My NY Yankee 29-2

[winmag45]

A few years ago a friend of mine who collects baseball memorabelia showed me a catalog of an upcoming auction of baseball items.But in with the usual bats,balls,etc.,was the late great NY Yankee catcher Thurman Munson's model 29.Now I figured I had a good chance since it was a baseball auction and not too many people would be looking for a gun hahah.I was right,I put an absentee bid in and won it.Unfortunately the inside of the box had turned to blue goo.I had to have the inside of the case restored.While trying to see if anything was ever mentioned about the gun I came across an article in Esquire magazine with Catfish Hunter talking about Thurman.....

"Yes, Thurman Munson might put you on like that, but Catfish says he only saw him truly angry once. Saw the napalm Thurman Munson, the one that sought to undo the other Thurman Munsons. Some corporate sponsor gives Munson and Catfish a white Cadillac to drive around for the summer, and the two cruise everywhere in it. One night after a game, they walk out and see the front windshield is smashed, all these glass spiderwebs running helter-skelter. Catfish isn't happy, but Thurman Munson starts cussing and ranting and raving. He says, I'm gonna kill whatever sons of bitches did this! He goes berserk. Stalks toward the Caddy, opens the trunk, and suddenly pulls out a .44 Magnum revolver.
Catfish is standing in front of the Caddy, and when he sees Thurman Munson with that .44, his eyes nearly pop out of his head. He goes, Holy ****, Thurman, you got a gun!
I'm going to kill them, says Munson.
Kill who? says Catfish.
Kill whoever it is I see on the other side of that fence.
Don't load that gun, says Catfish.
Yes, I am, says Thurman Munson. And he does—then raises it, points it at shadows moving behind the fence, and fires. Crack! ****! yells Catfish.
Thurman Munson fires at the shadows again, and again—Crack! Crack! Without thinking, Catfish rushes him, gets his own powerful paws on the Magnum, and wrestles it away. Please, God, don't let someone be hit, prays Catfish out loud, because now my fingerprints are all over the damn thing.
I didn't hit anybody, says Thurman Munson. But I'm gonna run them over.
And that's what he tries to do. He gets in the car and barrels through the parking lot, people leaping out of the way."

[ken158]

Now that is a great story with matching gun!

[75Vette]

Great story. I think I'd have been on the mad side too. You just don't mess with another man's car.

[Mblhopo]

Had something like that happen to me one time, I had a 1978 corvette at the time {have a 2013 now}..Came out of a bar and somebody had poured beer all over my car front to back, plus spit all over windshield. I swear if I had caught them in the act would have shot em all...oh nice 29 and someone did a nice job on the case too!...………………………………………….M*

[ISCS Yoda]

Delightful story! Reminds me of the famous Mickey Mantle/Billy Martin story.

http://www.oconnellandsonink.com/?p=234

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[clang444]

Depending where he parked it, it could have been a foul ball...

[winmag45]

Todd over at Heritage cases did the work it really is a beauty.I was really lucky to get the gun.It makes it so special to know the history and the person who owned it in the past.The S/N shows 1973 manufacture.That was the year "Magnum Force" came out so maybe Thurman was getting on the "Dirty Harry" bandwagon hahahah.

[winmag45]

Its funny you mention the cow story.I was getting the sports auction catalogs in the mail after I won the auction.Billy Martins shotgun came up for auction.I didn't put in a bid then forgot about the auction arrrg.

[The Analyst]

Interesting story. I have many fond memories of Thurman Munson and his playing days with the Yankees. A tragic end to his short life. Did you receive any provenance with the gun?

[winmag45]

Yes I did get a certificate signed by Mrs.Munson.She had auctioned alot of his personal items at an auction before the All Star Game when it was at Yankee Stadium in NY.The auction I won the gun at was after that in Kentucky.I would imagine this was because of the difficulties of bringing a perfectly legal firearm into the Peoples Republic of NY.

[ajgunner]

Been around here for 14 years with only 18 post and then you pull this story on us-----boy oh boy---I can't wait to hear what else you have.

Great story and very nice piece of history!!!

