New York Yankees (1903-Present)

Played As:
Baltimore Orioles 1901-1902
New York Highlanders 1903-1912
New York Yankees 1913-Present

Manager: Joe Torre 1996-
Stadium Yankee Stadium 1923-1973, 1976-

Address:
161st Street and River Avenue
Bronx, NY 10451
Phone: (212) 307-7171

Web:
http://www.yankees.mlb.com

Nickname:
While officially known as Highlanders, local sportswriters often referred to them as the Yankees or Yanks because it was much easier to type, and fit in headlines. The name Yankees comes from the fact they were the American League team, and Americans are often referred to as Yanks by the British and the same thought process was applied. The team decided in 1913 to make Yankees its official nickname.

Logo:
Yankees is written in a red script with a red bat serving as the back of the k, and hanging down. The y and s form a complete circle and give the logo the look of baseball with the added baseball threads. Topping of the logo is an Uncle Sam's hat, which rests on top of the bat.

The Ingterlocking NY:
The Interlocking NY is the most famous insignia in sports. The NY first made its appearance on the Highlanders sleeves, and caps in 1909. Eventually it would find a permanent home of prominence on the front of the Yankees uniform, while still standing proud on the navy blue caps. The interlocking design was actually designed in 1877 by Louis B. Tiffany for NYPD officer John McDowell, the first New York police officer shot in the line of duty. The logo was chosen by one of the Highlanders original owners; Bill Devery was a former police chief.

Team Colors:
Navy, White, and Red.

Nickname History:
Highlanders 1903-1912
Yankees 1913-Present

Managerial History:
Clark Griffith 1903-1908
Kid Elberfeld 1908
George Stallings 1909-1910
Hal Chase 1910-1911
Harry Wolverton 1912
Frank Chance 1913-1914
Roger Peckinpaugh 1914
Bill Donovan 1915-1917
Miller Huggins 1918-1929
Art Fletcher 1929
Bob Shawkey 1930
Joe McCarthy 1931-1946
Bill Dickey 1946
Johnny Neun 1946
Bucky Harris 1947-1948
Casey Stengel 1949-1960
Ralph Houk 1961-1963
Yogi Berra 1964
Johnny Keane 1965-1966
Ralph Houk 1966-1973
Bill Virdon 1974-1975
Billy Martin 1975-1978
Dick Howser 1978
Bob Lemon 1978-1979
Billy Martin 1979
Dick Howser 1980
Gene Michael 1981
Bob Lemon 1981-1982
Gene Michael 1982
Clyde King 1982
Billy Martin 1983
Yogi Berra 1984-1985
Billy Martin 1985
Lou Piniella 1986-1987
Billy Martin 1988
Lou Piniella 1988
Dallas Green 1989
Bucky Dent 1989-1990
Stump Merrill 1990-1991
Buck Showalter 1992-1995
Joe Torre 1996-Present*
*-Replaced by Don Zimmer during a leave for illness in 1999.

Stadium History:
Hilltop Park 1903-1912
Polo Grounds 1913-1922
Yankee Stadium 1923-1973
Shea Stadium 1974-1975
Yankee Stadium 1976-Present

All Star Games Hosted: (3)
1939, 1960, 1977

World Champions: (26)
1923, 1927,1928, 1932, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1943, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1977, 1978, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000

World Series: (38)
1921, 1922, 1923, 1926. 1927, 1928, 1932, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001

Division Champions: (11)
1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981*, 1994**, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
*-Won first half of split season
**-In first place when strike ended season on August 12th

Wild Card: (2)
1995, 1997

Retired Numbers: (16)
1 Billy Martin 2B 1950-1957 MGR 1975-1978, 1979, 1983, 1985, 1988
3 Babe Ruth OF 1920-1934
4 Lou Gehrig 1B 1923-1939
5 Joe DiMaggio OF 1936-1942, 1946-1951
7 Mickey Mantle OF 1951-1968
8 Bill Dickey C 1928-1943, 46 MGR 1946
8 Yogi Berra C 1946-63 MGR 1964, 84-85
9 Roger Maris OF 1960-1966
10 Phil Rizzuto SS 1941-1942, 1946-1956
15 Thurman Munson C 1969-1979
16 Whitey Ford LHP 1950, 1953-1967
23 Don Mattingly 1B 1982-1995
32 Elston Howard C 1955-1966
37 Casey Stengel MGR 1949-1960
42 Jackie Robinson (Retired by MLB)*
44 Reggie Jackson OF 1977-1981
*-Still worn by Mariano Rivera, who is allowed to wear it sicne he is grandfathered.

