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Biography[]
Bobby Murcer (Bobby Ray Murcer) was born on May 20, 1946 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He made his Major League debut on September 8, 1965 for the New York Yankees. In 1969, his rookie year, he hit .259 with 26 home runs and 82 RBI. Murcer played for the New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs over the course of his 17 year career.
Most people believe that Bobby Murcer's best season was 1972, when he slugged 33 home runs, hit for a .292 average and knocked in 96 runs.
After coming up briefly in with the New York Yankees in 1965 and 1966, Murcer fulfilled his military obligation before being called up to the majors to stay in 1969. A shortstop in the minor leagues, Murcer was slated to be the team's third baseman but ended up being the centerfielder following in the footsteps of Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio. Almost anyone would suffer in comparison to those members of the Baseball Hall of Fame, but Murcer did well enough during the years the Yankees finished in the second division to become one of the team's most popular players of that time.
Murcer averaged 21 home runs, 89 RBIs, and a .277 average over a full season during his career. He had a career high .331 batting average in 1971 and the following year posted highs of 33 home runs and 96 RBIs. Murcer ended with 252 home runs, 1,043 RBIs, and a .277 average. Murcer played for the New York Yankees until 1975 when he was traded to the San Francisco Giants for Bobby Bonds. In 1977 he was traded to the Chicago Cubs in the same five-player deal that sent two-time defending National League batting champion Bill Madlock to San Francisco. In 1979 Murcer returned to the Yankees as primarily a designated hitter where he played in the 1981 World Series before retiring in 1983 and turning to a career in broadcasting. Murcer made the All-Star teams in 1971-72-73-74 in the American League and 1975 in the National League. He also won a Gold Glove Award in 1972.
Murcer has been a sportscaster for the Yankees—on broadcast TV, radio and currently the YES Network -- for most of the two decades since his retirement. He and colleague Frank Messer were behind the WPIX microphones as the infamous Pine Tar incident unfolded at Yankee Stadium on July 24, 1983.
Statistics[]
Batting Stats[]
Year | Team | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG | OBP | SLG | 2B | 3B | BB | SO | HBP | SH | SB | IBB | GDP | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1965 | NY | A | 11 | 37 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 4 | .243 | .333 | .378 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1966 | NY | A | 21 | 69 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 5 | .174 | .219 | .217 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
1969 | NY | A | 152 | 564 | 82 | 146 | 26 | 82 | .259 | .319 | .454 | 24 | 4 | 50 | 103 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 8 |
1970 | NY | A | 159 | 581 | 95 | 146 | 23 | 78 | .251 | .348 | .420 | 23 | 3 | 87 | 100 | 2 | 4 | 15 | 5 | 7 |
1971 | NY | A | 146 | 529 | 94 | 175 | 25 | 94 | .331 | .427 | .543 | 25 | 6 | 91 | 60 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 13 | 9 |
1972 | NY | A | 153 | 585 | 102 | 171 | 33 | 96 | .292 | .361 | .537 | 30 | 7 | 63 | 67 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 7 | 6 |
1973 | NY | A | 160 | 616 | 83 | 187 | 22 | 95 | .304 | .357 | .464 | 29 | 2 | 50 | 67 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 11 |
1974 | NY | A | 156 | 606 | 69 | 166 | 10 | 88 | .274 | .332 | .378 | 25 | 4 | 57 | 59 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 10 | 11 |
1975 | SF | N | 147 | 526 | 80 | 157 | 11 | 91 | .298 | .396 | .432 | 29 | 4 | 91 | 45 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 11 |
1976 | SF | N | 147 | 533 | 73 | 138 | 23 | 90 | .259 | .362 | .433 | 20 | 2 | 84 | 78 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 10 | 11 |
1977 | CHI | N | 154 | 554 | 90 | 147 | 27 | 89 | .265 | .355 | .455 | 18 | 3 | 80 | 77 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 13 | 6 |
1978 | CHI | N | 146 | 499 | 66 | 140 | 9 | 64 | .281 | .376 | .403 | 22 | 6 | 80 | 57 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 15 | 12 |
1979 | NY | A | 74 | 264 | 42 | 72 | 8 | 33 | .273 | .339 | .409 | 12 | 0 | 25 | 32 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
1979 | CHI | N | 58 | 190 | 22 | 49 | 7 | 22 | .258 | .374 | .400 | 4 | 1 | 36 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
1979 | Total | 132 | 454 | 64 | 121 | 15 | 55 | .267 | .354 | .405 | 16 | 1 | 61 | 52 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 13 | |
1980 | NY | A | 100 | 297 | 41 | 80 | 13 | 57 | .269 | .339 | .438 | 9 | 1 | 34 | 28 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 9 |
1981 | NY | A | 50 | 117 | 14 | 31 | 6 | 24 | .265 | .331 | .470 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
1982 | NY | A | 65 | 141 | 12 | 32 | 7 | 30 | .227 | .288 | .418 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
1983 | NY | A | 9 | 22 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | .182 | .217 | .409 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Total | NL | 652 | 2302 | 331 | 631 | 77 | 356 | .274 | .372 | .429 | 93 | 16 | 371 | 277 | 10 | 4 | 53 | 46 | 43 | |
Total | AL | 1256 | 4428 | 641 | 1231 | 175 | 687 | .278 | .349 | .453 | 192 | 29 | 491 | 564 | 17 | 14 | 74 | 50 | 81 | |
Total | 1908 | 6730 | 972 | 1862 | 252 | 1043 | .277 | .357 | .445 | 285 | 45 | 862 | 841 | 27 | 18 | 127 | 96 | 124 |
Fielding Stats[]
Year | Team | POS | G | GS | INN | PO | A | ERR | DP | TP | PB | SB | CS | PkO | AVG | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1965 | NY | A | SS | 11 | 11 | 96 | 28 | 41 | 5 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .932 |
