Of all the features we envisioned doing with OKC History, the idea of posting yearbook photos of hometown kids who later became something big really excited us. And yet it’s the one part of this website that has remained silent the longest. Why? It’s quite simple; who should go first? It must be someone worth the honor – someone who is truly Oklahoma City history.
And now we have that first person… scan the following rows from the 1963 Spartan yearbook from Southeast High School. Are you looking? Do you see anyone familiar? Anyone who is pretty much a legend throughout the country – someone who is beloved by many…
Are you spotting that one person? Here’s another photo…. he played football…
Yeah, that Mark Brown guy was really cool and he sure did tear up the football field. Oh wait, I’m not sure that he’s famous though.
Let’s check out one more photo….
Bobby Murcer. Yankees legend.
Just two years after appearing in the Spartan yearbook, Murcer was a New York Yankee. And not just any Yankee either. Murcer, declared the baseball gods, was to become the next Mickey Mantle. And indeed, Mantle had a great career, playing 17 seasons from 1965 to 1983. His contemporaries included legends Reggie Jackson, Thurman Munson, and yes, Mickey Mantle. Murcer was a Gold Glove winner and five-time All Star, leading the American League in on-base percentage in 1971 and in runs and total bases in 1972.
Murcer was only the third New York Yankee, following Joe DiMaggio and Mantle, to earn $100,000 a season.
The Spartan Shout, Southeast High School’s student newspaper, closely followed Murcer’s rise. The October 1, 1965 paper reported how the then 19-year-old had been called up by the Yankees from their Greensboro, North Carolina farm club and how his first major league hit was a two-run homer during a contest between the Yankees and the Senators, helping his team win 3-1. Murcer was quoted as saying he was most excited witnessing Mickey Mantle Day.
Murcer in turn remained true to his hometown. His family operated Murcer’s Jewelry in the TG&Y store at 1600 SW 74. He married his high school sweetheart, Diana Kay Rhodes – a marriage that would last 42 years and end only with his death.
At Southeast High School he had done it all – baseball, football and basketball. As a senior, Murcer showed his athletic abilities by making All-State in both football (the state leading scorer) and baseball and was All-City (led the city in scoring) in basketball and baseball. As a senior Murcer hit .458 and struck out only once. Later, in the winter of 1964, he signed a letter of intent to play for the Sooners. But even the Sooners take a back seat to the Yankees when they’re offering a $20,000Â signing bonus.
In later years Murcer embraced Oklahoma City as it opened its new Bricktown Ballpark in 1998 and routinely supported civic causes. He also raised money for victims following the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building.
After a successful career in baseball and then broadcasting, Murcer was struck with brain cancer. He died July 12, 2008. No less than Reggie Jackson and Derek Jeter were among the 2,000 who attended Murcer’s funeral services on August 6, 2008 at the Memorial Road Church of Christ.
Thanks to the southside gang at Coits, and especially to Melvonna, who provided us with the yearbooks!