offbalance: (yankees by oatmeal_cookie)
[personal profile] offbalance
I was pretty heartbroken when my dad texted me on Saturday night to tell me that Bobby Murcer had died. I'd been following his struggle with brain cancer since the news came down and I'd continued to hope that he'd find some way to beat it.

Back in ye olden days before Michael Kay became inflated by his own hype, he and Murcer made up one of my favorite teams of announcers on YES. Kay would be full of all sorts of bizarre stats (like how the guy currently batting ranks third for doubles hit by right-handers on Tuesdays during a waxing moon) and Murcer would simply call the game, sharing the occasional story about when he was a player. The obituaries and eulogies I've been reading (I've linked to a few above via Gothamist that are pretty good, particularly Lupica's column) focus on how classy Murcer was, but they leave out how funny and easy-going the man was. He always gave as good as he got, but what he got was taken gracefully, and with genuine humor (instead of the fake, tv humor broadcasters affect when they're pretending to like each other). No one pretended to like him, they didn't have to pretend. He was easy to like.

One of my all-time favorite moments is a few years back when he was playing right field during Old Timer's Day, and was wired for sound for the YES broadcast. I'm not sure what was funnier - the commentary later or the fact that he had no idea that he was ignoring role call in the bleachers in order to give his play by play. After the fact, he said he felt "like a dope" for not realize that the bleacher creatures were chanting his name while he was miked up.

I was sad when Scooter died, sure. But he was older, and I'd heard fewer of his broadcasts than I've heard of Murcer's. My dad said that he felt like he'd lost a friend, and I think that's a good way to put it. If Michael Kay is the dude in the bar who is constantly yammering at you to prove how much he knows about baseball, Murcer is the quiet dude who would have quietly sat there with his beer until something notable happened, and would say something cool and interesting; someone you wanted to keep talking. I wish we had more years with him - both in the broadcast booth and on the planet. Murcer was, by all accounts, a gentleman and a good person, and it sucks when someone like that has to pass on before their time. I keep tearing up reading about him, and I nearly lost it completely when I read what Pinella had to say (they were teammates on the famous Bronx Zoo team). The only comfort I take is the knowledge that he probably got to use the express line into heaven, and is probably involved in a pretty good Field-of-Dreams style pickup game right now - with Mantle, and Munson, Gehrig and Ruth.

More on the weekend later - there was beach time and karaoke and brunch, and plenty of time with J.

Date: 2008-07-14 03:45 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] queenmother49.livejournal.com
Thank you for posting those links. Nick wanted to know what Pinella's reaction was.

Girardi was a mess on Saturday following the game. Understandably. It is a very sad time for baseball.

Date: 2008-07-14 03:59 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] offbalance.livejournal.com
I am hoping I can find video of Pinella's reaction, because he has a very expressive face. I can't even imagine how it felt.

I can imagine that Girardi is a mess - they worked together for years in the broadcast booth, and they seemed to have a great relationship.

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