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| New York Yankees Established 1901 Based in New York since | |||
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| Retired Numbers | 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 32, 37, 42, 44, 49 | ||
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| Major league titles | |||
| World Series titles (26) | 2000 • 1999 • 1998 • 19961978 • 1977 • 1962 • 19611958 • 1956 • 1953 • 19521951 • 1950 • 1949 • 19471943 • 1941 • 1939 • 19381937 • 1936 • 1932 • 19281927 • 1923 | ||
| AL Pennants (39) | 2003 • 2001 • 2000 • 19991998 • 1996 • 1981 • 19781977 • 1976 • 1964 • 19631962 • 1961 • 1960 • 19581957 • 1956 • 1955 • 19531952 • 1951 • 1950 • 19491947 • 1943 • 1942 • 19411939 • 1938 • 1937 • 19361932 • 1928 • 1927 • 19261923 • 1922 • 1921 | ||
| East Division titles (15) [1][2] | 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 20032002 • 2001 • 2000 • 19991998 • 1996 • 1981 • 19801978 • 1977 • 1976 | ||
| Wild card berths (3) | 2007 • 1997 • 1995 | ||
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[1] - In , a players' strike in the middle of the season forced the season to be split into two halves. New York had the best record in the East Division when play was stopped and was declared the first-half division winner. The Yankees had the third best record in the division when considering the entire season, two games behind Milwaukee and Baltimore. [2] - In , a players' strike wiped out the last eight weeks of the season and all post-season. New York was in first place in the East Division by six and a half games when play was stopped. No official titles were awarded in 1994. | |||
| Owner(s): George Steinbrenner, Hal Steinbrenner, and Hank Steinbrenner | |||
| Manager: Vacant | |||
| General Manager: Brian Cashman | |||
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"Yankees" redirects here. For defunct football teams of the same name, see New York Yankees (football). For other uses of "Yankees" or "Yankee", see Yankee (disambiguation).
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of the Bronx, in New York City, New York. The Yankees are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Yankees have played in Yankee Stadium.
The "Yankees" name originated as a variation of "American", after the team's league. This name is often shortened to "the Yanks". Their most prominently used nickname is "the Bronx Bombers" or simply "the Bombers", a reference to their home and their prolific hitting. A less used nickname is "the Pinstripers", in reference to the iconic feature on their home uniforms. Critics often refer to the team and the organization as "the Evil Empire," a term applied to the Yankees by Boston Red Sox owner Larry Lucchino in a 2002 interview with the New York Times.[1] A term from the team's tumultuous late 70's, "the Bronx Zoo", is also sometimes used by detractors, as well as "the Damn Yankees", after the musical of the same name. These have all been embraced by fans.
One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Baltimore, Maryland in . Then the Baltimore Orioles (not to be confused with the current Baltimore Orioles who were the Milwaukee Brewers in 1901), the team moved to the New York City borough of Manhattan in , then becoming known as the New York Highlanders -- named beacuse their stadium site (Hilltop Park between 165th and 168th streets) occupied some of the highest land (elevation wise) in all of Manhattan. It was not until that "Yankees" name became the team's sole name. In , the team moved across the Harlem River to the Bronx.
The Yankees have been Major League Baseball's most successful franchise with 26 World Series championships and 39 American League Pennants. They are also the most successful franchise in North American professional sports history, passing the Montreal Canadiens' 24 titles in . They are the only team represented in the National Baseball Hall of Fame at every position. Notably, they have faced every winner of the National League pennant in the World Series except for the Houston Astros, and Colorado Rockies, both of which have only won one pennant. No other team has come close to this feat.
Franchise history
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Origins: the Baltimore Era (1901-1902)
At the end of the , Western League president Ban Johnson reorganized the league, adding teams in three Eastern cities, forming the American League. Plans to put a team in New York City were blocked by the National League's New York Giants, who had enough political power to keep the AL out. Instead, a team was put in Baltimore, Maryland, a city which had been abandoned with the NL contracted from 12 to 8 teams in 1900.The team, known as the Baltimore Orioles, began playing in . In the middle of the season, the Giants gained controlling interest of the team and began raiding it for players, until the AL stepped in and took control of the team. In January , a "peace conference" was held between the two leagues to settle disputes and try to coexist. One of the results of the conference was that the NL agreed to let the "junior circuit" establish a franchise in New York. The Orioles' new owners, Frank J. Farrell and William S. Devery, found a ballpark location not blocked by the Giants, and Baltimore's team moved to New York.
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Hilltop Park, home of the Highlanders
Move to New York: the Highlanders Era (1903-1912)
The new ballpark for was constructed in northern Manhattan, at one of the island's highest points. Hilltop Park, (formally known as "American League Park") was much smaller than the Polo Grounds, the Giants' home just a few blocks away. The team came to be known as the New York Highlanders, a reference to the team's location and also to the noted British military unit The Gordon Highlanders, which fit as the team's president from 1903 to 1906 was Joseph Gordon.The most success the Highlanders had was finishing second in , and , 1904 being the closest they would come to winning the AL pennant. That year, they would lose the deciding game on the last day of the season to the Boston Americans, who would later become the Boston Red Sox. This had much historical significance, as the Highlanders' role in the pennant race caused the Giants to announce that they would not play the World Series against the AL pennant winner, 1904 being the last year no World Series was played until 90 years later in the strike-truncated 1994 season. It would also be the last time Boston would beat New York in a pennant-deciding game for a full century (2004).
New owners, a new home, and a new name: the Polo Grounds Era (1913-1922)
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The Polo Grounds, home of the Yankees from 1913 to 1922
By the mid 1910's, owners Farrell and Devery had become estranged and were both in dire need of money. At the start of , they sold the team to Colonel Jacob Ruppert and Captain Tillinghast L'Hommedieu Huston. Ruppert inherited a brewery fortune, providing the Yankees with an owner that possessed deep pockets and a willingness to dig into them to produce a winning team. This would lead the team to more success and prestige than Ruppert could ever have envisioned.
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Babe Ruth in 1920, the first year he joined the Yankees
Sluggers and the Stadium: the Ruth and Gehrig Era (1923-1935)
In the years around 1920, the Yankees, the Red Sox, and the Chicago White Sox had a detente. Their actions, which antagonized Ban Johnson garnered them the nickname the "Insurrectos". This detente paid off well for the Yankees as they enlarged the payroll. Most new players who would later contribute to the team's success came from the Red Sox, whose owner, Harry Frazee, was trading players to them for large sums of money. Other important newcomers in this period were manager Miller Huggins and general manager Ed Barrow. The hiring of Huggins by Ruppert would cause a break between the owners that eventually led to Ruppert buying Huston out in 1923. However, pitcher-turned-outfielder Babe Ruth was the most talented of all the acquisitions from Boston. The outcome of the trade would haunt the Red Sox for the next 86 years. They would not win a World Series after 1918 until 2004, often finding themselves eliminated from the hunt as a result of the success of the Yankees. This phenomenon eventually became known as the Curse of the Bambino as the failure of the Red Sox and the success of the Yankees seemed almost supernatural, and all seemed to stem from that one trade.Ruth's multitude of home runs proved so popular that the Yankees began drawing more people than their landlords, the Giants. In , when the Yankees made their first World Series appearance, which was against the Giants, the Yankees were told to move out of the Polo Grounds after the season. Giants manager John McGraw was said to have commented that the Yankees should "move to some out-of-the-way place, like Queens", but they instead broke ground for a new ballpark in the Bronx, right across the Harlem River from the Polo Grounds. In 1922, the Yankees returned to the World Series again, facing a second defeat at the hands of the Giants.
