John Grogan

John Grogan 3-8-05

English Report Period 3

It was a great day on June 4th, 1947 because Thurman Lee Munson was born in Akron, Ohio. His parents have told him that he was born after the athlete Thurman Lee, but he never heard of this Thurman Lee. First Darla was born, then Janice, then Duane and finally he was born. He got his first baseball glove at the age of 7 and it lasted him through middle school. Thurman grew up on a farm in the beginning of his life where he could only really play ball with his brother Duane. But then, the family moved to Canton, Ohio where it was easier for the kids to start a pickup game.

Thurman eventually went to Worley Middle School then to Lehman High. There he played and lettered in 3 sports: football, basketball and baseball. By the time he was a senior, Thurman was the captain of all of the 3 teams that he played on during high school. Thurman was a halfback and linebacker in football, guard in basketball and in baseball he mainly played shortstop, pitched a little and caught some. He also earned some all city and all state honors in these 3 sports. Another thing that happened during high school was Thurman met Diana Dominick, whom would later be his wife.

Thurman received many scholarships for football and baseball, but he only wanted to do baseball. Many schools that sent him letters would give him scholarships, but only partial and on if he made the team. The only college that gave him a full scholarship was Kent State. Thurman no longer had to worry about the money and if he can make the team. While at Kent, he played freshman baseball and basketball. One major change for Thurman was that he didn't play shortstop that much because he had gotten bigger, too big for a shortstop. Also during the year, Thurman switched his major from business to teaching which made it impossible for him to graduate on time because he had lost all his credits. During the summer, Thurman played for Chatham in the famed Cape Cod League as a catcher. This allowed many scouts to see him and hopefully increase his chances to get drafted. Back at Kent, he received All-American honors. The greatest news came though when the Yankees drafted him 4th overall in the 1968 draft.

Thurman signed a $75,000 contract and began to play for the AA Binghamton Triplets for $500 a month. The conditions here were the worst Thurman had ever seen with holes in the floors and much worse. Later that year, Thurman flunked the Army test because he had an ankle spur, which kept him out for know. The on September 21st, Thurman finally was wed to Diana Dominick. Spring Training came in 1969 and Thurman entered the camp with little chance to make the club then because his job was to help with all the pitchers.

But after the starting catcher got hurt, Thurman made the club as an extra catcher. Thurman was then called by the country to be a clerk for the Army in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. When he got a weekend pass, he went to play for Syracuse and sometimes for the big club. Later that year, he got his first hit off Catfish Hunter. To make the club next year, he played winter ball in Puerto Rico and he made the Yankees again the next year. In his first full year in the majors, Thurman won the 1970 Rookie of the Year award. Thurman also welcomed the birth of his daughters Kelly and Tracy.

He then signed his 1972 contract