Hall of Famers: (39)
Frank "Home Run" Baker 1916-19, 21-22
Ed Barrow GM 1921-1945
Yogi Berra C 1946-1963
Frank Chance 1B 1913-1914
Jack Chesboro RHP 1903-1909
Earle Combs OF 1924-1935
Stan Coveleski RHP 1928
Bill Dickey C 1928-1943, 1946
Joe DiMaggio OF 1936-1942, 1946-1951
Whitey Ford LHP 1950, 1953-1957
Lou Gehrig 1B 1923-1939
Lefty Gomez LHP 1931-1942
Clark Griffith MGR 1903-1908
Burleigh Grimes RHP 1934
Bucky Harris MGR 1947-1948
Waite Hoyt RHP 1921-1930
Jim "Catfish" Hunter RHP 1975-1979
Miller Huggins MGR 1918-1929
Reggie Jackson OF 1977-1981
Wee Willie Keller OF 1903-1909
Tony Lazzeri 2B 1926-1937
Larry MacPhail President 1945-1947
Lee MacPhail President 1948-1964
Mickey Mantle OF 1951-1969
Joe McCarthy MGR 1931-1946
Johnny Mize 1B 1949-1953
Phil Niekro RHP 1984-1985
Herb Pennock LHP 1923-1933
Gaylord Perry RHP 1980
Phil Rizzuto SS 1941-1942, 1946-1956
Red Ruffing RHP 1930-1942, 1945-1946
Babe Ruth OF 1918-1934
Joe Sewell 3B 1931-1933
Enos Slaughter OF 1954-1955, 1956-1959
Casey Stengel MGR 1949-1960
Dazzy Vance RHP 1917-1918
Paul Waner OF 1944-1945
George Weiss GM 1946-1960
Dave Winfield OF 1980-1990

All Star Game MVP: (1)
2000 Derek Jeter SS

Manager of the Year: (3)
1994 Buck Showalter
1996 Joe Torre (co-winner)
1998 Joe Torre

Rookie of the Year: (8)
1951 Gil McDougal 3B
1954 Bob Grim RHP
1957 Tony Kubek SS
1962 Tom Tresh SS
1968 Stan Bahnsen RHP
1970 Thurman Munson C
1981 Dave Righetti RHP
1996 Derek Jeter SS

Fireman Award: (6)
1978 Goose Gossage RHP
1986 Dave Righetti LHP
1987 Dave Righetti LHP
1996 John Wetteland RHP
1999 Mariano Rivera RHP
2001 Mariano Rivera RHP

Hank Aaron Award:
None

Cy Young: (5)
1958 Bob Turley RHP
1961 Whitey Ford LHP
1977 Sparky Lyle LHP*
1978 Ron Guidry LHP
2001 Roger Clemens RHP
*-Reliever

MVP: (20)
1923 Babe Ruth OF
1927 Lou Gehrig 1B
1936 Lou Gehrig 1B
1939 Joe DiMaggio OF
1941 Joe DiMaggio OF
1942 Joe Gordon 2B
1943 Spud Chandler RHP
1947 Joe DiMaggio OF
1950 Phil Rizzuto SS
1951 Yogi Berra C
1954 Yogi Berra C
1955 Yogi Berra C
1956 Mickey Mantle OF
1957 Mickey Mantle OF
1960 Roger Maris OF
1961 Roger Maris OF
1962 Mickey Mantle OF
1963 Elston Howard C
1976 Thurman Munson C
1985 Don Mattingly 1B

LCS MVP: (6)
1981 Graig Nettles 3B
1996 Bernie Williams OF
1998 David Wells LHP
1999 Orlando "El Duque" Hernadez RHP
2000 David Justice OF
2001 Andy Pettitte LHP

World Series MVP: (11)
1956 Don Larsen RHP
1958 Bob Turley RHP
1960 Bobby Richardson 2B*
1961 Whitey Ford LHP
1962 Ralph Terry RHP
1977 Reggie Jackson OF
1978 Bucky Dent SS
1996 John Wetteland RHRP
1998 Scott Brosius 3B
1999 Mariano Rivera RHRP
2000 Derek Jeter SS

Cycle Hitters: (14)
7/25/1912 Bert Daniels
5/7/1921 Bob Meusel
7/3/1922 Bob Meusel
7/26/1928 Bob Meusel
6/3/1932 Tony Lazzeri
6/25/1934 Lou Gehrig
7/9/1937 Joe DiMaggio
8/1/1937 Lou Gehrig
7/19/1940 Buddy Rosar
9//81940 Joe Gordon
5/20/1948 Joe DiMaggio
7/23/1957 Mickey Mantle
8/29/1972 Bobby Murcer
9/3/1995Tony Fernandez

No Hitters: (10)
4/24/1917 George Mogridge
9/4/1923 Sam Jones
8/27/1938 Monte Pearson
7/12/1951 Allie Reynolds
9/28/1951 Allie Reynolds
7/4/1983 Dave Righetti
9/4/1993 Jim Abbot
5/14/1996 Dwight Gooden
5/17/1998 David Wells (Perfect Game)
7/18/1999 David Cone (Perfect Game)*
*- Interleague Play

Post-Season No Hitters: (1)
10/8/1956 World Series Game 5: Don Larsen (Perfect Game)

Best Season: 1998 (114-48)
Worst Season: 1908 (51-103)

Historical Moments:
1903: At a peace summit to unite the two leagues under similar rules, and establishing the World Series, AL President Ban Johnson lets it known he wants a team in New York. Johnson got 15 of the 16 Major League owners to agree the lone dissenter was John T. Bush owner of the New York Giants. Johnson arranged Frank Farrell and Bill Devery to buy the struggling Baltimore Orioles and move them to Manhattan. The two new owners quickly secured a piece of land on Broadway between 165th and 168th street and quickly put together a ballpark known as Hilltop Park. Sine the stadium sat on one of the highest points in Manhattan the nickname Highlanders was chosen as the new club's name. The Highlanders took the field for their first game on April 22nd, and lost to the Nats in Washington 3-1. The Highlanders would win their very first game the next day 7-2. A week later facing the Nats again, the Highlanders made their home debut a success with a 6-2 win. That first year was a success for New York, as they would finish a respectable 72-62 under Hall of Fame Manager Clark Griffith.