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Yankee Stadium as it looked during 1928-1936.
The Yankees lineup was so potent that it become known as "Murderers' Row", and some consider the team to be the best in the history of baseball (though similar claims have been made for other Yankee squads, notably those of , and ).[2] The Yankees won an AL then-record 110 games with only 44 losses, and swept the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1927 World Series. Ruth's home run total of 60 in 1927 set a single-season home run record that would stand for 34 years. Meanwhile, first baseman Lou Gehrig had his first big season, batting .373 with 47 round-trippers and 175 RBI's, beating Ruth's single-season RBI mark (171 in 1921). In the next three years, the Philadelphia Athletics would take the AL pennant and two world championships.
In , Joe McCarthy came in as manager, and would restore the Yankees to the top of the AL. They met the Chicago Cubs in the 1932 World Series, sweeping them and bringing the team's streak of consecutive World Series game wins to 12. This series was made famous by Babe Ruth's famous "Called Shot" in game three of the series at Wrigley Field. This would be a fitting "swan song" to his illustrious postseason career, as Ruth would leave the Yankees, going to the NL Boston Braves after , and would never see the postseason again.
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The Yankee Clipper, Joe DiMaggio
Joltin' Joe: the DiMaggio Era (1936-1951)
With Ruth retired, Gehrig finally had a chance to take center stage, but it was only one year before a new titan appeared: Joe DiMaggio. The team would win an unprecedented four World Series wins from to . For most of 1939, however, they would have to do it without Gehrig, who was forced by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis to retire. The Yankees declared July 4, 1939 to be "Lou Gehrig Day", where they retired his number 4 (the first retired number in baseball), and which was made famous by Gehrig's speech, in which he declared himself "the luckiest man on the face of the earth".Often described as the last year of the "Golden Era" before World War II and other realities intervened, was a thrilling year as America watched two major events unfold: Ted Williams of the Red Sox hunting for the elusive .400 batting average and Joe DiMaggio hitting in game, after game, after game. By the end of his hitting streak, DiMaggio had hit in 56 consecutive games, the current major league record.
Two months and one day after the Yankees beat the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1941 World Series, the Pearl Harbor attacks occurred, and many of the best players, including DiMaggio himself, went off to serve in the military. The Yankees still managed to pull out a win against the St. Louis Cardinals in . McCarthy was fired early in , after a few slumping seasons, and after a few interim managers, Bucky Harris took the job, righting the ship and taking the Yankees to a hard fought series against the Dodgers.
Despite finishing only three games behind the first place Cleveland Indians in , Harris was released in favor of Casey Stengel, who had a bad reputation of being a clown and managing bad teams. His tenure, however, was marked with success, and the "underdog" Yankees came from behind to catch and surprise the then powerful Red Sox on the last two days of the season, a face off that fueled the beginning of the modern Yankees-Red Sox Rivalry. By this time, however, DiMaggio's career was winding down, and the "Yankee Clipper" retired after the season. This year also marked the arrival of the "Oklahoma Kid", Mickey Mantle, who was one of several new stars that would fill the gap.
Stengel's squad in the 1950s: the Stengel Era (1951-1959)
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Casey Stengel on a 1955 cover of Time Magazine
The team won over 100 games in , but the Indians took the pennant with an AL record 111 wins. In 1955, the Dodgers finally beat the Yankees in the World Series, after five Series losses to the Yankees, but the Yankees came back strong the next year. On October 8, , in Game Five of the 1956 World Series against the Dodgers, pitcher Don Larsen threw the only perfect game in World Series history, which also remains the only no-hitter of any kind to be pitched in postseason play.
The Yankees lost the 1957 World Series to the Milwaukee Braves. Following the Series, the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers left for California, leaving the Yankees as New York's only team. In the 1958 World Series, the Yankees got their revenge against the Braves, and became the second team to win the Series after being down three games to one. For the decade, the Yankees won six World Series championships ('50, 51, '52, '53, '56, '58) and eight American League pennants (those six plus '55 and '57). Led by Mantle, Ford, Berra, Elston Howard (the Yankees' first African-American player), and the newly acquired Roger Maris, the Yankees entered the 1960's seeking to replicate the remarkable success of the 1950s.
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The M&M Boys, Roger Maris (left) and Mickey Mantle (right)
The M&M Boys: the Mantle and Maris Era (1960-1964)
Arnold Johnson, owner of the Kansas City Athletics, former owner of the Stadium and longtime business associate of then-Yankees co-owners Del Webb and Dan Topping, had a "special relationship" with the Yankees. He would trade young players for cash and aging veterans. Invariably, these trades ended up being heavily tilted in the Yankees' favor, leading to accusations that the Athletics were little more than a Yankee farm team at the major league level. Ironically, Kansas City had been home to the Yankees' top farm team for almost 20 years before the Athletics moved there from Philadelphia in . In , Charles O. Finley purchased the A's, and put a cease to the trades. However, before this, the Yankees strengthened their supply of future prospects, a young outfielder, Roger Maris being among them. In 1960, Maris led the league in slugging percentage, RBIs, and extra base hits, finished second in home runs (one behind Mantle), and total bases, and won a Gold Glove and the American League MVP award.The year would prove to be one of the most memorable in Yankee history. Throughout the summer, Mantle and Maris hit home runs at a fast pace, the media calling them the "M&M Boys". Ultimately, a severe hip infection forced Mantle to leave the lineup and drop out of the race. Maris continued, and on October 1 (the last day of the season) hit home run number 61, surpassing Babe Ruth's single season home run record of 60. However, Commissioner Ford Frick (who, as it was discovered later, had ghostwritten for the Babe during his career) decreed that, since Maris had broken the record on the last day of a season that was eight games longer than the season Ruth hit his 60, two separate records would be kept. It would be 30 years before the dual record would be done away with, and Maris would hold the record alone until Mark McGwire broke it in 1998. He still holds the AL record.
The Yankees won the pennant with a 109-53 record and went on to defeat the Cincinnati Reds in the 1961 World Series. The team finished the year with a then record 240 home runs. In , the sports scene in New York changed when the National League expanded to include a new team, the New York Mets of nearby Flushing, Queens. The Mets would lose a record 120 games while the Yankees would win the 1962 World Series, their tenth in the past sixteen years, defeating the San Francisco Giants in seven games.
