Murcer May Have Cancer Again

Posted by James Lincoln Ray Feb 29, 2008

I just read that Bobby Murcer's brain cancer may be back. In a letter from his wife to fans and friends, Kaye Nurcer explained that Murcer, who was first diagnosed with brain cancer in December 2006 but has been in remission fo the past eight months, may have a recurrence. Today he will undergo a brain biopsy to explore what she asi was "an area of concern" from Bobby's doctors. My thoughts and prayers go out to Bobby and tot he Murcer family. He is a class act, a great, fun braodcaster and not a bad ballplayer.

He came to the Yankees in 1965, just as Mantle and Maris and Ford were headed out the door. Because he was a switch-hotting center fielder from Oklahoma, he was immeditely compared to the great Mickey mantle. Although Murcer never rose to the level of immortailty experienced by his predecessor and his close friend, he did prove to be on ehell of a baseball player. He made five straight all-star teams from 1971 through 1975, topped 20 homers seven times, knocked in 90 or more runs five times and finished as high as seventh in MVP voting.

His most memorable performance may have come on August 6, 1979, which was the day he buried Yankee captain and best friend Thurman Munson. In the emotional game that evening in Yankee Stadium, Murcer honored his fallen comrade by hitting a three run homer in the seventh inning, and then winning the contest with a walk-off two RBI single in the bottom of the ninth.

That's the kind of guy Bobby Murcer is. A class act, a good friend, and a fighter.