No catcher in the history of the New York Yankees has left as feared and respected legacy as Thurman Munson. The burly mustachioed backstop was the muscle behind the late mid-to late1970’s pinstriped dynasty. His deft handling of New York’s pitchers helped lead the Yankees to three pennants and two World Championships and his professionalism led to his being named the first Yankee captain since Lou Gehrig.

      Out of all the greats to have played with the storied franchise, Munson is the only player to have been named both Rookie of the Year and league MVP while a Yankee. Munson’s tragic and premature death at the age of 32 not only precluded him from becoming a member of the Hall of Fame, but also left us precious few artifacts from his playing days.

      This set of cleats are one of those few pieces. Like a well used mitt or battered bat, these cleats reflect the type of player who once wore them. The Spot Bilt black leather cleats exhibit heavy game use including surface wear and abrasions, interior soiling and general wear associated with the catching position. Both cleats retain the original Spot Bilt tagging, though they are worn with age, more evident on the right cleat. Munson’s immortal number “15” has been hand written in black marker on both labels. The laces are present and have been darkened with age and shoe polish. The white leather logo striping on the sides show heavy game use as do the soles. Incredibly, a small amount of turf still clings to the bottom front of the left toe. A great visible reminder of the gritty and tough backstop Thurman Munson was. The cleats come with a signed letter of authenticity from Thurman Munson’s widow, Diana Munson.

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