1904: The Highlanders chased the Boston Pilgrims all year, catching them in August and trading first place back and forth into October. A key 4 game series at the end of the season would determine the pennant. In the first game Jack Chesbro defeated Boston 3-2 to the Highlanders a half-game lead (it was his 41st win, a 20th century record.) However, the Pilgrims came back to win the next 2 to retake the lead. In the 4th game of the series, with Chesbro again pitching with the score tied 2-2 in the top of the 9th, a wild pitch over the head of catcher Deacon McGuire would allow the Pilgrims pennant-clinching run to score.

1906: The Highlanders lead the American League in late September before tailing off to finish 3 games behind the Chicago White Sox with a 90-61 record.

1909: After a horrid 103 loss season in 1908, Highlander owner Bill Devery thinks it's time for a new image, and adopts a NY insignia that was used on a medal of honor for cops shot in the line of duty. The new interlocking NY would become the most recognizable logo in all of sports. In the first year the interlocking NY appeared on the uniform the team improved to a 74-77 record.

1912: Another uniform design change takes place this time the Highlander home uniforms would now have the add touch of pinstripes. In their first year in pinstriped the Highlanders struggle all season and finish in last place with 102 losses.

1913: The AL team in New York signs a deal to play its games at the Polo Grounds, and changes its nickname from Highlanders to Yankees. The team still struggles in their 1st year officially known as the Yankees, and finishes in 7th Place with a 57-94 record.

1916: After a string of losing season the Yankees finally begin to show some promise, and put together a respectable 80-74 record that was good enough for 4th Place.

1917: The Yankees are unable to build on their promising season, and struggle again to the tune of a 6th Place 71-82 record.

1918: In Miller Huggins first season as manager the Yankees are struggle again and finish with a 60-63 for a 4th Place finish.

1920: On January 3rd the course of 2 franchises would change forever. The Red Sox who had won 5 World Series, and the Yankees who had yet to win a single pennant made a deal that would forever change the landscape of professional sports. Sox owner Harry Frazee looking to finance a Broadway Musical "No-No Nannette" sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees for $125,000, in addition to $300,00 for a loan against the mortgage of Fenway Park. After this move the Yankees would go on to become the greatest dynasty in the history of sports, and the Red Sox have yet to win another World Series. Babe Ruth's first season in pinstripes would be a smashing success for the Yanks. Ruth would go on to hit 54 HR establishing and a new record, while nearly doubling the old record. The old record of 29 was also set by Ruth in 1919 his first year as a fulltime OF. The Yankees would go on to win 95 games coming up just 3 games short of the pennant.

1921: The Yankees raided Boston again this time making manager Ed Barrow their new GM, and in turn Barrow brought pitcher Waite Hoyt, and catcher Wally Schang with him. These acquisitions plus another record topping 59 HR from Babe Ruth were just what the Yankees need to win 98 games and their first pennant.

1921: The Yankees would face the New York Giants in the very first Subway Series. The Yanks would get off to a flaying start winning the first 2 games of the best of 9 series by identical 3-0 scores. The Giants would bounce back in the next 2games to even the series. The Yankees would rebound to win Game 5, and took a 5-0 lead in Game 6, but the Yankees would only score 1 more run in the entire series after that. The Yanks would lose the Babe to an injury and after the Giants came back to win the 6th Game, the Yankees lost the series 5-3. After the series the Giants evicted the Yankees out of the Polo Grounds effective the end of the 1922 season.

1922: Despite Babe Ruth missing 2 months due to injuries the Yankees still manage to win 94 games, and hold off the St. Louis Browns by 1 game for their 2nd straight pennant, and Subway Series against the Giants. The Yanks were not quite swept in the Series, they did manage a tie in Game Two, but they were dominated by the Giants none-the-less. The Yankee offense, scored to 3 runs in 5 games, as Babe Ruth got just 2 hits in 17 ABs.

1923: After sharing the Polo Grounds with the Giants since 1913, the Yankees were at home in brand-new Yankee Stadium just across the Harlem River in the Bronx. The new stadium would be referred to as the house Ruth Built since the Babe had an amazing ability to draw fans from all-around. The stadium would open on April 18th in front of 74,200 fans, who witnessed Babe Ruth appropriately hit the Stadium's first home run, and the Yankees defeat the Boston Red Sox 4-1. The first season at the stadium was a success as the Yankees with the addition of yet another pitcher from the Red Sox, Herb Pennock, and a .393 average from Ruth took the lead from the start and built it over the summer to a 16-game margin by the end, with a 98-54 record.

1923: For the 3rd straight year the Yankees faced the Giants in the World Series. In Game 1 the Yankees would see an early 3-0 lead wilt away into another loss, when Casey Stengel legged out an inside the park HR to win the game. After bouncing back to win Game2 the Yankees lost Game 3 and trailed the Giants 2-1 in the series. It began to look as if the Yanks, and Babe Ruth could not win the big one. However, from that point on the Yankees would dominate the series winning the next two 8-4, and 8-1. In Game 6 the Yankees would score 5 runs in the 8th to take their first of many World Series 4 games to 2.

