CHICAGO -- Austin Wells is paying tribute to one of the most iconic catchers in Yankees history on Sunday.
Wells opted to wear special catching gear honoring former Yankees captain Thurman Munson on the 47th anniversary of Munson’s death. Munson, a seven-time All-Star and the 1976 American League MVP, died in a plane crash on Aug. 2, 1979, while practicing landings near his hometown of Akron, Ohio. He was 32.
Widely regarded as the heart and soul of the Yankees’ championship clubs of the late 1970s, Munson helped lead New York to three consecutive World Series appearances from 1976-78, winning back-to-back titles in ’77 and ’78. The Yankees immediately retired his No. 15 following his passing and later honored him with a plaque in Monument Park.
Wells’ tribute serves as a reminder of Munson’s enduring legacy, one that continues to resonate nearly five decades after the Yankees lost one of the franchise’s most beloved captains.