Thanks for sharing.

[winmag45]

Hahhaha,I'll see what else I can dig up.I really enjoy this forum but I work alot of hours so I never get around to posting.Now that we are stuck at home I have the time to participate more.

[dsf]

Originally Posted by winmag45

A few years ago a friend of mine who collects baseball memorabelia showed me a catalog of an upcoming auction of baseball items.But in with the usual bats,balls,etc.,was the late great NY Yankee catcher Thurman Munson's model 29.Now I figured I had a good chance since it was a baseball auction and not too many people would be looking for a gun hahah.I was right,I put an absentee bid in and won it.Unfortunately the inside of the box had turned to blue goo.I had to have the inside of the case restored.While trying to see if anything was ever mentioned about the gun I came across an article in Esquire magazine with Catfish Hunter talking about Thurman.....

"Yes, Thurman Munson might put you on like that, but Catfish says he only saw him truly angry once. Saw the napalm Thurman Munson, the one that sought to undo the other Thurman Munsons. Some corporate sponsor gives Munson and Catfish a white Cadillac to drive around for the summer, and the two cruise everywhere in it. One night after a game, they walk out and see the front windshield is smashed, all these glass spiderwebs running helter-skelter. Catfish isn't happy, but Thurman Munson starts cussing and ranting and raving. He says, I'm gonna kill whatever sons of bitches did this! He goes berserk. Stalks toward the Caddy, opens the trunk, and suddenly pulls out a .44 Magnum revolver.
Catfish is standing in front of the Caddy, and when he sees Thurman Munson with that .44, his eyes nearly pop out of his head. He goes, Holy ****, Thurman, you got a gun!
I'm going to kill them, says Munson.
Kill who? says Catfish.
Kill whoever it is I see on the other side of that fence.
Don't load that gun, says Catfish.
Yes, I am, says Thurman Munson. And he does—then raises it, points it at shadows moving behind the fence, and fires. Crack! ****! yells Catfish.
Thurman Munson fires at the shadows again, and again—Crack! Crack! Without thinking, Catfish rushes him, gets his own powerful paws on the Magnum, and wrestles it away. Please, God, don't let someone be hit, prays Catfish out loud, because now my fingerprints are all over the damn thing.
I didn't hit anybody, says Thurman Munson. But I'm gonna run them over.
And that's what he tries to do. He gets in the car and barrels through the parking lot, people leaping out of the way."

As a Red Sox fan even I appreciate that story. Only two things would make it better.

That Munson was shooting at Bucky Dent. And he didn't miss ....

[fishwishin]

Oh wow! What a great story. You are a lucky man!!

[Hair Trigger]

In the Catfish/Thurmon story, I was waiting to hear that after all the shooting and things settled down, they find a baseball on the ground nearby, where a pop foul or out-of-the-park homer had hit the windshield.

When I was dating my wife years ago, we frequently went to see Durham Bulls play in their downtown park (same field the film Bull Durham was filmed at). Cars parked along the street behind the grandstand, and when anyone hit a pop foul, the crowd got really quiet, waiting to hear the crash of a baseball hitting a windshield. I heard many a hood or trunk lid or car top pick up a big dent.

[boykinlp]

winmag45,
Thanks for sharing your story. You said you would in your other post. It was definitely worth the wait.

I was never a Yankee fan and never a real collector of baseball cards. One of my best friends in high school and college was an avid collector or sports cards, mostly baseball, and comic books. I showed him my "collection" of about 50 cards. After quickly scanning them, he said the only one I had, that might be worth anything, was a Munson card. I am sure it is among my junk somewhere, but who knows where.
Larry

[SS57]

Munson/Jackson story.
A groundskeeper tells the story of Munson and Reggie going out behind the fence after practice one day to determine who the Big Dog in the NY Yankee clubhouse is. Boys will be boys ya know. After a while Munson comes walking back alone.
This was told to me by my brother who caught(he was a catcher) for the Yanks after Munson's tragic death.
Fact or fiction? Is it believable? I say yes.
Would love to have that gun in my collection sir.

[eb07]

Fisk was better.
Sweet 29.