Remembering Bobby Murcer

Sad times in Yankee land, as Bobby Murcer lost his battle with brain cancer at 62.

For fans my age, Murcer is best remembered as an announcer, a role he served in for 24 seasons. His down-home demeanor made him an impossible guy to dislike, and all the reactions you've read from people throughout baseball paint the picture of a genuinely sweet person.

I talked to my old man about Murcer today, he remembered him as a steady, if not spectacular player. I suppose when you're tagged as the next Mick it isn't easy. He famously drove in five runs in the Yankees' first game after the funeral of best friend Thurman Munson in 1979. Overall, he hit .277 with 252 home runs in a career that spanned from 1965 to 1983.

Murcer was the only Yankee to play with both Mickey Mantle and Don Mattingly, and was "the man" during the team's lean years in the early '70s. His presence will be missed. Very sad.