 When the Yankees took the field August 3rd 1979 home plate was left open in tribute to a captain and everyone watching remembers that site. Welcome back once again on the Draft King Yankees pregame. On Monday it will be 41 years since that game which took place the day after legendary catcher Thurman Munson was killed in a plane crash in his native Ohio. He's never been forgotten by fans or by those who knew him like current Red Sox bench coach Jerry Naren. As a rookie in 1979 Naren was Munson's backup and he was the first Yankee to go behind the plate following the tragedy. Earlier today he reflected on that experience on Munson himself as well in a talk with Chris Naren. Coach Jerry Naren with the Red Sox was with the Yankees back in 1979 when Thurman Munson passed away. Coach just take us through that day when you found out on August 2nd 41 years ago it seems impossible that it's that long ago. No well for one thing no way it seems that long it seems like just yesterday but we had an off day and Ron Davis and I had rented a house over in New Jersey we were living together and kept each other called about 435 o'clock that afternoon I think and just gave us the news and it was just unbelievable that could have happened. The next day August 3rd you all played and before the game you were the last player to go out onto the field can you just take us through that moment what it was like in the stands what it was like for the players and what it was like for you. Well Mr. Steinbrenner came down to the clubhouse in the afternoon and gave us an idea what the night would be like and what they wanted to do as a tribute to Thurman and we were going to take the field for the national anthem. It was the first time the Yankees had stood out in front of the dugout for a national anthem but he said he wanted me to stay at the dugout leave home plate vacant and he thought that'd be a great tribute everybody expected a moment of silence but it ended up being a about a 15 minute standing ovation. The fans were just awesome for Thurman the tribute they gave him and one thing Mr. Steinbrenner said you stand next to Yogi make sure you're next to him and he'll let you know exactly when to go out and it got so long after all Yogi said if you don't go out to home plate we're going to be here all night so it did took about 15-20 minutes. I think Yogi was right in his in his saying that because you probably would have been there all night. He was right about everything he said. And what was what was the rest of that season like for you you know you're a rookie you're 23 years old how was that. It was difficult for all obviously you lose somebody it's like losing somebody in your family but really the head of the family where Thurman was a candidate been there for it from the late 60's and you know from built the club back up the world championship team again and being the leader everybody look to him and it's like losing somebody in your family and you know Bobby Mercer just come back and Bobby had been with the Yankees in the 60's when Thurman came up maybe they were both excited to be back together again and it was probably harder on Bobby than it was anybody and then on the Monday night game when Bobby got the walkoff hit that was just awesome for Bobby to do that. And how did this experience in that season especially in your rookie year shape the rest of your career. How did how did that experience keep it. Well just being on those clubs in the 70's for one thing being with the Yankees in the 70's I thought every club in baseball was like that where it was all about winning or else you know the time runner was pretty awesome about that. But I don't know if I was ever nervous in a game again like I was at night you know it was it was just a sad night and just a nervous time for me to be playing and but the rest of the season you know everybody tried to grind it out but they knew it was going to be a difficult road to let next couple months. Now you try to honor Thurman as much as you can and on players weekend you had Thurms caddy on the back of your jersey. How did how did that come about and what's the story behind that's a little bit of tribute I think to everybody that was a backup catcher for Thurman over those years but I just thought you know to put Thurms caddy being the 40th year that you know is passing and I didn't know a lot of people know about that but I was just my small way of having a tribute to him. And what was your relationship like with Monson Jerry. All right it was good you know my first spring training with the Yankees was 76 I came up and he dog me about wanting to take his job and I said yeah he got the batting cage he was working on his batting practice he says let me practice on my foul tip so that I thought he was just messing in the first one I'm telling you he foul tipped right into my mouth and he just died laughing so it was pretty good you know he helped me with some pitching and that type thing and catching in the whole bed and being a veteran club we had a lot of guys that you know I really had tried to help rookies along at the best they could. And what lessons did he teach you that you took throughout your entire career. Well for one thing he told me when Billy came back that year to be the manager he said Billy's ever mad at you he said just go ahead and hit him before he sucker punches you that was probably the best advice but he was kidding he laughed about that too and he said Billy couldn't hit a curveball so anytime you have any doubt just call a curveball but Thurman you know he was the ultimate competitor.