New York Yankees

Previously known as Baltimore Orioles (1901-02), New York Americans (1903-12) Unofficial names for this period were: New York Highlanders (1903-12), New York Porchclimbers (1903-04), New York Burglars (1903-04), New York Invaders (1903), Greater New Yorks (1903- short lived) and New York Hill Toppers (1903-12) Franchise Record: (1901-2023) 10,802-8,233-91-2 (.567) (1903-2023) 10,684-8,080-87-2 (.569) Post Season Record: 244-178-1 (.578) World Series Titles: 27 (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, 2009) American League Pennants: 41 (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, 2003, 2009, 2024) Playoffs: 57 (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, 1980, 1981, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024) Franchise Players: Yogi Berra, Robinson Canó, Earle Combs, Bill Dickey, Joe DiMaggio, Whitey Ford, Lou Gehrig, Ron Guidry, Derek Jeter, Tony Lazzeri, Mickey Mantle, Thurman Munson, Andy Pettitte, Willie Randolph, Mariano Rivera, Alex Rodriguez, Red Ruffing, Babe Ruth, Roy White, Bernie Williams Retired Numbers: 1 Billy Martin; 2 Derek Jeter; 3 Babe Ruth; 4 Lou Gehrig; 5 Joe DiMaggio; 6 Joe Torre; 7 Mickey Mantle; 8 Yogi Berra; 8 Bill Dickey; 9 Roger Maris; 10 Phil Rizzuto; 15 Thurman Munson; 16 Whitey Ford; 20 Jorge Posada; 21 Paul O'Neill; 23 Don Mattingly; 32 Elston Howard; 37 Casey Stengel; 42 Mariano Rivera; 44 Reggie Jackson; 46 Andy Pettitte; 49 Ron Guidry; 51 Bernie Williams; 42 Jackie Robinson(Retired by Major League Baseball) Ballparks: Hilltop Park (April 30, 1903-October 5, 1912) (15,000), Widen-Meyer's Park, Newark, NJ (July 14, 1904), Polo Grounds (April 17, 1912-October 8, 1922) (38,000), Yankee Stadium I (April 18, 1923-September 30, 1973) (65,010), Shea Stadium (April 6, 1974-September 28, 1975) (55,601), Yankee Stadium (April 15, 1976-September 21, 2008) (57,545), Shea Stadium (April 15, 1998) (55,601), New Yankee Stadium (April 3, 2009-) (52,325) Winningest Manager: Joe McCarthy, 1460-867, .627 W-L%

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General History

The New York Yankees have a long and storied history. Even their recent history captures the ultimate highs and lows of the sport, from winning four World Series Titles in five years (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000), to being the first team to lose a playoff series after leading 3 games to none (2004).

When the team first moved to New York City from Baltimore, they began playing at Hilltop Park. They played there from 1903 through 1912. Following this they moved into the Polo Grounds, which they shared with the New York Giants. The Yankees played at the Polo Grounds from 1913 - 1922.

The Yankees currently play in the Bronx, NY, in New Yankee Stadium, after leaving the famed Yankee Stadium, The House that Ruth Built, after the 2008 season. The original Yankee Stadium was opened in 1923. During the 1974 and 1975 seasons, the Yankees played in Shea Stadium, home of their crosstown rivals the New York Mets, while the stadium was being refurbished.

The Yankees finished first in the American League Eastern Division for 9 consecutive seasons (1998-2006) and reached the playoffs 13 years in a row (1995-2007) before falling short in 2008.

Team History

1900s

The New York Yankees began play in 1903 as the New York Highlanders. The team had moved from Baltimore, MD after being purchased by Frank Farrell and Bill Devery. The purchase was pushed by American League President Ban Johnson who had always wanted a team in New York City. Previous attempts had been blocked by the National League's New York Giants who had connections with local government. Farrell and Devery had their own connections that ran even deeper than those of the Giants.

For most of the first decade of the 20th century the Highlanders were a middle-of-the-pack team, finishing as high as second in 1904, and as low as last in 1908. In 1904 the Highlanders lost the pennant in the last weekend of the season. Hall of Fame pitcher Jack Chesbro threw a wild pitch in the ninth inning that allowed the winning run to score, losing the game and season for the Highlanders. It was an unfortunate ending for a historic season for Chesbro, in which he won 41 games. For most of the decade, the team was managed by Clark Griffith who was also a star pitcher for the first half of it.

The team also featured stars such as Al Orth, Wee Willie Keeler and Hal Chase, as well as a young Branch Rickey.