1924: The Yankees fall 2 games short in their quest for a 4th straight trip to the World Series with an 89-63 record.

1925: In a year in which Babe Ruth was lost much of the season to surgery and suspension, the Yankees finish 7th with a 69-85 record, it would be their last losing season 40 years. The suspensions to then Babe serve as warning and the Babe becomes more focused on baseball in the following season, and the Yankees would only get stronger. Meanwhile on June 2nd Lou Gehrig begins his streak of 2,130 consecutive games played, with a pinch-hitting appearance for Pee Wee Wanniger.

1926: With Babe Ruth's return to full strength and the establishment of a new middle infield of Tony Lazzeri and Mark Koenig, the Yankees took their 4thpennant in a race that was not as close as their three-game winning margin over the Indians would suggest. The Yankees would face the St. Louis Cardinals in hard fought 7-game World Series. After winning Game 5, the Yankees looked to have stranglehold taking a 3-2 series lead heading back to the Bronx for Game 6, but Grover Cleveland Alexander shut down the Yanks in Game 6 to force a 7th and deciding game. In Game 7 Alexander would again shut down the Yankees stopping a 2 out Bases Loaded Rally in the 7th and getting the final 7 outs to take the World Series.

1927: Only one word can be used to describe the 1927 Yankees, and that is dominant, many observers rank them as baseball's greatest team ever. The Yankees offense was so deviating to AL pitchers they earned the nickname "Murder's Row". As a team the Yankees led the league in hitting (.307) and slugging (.489, still a major league record). Babe Ruth became the first player ever to hit 60 HR, and was over shadowed the MVP year by his teammate Lou Gehrig who drove in 173 runs, and batted .373. Ruth himself would have 164 RBI, along with Bob Meusle's 103, and Tony Lazzeri's 102 would give the Yanks 4 batters with more than 100 RBI. Their pitching also dominated compiling a 3.20 ERA, which was three-fourths of a run per game lower than the ERA of the next best team.   The Yanks would win 110 game en-route to a 19 game margin over the second place Philadelphia A's. The Yanks dominance carried on to the World Series where the Yanks only trailed twice en-route to cruising to 4 game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Game 1 and 4 were close, the Yankees won each by one run, including win the final game in walk off fashion after Pirates pitcher Johnny Miljus uncorked a wild pitch in the bottom of the 9th.

1928: After running away with the pennant in 1927 the Yankees quickly learned that 1928 would not be as easy. The Yankees did 101 games again, and Babe Ruth smashed 54 while tying teammate Lou Gehrig with 142 RBI for the AL lead. However the Yankees need a mid-September sweep of the Philadelphia Athletics to win the pennant by 3 games. However, the Yankees would find things easier in the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Yanks would extract revenge for 1926 in convincing fashion. In the 4 game sweep, the Bronx Bombers smashed 9 home runs (including 4 by Lou Gehrig and 3 by Babe Ruth). Gehrig would drive in 9 runs only 1 less than the Cards scored in the entire series. In series final game Babe Ruth would hit 3 Home Runs equaling the feat of 1926, and out doing the 2 Gehrig hit the day before.

1929: The Yankees started out the season by making history with their uniforms again, when they became the first team to make numbers a permanent part of the uniform. Other teams quickly adopted the idea and, by 1932, uniform numbers became standard for all teams. The initial distribution of numbers on the Yankees was made according to the player's position in the batting order. Therefore, in 1929, leadoff hitter 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, Bill Dickey #10 (Grabowski, Bengough and Dickey shared the catching duties).

1929: It was a difficult year for the Yanks; by late September their pennant hopes were smashed by the Philadelphia, who would win the pennant by 16 games. However, on September 25th the season became unbearable when manager Miller Huggins who had lead the Yanks since 1918, and through their first 3 World Championships, and 6 pennants died suddenly of blood poising.

1931: In Joe McCarthy's first season as Manager the Yankees put together a solid 94-59 record, but fall 13 and half games short of the pennant.

1932: After losing out on the AL pennant 3 straight years to the Philadelphia Athletics, the Yankees regained their dominant form, as Lou Gehrig would lead the way with 151 RBI. Gehrig even topped the Bambino on June 3rd in Philadelphia when he became the very first player to hit 4 HRs in one game. Others would equal the feat, however Ruth would never equal the feat. The Yankees won 107 games and took home the pennant by 13 games.

1932: In the World Series the Yankees faced the Chicago Cubs. Lou Gehrig, who hit .529 and scored nearly a quarter of the Yankees runs, led both clubs in batting, slugging, hits, runs, and RBIs as the Yankees crushed the Cubs in four games. However as was most of his career Gehrig's accomplishments were overshadowed by the Babe. In Game 3 with the score tied 4-4 in the 5th inning, Babe Ruth pointed his bat at pitcher Charlie Root. After taking 2 strikes, the Babe ripped the 3rd pitch into the center field bleachers. Lou Gehrig would follow with a homer off the stunned Root right after, but the game and the Series would be forever remembered for Babe Ruth's called shot.

