I was flipping through old baseball cards the other day and saw a 1974 Thurman Munson card. With the recent announcement of the 2025 Hall of Fame class, it got me wondering why the New York Yankees’ legendary catcher didn’t have a bronze plaque in Cooperstown.

Munson’s career was cut short when he died on August12, 1979, in a private airplane crash in which he was the pilot. The tragic event devastated the baseball community because of his popularity and respect as a ballplayer, even among Yankee-haters.

He was 32 years old when he died, in his 11th major-league season. Perhaps the baseball writers who vote for the Hall of Fame candidates didn’t think he had put in enough time to warrant election. But consider that Hall of Fame pitchers Dizzy Dean and Sandy Koufax both played in the majors for 12 seasons, including some partial seasons. So, there was already a precedent for short-tenured players who were highly impactful in their eras.

Munson began his major-league career with the Yankees in August 1969 and played only 26 games, yet he convinced the Yankees’ front office to give him the starting job the next season. All he did that next year was capture the AL Rookie of the Year Award, including votes for MVP.

In 1971 he garnered All-Star honors for his first of seven years. He earned a reputation as a tough, rugged catcher. He matched Yankees manager Billy Martin’s ferocity as a competitor. Munson developed into a Gold Glove player, capturing the award in three consecutive seasons during 1973 and 1975.

The Yankees returned to prominence when they won the AL pennant in 1976, their first since 1964. At the heart of the team was Munson. He was the AL MVP, batting .302 with 17 home runs and 105 RBIs. However, the Yankees were swept by Cincinnati’s dynasty “Big Red Machine” in the World Series.

The Yankees acquired slugger Reggie Jackson for the 1977 season, when they became AL champs again. They defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, repeating as World Series champ over the Dodgers again in 1978. While Jackson was the self-proclaimed “straw that stirs the drink” for the Yankees, Munson provided the “glue” on the contentious team that famously became referred to as the “Bronx Zoo.” He was the team’s leader, evidenced by being named the first Yankee team captain since Lou Gehrig.

Yankee world championship teams have traditionally been staffed with great catchers. They have included Wally Schang, Bill Dickey, Yogi Berra, and Elston Howard. Munson extended the catcher position’s impact on the Yankees’ dynasty teams. Those five catchers played key roles in 20 of the Yankees’ 23 World Series championships, as of 1978.

Munson’s highest percentage (15.5%) of Hall of Fame votes came in his first year of eligibility in 1981. In his last year on the ballot for consideration by the baseball writers in 1995, he received only 6.5% of the votes. Since then, he’s been passed over by the Veterans’ Committee on four occasions.

It’s true Munson’s career numbers for the “counting” stats don’t come close to most of the other players in the Hall who enjoyed more lengthy careers. His slash line was .292/.346/.410, with 113 home runs and 701 RBIs. Munson’s catcher contemporaries elected to the Hall of Fame include Johnny Bench, Carlton Fisk, and Gary Carter. I’m not saying Munson was entirely comparable to any of those three.

But Munson had a 46.1 WAR (Wins Above Replacement), which is more than recent Hall of Famers Dave Parker and Harold Baines, who played significantly more years than Munson. He arguably had more impact with the Yankees than recent Hall of Fame catcher Joe Mauer had with the Twins.

Munson could legitimately have put in 3-5 more productive years that would have enhanced his career statistics. He could have made a difference in the Yankee’s quest for another World Series title in 1981, when the Dodgers beat them. But that’s purely conjecture, and the Hall of Fame voters, whether the baseball writers or veterans committees, rightfully don’t consider “what could have been.”

Munson is revered by the Yankees organization who retired Munson’s No. 15 and dedicated a plaque to him in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium. Yankee fans who saw Munson play feel like he also belongs in the Hall of Fame, if nothing else, from a sentimental standpoint.

In the final analysis though, if there was a “Hall of Very Good,” he’d belong in it, but not the Hall of Fame.