Bobby Murcer has passed away due to complications from brain cancer. It’s a sad day in the baseball world because Bobby touched so many people in so many different ways.

Murcer was diagnosed with a brain tumor on Dec. 24, 2006, and underwent surgery just a few days later. He returned to Yankee Stadium for Opening Day in 2007, and recieved a standing ovation from the sellout crowd of 55,000 plus. On May 1st, he was back in the broadcast booth for the YES Network.

The Yankees were informed of his passing after the game. Here are some quotes regarding Bobby:

Michael Kay:

“Bobby was one of the finest human beings I’ve ever met. He handled his battle with a grace and class that was hard to fathom. For me personally, it’s an incredible loss. He was my idol growing up. I was lucky to work with him as a broadcaster, and it showed me that I had great taste as a kid. He was everything that you’d want in someone that you once looked up to. He lived up to every ideal that a little boy set for him. I’m going to miss him a lot. I miss him a lot already.”

Ken Singleton:

“I will cherish all the wonderful times I had with Bobby in the booth. He was a real treasure, and it was amazing to witness the special relationship Bobby had with New York and with Yankees fans. I will miss him greatly. He was one of a kind.”

Kimberly Jones:

“I will never forget how kind Bobby was or how much he cherished every day. Back in March 2005, in one of my first interviews with Joe Torre, he first declined to answer a harmless question then asked me to hold his gum. I extended my notebook and Joe placed the wad on the top page. I had no idea what to think. Two seconds later, Bobby was howling in laughter, as was Joe. It was through a practical joke that Bobby figured he would help the newcomer break the ice. And it was something Bobby and I laughed about many, many times in the years to come. He was always smiling, always upbeat and his spirit was undeniable. Everyone loved Bobby and we will miss him dearly.”

Bob Lorenz:

“My greatest impression of Bobby is not as a player or broadcaster, but as a human being. He was a gentleman in the truest sense of the word, and that’s not a word we hear enough these days. He always treated people warmly and his positive, upbeat personality just made people he came in contact with feel better instantly. His presence had that kind of impact. I know when he walked into the studio at YES, there was a different kind of energy. We all knew we were in for a great day.

“After Bobby was diagnosed in December 2006, I could not believe how positive he remained and how he immediately accepted not only his condition, but the challenge of overcoming it. And he handled it with such grace and, no surprise, in his usual positive manner. And I’ve thought ever since, if Bobby can maintain that kind of positive attitude in the face of such adversity, we all should learn from that. And if we don’t, then we’re not paying attention to the lessons of a great man.

“Bobby’s loss as a broadcaster is immeasureable. As a lifelong Yankee, the stories and history just flowed out of him and captivated Yankees fans. His loss as a friend is even greater. His positive attitude rubbed off on you and made you a better, happier person every time he was around.”

Joe Girardi:

“He was a great Yankee, but more importantly, he was a great friend to all of us. He always put others first, he cared about the game, and he cared whether we won or lost every day. He wore his emotions on his sleeve whether he was in the booth or as a player, and he played the game the right way. Bobby was the type of man that, I believe, got what life was about—trying to make life better for people around him. As a kid, I used to watch Bobby Murcer, and he was one of my heroes.”

For more quotes you can visit Peter Abraham’s Lohud Yankees Blog.

Personally, I loved Bobby Murcer. I loved his enthusaism behind the mic and how he handled his situation with brain cancer and how he was so upbeat. It teaches everyone to never take anything for granted and always appreciate what you have. A true gentleman and class act, Bobby will be remembered to many people for many different reasons. I know him mostly for being an announcer. Some will always remember him for delivering a moving eulogy at Thurman Munson’s funeral and going out and driving in five runs to lead the Yanks to victory the same night.

I always loved watching him on Old-Timer’s Day and seeing how much fun he had. One of the games I remember the most about Bobby was July 1, 2004. It was the Yanks vs Sox and it was truly one of the greatest games I have ever seen played. I was also working at Yankee Stadium at the time and was by a TV throughout the night because that game had a postseason feel. It was the night that Derek Jeter dove into the stands for a pop out and came out bloody, the Yankees almost turned a triple play, one team scored and the other responded, it went into extra innings and the game had everything you could ask for. Bobby said that he had seen those type of games before and he said don’t leave, there’s more to come. Boy was he right. The game is usually on YES on Yankee Classics. If you never watched this game, I think you should. At the end of the game when the Yankees came back to win in the bottom of the 13th on John Flaherty’s walk off single, Bobby was so upbeat and repeated how he told us that he’d seen games like this before. He gave you a reason to believe that night and he didn’t let us down.

It’s a great loss that he has passed. If only he could’ve made it to this week’s All-Star festivies. But he will be there in spirit and he will be watching. Here’s to Bobby Murcer, a Yankee in every sense but most importantly, a great human being. He will be missed.