1979 New York Yankees season

1979 New York Yankees season

MLB yearly infobox
name = New York Yankees
season = 1979
misc = Yankees retire Thurman Munson's number

current league = American League
y1 = 1901
division = Eastern Division
y2 = 1969
Uniform logo =
ballpark = Yankee Stadium
y4 = 1976
city = New York City, New York
y5 = 1903
owners = George Steinbrenner
managers = Bob Lemon and Billy Martin
television = WPIX
radio = WINS (AM)
(Frank Messer, Phil Rizzuto, Bill White, Fran Healy)|
The New York Yankees' 1979 season was the 77th season for the Yankees. The season was marked by the death of their catcher Thurman Munson on August 2. The team finished with a record of 89-71, finishing fourth in the American League Eastern Division, 13.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles, ending the Yankees' three-year domination of the AL East. New York was managed by Billy Martin, and Bob Lemon. The Yankees played at Yankee Stadium.

Offseason

*November 10, 1978: Sparky Lyle, Domingo Ramos, Mike Heath, Larry McCall, Dave Rajsich, and cash were traded by the Yankees to the Texas Rangers for Dave Righetti, Juan Beníquez, Mike Griffin, Paul Mirabella and Greg Jemison (minors). [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/r/righeda01.shtml Dave Righetti page at Baseball Reference] ]
*November 13, 1978: Luis Tiant was signed as a free agent by the Yankees. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/t/tiantlu01.shtml Luis Tiant page at Baseball Reference] ]
*November 21, 1978: Tommy John was signed as a free agent by the Yankees. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/j/johnto01.shtml Tommy John page at Baseball Reference] ]

Regular Season

Carl Yastrzemski joined the 3,000-Hit Club with a single off Jim Beattie of the Yankees on September 12, 1979. [http://exhibits.baseballhalloffame.org/3000_hit_club/yastrzemski_carl.htm] The same game also marked the final appearance at Fenway Park for Hall of Fame pitcher Catfish Hunter.

eason Standings

Thurman Munson

MLBBioRet



Name = Thurman Munson
Number = 15
Team = New York Yankees
Year = 1979|
Munson was frequently homesick, and took flying lessons so that he could fly home to his family in Canton on off-days. On August 2, 1979, he was practicing takeoffs and landings in his new Cessna Citation I/SP jet at the Akron-Canton Regional Airport. On the third touch-and-go, Munson failed to lower the flaps for landing and allowed the aircraft to sink too low before increasing engine power, causing the jet to clip a tree and fall short of the runway. The plane then hit a tree stump and burst into flames, killing Munson (who was trapped inside) and injuring two other companions. It is believed that the inability to get out of the plane, and the ensuing asphyxiation, is what killed Munson, rather than injuries sustained on impact or burns (the two passengers survived). He was 32 years old. [ibid., chapter 10, reprinted at [http://web.archive.org/web/20070202205405/http://www.thurmanmunson.com/history.html Internet Archive's last entry for the ThurmanMunson.com history page] ]

Munson's sudden death was major news across the nation and especially sorrowed the baseball community. Munson was survived by his wife, Diana, and their three children. The day after his death, before the start of the Yankees' four-game set with the Baltimore Orioles in the Bronx, the Yankees paid tribute to their fallen captain in a pre-game ceremony during which the starters stood at their defensive positions, save for the catcher's box, which remained empty. At the conclusion of Robert Merrill's musical selection, the fans (announced attendance 51,151) burst into a 10-minute standing ovation.

Transactions

*May 11, 1979: Jim Kaat was purchased by the Yankees from the Philadelphia Phillies. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/k/kaatji01.shtml Jim Kaat page at Baseball Reference] ]
*May 23, 1979: Dick Tidrow was traded by the Yankees to the Chicago Cubs for Ray Burris. [http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/burrira01.shtml Ray Burris page at Baseball Reference] ]
*June 5, 1979: 1979 Major League Baseball Draft
**Don Mattingly was drafted by the Yankees in the 19th round. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/mattido01.shtml Don Mattingly page at Baseball Reference] ]
**Otis Nixon was drafted by the Yankees in the 1st round (3rd pick) of the Secondary Phase. Player signed June 9, 1979. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/n/nixonot01.shtml Otis Nixon page at Baseball Reference] ]
*June 15, 1979: Jay Johnstone was traded by the Yankees to the San Diego Padres for Dave Wehrmeister. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/w/wehrmda01.shtml Dave Wehrmeister page at Baseball Reference] ]
*June 26, 1979: Paul Semall (minors) was traded by the Yankees to the Chicago Cubs for Bobby Murcer. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/murcebo01.shtml Bobby Murcer page at Baseball Reference] ]
*August 1, 1979: Mickey Rivers and players to be named later were traded by the Yankees to the Texas Rangers for Oscar Gamble, Amos Lewis (minors) and players to be named later. The deal was completed on October 8, when the Rangers sent Ray Fontenot and Gene Nelson to the Yankees, and the Yankees sent Bob Polinsky (minors), Neal Mersch (minors), and Mark Softy (minors) to the Rangers to complete the trade. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/g/gamblos01.shtml Oscar Gamble page at Baseball Reference] ]
*August 20, 1979: Ray Burris was selected off waivers by the New York Mets from the New York Yankees.

Roster

Starting pitchers

Awards and Honors

Ron Guidry, Reggie Jackson, Tommy John and Graig Nettles all represented the Yankees at the 1979 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

References

External links

* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYY/1979.shtml 1979 New York Yankees]
* [http://baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/roster.php?y=1979&t=NYA 1979 New York Yankees team page at www.baseball-almanac.com]


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