1933: On July 6th a new tradition began in Chicago's Comiskey Park pitting the AL's best players against the NL's best players. The game was dubbed the All Star Game, and appropriately enough the star that shinned brightest was the Babe who hit the first Home Run in All Star history and aided the AL to a 4-2 win. However, the Yankees would fail to win the pennant falling 7 games short with a 91-59 record.

1934: On July 14th Babe Ruth hits his 700th career HR at Detroit's Navin Field. However there were not many more milestones to come for the Bambino. Ruth would only hit 8 more HR to finish the season with 708 career HRs. The Yankees would than release the aging Babe Ruth after the season. The Babe would go on to hit 6 more HR with Boston Braves, but it was an end of an era for the Yankees, and all of baseball.

1935: In their first season without Babe Ruth the Yankees fall just 3 games short of teh AL Pennant with a solid 89-60 record.

1936: Lou Gehrig who took home the MVP with a league leading 49 HR along with 152 RBI, and a .354 average led the Yankees to the AL Pennant with a 102-51 record. A young rookie from San Francisco also helped the Yankees who hit 29 HR and drove in 125 runs. The young rookie who was the son of Italian Immigrants would go on to become the next Yankee legend Joe DiMaggio. Joining DiMaggio, and Gehrig with 100 RBI were Bill Dickey, Tony Lazzeri, and George Selkirk. The Yankees would go on to face the New York Giants in the World Series. The Giants would draw first blood ending the Yanks 12 Game World Series winning streak. However the Yankees extracted revenge in Game 2 humiliating the Giants 18-4. The Yankees would win the next 2 games to capture a 3-1 series lead. After the Giants won Game 5 the Yankees bat woke up and tore apart Giants pitching to deliver the Yanks their 5th World Series tying the Boston Red Sox for the most World Series Championships.

1937: The Yankees would win 102 games en-route to winning their 2nd straight AL Pennant. The Yanks were led by the powerful bats of Bill Dickey, Joe DiMaggio, and Lou Gehrig who all drove in more than 130 runs, and smacked at least 29 HRs. The Yankees would face the Giants again in the World Series. The Yankees would dominate the Giants winning the first 3 games by a combined total of 23-3. After losing Game 4 to Carl Hubbell the Yankees put the Giants away in Game 5 as Lefty Gomez won his 2nd post-season game. It was the Yankees 6th World Championship giving them the lead over all baseball teams a lead that would only grow as the years rolled on.

1938: The Yankees would win the AL Pennant again, winning 99games en-route to holding off the Boston Red Sox by 11 games. Lou Gehrig made history by playing in his 2,000th consecutive game. However, Gehrig's play was just a little bit off he did hit 29 HR, and drove in 115 runs, but his Average had dipped below .300 for the first time since his rookie year. The Yankees would go on to sweep the Chicago Cubs in the World Series. Red Ruffing who pitched 2 complete games to bookend the sweep led the Yankees. It would be the Yankees 7th World Championship.

1939: All through out Spring Training something seemed wrong with Lou Gehrig, but at the beginning of the season the Iron Horse just kept playing. Then on May 2nd Gehrig's playing streak of 2,130 consecutive games ends when he does not make an appearance in a 22-2 Yankees' win at Detroit. Babe Dahlgren who played first base for the Yankees and contributes a double and a home run. However, the news for Gehrig would get much worse. Gehrig was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, a rare neurological disorder that is incurable. The disease is now more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. As news spread about Gehrig's dire situation Baseball imminently put him into the newly opened Hall of Fame, and the Yankees would hold a day in his honor on the 4th of July. At the ceremony at Yankee Stadium Gehrig who had feuded with Babe Ruth was able to burry the hatchet with the man who's shadow he played in for a decade. The Yankees would also retire Gehrig's Number 4 making it the first retired uniform number in professional sports, and the ceremonies would go in history as Gehrig gave his famous "Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth" speech.

1939: Ordinary teams would not be able to over come the loss of a great player like Lou Gehrig, but the Yankees are no ordinary team. The Yankees led by MVP Joe DiMaggio who batted .381 while driving in 126 runs, won 107 games en-route to their 4th straight World Series. The series against the Cincinnati Reds was another sweep for the Yanks giving them 4 consecutive World Championships to close out the decade. The series was best remembered for Game 4 when Reds catcher Ernie Lombardi was knocked out temporally by Earle Combs allowing 2runs to score in the 10th inning, giving the Yanks the winning margin in the final game.

1940: The Yankees fall just 2 games short of 5th straight trip to the World Series finishing 3rd in a 3-team race with an 88-66 record.

1941: On June 2nd ironically 16 years to the day that Gehrig's historic streak began, Lou Gehrig succumbs to the disease that now bears his name. Gehrig was only a few weeks short of his 38th birthday.

