting less and less. Maybe I'll see the new one.
I guess my chances of seeing Yankee Stadium are getting less and less. Well, any SpoFite that finds themself in New York this summer can email me. I may be able to hook them up with bleacher seats depending on the game.