The Yankees would reach the 1963 Fall Classic, but only to be swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers. After the season, Berra, who had just retired from playing, took over managerial duties. The aging Yankees returned the next year for a fifth straight world series, but were felled in seven games by the St. Louis Cardinals. It would be the last appearance for the Yanks in the World Series for over ten years.
New ownership and a steep decline: the CBS Era (1964-1972)
After the season, CBS purchased 80% of the Yankees from Topping and Webb for $11.2 million. With the new ownership, the team would begin to decline. In fact, the Yankees finished in the second division for the first time in 40 years in . This was made worse by the introduction of the major league amateur draft that year, which meant that the Yankees could no longer sign any player they wanted. Webb sold his 10 percent stake to CBS before the year was out.In , the Yankees finished last in the AL for the first time since . After they finished next-to-last in the season, the team's fortunes improved somewhat, but they would not become serious contenders again until . Various reasons have been given for the decline, but the single biggest one was the Yankees' inability to replace their aging superstars with new ones, as they had done consistently in the previous five decades. Topping and Webb had owned the Yankees for 20 years, missing the World Series only five times and going 10-5 in the ones they did get to. By contrast, the CBS-owned teams never went to the World Series.
Also during this period the Yankees lost two of their signature broadcasters, the legendary "Voice of the Yankees", Mel Allen, was fired after the 1964 season, supposedly due to cost-cutting measures by long time broadcast sponsor Ballantine Beer. Two years later, Red Barber was let go. Some say this was because of his on-air mention of a paltry showing of 413 fans at then 67,000-seat Yankee Stadium during a game against the White Sox. Sports biographer David J. Halberstam also noted Barber's less-than-happy relationship with Joe Garagiola and even Phil Rizzuto, ex-major leaguers with whom he shared the booth.
Steinbrenner, Martin, Jackson, and Munson: the Bronx Zoo Era (1973-1981)
A group of investors, led by Cleveland-based shipbuilder George Steinbrenner, purchased the club from CBS on January 3, 1973 for $8.7 million. Mike Burke stayed on as president until he quit in April. Within a year, Steinbrenner bought out most of his other partners and became the team's principal owner, although Burke continued to hold a minority share into the 1980s.One of Steinbrenner's major goals was to repair the Stadium, which had greatly deteriorated (along with the surrounding area) by the late 60's. CBS had suggested rennovations, but the team would have to play elsewhere, and the Mets refused to open their home, Shea Stadium, to the Yankees. A new stadium in the Meadowlands, across town in New Jersey was also suggested. Finally, in mid-, Mayor John Lindsay stepped in. The city bought the Stadium, and began an extensive two-year rennovation period. Since the city also owned Shea, the Mets had to begrudgingly allow the Yankees to play the two seasons out there. The rennovations modernized the look of the stadium and reconfigured some of the seating.
After the season, Steinbrenner made a move that started the modern era of free agency, signing star pitcher James Augustus "Catfish" Hunter away from Oakland. Midway through the 1975 season, the Boss made another move, hiring former second baseman Billy Martin as manager. With Martin as the helm, the Yankees reached the 1976 World Series, but were swept by the Cincinnati Reds, the famed Big Red Machine.
Steinbrenner then signed star Oakland outfielder Reggie Jackson for a then record $600,000 away from his new home with the Baltimore Orioles. Jackson made a controversial comment during spring training, saying that he was "the straw that stirs the drink", and that catcher and Yankee captain Thurman Munson thought he was "the straw", but could only "stir it bad". Jackson already had bad blood with Billy Martin, who had managed the Detroit Tigers and met Jackson in the 1972 postseason. Jackson, Martin, and Steinbrenner would repeatedly feud throughout Jackson's five-year contract. Martin was hired and fired by Steinbrenner five times over the next 13 years. This conflict, combined with the extremely rowdy Yankees fans of the late 1970s and the bad conditions of the Bronx, led to the organization and stadium being referred to as the "Bronx Zoo". Despite the turmoil, Jackson proved his worth in the 1977 World Series. He hit four home runs on four consecutive pitches from four different Dodgers' pitchers, three of them in the same game. Jackson's great performance in the postseason gained him the nickname "Mr. October".
Throughout the late 1970s, the race for the pennant often came to a close competition between the Yankees and the Red Sox. In the 1950s and early 1960s, the Yankees had been dominant while the Red Sox hadn't been a factor. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Yankees had been in last place while the Red Sox took charge. This was one of the first times that the two were contending and locked in a close fight, and every game between the two suddenly became important. The Yankees-Red Sox rivalry was at its helm, and was often bitter and ruthless, with brawls frequently erupting between players and fans.
On July 14, 1978, the Yankees were 14.5 games behind the Red Sox. Suddenly, the team went on a winning streak, and by the time they met up for a pivotal four-game series at Fenway Park in early September, they were only four games out. The Yankees would sweep the Red Sox in what would become known as the "Boston Massacre", winning the games 15-3, 13-2, 7-0, and 7-4. The third game was a shutout pitched by "Louisiana Lightning" Ron Guidry, who would lead the majors with nine shutouts, 25 wins (only three losses), and a 1.74 ERA. Guidry also finished with 248 strikeouts, but Nolan Ryan's 260 strikeouts deprived Guidry of the pitching Triple Crown.
On the last day of the season, the two clubs finished in a tie for first place in the AL East. A one-game playoff (the 163rd game of the regular season) between the two teams was held to decide who would go on to the playoffs, with the game being held at Boston's Fenway Park. With Guidry matched up against former Yankee Mike Torrez, the Red Sox took an early 2-0 lead. In the seventh inning, the Yankees drove a stake through the hearts of their rivals' fans when Bucky Dent drove a three-run home run over the "Green Monster", putting the Yankees up 3-2. Reggie Jackson's solo home run in the following inning would seal the eventual 5-4 win that gave the Yankees their 100th win of the season and their third straight AL East title; it also gave Guidry his 25th win. (The outcome of this game, for Red Sox fans, was one of several emotional moments in their team's history that had their fans wondering if the Red Sox were under some kind of Yankee curse.)
After beating the Kansas City Royals for the third consecutive year in the 1978 ALCS, the Yankees faced the Dodgers again in the World Series. They lost the first two games on the West Coast, but then came home to win all three games at Yankee Stadium. The team then would wrap up their 22nd World Championship in Game Six back in Los Angeles.
The 1970s would end on a tragic note for the Yankees. Munson, a devoted family man, attained a pilot's license and a private plane so that he could fly home on off days. On August 2, 1979, Munson was doing some test flights of his plane and crashed, dying from his wounds. Four days later, the entire team flew out to Canton, Ohio for the funeral, despite having a game later that day against the Orioles. Martin adamantly stated that the funeral was more important, and that he didn't care if they made it back in time, but they did return in time to play. It was a nationally televised game, and the emotional contest was highlighted by Bobby Murcer, a close friend of Munson's who was one the Yankees to give a eulogy that morning at the funeral. He used Munson's bat (which he gave to his fallen friend's wife after the game), and drove in all five of the team's runs in a dramatic 5-4 victory.
