3 Thurman Munson
Munson had two World Series Championships, seven All-Star Game appearance and three Gold Glove Awards before his unexpected death. At one point he considered retiring early because he was homesick, but instead decided to take flying lessons so that he could travel back-and-forth to his family in Ohio.
Munson took two years of flight lessons before his death in 1979. While practicing take-offs and landings at the Akron-Canton Airport, Munson sunk too low before generating enough engine power to land; the jet clipped a tree, missed the runway and then burst into flames. His friend Jerry Anderson and flight instructor Dave Hall both survived the crash.
