Longtime Yankees Broadcaster, Player Bobby Murcer Dies At Age 62

Murcer Dies From Complications Of Brain Cancer

HE WILL BE MISSED: In N.Y., Richard Sandomir writes Murcer was a "very good and gracious player on some bad and mediocre Yankee teams. He was a warm and friendly voice in the Yankees broadcast booth." Murcer was "not a great announcer but became a loved one" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/14). On Long Island, Shaun Powell wrote on the air, Murcer "was never brash or abrasive or talked down to the audience" (NEWSDAY, 7/13). Also in N.Y.,  Bob Raissman wrote Murcer was "genuine. A baseball conversationalist. A storyteller with no pretense." With the "exception of RALPH KINER, ... there is no one in the Bronx or Queens with the same one-on-one connection Murcer has with fans" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/13). On Long Island, Ken Davidoff wrote baseball is "losing one of its bona fide gentlemen" (NEWSDAY, 7/13). In N.Y., Mike Lupica: "There was a reason why Murcer's teammates loved him the way they did and why Yankee fans loved him the way they did. He was as good a man as you think he was, never better than he was these last years facing a certain death from a cancer that nobody comes back from" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/13). Yankees manager Joe Girardi, with tears in his eyes, said of the passing of Bobby Murcer, “It’s extremely difficult because we loved him so much” (“Baseball Tonight,” ESPN, 7/12).

PAYING TRIBUTE: In N.Y., George King reports the Yankees for the remainder of the season will wear a black arm band on the left sleeve of their uniforms in memory of Murcer. King notes it is believed that MLB and the Yankees also will honor Murcer with a moment of silence prior to tomorrow night's MLB All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium (N.Y. POST, 7/14).

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