Before the game, Munson's locker sat there empty except for his catching gear, a stoic reminder for his teammates. His locker, labeled with his number 15, stands empty in the Yankee clubhouse to this day as a memorial. The number 15 has also been retired by the team.
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Don Mattingly, First baseman, captain, and face of the Yankees during the 80s and early 90s.
Fallen Glory: the Mattingly Era (1982-1995)
Following the team's loss to the Dodgers in the 1981 World Series, the Yankees would go into their longest absence from the playoffs since 1921.The Yankees of the 1980s, led by their All-Star first baseman Don Mattingly, had the most total wins of any major league team but failed to win a World Series (the first such team since the 1910s). They consistently had powerful offensive teams: Mattingly at various times was teammate to Dave Winfield, Rickey Henderson, Mike Pagliarulo, Steve Sax and Jesse Barfield, but the starting pitching rarely matched the team's performance at the plate. After posting a 22-6 record in , arm problems caught up with Ron Guidry, and his career went into a steep decline in the next three years. Dennis Rasmussen, who won 18 games in , could never match the feat. Rick Rhoden, acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates in , won 16 games that year but went only 14-14 in .
The team came close to winning the AL East in 1985 and 1986, finishing second to the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox respectively, but fell to fourth place in 1987 and fifth in 1988, despite having mid-season leads in the AL East standings both years.
By the end of the decade, the Yankees' offense was also on the decline. Henderson and Pagliarulo had departed by the middle of , while back problems caught up with both Winfield (who missed the entire '89 season) and Mattingly (who missed almost the entire second half of ). Winfield's tenure with the team ended when he was dealt to the California Angels in May 1990 for Mike Witt. From 1989 to 1992, the team had a losing record, having spent large amounts of money on free-agent players and draft picks that did not meet up to expectations. In 1990, the Yankees had the worst record in Major League Baseball, and their first last-place finish since 1966.
On July 1, , pitcher Andy Hawkins became the first Yankee ever to lose a no-hitter. Third baseman Mike Blowers committed an error, followed by two walks and an error by the left fielder Jim Leyritz with the bases loaded, scoring all three runners and the batter. The 4-0 loss to the Chicago White Sox was the largest margin of any no-hitter loss in the 20th century. Ironically, the Yankees (and Hawkins) were again no-hit for six innings in a rain-shortened game against the White Sox eleven days later.
The poor showing in the 1980s and 1990s would soon start to change as Steinbrenner hired Howard Spira to uncover damaging information on Winfield, and was suspended from day-to-day team operations by then-Commissioner Fay Vincent when the plot was revealed. This allowed management to implement a coherent acquisition/development program without interference. General managers Gene Michael and Bob Watson, along with manager Buck Showalter, shifted the club's emphasis from buying talent to developing talent through the farm system, and then holding on to it. This new system brought up key players such as Bernie Williams, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettite and Mariano Rivera, who would have been traded away early for big-name talent with Steinbrenner in charge.[3] The first significant success came in , when the Yankees had the best record in the AL. However, the season was cut short by the 1994 baseball strike, and there were no playoffs. A year later, they made it to the playoffs in the new wild card slot, and were eliminated only after a memorable 1995 American League Division Series against the Seattle Mariners where the Yankees won the first two games at home and dropped the next three in Seattle.
Mattingly, suffering greatly from his back injury, retired after the 1995 season. He had the unfortunate distinction of beginning and ending his career on years bracketed by Yankee World Series appearances (1981 and 1996).
A new dynasty: the Torre and Jeter Era (1996-2003)
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The cover of Newsday, showing closer John Wetteland jumping into the arms of catcher Jim Leyritz after the final out of the 1996 World Series.
The Yankees not only made it to the playoffs, but they went 8-0 on the road. Following a win in the ALCS against the Baltimore Orioles (which included a famous instance of fan interference by young Jeffrey Maier, which was called a home run for the Yankees), the team went to the World Series against the Atlanta Braves. Despite losing the first two games at home by a combined score of 16-1, they won in six games and ended the team's 18-year championship drought. Homegrown shortstop Derek Jeter was named Rookie of the Year, an auspicious start to his career with the Yankees. After their first World Series win since 1978, the Yankees signed lefties David Wells and Mike Stanton to improve the pitching staff. They also allowed closer (and Series MVP) John Wetteland to leave as a free agent. The empty spot was filled with Wetteland's setup man, Mariano Rivera.
In , the team made it to the playoffs again, but lost in the 1997 ALDS to the Cleveland Indians. Watson was fired as GM, and was replaced by Brian Cashman, a former Yankee intern. Cashman made many key acquisitions to improve the team, including third baseman Scott Brosius, second baseman and leadoff man Chuck Knoblauch, outfielder Darryl Strawberry and starting pitcher Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez.
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An iconic image of Joe Torre as he is carried off the field after the Yankees won the 2000 World Series. Bernie Williams is visible in the bottom left corner.
A little over a year later, on July 18, , which was "Yogi Berra Day" at the Stadium, David Cone pitched a perfect game against the Montréal Expos. Coincidentally, Don Larsen, who pitched the perfect game in the 1956 World Series, was in attendance and had thrown out the ceremonial first pitch to Berra, his catcher for that storied game. Another interesting coincidence is that Larsen and Wells both attended Point Loma High School in San Diego, California.
After winning the Eastern division that year, and defeating the Texas Rangers for the third time in the ALDS, the Yankees met up with their longtime rivals, the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS, the first meeting of the two in a true post-season series. Clemens, a former Red Sox star pitcher, pitched in the third game against new pitching star Pedro Martinez, who was the year's winner of the Cy Young Award and pitching triple crown. The greatly hyped matchup was billed "Cy Young vs Cy Old" by Red Sox fans. The Sox would blast Clemens 13-1, but it was the only win they had, as they lost the series in five. the Yankees would go on to win the 1999 World Series, Clemens winning the clinching fourth game in the Bronx. This gave the 1998-1999 Yankees a 22-3 record (including four series sweeps) in six consecutive post-season series.
In , the Yankees battled through the post-season, winning the ALDS against the A's after the full five games, and beating the Mariners in the sixth game of the ALCS. This led to a much anticipated meeting with the crosstown rivals and National League Champions, the New York Mets, in the first Subway Series championship since 1956. The Yankees won the first two, but a Mets win in the third game snapped their streak of World Series wins at 14 (from 1996-2000). This beat the club's previous record of 12 (in 1927, 1928, and 1932). A run scored by the Mets off of Mariano snapped his string of 34⅓ consecutive scoreless innings in the playoffs, which broke Whitey Ford's streak, a record he took from Ruth. The team would go on to win the fourth game and then, in the fifth game, Mets star catcher Mike Piazza would hit a long fly ball to deep center in the bottom of the ninth, which would just miss leaving Shea, instead landing in Bernie Williams's glove and completing the Yankees' threepeat. During this feat, the total post-season record was 33-8. The Yankees are the most recent major league team to repeat as World Series champions and after the 2000 season they joined the Yankee teams of 1936-1939 and 1949-1953, as well as the 1972-1974 Oakland Athletics as the only teams to win at least three consecutive World Series.
