Murcer, who was part of another blockbuster trade when he was sent to San Francisco for Bobby Bonds before the 1975 season from the New York Yankees, was now traded to the “Windy City” for two-time batting champ Bill Madlock in February.
And just like with his time in San Fran, he’d only spend a couple of years, two-and-a-half to be exact, before finding his way back to where it all started, the Bronx and the Yankee pinstripes.
He wouldn’t disappoint the Cubs, having one of his best MLB seasons in 1977 with 27 home runs and 90 runs scored and 89 runs batted in.
But in June of 1979 he’d be dealt back East to the Yanks for a minor league player, where he would play the final four years of his career.
Of his 17 seasons as a Major League player, Murcer was a Yankee for 13 of them, and was always one of the most well-liked men in the organization.
I had the chance to meet him on more than one occasion and he was just the best. Genuinely a “nice person” in every sense of the phrase.
He is terribly missed since he passed away in July of 2008.