Here is my Sunday newspaper column, in which I discuss with Bobby Murcer his new book, due out Tuesday.
Such is Murcer's devotion to the Yankees that he writes this on page 93: "I have to tell you, I wasn't as shocked at learning about my brain tumor in that restaurant parking lot in Oklahoma City in 2006 as I had been at hearing Gabe [Paul's] words in 1974: 'We've traded you to the Giants.' I was no longer a New York Yankee."
Murcer makes it clear in the book that he was and is a square who passed on many of the activities for which some teammates were infamous. The book includes no curse words and no salacious tales.
Murcer was worried about including the family-swapping episode involving Fritz Peterson and Mike Kekich - still incredible after all these decades - but felt he couldn't ignore it.
Sunday editor Norm Cohen told me Peterson was his bowling instructor at Northern Illinois in the early 1970s, which is too weird to make up, so I have chosen believe him.
(UPDATE: OK, now I know it's true. Chicago Norm has blogged about it!)
Comments (2)
Fritz Peterson a bowling instructor?
He no doubt demonstrated to Susanne Kekich how he picks a 7-10 split.
BTW...Mike Kekich is reportedly living somewhere out here in 505land.
I haven't run into him.....but my Senior Baseball Team could always use another left-handed pitcher. (one can NEVER have too many pitchers).
And at this point in my marital life.....I wonder if he'd be interested in a player to be named later and an undisclosed amount of cash?
Hooray for Neil Best in getting it right. Most people describe it as a "wife swap". It was actually "family" or 'husband" swap. Who says Cornell students aren't bright?
In any case is the family swap or Rick Manning's stealing dennis Eckersley's wife one of these old school customs that Goose Gossage and M&MD want to revive?
Isn't Fritz Peterson and his wife Susan Kekich Peterson active in the Baseball Chapel movement? Only in America.