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President Bush tosses out the ceremonial first pitch before a 2-1 Yankee victory in Game 3 of the 2001 World Series.
After the 2001 season, the Yankees lost 4 key members of their championship teams, Paul O'Neill, Scott Brosius, Tino Martinez and Chuck Knoblauch. But the Yankees still finished the 2002 season with an AL best record of 103-58, winning the division by 10.5 games over the Red Sox. The season was highlighted by Alfonso Soriano becoming the first second baseman ever to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in a season, as well as newly acquired first baseman Jason Giambi's 41 home runs. In the ALDS, the Yankees lost to the Anaheim Angels in four games.
In 2003, the Yankees once again had the best league record (101-61), highlighted by Roger Clemens winning his 300th game and reaching 4000 strikeouts, joining Nolan Ryan and Steve Carlton as the only pitchers with more then 4000 strikeouts. They easily defeated the Minnesota Twins in the ALDS, three games to one. In the ALCS, they defeated their rival Boston Red Sox in a dramatic seven game series, which featured a bench-clearing brawl in Game Three and a series-ending walk-off home run by Aaron Boone in the bottom of the 11th inning of game seven. In the 2003 World Series the Yankees were heavily favored against the surprising wild-card winning Florida Marlins. However, the series would turn out to be very similar to the 2001 series against Arizona, as Marlins' pitching shut down the Yankees offense and took the series in six games.
Falling short: the A-Rod Era (2004-2007)
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Alex Rodriguez, 2005 season American League MVP
In 2005 the Yankees spent most of the season chasing the Red Sox for the division title, but finally clinched the division in the second-to-last game of the season against the Red Sox. Alex Rodriguez won the American League MVP award, becoming the first Yankee to win the award since Don Mattingly in 1985. Giambi was named Comeback Player of the Year, as voted by fans. Another highlight of the season was the record-setting pitching by journeyman Aaron Small, who became just the fourth pitcher in history to win at least ten games without a loss. In the ALDS, the Angels defeated the Yankees in five games in the first round of the postseason, marking the second time in four years that the Angels beat the Yankees in the first round.
In the 2005-06 offseason, general manager Brian Cashman was given more control of the direction of the Yankees, and in December 2005, the Yankees signed center fielder Johnny Damon from the archrival Red Sox.
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An in-game meeting on the mound featuring, from left to right, Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano, Alex Rodriguez, Jason Giambi, Randy Johnson, Jorge Posada, and Joe Torre.
The Yankees again chased the Red Sox through the first four months of 2006, but on August 18 the Yankees entered Fenway Park for a five game series with a 1.5 game lead. The series opened up with a doubleheader that the Yankees swept 12-4 and 14-11, echoing the Boston Massacre of 1978, and prompting the Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy to dub the doubleheader sweep the "Son of Massacre". The Yankees went on to sweep all five games (calling the series the "Second Boston Massacre"). They outscored the Red Sox by a combined score of 49-26, and left them 6.5 games out of first place.[4] The Red Sox would eventually end the season in third place in the AL East behind the Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays, making it the first time since 1998 that the Red Sox did not finish in second place behind the Yanks.
The division win was the ninth consecutive AL East title for the Yankees. When the New York Mets won their division (snapping the Atlanta Braves' eleven-year stranglehold on the NL East), it marked the first time ever that both New York teams won their respective divisions in the same year. Their 97-65 record tied the Mets for the best record of the year, giving New Yorkers hopes for another Subway Series. However, the Yankees lost to the Detroit Tigers in four games in the ALDS, while the Mets lost the NLCS to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games.
On October 11 2006, days after the ALDS was over, tragedy struck when pitcher Cory Lidle died in a plane crash into a highrise apartment building in Manhattan. Lidle was the second active Yankee to be killed in a crash of his own private plane, following Thurman Munson's death in 1979.
During the 2006-2007 off-season, the Yankees traded away Gary Sheffield and Randy Johnson, did not re-sign longtime outfielder Bernie Williams, [5] and signed former Yankee Andy Pettitte.
The start of the 2007 season was highlighted by Alex Rodriguez setting or tying AL and/or MLB records for most home runs in his team's first 14 games,[6] 15 games,[7] and 18 games, finally setting the AL record and tying Albert Pujols for the MLB record for most home runs, 14, in the month of April.[8] But pitching problems hurt early on, "highlighted" by the Yankees using five or more pitchers in 10 consecutive games to end the month of April, the longest such streak in the majors in the past 50 years.[9] On May 7, the Yankees set another undesirable pitching record by being the first team in MLB history to use 10 different starting pitchers in its first 30 games,[10] and ultimately the Yankees set an AL record by making over 500 pitching changes during the season.[11] The pitching problems led to the signing of Roger Clemens for close to $18 million for the last 4 months of the season. On May 29, the Yankees were 14.5 games behind the Boston Red Sox in the American League East, and were also 8.5 games out of the wild card spot.
On June 18, 2007 the Yankees broke new ground by bringing the first two professional baseball players from the People's Republic of China to the MLB, [12] and also became the first team in MLB history to sign an advertising deal with a Chinese company. [13]
Although failing to be above .500 going into the All-Star break for the first time since 1995, the Yankees were the hottest team in the majors the second half of the year, and on September 26 they clinched a Wild Card spot in the ALDS. However, although they cut the lead to 1.5 games in late September, they were unable to catch the Red Sox for the AL East title, breaking their streak of nine straight AL East division titles. Highlights of the season included Alex Rodriguez hitting his 500th home run at Yankee Stadium, being the first player to hit his 500th at Yankee Stadium since Mickey Mantle and youngest player to have ever reached that mark. Also, Derek Jeter hit for his 6th consecutive 200-hit season, a feat matched in Yankee history only by Lou Gehrig.
In the 2007 ALDS against the Cleveland Indians, the Yankees lost Game 1 as the Indians pounded 19-game winner Chien-Ming Wang. In Game 2, Andy Pettitte dominated the Indians, until the 8th inning when Joba Chamberlain was bothered by an infestation of mayflies and lost the lead, and the Yankees eventually lost the game in extra innings.
After Game 2, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was interviewed by the Bergen Record and said that if the Yankees lost the series, manager Joe Torre would likely be fired. In Game 3 the Yankees rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win. However, in Game 4 the Indians won the series by defeating the Yankees, 6-4, with Wang again pitching poorly.
The end of an era (2008)
Because of Steinbrenner's comments, the beginning of the off-season was a time of uncertainty. The higherups in the organization met in the team's compound in Tampa, Florida, but after two days came to no decision.[14] On the third day, October 18 2007, Torre recieved a call from Brian Cashman offering the deal that the organization had come to, which cut his pay by $2 million, and offered one million for every round of the playoffs he made. Torre found the deal to be insulting, especially the idea that incentives were needed to inspire Torre to win, and rejected it, ending his tenure as manager of the Yankees.[15]This came amidst speculation that Steinbrenner, who had relaxed his control over the organization, was deteriorating mentally and physically. This began in September of 2007, whena journalist published an unflattering article that described a meeting with a very weakened Steinbrenner.[16] Soon after the postseason ended for the Yankees, the New York Post announced that he had stepped down, and left his sons Hank and Hal in charge.[17] Hank told the Post, "I'll pay more attention to the baseball part. The stadium, that's more Hal. But basically everything will be decided jointly." According to these reports, Steinbrenner will take on more a figurehead roll.