1941: On May 15th another history making streak began when Joe DiMaggio singled off Edgar Smith of the White Sox. The streak would encompass the next 2moths and 56 games smashing the old record held by Wee Willie Keeler by a dozen. After the streak ended in Cleveland on July 17th DiMaggio would hit in 16 straight games, to give 72 out 73 games with at least one base hit. The Yankee Clipper would go on to win the AL MVP in a close vote over Red Sox OF Ted Williams. The AL Pennant race would not be as close, as the Yankees won 101 games to beat the Boston by 17 full games and advance once again to the World Series. The Yankees would go on to face the Brooklyn Dodgers in the World Series. The turning point of the series came in Game 4, the Dodgers were on the verge of evening the series at 2 games apiece when Hugh Casey struck out Tommy Henrich with 2-outs in the 9th. However Henrich was not the only one who missed the pitch Dodger catcher Mickey Owen had the ball fly over his head, and Henrich reached base despite striking out. This would lead to a 4-run Yankee rally that would see the Yankees win the game and take a commanding 3-1 series lead. The very next day the Yankees put away the Dodgers to win their 9th World Series Championship.

1942: Charlie Keller, Joe DiMaggio, and Joe Gordon provided the power, and Tiny Bonham (with 21 wins), Spud Chandler, and rookie Hank Borowy headed the league-leading pitching staff that propelled the Yankees to 103 wins and another easy pennant in but after winning their previous 8 trips to the World Series, the Yankees are finally stopped, in 5 games, by the St. Louis Cardinals.

1943: With several Yankees including Joe DiMaggio, and Phil Rizzuto serving in the Military during World War II. Pitchers Spud Chandler, Tiny Bonham, Hank Borowy, and Johnny Murphy stayed behind and led the charge to the team's 7th pennant in 8 years. The Yankees would face the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series again. This time the Yankees won the series in 5 games thanks to Spud Chandler who won 2games and allowed only 1 earned run in 18 innings.

1944: The Yankees miss out on the AL Pennant by 6 games, finishing in 3rd Place with a record of 83-71.

1946: On May 28th in front of 49, 917 fans the Yankees play the first night game at the Stadium losing to the Washington Nationals 2-1. The Yankees would go on to finish in 3rd Place for the 3rd year in a row with an 87-77 record.

1947: Joe DiMaggio and the others were back from the war by 1946, but it was not until 1947 with new Manager Bucky Harris, and sparkling pitching from Allie Reynolds, rookie Spec Shea, and reliever Joe Page - that the Yankees returned to the top of the heap, wining the pennant by 12 games over the Detoit Tigers. The Yankees would face the Brooklyn Dodgers again in the Fall Classic. The Yankees won the first 2 games against Brooklyn, and appeared heading for another easy series victory, but the pesky Dodgers would prove a tough opponent. In Game 4 Yankee pitcher Bill Bevens, despite averaging a walk an inning, had allowed no Dodger hits and only one run as the game entered the last of the 9th leading 2-1. Bevens retired 2 in the ninth, but walked his 9th and 10th batters, then lost both his no-hitter and the game as Dodger pinch hitter Cookie Lavagetto doubled home the 2 base runners to even the Series. The Yanks would bounce back to win game 5, and head home up 3 game to 2. However, the Dodgers would prove a pest again in Game 6 when Al Gionfriddo robbed Joe DiMaggio of a against the 415 mark in Left Field this would send the series to a 7th and deciding game. The Yankees would win the 7th game on Tommy Henrich's RBI single in the 4th, and the stellar pitching of Joe Page

1948: After dropping 2 late season games to fall into 3rd place with a 94-60 record, manager Bucky Harris was replaced by Casey Stengel. Stengel who had never finished higher than 5th as manger of the Brooklyn Dodgers and Boston Braves, would become a legend as manager of the Yankees.

1949: In the middle of Casey Stengel's first year in pinstripes the Yanks trailed the Boston Red Sox by 12 games. However the Yankees would begin to chip away at that lead. The Yankees finally caught up to the Red Sox in late September with a sweep. However, the Yankees the entered the final 2 games of the season against Boston trailing the Sox by 1game, to win the pennant the Yanks need to have both games. In true form the Yankees won both games and stunned the Red Sox to win the Pennant with a 97-57 record. In the World Series would once again face the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Yankees and Dodgers traded 1-0 victories in the first 2 games of the series. However unlike the pennant the World Series would be a breeze the rest of the way for the Yankees who won the last 3 games going away to claim their 1st of what would turn out to be 5 consecutive World Championships.

1950: After losing much of 1949 to injury, Joe DiMaggio returned with power, as SS Phil Rizzuto enjoyed the finest seasons of his career, scoring 125 runs en-rout to winning the AL MVP. On the mound pitcher Whitey Ford broke into the majors, winning all 9 of his decisions as a starter (he lost one game in relief). However the Yankees needed to win their final 5 games to pull away from a tight 4-way race for the AL Pennant. In the World Series the Yankees faced the Philadelphia Phillies team known as the Whiz Kids. The Yankees would never trail in the series sweep, although they needed good pitching, as the first 3 games were all tight 1 run pitcher's duels.

1951: In a season where no Yankee drove in 90 or more runs, and Whitey Ford was drafted for 2 years of military service, the Yankees won their 3rd straight pennant with a record of 98-56. The Yankees remaining pitchers doubled their shutout production and lowered the team ERA by more than half a run per game. Highlighting the Yankees outstanding pitching performances was Allie Reynolds who hurled 2 No Hitters. In the World Series against the New York Giants the Yankees would fall behind 2 games to 1, before turning on the after burners. In Game 4 Joe DiMaggio held hitless in the first 3 games, paced the Yanks attack with a RBI single and a 2-run HR. After the Yanks would win Game 5 in a 13-1 route, Hank Bauer's 3-run triple in the 6th helped put the Giants away and clinch the Yanks 3rd straight World Series. 1951 would also end up being a year of transition of the Bronx Bombers who saw a rookie Mickey Mantle make his debut, and Joe DiMaggio suddenly retired after the season.

