Oklahoma Honors Native Son Bobby Murcer

Late New York Yankees great Bobby Murcer will be honored today by the state for his extraordinary career and lifelong dedication to his native state.

Gov. Brad Henry has proclaimed August 6 "Bobby Murcer Day" in Oklahoma to coincide with a public service that has been scheduled to celebrate Murcer's life at his home church.

"Bobby Murcer was not only a great baseball hero, but he was also a man of passion and dedication to charity, family and his beloved Oklahoma home," said Miller, R-Edmond. "Bobby made our citizens proud on so many levels, it is impossible to sum up his life in just a few words. The least we as a state can do for Bobby and his family is to memorialize him by declaring August 6 to be 'Bobby Murcer Day' in Oklahoma."

Murcer, who passed away on July 12 after a long battle with brain cancer, played 17 seasons in the Major Leagues, including 13 with the New York Yankees.

After a celebrated high-school baseball and football career, Murcer signed a letter of intent in 1964 to play football for the University of Oklahoma but instead focused his attention on baseball when the New York Yankees signed him to a contract in the spring of 1965.

He missed the entire 1967 and 1968 seasons while serving in the military. He also played all or parts of five seasons with the San Francisco Giants and the Chicago Cubs.

Murcer was a five-time All-Star and won a Gold Glove for defensive superiority as a centerfielder in 1972. For his career, Murcer hit 252 home runs with a lifetime .277 batting average.

Murcer has been inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, was named one of the top 100 athletes in Oklahoma history, was designated one of "100 Leaders for the Next 100 Years" by the Oklahoma Sports Heritage Museum in 2007 and received the 2007 Abe Lemons/Paul Hansen Award for Sports Excellence.

Following his playing career, Murcer joined the Yankees as a broadcaster until his death.

Murcer won three Emmy Awards for live sports coverage as the voice of the Yankees and was nominated in 2007 for the prestigious Ford C. Frick Award by the Baseball Hall of Fame for "major contributions to the game" as a broadcaster.