The 2008 season will be the last season played at historic Yankee Stadium, after which the team will more to the New Yankee Stadium across the street. Because of this, MLB commissioner Bud Selig announced that the 2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game will be played at Yankee Stadium.
The New Yankee Stadium
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An artist rendering of the New Yankee Stadium
The stadium will feature an exterior facade which will replicate that of the original Yankee Stadium. The interior of the stadium will be a separate structure, rising above the top of the exterior. From the outside the structures will look similar to the original stadium. A "great hall" between the exterior wall and the interior structure will feature five to six times more retail square footage than the current stadium. The signature frieze, the lattice work that once rimmed the original stadium's roof and now tops the scoreboards and advertisements beyond the bleachers, will adorn the new stadium's roof in the original copper.
Distinctions
- See also: New York Yankees season records
As of the 2007 All-Star break, the Yankees have an all-time regular season winning percentage of .563 (a 9331-7137 record). [20]
Logo, uniform, and dress code
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| Team logo 1903-1904 | Team logo 1905 | Team logo 1913-1935 Cap insignia 1913-pres. | Team logo 1936-pres. |
){kind=small} | ) | ) | |
| Jersey name 1973-pres. | Print insignia 1913-pres. | Print name 1950-pres. | 2008 All Star Game Logo |
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Team logos and insignias
As the Baltimore Orioles, the original team logo was a plain orange O. For the second and final year in Baltimore, the team's logo was a blue block letter B.Throughout much of their tenure as the Highlanders, the logo was variations of a stylized N and Y, which lay separately on either side of the jersey's breast. In 1905, the two locked for one season, but not in the way used today. It wasn't until 1909 that the team changed to the familiar interlocking NY that would be the team logo long after the team became known as the Yankees, and would continue to be the cap insignia until today. In 1936, the current team logo was adopted, which consists of "Yankees" in red script with a red bat forming the vertical line of the K, an Uncle Sam hat hanging from the barrel. For years, the brim of the hat was a light blue, but it has been since changed to white. This is all inside the circle of a baseball, which the ends of the script blend into.
The interlocking NY has varied greatly, and there are currently three major versions in use. There is the cap insignia, in which the N and Y are of about the same size and unadorned. The logo on the breast of the home jersey appeared there in 1912, and, after disappearing in 1917, returned for good in 1936, although there have been many small but apparent changes through the years. The Y is larger, the letters more blocky, and the curves more exaggerated. The third is the print logo, which is used extensively in marketing and is painted behind home plate at the Stadium. The N is larger and more curved, and the letters have large serifs at the end.
While not exactly a logo, the block letter "NEW YORK" that appears on the gray road uniform has become emblematic. There is also a print version of the full name, which is of a more fanciful script than the name appears in the team logo.
Personal appearance
Under George Steinbrenner, long hair and facial hair below the lip are prohibited.[21] Players who do not fit these criteria must shave the excess hair being with the team. In the past, visible tattoos were also prohibited and players wore navy blue arm bands to cover them.Design and appearance of uniform
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Yankees home uniform [1]
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Yankees road uniform [2]
The team colors are navy blue and white. The home uniform is white with distinctive pinstripes and a navy blue interlocking "NY" at the chest. The away uniform is gray with "New York" written in all capitals across the chest. The player number is on the back of the uniform jersey, and is not accompanied by the player name. A navy blue cap with a white interlocking "NY" logo is worn with both uniforms.
In 1929, the New York Yankees became the first team to make numbers a permanent part of the uniform. Numbers were handed out based on the order in the lineup. In 1929, Earle Combs wore #1, Mark Koenig #2, Babe Ruth #3, Lou Gehrig #4, Bob Meusel #5, Tony Lazzeri #6, Leo Durocher #7, Johnny Grabowski #8, Benny Bengough #9, and Bill Dickey #10. The team has never issued #0 or #00.[22] When other teams began putting names on the backs of jerseys in the 1960's, the Yankees did not follow suit. Many companies create Yankee jerseys and other apparel with the player name above the number on the back for fans to purchase, but no official Yankee uniform has ever had a name on the back. The team is also one of the few in Major League Baseball to shun the trend of creating a third "alternate" jersey (the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals being the only other teams to have never had an alternate jersey).
The home uniform has been the same (apart from minor changes) since --longer than any current uniform design in baseball history.
Although the Yankees have worn the same road uniform since 1918 (with the exception of 1927 to 1930, when the arched "NEW YORK" was replaced by the word "YANKEES"), a radical change was proposed in 1974. Marty Appel, in his book Now Pitching for the Yankees describes the proposed uniforms:[23]
| In 1974 I walked into (then-General Manager) Gabe Paul's office to find samples of new Yankee road uniforms draped across his sofa. They were the opposite of the home pinstripes — they were navy blue with white pinstripes. The NY logo was in white. Gabe liked them. I nearly fainted. Although the drab gray road uniforms were not exciting, with the plain NEW YORK across the chest, they were just as much the Yankees' look as were the home uniforms. I think my dramatic disdain helped saved (sic) the day and saved the Yankees from wearing those awful pajamas on the field. |
Popularity
Fan support
With the recurring success of the franchise since the 1920s and its rejuvenated dynasty, the Yankees have been and continue to be one of the most popular sports teams in the world. The Yankees typically bring an upsurge in attendance at all or most of their various road-trip venues, drawing crowds of their own fans, as well as home-town fans whose interest is heightened when the Yankees come to town.)
Freddy holding one of his signs near the bleachers entrance before a game between the Yankees and Texas Rangers.
The first one-million fan season was in 1920, when 1,289,422 fans attended Yankee games at the Polo Grounds. The first two-million fan season was in 1946, when 2,265,512 fans attended games at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees have beaten the league average for home attendance 83 out of the last 87 years (only during 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1994 did they not accomplish this). In the past seven years, in the dawn of their new dynasty, the Yankees have drawn over three million fans each year, with an American League record-setting 4,090,696 in 2005, becoming only the third franchise in sports history to draw over four million in regular season attendance in their own ballpark.[24] The Yankees were also the league leaders in "road attendance" in each year from 2001 through 2006.[25]
Many fans who attend games at Yankee Stadium would also be familiar with famous fan Fred Schuman, popularly known simply as "Freddy". For over 50 years this fan has come to Yankees' home games with a baseball cap, a Yankees' jersey (which on the back bears his own name) and a cake pan with a shamrock painted on it which is connected to a sign inscribed with words of encouragement for the home team. The sign changes every game (but always features the prefix "Freddy Sez") and Freddy carries a metal spoon with him encouraging fans to bang the pan for good luck as he walks through the crowd throughout the game. Whether or not Freddy is employed by the Yankees' organization is not definitely known, although it is assumed that such must be the case in order for him to afford to attend so many games throughout the season.