1952: The Yankees, despite not having any players with 100 RBI won their 4th straight pennant edging out the Cleveland Indians by a slim 2 game margin. In the World Series the Yankees faced the Brooklyn Dodgers once again, and the series would go the full 7 games. The Yankees appeared dead after losing Game 5 in the 11th inning to win the series; Yanks would have to win 2 games in a hostile Ebbets Field. The Yanks would even the series in Game 6 over coming 2 homers by Duke Snider to win 3-2. In Game 7 Mickey Mantle's HR in the 6th put the Yankees ahead to stay, as Bob Kuzava retired the last 8 batters to preserve the victory and the Yanks 4th straight World Series title.

1953: Whitey Ford returned afte2 years in the service to win 18 games and lead the Yankees on to their unprecedented 5th straight AL Pennant. In the World Series the Yankees faced the Brooklyn Dodgers yet again. In the World Series the Yankees were led by 2B Billy Martin who had 12 hits in 24 at-bats, along with 2 HR 2 triples, and a double along while driving in 8 RBI. The Yankees, and Dodgers split the first 4 games, before Mickey Mantle's grand slam in Game 5 helped put the Yankees up 3 games to 2. In Game 6 it was Martin who drove in the series' winning run in the bottom of the 9th of Game 6 to send the Yankees on to their 5th straight World Series, and 16th title over all.

1954: The Yankees won 103 games, the most in Casey Stengel's 12-year career with the Yanks, but lost the pennant to the Cleveland Indians, who won a than AL-record 111 games to take the flag by 8 games.

1955: With Mickey Mantle now established as one of the game's most productive hitters, the Yanks were in thick of the AL race again. As August passed into September 3 teams were within a game of each other at the top. First, the Chicago White Sox faltered and fell away, leaving the Yankees and Indians to fight it out. With two weeks left, New York won 8 straight to pass Cleveland for good. The Yankees would face the Brooklyn Dodgers again in the World Series. However, this time the Yanks would come up 1 game short. The Yankees, after grabbing a 3-2 series lost 2 games at home. In Game 7 the Yanks were blanked by series MVP Johnny Podres, who was aided by Sandy Amros' game saving catch, as the Brooklyn won its only World Series.

1956: The Yankees who were led by a Tipple Crown season by MVP Mickey Mantle won 97 games and cruised to win another AL Pennant. The Yankees who lost the fist 2 games of the World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers bounced back and won the next 2, and set up a memorable day at Yankee Stadium for Game 5.

1956: On October 8th Don Larsen used a no-windup delivery that made pitching look like a game of catch. Larsen needed only 97 pitches that day and only once threw as many ast3 balls to a hitter. Two excellent plays preserved the perfect game. In the 2nd inning Jackie Robinson hit a grounder in the hole, which third baseman Andy Carey touched with his glove and deflected to shortstop Gil McDougald, who threw Robinson out. In the 5th inning Gil Hodges hit a line drive into left-center field. Mickey Mantle made a fine running catch on the warning track. In the 9th inning Larsen retired Carl Furillo and Roy Campanella before facing pinch-hitter Dale Mitchell. The pitcher threw a ball, a called strike, and a foul ball before painting the outside corner with a fastball. Umpire Babe Pinelli, called strike 3. In what is now a legendary moment catcher Yogi Berra jumped into his pitcher's arms, and the 6-foot-4 Larsen carried him off the field as if he were a small child. After losing 1-0 to the Dodgers in Game 6, the Yanks won the final game 9-0 to claim their 17th World Championship. Little did anyone at that time realize the Subway Series, which had become an almost annual appearance, would not occur again for 44 years.

1957: The Yankees cruised to their 3rd straight pennant while winning 98 games. However in the World Series the Yankees are beaten by Lew Burdette who won 3 games including game 7 to lead the Milwaukee Braves to their 1st World Championship.

1958: The Yankees would win their 4th consecutive pennant with little challenge winning the pennant by 10 games over the Chicago White Sox. In the World Series it looked as if the Milwaukee Braves would have the Yankees number again taking a 3-1 series lead. The Braves would send Lew Burdette who dominated the Yankees in 1957 and Game 2 of the 58 series out to the mound for Game 5 to put the Yankees away. However the Yankees used a 6 run 6th to get back into the series heading to Milwaukee. After winning Game 6 in 10 innings the Yanks would have to beat Burdette again in Game 7. With the score tied 2-2 in the 8th inning Moose Skowron followed a Hank Bauer RBI single to give the Yanks the winning margin, as the Yanks won their 18th World Championship.

1959: The Yankees quest for a 5th straight trip to the World Series never quite got going, as the team stumbled to a 3rd Place 79-75 season.

