Munson

May 25, 2009
Appel co-wrote New York Yankees catcher Thurman Munson's autobiography 30 years ago, and his stated goal here is to tell the story that didn't get told then. The revelations, however, are few. We learn, for example, that Munson grew up in Canton, Ohio, with a father whose coldness and resentment bordered on emotional abuse. (On the day Munson signed with the Yankees, his father openly criticized his playing skills to team executives; years later, he came to his son's funeral and taunted the closed casket.) There's also, naturally, much more information about the 1979 plane crash that ended Munson's life, including the transcript of a lengthy interview with one of the survivors; again, however, the conclusion that Munson was a relatively inexperienced pilot who made fatal errors in judgment is not a new one. Otherwise, Appel covers familiar territory, casting Munson as a journeyman ballplayer who inspired his teammates with his tenacious work ethic, but didn't get along with the press and couldn't stand Reggie Jackson or George Steinbrenner. Excerpts from several other baseball memoirs and transcripts from archival interviews with Munson extend the story, but do little to expand upon it.

May 15, 2009
A former PR director for the New York Yankees celebrates the life of catcher Thurman Munson (1947–1979), who died in a plane crash at the age of 32.

Appel, who has authored and ghostwritten biographies of other baseball notables—including Yogi Berra, Tom Seaver and Munson (in his 1978 autobiography)—does not restrain his admiration for his subject. From the praise of Munson's"Ohio grit and guts" to a later characterization of him as"the heart and soul of a world championship team" to the 70 maudlin pages that deal with the aftermath of the accident, the book is more tribute than biography. Appel charts the quick rise of Munson, a gifted athlete from Canton, Ohio, who played very little in the minor leagues before his promotion to the Yankees. We learn about his marriage—several times the author assures us that Diana Munson was the prettiest girl in town—his children, his giant mansion, his erratic and bitter father and, of course, his airplanes and fearlessness of flying. There are the obligatory accounts of heroic moments, rivalries with Carlton Fisk and Johnny Bench, many awards (1970 AL Rookie of the Year, three Gold Gloves, 1976 AL MVP) and interminable testimonials from former teammates, rivals and managers. Appel does not shy from comparing Munson with fallen former Presidents McKinley (also from Canton) and JFK, and he glosses over the darker moments in his subject's life, including a night in the Yankee parking lot when he fired his handgun at persons he thought had vandalized a teammate's car. Some crass final pages include auction prices for Munson memorabilia.

Exceedingly rosy-hued.

(COPYRIGHT (2009) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

May 11, 2009
Appel, former Yankee PR director and coauthor of Thurman Munson's 1978 autobiography, offers a comprehensive study of the enigmatic Yankee catcher. This August, it will be 30 years since Munson died in a plane he was piloting. Appel details Munson's rough relationship with his father, his tumultuous years with the Yankees, the fatal crash, and the ensuing funeral (going so far as to record the names of all attendees). Temperamental with the media, Munson was beloved by players and fans for his clutch-hitting and no-nonsense approach to baseball. Verdict: This reviewer's only complaint is the tedious ending that surveys Munson memorabilia auctions and speculates that Munson would have become manager of the Yankees had he lived. Highly recommended for Yankees and Munson fans. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 11/1/08.]-Todd Spires, Bradley Univ. Lib., Peoria, IL

Copyright 2009 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from July 1, 2009
Seldom does a biographer get a do-over. Appel, who collaborated with legendary New York Yankees captain Thurman Munsonon a standard then-we-played sports bio in 1977, decided to revisit the subject nearly 30 years after Munsons death in a plane crash in 1979. It wasworth the effort. Appel, the Yanks public-relations director and Munsons friend during the catchers years with the team, digs a lot deeper this time. The product of a harsh blue-collar upbringing in Ohio, Munson was not a simple man. He was capable of great loyalty, perpetual enmity, profound kindness, and arrogant egotism toward the press and sometimesnot alwaysthe fans. His father resented his sons success, and the two were estranged most of Thurmans adult life. This time around Appel researches the life of a man, not a sports hero, and emerges with a textured portrait of a flawed but likable individual, often angry andbitter, occasionally anass, but ultimately worthy of our respect, on and off the field. The best biographies recount the public life, reveal the private life, and give readers a sense of the critical intersection between the two. Appel manages all three and deserves high praise for keeping one of baseballs most intriguing players in the forefront.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)