The term Bronx Cheer can be traced back to the fans of the franchise.
To avoid unwanted publicity, Yankees members use aliases when registering for hotels. The Village Voice published a list of aliases used by Yankees members, and the contents were repeated on The Smoking Gun [3] [4].
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A shirt worn by a number of Bleacher Creatures
The Bleacher Creatures
Celebrity fans
The Yankees also have many celebrity fans. Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani is commonly seen at games and flashed on the video screen. Actor/Director Billy Crystal is also frequently seen at games; he directed the 2001 film 61*, which highlighted Roger Maris' chase of Babe Ruth's single-season home run record in 1961. Actor Adam Sandler has flaunted his Yankee loyalty in several of his movies, most notably in Anger Management in which several scenes were actually shot at Yankee Stadium and which included acting roles for Roger Clemens and Derek Jeter. Other famous celebrity fans include actor Jack Nicholson,[27] business mogul Donald Trump,[28] director Spike Lee, basketball star Lebron James[29], NFL quarterback Tom Brady, actor Denzel Washington, actress Penny Marshall, comedian Artie Lange, actress Sarah Jessica Parker,[30] rock singer Meat Loaf,.[31] and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Henry Kissinger.The Yankees' hat is often seen in public worn by rappers to show an identity with New York City. Artists spotted with this look include Nas, Fat Joe, 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z, P-Diddy, Daddy Yankee, Héctor El Father, Ja Rule, and Jadakiss.[32] The popularity of the Yankees' hat has also grown to include color patterns not actually used by the Yankees. This is probably most notable in rock band Limp Bizkit's video for the song "", in which lead singer Fred Durst wore a red Yankees hat.
Chris Drury of the New York Rangers is a fan of the Yankees and wears number 23 to honor his childhood hero Don Mattingly.
Critics
With the long-term success of the franchise and a large Yankee fanbase, other teams' fans across the nation have come to hate the Yankees. The organization is sometimes referred to by detractors as "the Bronx Zoo" (echoing the title of Sparky Lyle's book) or "the Evil Empire" (parodying Ronald Reagan's characterizaton of the former Soviet Union), although both names have been defiantly embraced by some fans of the team. Hatred of the Yankees is most apparent among New England fans of the Boston Red Sox, but extends to other places. It has become a tradition at many road games for the home crowd to chant "Yankees Suck!" During 2002, shirts with this phrase were sold during a Yankees-Mariners series in Seattle, which is 2,500 miles (0 km) away from New York.[33] In recent years, the chant is even heard in New York itself, at home games of the Yankees' cross-town rivals, the New York Mets.In addition to Red Sox fans, the "Yankees Suck" chant has been used by Toronto Blue Jays fans in Toronto,[34] Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim fans in Orange County, California,[35] and, at least for one playoff game, Detroit Tigers fans in Detroit-Windsor area.[36] Los Angeles Dodgers fans also chanted the phrase during an interleague series in June 2004, and in Game 1 of the 2007 ALDS against the Cleveland Indians, fans at Jacobs Field shouted the phrase.
Some fans will now chant "Yankees Suck" against a team other than the Yankees and during events unrelated to baseball, a notable example being a "Yankees Suck" chant started by linebacker Larry Izzo during the 2002 New England Patriots' Super Bowl victory parade. This phenomenon was parodied by a blurb in The Onion, which said that "the chant also occurred at a Dave Matthews concert and a Noam Chomsky lecture at MIT".[37] Ironically, The Onion's parody came true on July 7-8, 2006, at the Dave Matthews Band concert held at Fenway Park.
The phrase "Yankees Suck" has been extensively merchandised by street vendors and web sites in the form of blue and white T-shirts, bumper stickers and flags. Variations of the phrase have also been created specifically for certain players like Derek Jeter ("Jeter Swallows"). Trying to create a more family-friendly atmosphere, any merchandise bearing "Yankees Suck" (or a similar message) has been banned by Fenway officials.[38] Those wearing offending t-shirts are frequently threatened with ejection and possible arrest if they refuse to turn the offending shirt inside-out. Additionally, chanting or shouting "Yankees Suck" at Fenway Park can also warrant ejection and/or arrest. In 2002, the merchandise sparked legal and civil rights debates when fans were barred from wearing "Yankees Suck" t-shirts at Safeco Field in Seattle.[39][40] In Yankee Stadium, the "Yankees Suck" t-shirts were banned in the stadium for some Mets or Red Sox fans who were wearing them.
The exact origin of the chant is hard to pin down. In a 1993 Boston Globe article, Nick Cafardo said it had been "revived" and referred to it as "the chant that had been missing here for so long".[41]
Much of the animosity toward the team may derive from its high payroll (which was around $194 million at the start of the 2006 season, the highest of any American sports team),[42] and the free agent superstars the team attracts in the offseason. Other reasons for anti-Yankee feelings go as far back as the 1950s, with aging diehard Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants fans, some still in New York, some transplanted elsewhere, still feeling the pain of the years that the Yankees repeatedly defeated their teams.[43] Famed Chicago Tribune columnist Mike Royko summed it up when he said, "Hating the Yankees is as American as pizza pie, unwed mothers, and cheating on your income tax."[44]
Fight and theme songs
The official fight song for the Yankees is "Here Come the Yankees", written in 1967 by Bob Bundin and Lou Stallman. While it is not used as often, it is still heard frequently in instrumental form, most prominently in radio broadcasts. Another song strongly linked to the team is "New York, New York", which is played in the stadium after home games. The Frank Sinatra cover version is traditionally played after victories, and the Liza Minnelli original version after losses. When the Yankees take the field before the start of every game, 2 Unlimited's "Get Ready For This" is played with the fans usually clapping along. When the Yankees score a run at home, the opening bell to the song The Workaholic is played.A wide selection of songs are played at the stadium, many of them live on the Stadium's Hammond organ. God Bless America has been played during the 7th inning stretch since September 11. The version mostly played during the season is by Kate Smith but on occasion, it is sung by Dr. Ronan Tynan on the days of major games, complete with long lyrical intro. This practice is criticized by some, as it stretches the break between the innings and throws off the rhythm of the opposing pitcher. During the 5th, the grounds-crew, while performing their duties, dances to "Y.M.C.A.". "Cotton-Eyed Joe" once played during the 7th inning stretch, but was pushed back to the 8th in favor of "God Bless America". On the DiamondVision screen, a man in farmer's garb is shown dancing in the stadium's control room, with the words "Cotton-Eyed Joey" at the bottom. The organist will sometimes play the "Zorba the Greek Theme", accompanied by clapping from the audience, to excite the crowd and encourage a rally.
