"He's played only 125 games in organized baseball, yet the Yankees are counting on Thurman Munson to be their number one catcher this year. A six-month Army tour impeded his progress last season, as the 22-year-old Ohioan played 26 games with the Yanks and hit .256. He also appeared in 28 games with Syracuse and hit a sizzling .363.
A confident kid, who believes he's going to make it big, he has the Yankees and most baseball people in full agreement. Munson appears to have all the tools to become an outstanding defensive catcher - a quick arm and a take-charge manner."
-Jack Zanger, Major League Baseball 1970
"Bill Dickey, Yogi Berra, Elston Howard, now Thurman Munson. The Yankees have always had an outstanding catcher and those who have seen him say Munson could be the Yankee man behind the plate for a decade. He batted .256 in 26 games with the Yankees after hitting .363 in 28 games at Syracuse."
-Phil Pepe, New York Daily News (Baseball 1970 Yearbook)
"A rookie with a rifle arm and a big bat, Munson reached the Yankees last year in only his second season of pro ball. Army duty kept him out most of last year, but from September 5 to the end of the season he was the starting catcher in most games. Munson has an exceptionally fast release: in his 26 Yankee games he picked a man off first and threw out seven of twelve trying to steal. At Syracuse he played in only 28 games, yet hit an exceptional .363.
The Yankees number one selection in the June 1968 free agent draft, Munson was signed out of Kent State in Ohio. He was named to the All-American College Baseball team that year. Sent to Binghamton, he amazed the league with his play, hitting .301.
To acquire more professional experience last winter, Thurman played winter ball in Puerto Rico. He started slowly, but his average climbed to .333 - second best in the league where he won All-Star honors. With Jim Hegan and Elston Howard to help him, Munson may well join such catching greats as Dickey, Berra and Howard."
-The New York Yankees Official 1970 Yearbook
"The Yankees' No. 1 selection in the June 1968 Free Agent Draft, Munson reached the Yankees last year in only his second season of pro ball, despite spending most of the year in the Army. He was brought up from Syracuse on August 5 and was the starting catcher in most of the games from September 5 through the end of the season. Munson is a fine receiver with a strong arm and releases the ball as fast as anyone- he picked a man off first base and threw out seven of 12 men attempting to steal. He went to Puerto Rico this past winter to get in some more playing time and was second in the Puerto Rican League, hitting .333, and won All-Star honors.
Thurman attended Kent State where he was named to the All-American Baseball Team of 1968."
-1970 New York Yankees Press-TV-Radio Guide
COMING ON STRONG
"Thurman Munson, the Yankees' bright young catcher, was hitting at a better than .300 clip after getting only one hit in his first 30 times at bat this season, including a 0-for-24 string. The 23-year-old Ohioan, in only his third pro season, was so impressive in the first third of this season that he was receiving thousands of votes as the All-Star catcher despite the fact his name was not on the ballot. Other support for Yankees was going to Roy White, one of the league's top hitters; Bobby Murcer, Danny Cater and Horace Clarke."
-1970 New York Yankees Scorecard and Official Program
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