Bobby Murcer

Sportscaster and Yankees All-Star outfielder Bobby Murcer died of brain cancer on July 12, 2008 at the age of 62. Though Murcer held stints with other teams, he began and ended his Major League career with the Yankees, totaling 252 home runs and 1,043 RBIs. Once a spokesman for Skoal chewing tobacco, he became an anti-tobacco activist in his last decade of life.New York Daily News: Bobby Murcer showed 'heart of a champion' (July 12, 2008)

Some of Murcer's obituaries recalled him as a sort of walking history book of Yankees lore. With an affiliation to the team spanning 43 years, he had known and worked with such icons as Mickey Mantle, Phil Rizzuto, Don Mattingly, George Steinbrenner and Alex Rodriguez. His perspective on Yankees history is detailed in the autobiography published weeks before his death, Yankee for Life: My 40-Year Journey in Pinstripes.Harper Collins: Yankee for Life

Commissioner of Baseball Bud Selig issued a statement concerning Murcer's death. The following is an excerpt.

• "Bobby was a gentleman, a great ambassador for baseball, and a true leader both on and off the field. He was a man of great heart and compassion... All of us in baseball will miss him."MLB.com: Commissioner's statement on passing of Bobby Murcer (July 12, 2008)

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