Authors to discuss Thurman Munson-related book in Canton
CANTON ‒ Their admiration for former Yankees' catcher Thurman Munson brought Gary Kaschak and Tom Tunison together — a bond that ultimately led to a new book.
The cover of "Go The Distance" promotes the book as "The inspirational story of Tom Tunison, Thurman Munson and a lifelong quest for baseball immortality."
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Kaschak and Tunison will speak today at a luncheon meeting of the Canton Rotary Club. The event is from noon to 1 p.m. at Christ Presbyterian Church, 530 Tuscarawas St. W. Books will be available for purchase and signing by the authors.
Plenty of people in Stark County know Munson's story.
He graduated from Canton Lehman High. He went on to become captain of the New York Yankees, leading the team to two World Series titles and winning an American League MVP along the way.
Munson was in the middle of what appeared to be a Hall of Fame career when he died at age 32. The Cessna Citation jet he was piloting crashed near Akron-Canton Airport on Aug. 2, 1979.
Tunison's story, and his almost spiritual connection to Munson, though, is the crux of "Go The Distance."
Kaschak and Tunison met in 2019, as members of the Thurman Munson Hall of Fame Committee. The New York-area-based group was on a mission to get Munson inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame Museum, an honor they believed was long overdue.
Munson was one of 10 named to the Modern Era ballot, but he fell short of votes that December.
Tunison, a member of the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame Board of Directors, has coached youth baseball for a quarter century and co-authored (with Christopher Hahn) "Thurman Munson's Decade of Unmatched Excellence."
Born with a rare hip disease discovered at age 6, Tunison endured years of bed rest, wheelchairs and crutches. During that time, he began watching New York Yankees telecasts, forming a bond with Munson, which has lasted to this day.
Munson's untimely death "propelled Tom onto a course of action full of heartbreaking tragedy, heartwarming triumph, and personal discovery," according to a promo for today's luncheon.
Kaschak, a former newspaper sports writer and editor, served as head writer for both the Munson and Dummy Hoy Hall of Fame committees. He's written five books, including the recent "My Amazin' Life as a New York Met (The Cleon Jones story)."
Kaschak told The Repository the 186-page book is full of serendipity, including the fact Tunison tried out for the Yankees on June 29. That happens to be the same date Archibald "Moonlight" Graham — made famous in the movie "Field of Dreams" — played an inning in the outfield in his only Major League Baseball appearance.
Dwier Brown, the actor who portrayed John Kinsella, father of Kevin Costner's character in the film "Field of Dreams," completed the foreword for "Go The Distance."
Brown, who grew up in Sharon Center in Medina County, wrote: "Let's hope Tom's incredible journey will bring justice to another oversight by giving a great player whose career was shortened by tragedy the place he deserves in the Hall of Fame."
Reach Tim at 330-580-8333 ortim.botos@cantonrep.com.On Twitter: @tbotosREP
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Authors of "Go the Distance" to speak about Thurman Munson in Canton