Some players have their own songs which are played in celebration of their accomplishments, or to introduce them. Examples include Bernie Williams, whose actions were often accompanied by the lines "Burn (Bern) baby burn (Bern)" from "Disco Inferno", and Mariano Rivera, who gets a great ovation from the fans when he comes out from the bullpen to Metallica's "Enter Sandman". Occasionally, Hideki Matsui will come out to Blue Öyster Cult's "Godzilla", in reference to his nickname. Many times, when former Yankee left-handed pitcher Mike Myers was sent in as a relieving pitcher, the theme song from the movie Halloween is played, in reference to the main villain of the movie who bears the same name.
During the 1993 season, "We're Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister was played after every win, before "New York, New York". Ace Frehley's, "New York Groove" was used many times during the '70s as well as during some more recent playoff games. When the Yankees are either tied or behind in the late innings (usually the 8th innning), "Going the Distance" from the Rocky II soundtrack is played while a mix of the Rocky II training scene and Yankee highlights are shown on the DiamondVision screen.
Radio and television
The Yankees Entertainment and Sports (YES) Network launched in 2002, and serves as the home of the New York Yankees during the baseball season, and the New Jersey Nets during the basketball season. It is the only regional sports network in New York City that shows a major professional sport year round, in contrast to other networks such as MSG Network, SportsNet New York, and FSN New York that only show professional sports during a certain season. It also offers original programming such as Yankeeography, CenterStage, and the re-airing of older games under the name Yankees Classics. They also simulcast the popular New York radio show Mike and the Mad Dog as it airs on WFAN. YES also airs programming for the New York Giants.
News reports have appeared (Sporting News, New York Times) that the owners, Goldman Sachs, have considered selling the network. On August 2, 2007, the team has denied that the network nor the team is up for sale.
YES Network is also the primary home for the team's games on television. Michael Kay is the play-by-play announcer and Ken Singleton, Paul O'Neill, Bobby Murcer, Al Leiter, Joe Girardi and John Flaherty work as commentators as part of a three-man booth. Bob Lorenz hosts the pre-game show and the post-game show, with David Justice as the analyst and Kimberly Jones and Nancy Newman as the reporters. Some games are telecast on WWOR-TV; those broadcasts are also produced by YES.
Radio broadcasts are on the Yankees Radio Network anchored by WCBS 880AM, with John Sterling as the play-by-play announcer and Suzyn Waldman providing the commentary.
Legendary past voices
- Mel Allen was the team's lead announcer from 1948 to 1964. Allen is still widely known as the "voice of the Yankees."
- Red Barber also called Yankees games for a few seasons.
- Frank Messer, Phil Rizzuto and Bill White teamed together in the 1970s and 80s. Rizzuto spent nearly 40 years in the broadcast booth, and White later became president of the National League.
Retired numbers
The Yankees have retired 15 numbers, the most in Major League Baseball.[45]) Billy Martin 2B, M Retired 1986 | ) Babe Ruth RF Retired 1948 | ) Lou Gehrig 1B Retired 1939 | ) Joe DiMaggio CF Retired 1952 | ) Mickey Mantle CF Retired 1969 | ) Bill Dickey C Retired 1972 |
Yogi Berra C, M Retired 1972 | ) Roger Maris RF Retired 1984 | ) Phil Rizzuto SS Retired 1985 | ) Thurman Munson C Retired 1979 | ) Whitey Ford SP Retired 1974 | ) Don Mattingly 1B Retired 1997 |
) Elston Howard C Retired 1984 | ) Casey Stengel M Retired 1970 | ) Reggie Jackson RF Retired 1993 | ) Ron Guidry SP Retired 2003 | ) Jackie Robinson - Honored 2007 | ) align="center" bgcolor="lightgrey" |
The retired numbers are displayed behind Yankee Stadium's left field fence and in front of the opposing team's bullpen, forming a little alley that connects Monument Park to the left field stands. The 15 numbers are placed on the wall in chronological order, beginning with Lou Gehrig's number 4. This was retired soon after Gehrig left baseball on July 4, 1939, the same day he gave his famous goodbye speech. His was the first number retired in Major League Baseball history. Beneath the numbers are plaques with the names of the players and a descriptive paragraph.
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The first four in the row of retired numbers
The number 42 was retired throughout Major League Baseball in honor of Jackie Robinson on April 15, 1997 (50 years after Robinson broke the color barrier). Mariano Rivera, current closer for the Yankees, still wears the number due to a grandfather clause and is the last remaining player to do so. While other teams placed the number 42 with the rest of their retired numbers, the Yankees did not do so. For some, this evoked memories of the length of time it took before the Yankees played a black player. It wasn't until 10 years later, on April 17, 2007, that the Yankees put up his number and a corresponding plaque.[46] This coincided with the celebration of Jackie Robinson Day, which was held two days prior while the Yankees were away in Oakland. Although they have not been officially retired, the Yankees have not reissued number 21 and 51 since Paul O'Neill and Bernie Williams have stopped playing.
In 1972, the number 8 was retired twice on the same day, in honor of catcher Bill Dickey and his protege, catcher Yogi Berra. Berra inherited Dickey's number in 1948 after Dickey ended his playing career and became a coach. As the Yankees do not issue #0, the only two single-digit numbers that are still in use are number 2 and number 6. Presently, Team Captain Derek Jeter wears the number 2 and former Manager Joe Torre wore number 6 and both are likely to be retired in their names. If this happens, the team would become the first in baseball history to have all of the numbers 1-10 retired.
Team captains
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The last two Yankee captains, Don Mattingly and Derek Jeter.
This came to the fore after the death of captain Lou Gehrig. Then manager Joe McCarthy declared that there would never be another Yankee captain. The team then had a string of players considered on-field leaders if not official captains, such as Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, and Mickey Mantle. After Mantle's retirement, the lack of a unifying figure convinced team owner George Steinbrenner that the team needed an official captain, and Thurman Munson was chosen.
After the retirement of Don Mattingly, no official team captain was named, but Paul O'Neill, a leading figure in the late 90's, took on the role until his retirement in 2001, being referred to by Steinbrenner as ""my warrior".[47] Soon afterward, Derek Jeter became team captain.
| New York Yankees team captains | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official | Unofficial | |||
| Captain # | Date(s) | Name | Date(s) | Name |
| 1 | 1912 | Hal Chase | ? | Roy Hartzell |
| 2 | 1914-1921 | Roger Peckinpaugh | 1903-1905 | Clark Griffith |
| 3 | May 20, 1922 - May 25, 1922 | Babe Ruth | 1906-1907 | Kid Elberfeld* |
| 4 | 1922-1925 | Everett Scott | 1906-1907 | Frank Chance* |
| 5 | April 21, 1935 - June 2, 1941 | Lou Gehrig | 1908-1909 | Willie Keeler |
| 6 | April 17, 1976 - August 2, 1979 | Thurman Munson | 1942-1946 | Bill Dickey |
| 7 | January 29, 1982 - March 30, 1984 | Graig Nettles | 1946-1951 | Joe DiMaggio |
| 8 | March 4, 1986 - October 10, | |||