In what was a nice touch to Jorge Posada’s retirement ceremony, Diana Munson was invited and helped pay tribute to a competitor that greatly resembled her late husband Thurman, a down-and-dirty gamer who served as team captain and on-field general during his 11 seasons as a Yankees catcher. Munson’s heart and courage warmed fans to his gruff exterior. He played the game right and played with passion, just like Posada did throughout his 17-season career.
Munson recalled the first time she met Posada. Appearing nervous, Posada introduced himself and told her about a clipping of a quote from Thurman that he keeps in his locker. Diana didn’t believe him, but Posada said he was telling the truth. Then Posada got up and left, which left Diana wondering if he had taken offense to her surprise reaction to such an honor. Two minutes later Posada returned and showed her a picture of Thurman in full gear. Below the photo were words spoken on August 25, 1975.
“Look, I like hitting and I like the good batting average. But, what I do every day behind the plate is a lot more important because it touches so many more people and so many more aspects of the game.”
It was a direct quote from Thurman Lee Munson that summed up his approach and attitude. The impression left on Diana was absolute.
“I knew right away he had something special,” Diana said. “I have admired and loved watching him play the game, because he plays the game I think the way Thurman played it. A lot of grittiness and toughness, but obviously with his beautiful family a very gentle, loving side also.”
Like the Yankees fan base of the “Core Four” generation, Diana grew attached. For the first time since Thurman’s playing days she kept track of box scores to see how Posada performed. As the years passed and she grew closer to Posada and his family, Diana saw striking similarities between Yankee catchers past and present. A bond was created. A love for a game played so courageously by Thurman Munson was re-kindled. A light turned off by Thurman’s tragic death in a plane crash on August 2, 1979 illuminated again.
“This is a man who probably doesn't realize it, but he in fact is the one who brought me back to love baseball again,” Diana said. “After losing Thurman I kind of lost my love for baseball and actually turned to the Cleveland Browns, if you can imagine that.”
Day in and day out, Posada told you like it was, told you things you didn’t want to hear as a teammate or a fan, but with calculated words that served the greater good. Even during the rock-bottom moments of the 2011 season, instead of quitting in anger, Posada proved tougher than a lion. There was that night in May when Joe Girardi said “he needed a day,” but running away from challenges has never been even a particle in Posada’s fabric. It’s worth reminding time and again that Posada, not expected to crack the ALDS roster, batted .282 with eight homers and 27 RBIs in his final 71 games, and .429 with a .579 OBP in the postseason.
In Munson’s later years, his body broke down from the rigors of catching. A private person who cherished his family time, Munson’s will was often bent out of shape by the tales of the Bronx Zoo. Neither catcher broke spiritually. Instead, they thrived and delivered when the pressure mounted.
“He was tough, durable and the little things just didn’t bother him,” said Alex Rodriguez in a statement. “He was a lot like Thurman in that way.”
Diana Munson once told me about the fans’ relationship with Thurman: “They got him,” she said. “They really got him.” Andy Pettitte cited Posada’s verve and accountability as chief reasons why he was so popular. “He didn’t try to hide it, and he didn’t make up excuses,” he said. “He’s a stand-up guy, and if he wasn’t able to get it done, he would say ‘I didn’t get it done.’ He handled all the victories and all the success with class and never made excuses for anything. Fans love that. They love to see you be real and passionate. When you’re like that in New York, you’re going to be loved, that’s for sure.”
Posada’s five World Series rings, seven American League pennants, five All-Star appearances, 664 hits, 275 home runs, and 1,065 RBIs are in the books, numbers that match any catcher in league history. What’s rarely duplicated is a certain X-factor that separates boys from men, and men from giants. Thurman Munson was Diana’s soul mate. As it turned out, Posada not only inspired fans and teammates, he became Diana’s guiding light.
“I am so honored to have loved two Yankees catchers in my life,” Munson said. “I think he and Thurman would have been best buds. He definitely has the ‘it’ factor. I can't describe it. I don't know what it is, but I knew immediately upon meeting him that he had it. And I think the Yankee fans also have realized that.”
Follow Jon Lane on Twitter: @JonLaneNYC
