This is one of the greatest Yankees cards. Thurman Munson cards and memorabilia remain in high demand among collectors, with his 1971 Topps card commanding some of the highest prices of any card made during the decade. The price of Thurman's card has increased over time due to its low print run (then again, so did he) and because he is considered by many to be the best ballplayer never to have won the MVP Award. His death at age 31 in a plane crash along with Woody Sauldsberry, who was serving as his personal assistant, brought about great sadness among fans and teammates. Thurman Munson was born on January 4th, 1945 in Columbus, Ohio. He was raised by his mother after his father died when he was young. He had two siblings: a sister named Lindsay and a brother named Tim. When he was 11 years old, Thurman moved with his family to South Kingstown, Rhode Island so that he could play baseball for John McGraw Jr.'s school. Although he spent only one season there, it was enough to make an impact on him and help him build a reputation as a good player. After graduating from high school in 1963, he went to Kent State University where he played college baseball for the Golden Flashes. In 1967, his junior year, he led the team to the College World Series where they lost to USC in seven games.