Bobby Murcer
Born: 5/20/1946 in Oklahoma City, OK, USA
Died: 7/12/2008 in Oklahoma City, OK, USA
MLB Debut: 1965-09-08 | Final Game: 1983-06-11
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 160 lbs
Full name: Bobby Ray Murcer
Biography
Bobby Murcer was a notable American professional baseball player who made a significant impact in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1965 to 1983. Born in 1946, Murcer played primarily as a position player, showcasing his talents as a key member of the New York Yankees during a transformative era for the franchise. Over the course of his career, he appeared in 1,908 games, accumulating 1,862 hits and achieving a batting average of .277. His offensive prowess was highlighted by 252 home runs and 1,043 runs batted in (RBIs), along with 127 stolen bases, demonstrating his versatility and speed on the basepaths.
A five-time All-Star, Murcer was recognized for his strong offensive contributions and leadership qualities. His career coincided with a pivotal period in baseball history, marked by the Yankees' resurgence in the late 1970s. Murcer's ability to perform in high-pressure situations made him a fan favorite and a respected figure in the clubhouse. After retiring from playing, he transitioned into a successful broadcasting career, further cementing his legacy in the sport. Murcer's contributions to baseball are remembered not only through his statistics but also through his enduring influence on the game and its community.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1908 | 6730 | 972 | 1862 | 285 | 45 | 252 | 1043 | 127 | 862 | 841 | 0.277 | 0.357 | 0.445 | 0.802 | 20317.3 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | NYY | AL | 11 | 37 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 0.243 | 0.0 |
| 1966 | NYY | AL | 21 | 69 | 3 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 0.174 | -396.0 |
| 1969 | NYY | AL | 152 | 564 | 82 | 146 | 24 | 4 | 26 | 82 | 7 | 50 | 103 | 0.259 | 1147.1 |
| 1970 | NYY | AL | 159 | 581 | 95 | 146 | 23 | 3 | 23 | 78 | 15 | 87 | 100 | 0.251 | 1054.0 |
| 1971 | NYY | AL | 146 | 529 | 94 | 175 | 25 | 6 | 25 | 94 | 14 | 91 | 60 | 0.331 | 4586.8 |
| 1972 | NYY | AL | 153 | 585 | 102 | 171 | 30 | 7 | 33 | 96 | 11 | 63 | 67 | 0.292 | 3736.4 |
| 1973 | NYY | AL | 160 | 616 | 83 | 187 | 29 | 2 | 22 | 95 | 6 | 50 | 67 | 0.304 | 2012.4 |
| 1974 | NYY | AL | 156 | 606 | 69 | 166 | 25 | 4 | 10 | 88 | 14 | 57 | 59 | 0.274 | 216.2 |
| 1975 | SFG | NL | 147 | 526 | 80 | 157 | 29 | 4 | 11 | 91 | 9 | 91 | 45 | 0.298 | 2132.5 |
| 1976 | SFG | NL | 147 | 533 | 73 | 138 | 20 | 2 | 23 | 90 | 12 | 84 | 78 | 0.259 | 1960.3 |
| 1977 | CHC | NL | 154 | 554 | 90 | 147 | 18 | 3 | 27 | 89 | 16 | 80 | 77 | 0.265 | 1349.7 |
| 1978 | CHC | NL | 146 | 499 | 66 | 140 | 22 | 6 | 9 | 64 | 14 | 80 | 57 | 0.281 | 1311.5 |
| 1979 | CHC | NL | 58 | 190 | 22 | 49 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 22 | 2 | 36 | 20 | 0.258 | 331.3 |
| 1979 | NYY | AL | 74 | 264 | 42 | 72 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 33 | 1 | 25 | 32 | 0.273 | 331.3 |
| 1980 | NYY | AL | 100 | 297 | 41 | 80 | 9 | 1 | 13 | 57 | 2 | 34 | 28 | 0.269 | 460.8 |
| 1981 | NYY | AL | 50 | 117 | 14 | 31 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 24 | 0 | 12 | 15 | 0.265 | 299.8 |
| 1982 | NYY | AL | 65 | 141 | 12 | 32 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 30 | 2 | 12 | 15 | 0.227 | -56.9 |
| 1983 | NYY | AL | 9 | 22 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.182 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0.091 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | ALCS | NYA | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.333 |
| 1981 | AEDIV | NYA | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.000 |
| 1981 | WS | NYA | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| 1980 | ALCS | NYA | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3B | 31 | 31 | 23 | 77 | 14 | 11 |
| OF | 1644 | 1601 | 3269 | 125 | 65 | 19 |
| SS | 30 | 28 | 59 | 91 | 11 | 18 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | NYA | SS | 11 | 11 | 28 | 41 | 5 | 14 |
| 1966 | NYA | SS | 18 | 17 | 31 | 50 | 6 | 4 |
| 1969 | NYA | 3B | 31 | 31 | 23 | 77 | 14 | 11 |
| 1969 | NYA | OF | 118 | 115 | 212 | 4 | 8 | 0 |
| 1970 | NYA | OF | 155 | 152 | 375 | 15 | 3 | 3 |
| 1971 | NYA | OF | 143 | 140 | 317 | 10 | 5 | 1 |
| 1972 | NYA | OF | 151 | 150 | 382 | 11 | 3 | 1 |
| 1973 | NYA | OF | 160 | 160 | 380 | 14 | 6 | 2 |
| 1974 | NYA | OF | 156 | 153 | 297 | 21 | 7 | 2 |
| 1975 | SFN | OF | 144 | 143 | 201 | 10 | 4 | 3 |
| 1976 | SFN | OF | 146 | 145 | 282 | 11 | 12 | 2 |
| 1977 | CHN | 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977 | CHN | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977 | CHN | OF | 150 | 148 | 237 | 11 | 5 | 5 |
| 1978 | CHN | OF | 138 | 133 | 225 | 8 | 5 | 0 |
| 1979 | CHN | OF | 54 | 53 | 110 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979 | NYA | OF | 70 | 65 | 169 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| 1980 | NYA | OF | 59 | 44 | 82 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 1 |
| Third Base | 31 |
| Shortstop | 30 |
| Left Field | 57 |
| Center Field | 790 |
| Right Field | 844 |
| Designated Hitter | 119 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Player of the Week | Week of 1975-05-23 |
| 1975 | Player of the Week | Week of 1975-06-06 |
| 1973 | TSN All-Star | OF |
| 1972 | Gold Glove | OF |
| 1972 | TSN All-Star | OF |
| 1971 | TSN All-Star | OF |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 21th | 10.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1973 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 9th | 53.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1972 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 5th | 89.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1971 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 7th | 72.0 | 336 | 0 |