1966 | NY | A | SS | 18 | 17 | 151 | 31 | 50 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .931 |
1969 | NY | A | RF | 102 | 88 | 814.2 | 152 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .969 |
1969 | NY | A | 3B | 31 | 31 | 262 | 23 | 77 | 14 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .877 |
1969 | NY | A | OF | 118 | 115 | 1027 | 212 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .964 |
1969 | NY | A | CF | 27 | 27 | 212.1 | 57 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .950 |
1970 | NY | A | OF | 155 | 152 | 1382.1 | 375 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .992 |
1970 | NY | A | CF | 155 | 152 | 1382.1 | 376 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .992 |
1971 | NY | A | CF | 143 | 140 | 1258.1 | 317 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .985 |
1971 | NY | A | OF | 143 | 140 | 1258.1 | 317 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .985 |
1972 | NY | A | OF | 151 | 150 | 1328.1 | 382 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .992 |
1972 | NY | A | CF | 151 | 150 | 1328.1 | 376 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .992 |
1973 | NY | A | OF | 160 | 160 | 1385.2 | 380 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .985 |
1973 | NY | A | CF | 160 | 160 | 1385.2 | 383 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .985 |
1974 | NY | A | OF | 156 | 153 | 1363 | 297 | 21 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .978 |
1974 | NY | A | RF | 102 | 100 | 883.2 | 187 | 18 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .976 |
1974 | NY | A | CF | 59 | 53 | 479.1 | 109 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .982 |
1975 | SF | N | OF | 144 | 143 | 1221.2 | 201 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .981 |
1975 | SF | N | RF | 143 | 142 | 1212.2 | 202 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .981 |
1975 | SF | N | CF | 2 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
1976 | SF | N | OF | 146 | 145 | 1278.1 | 282 | 11 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .961 |
1976 | SF | N | RF | 146 | 145 | 1278.1 | 284 | 11 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .961 |
1977 | CHI | N | RF | 150 | 148 | 1330.1 | 232 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .980 |
1977 | CHI | N | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
1977 | CHI | N | OF | 150 | 148 | 1330.1 | 237 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .980 |
1977 | CHI | N | SS | 1 | 0 | 3.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
1978 | CHI | N | OF | 138 | 133 | 1179.1 | 225 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .979 |
1978 | CHI | N | RF | 121 | 106 | 955.2 | 165 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .988 |
1978 | CHI | N | CF | 33 | 27 | 223.2 | 59 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .953 |
1979 | NY | A | OF | 70 | 65 | 579 | 169 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .983 |
1979 | NY | A | RF | 8 | 5 | 61.2 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .857 |
1979 | NY | A | CF | 59 | 53 | 446.1 | 147 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .987 |
1979 | NY | A | LF | 13 | 7 | 71 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
1979 | CHI | N | OF | 54 | 53 | 454.2 | 110 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
1979 | CHI | N | RF | 54 | 53 | 452.2 | 108 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
1979 | CHI | N | CF | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
1979 | Total | OF | 124 | 118 | 1033.2 | 279 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .990 | |
1979 | Total | RF | 62 | 58 | 514.1 | 114 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .992 | |
1979 | Total | CF | 60 | 53 | 448.1 | 148 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .987 | |
1980 | NY | A | DH | 33 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
1980 | NY | A | OF | 59 | 44 | 392.2 | 82 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .955 |
1980 | NY | A | RF | 18 | 13 | 116 | 23 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .960 |
1980 | NY | A | LF | 44 | 31 | 276.2 | 59 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .953 |
1981 | NY | A | DH | 33 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
1982 | NY | A | DH | 48 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
1983 | NY | A | DH | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Total | DH | 119 | 87 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | ||
Total | RF | 844 | 800 | 7105.2 | 1359 | 63 | 35 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .976 | ||
Total | 3B | 31 | 31 | 262 | 23 | 77 | 14 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .877 | ||
Total | LF | 57 | 38 | 347.2 | 73 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .962 | ||
Total | SS | 30 | 28 | 250.1 | 59 | 91 | 11 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .932 | ||
Total | CF | 790 | 763 | 6727.1 | 1826 | 59 | 27 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .986 | ||
Total | OF | 1644 | 1601 | 14180.2 | 3269 | 125 | 65 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .981 | ||
Total | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
Transactions[]
- Signed as an amateur free agent by New York Yankees (June 2, 1964).
- Traded by New York Yankees to San Francisco Giants in exchange for Bobby Bonds (October 22, 1974).
- Traded by San Francisco Giants with Steve Ontiveros and Andy Muhlstock to Chicago Cubs in exchange for Bill Madlock and Rob Sperring (February 11, 1977).
- Traded by Chicago Cubs to New York Yankees in exchange for Paul Semall (June 26, 1979).
- Granted free agency (November 13, 1981).
- Signed by New York Yankees (April 5, 1982).
- Released by New York Yankees (June 20, 1983).