1960: The Yankees reloaded and refreshed, after their poor 1959 season. The Yankees big acquisition was Roger Maris, who they got from their unofficial farm club the Kamas City Athletics in exchange for Don Larsen. Maris would belt 39 HR, and drive in 112 runs en-route to the AL MVP. Maris' 39 HR were only bettered by teammate Mickey Mantle who hit 40. The Yankees won 97 games en-route to cruising to yet another AL Pennant. In the World Series the Yankees would be stunned by the Pittsburgh Pirates Bill Mazeroski's 9th inning Game 7 HR. It was a series the Yankees clearly should have won. In the 3 games the Yankees won the Bronx Bombers the Bucs 38-3, but the Pirates managed to win 4 close games including Game 7 to take the series. Yankee bosses saw Casey Stengel as the reason for losing the series and fired their manager who had just turn 70 sighting age as a reason. The Yankees also let go GM George Weiss who himself was seen as too old to lead a Major League Team.

1961: With former Yanks reserve catcher Ralph Houk at the helm the Yankees would make the 61 season one their most historic, and ranking next to the 27' Yankees as one of baseball's greatest teams ever. Whitey Ford won 25 games and the Cy Young, en-route to leading the team to 109 wins, as the Yanks won the pennant by 8 games over the Detroit Tigers. However, the story of the year would be the race between Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris for the HR title. Most of the season Mantle and Maris battled back and forth for the HR lead, as the season wore on it began to look as if both could make a serious run at Babe Ruth's record of 60. Some people did not take kindly to anyone chasing Ruth's record, included in that was commissioner Ford C. Frick, a former Ruth ghost writer to Ruth who said if the record was to count it must be done in the same 154 games that Ruth played in 1927. It was clear who fans wanted to see break the record and that was Mantle, who had spent his entire career with Yankees. However Mantle experienced an allergic reaction to cortisone shot and had to bow out of the race in September with 54 HR. This would leave Roger Maris alone in the spotlight as he cashed down the Babe's record. Maris would pass Ruth but not until the final and 162nd game of the season and had an asterisk slapped on his achievement. In all toll the M&M boys would hit 115 HR, and the Yankees would hit 318 HR establishing a record that would stand more than 35 years. However Maris' accomplishment would not be fully appreciated until it fell 37 years later, by then the asterisk had been removed, and had stood as the single season record longer than the prestigious 60 Ruth hit in 1927. Maris would go to win his second straight MVP, as the Yankees moved on to beat the Cincinnati Reds 4 games to 1 in the World Series.

1962: The Yankees led by 23 wins form pitcher Ralph Terry and another MVP year from Mickey Mantle won 96 games to earn their 3rd straight World Series appearance. The Series would be a classic 7 game affair, complete with a classic ending against the San Francisco Giants. The Yanks and Giants would battle back and forth winning alternating games setting the stage for a classic Game 7. The game would be a classic pitching duel between Ralph Terry, and the Giants Jack Sanford. The Yankees would scored their only run in 4th on a play in which the Giants turned a Double Play. However, Terry kept the Giants off the board completely until the 9th inning. After Matty Alou led off with a bunt single, Terry fanned the next 2 batters. Then Willie Mays doubled to right, but Roger Maris' slick fielding stopped Alou at 3rd. As Terry faced Willie McCovey (who had homered off him in Game Two), he must have pondered the home run he had given up to Bill Mazeroski 2 years earlier to lose the 1960 World Series in Pittsburgh. McCovey lined Terry's 3rd pitch, but it was right at 2B Bobby Richardson, who grabbed it for the Yankees 20th World Championship.

1963: Despite the loss to injuries of Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris for much of the season due to injury the Yanks dominated the AL, winning the pennant with 104 wins. However, in World Series the Yankees were themselves dominated by the Los Angeles Dodgers pitching, who held them to just 4 runs in a World Series sweep.

1964: The Yankees now managed by Yogi Berra would find winning the pennant a lot more difficult. Yes the Yankees would win 99 games but they needed an 11 game winning streak to eek out the pennant by just 1 game over the Chicago White Sox. In the World Series the Yankees would fall to the St. Louis Cardinals in 7 games, as the bat of Tim McCarver, and the dominant pitching of Bob Gibson doomed the Yankees. The series would end up being the last one for the Yankees for 12 years, as Mickey Mantle smacked his record breaking 18th and final World Series HR.

1965: The Yankees would make major changes for the 1965 season. Yogi was fired, and replaced by Johnny Keane who managed the St. Louis Cardinals during the 1964 World Series. The Yankees were also purchased by CBS, who would only serve to fail the Yankees championship legacy during the period of ownership, as the Yankees 40-year streak of winning seasons came to an end with a disappointing 77-85 record that landed them in 6th Place.

1966: The Yankees fall from grace continues as the team finished in last place with a 70-89 record.

1967: In a 90-loss season, the Yanks 3rd straight losing season the lone highlight comes on Mother's Day at Yankee Stadium when Mickey mantle belts his 500th career HR.

1968: The Yankees end a 3-year string of losing season by finishing in 5th Place with a 83-79 record.

1969: Shortly after showing up for Spring Training Mickey Mantle, retires after a great but injury riddled 18-year career. On June 8, a record crowd turns out for "Mickey Mantle Day" as the Yankees retire his famous Number 7 jersey. The Yanks would struggle in their first season without Mantle finishing in 5th place with an 80-81 record.