1910s

The Highlanders fared no better in their second decade than in their first. A 2nd place finish and a 3rd place finish sandwiched a decade of second division finishes in the 1910s. Despite little change in the standings, nonetheless, the decade was filled with change. In 1912 the famous pinstripe design of the Yankees uniform debuted. The next year, the club changed its name from the Highlanders to the Yankees and moved from Hilltop Park to the Polo Grounds. In 1915, Farrell and Devery sold the team to Colonel Jacob Ruppert and Captain Tillinghast L'Hommedieu Houston. Ruppert and Houston led the team to their success in the next decade. The Yankees also saw their first no-hitter in 1917 when George Mogridge no hit the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Finally, in 1918 the Yankees hired manager Miller Huggins who would lead them to the promised land in the 1920s.

Despite their bad records the team was not without stars as Birdie Cree, Frank "Home Run" Baker, Roger Peckinpaugh, Bob Shawkey, Carl Mays, Wally Pipp and Russ Ford all had success while wearing the pinstripes in the 1910s.

Note: The name Yankees was first used by sportswriters Mark Roth of the New York Globe and Sam Crane of the New York Journal, the name appearing in print for the first time on June 21, 1904, in the Boston Herald.

1920s

The 1920s featured the first of many Yankee dynasties. The decade started with a bang as on January 3rd, 1920 the Yankees purchased Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees won six pennants and four World Series in the 1920s. The decade also saw the opening of Yankee Stadium in 1923. Colonel Ruppert also bought out Captain Houston in 1922 for $1.5 million. In 1925, Lou Gehrig began his consecutive game streak that would last until 1939.

The 1927 team is known as one of the best of all time. A regular season record of 110-44 and a World Series sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates was proof of its dominance. The team featured six Hall of Famers including Ruth, Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri, Earle Combs, Waite Hoyt and Herb Pennock. During the 1927 season, Ruth hit his historic total of 60 home runs. This record would stand for 34 years.

In 1929 the team began to wear numbers on their uniforms on a permanent basis, becoming the first team to do so. The decade ended on a sad note though as in September Miller Huggins died of blood poisoning.

1930s

The Yankees did not finish lower than 3rd place in the entire decade of the 1930s. Manager Joe McCarthy came to the team in 1931 and led the team to the World Series five times and won all five, including four straight from 1936 to 1939.

In 1934 the team purchased Joe DiMaggio from the San Francisco Seals for $50,000. Once with the Yankees DiMaggio teamed with Hall of Famers Bill Dickey, Lefty Gomez and Red Ruffing.

The team also featured Red Rolfe, Joe Sewell, Frank Crosetti, Johnny Murphy, George Selkirk and Ben Chapman.

Once again, though the decade ended on a sad note as Lou Gehrig's consecutive game streak ended in 1939 when it was discovered he suffered from ALS.

1940s

The 1940s were another strong decade for the Yankees. Five American League pennants and four World Series titles marked the decade for the club. They were once again led by all-time greats as after McCarthy left the team he was replaced by two more Hall of Fame managers, first Bucky Harris in 1947 & 1948 and then Casey Stengel took over the team in 1949. The decade also saw a change in ownership as the Ruppert family sold the ballclub to the group of Dan Topping, Del Webb and Larry MacPhail in 1945. The new ownership also changed the President and general manager as Ed Barrow was replaced with MacPhail. The decade started well as the 1941 season brought the historic 56 game hitting streak by Joe DiMaggio. The team also played its first night game in 1946.

The team struggled during the war years as players including DiMaggio, Ruffing, Dickey, Selkirk, Marius Russo, Joe Gordon, Phil Rizzuto, Tommy Byrne and Tommy Henrich left to fight in Europe and Asia. Once everyone returned though the team was again firing on all cylinders and won the 1947 World Series. While everyone else was gone Nick Etten, Snuffy Stirnweiss, Spud Chandler Joe Pageand Tiny Bonham became stars for the Yankees.

1950s

The 1950s may have been the most romanticized decade of Yankees baseball. The decade began with the team continuing their streak of 5 straight World Series titles from 1949 through 1953. All together the Yankees won 8 American League titles and 6 World Series titles. In one of those World Series victories even more history was made. In 1956 pitcher Don Larsen threw a Perfect Game against the Brooklyn Dodgers.

The 1951 season saw the passing of the torch as Joe DiMaggio retired and left the centerfield position for youngster Mickey Mantle. The decade also saw the emergence of Hall of Fame players Yogi Berra and Whitey Ford as well as Bob Turley, Billy Martin, Gil McDougald, Gene Woodling, Elston Howard, Moose Skowron, Tony Kubek, Bobby Richardson, Eddie Lopat, Allie Reynolds, Vic Raschi, and Hank Bauer.

1960s

The 1960s started off with a bang. The Yankees won five straight American League titles to start the decade and two World Series. They were on the wrong end of the historic Bill Mazeroski home run in the 1960 World Series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. After losing the series the Yankees pushed Casey Stengel into a premature retirement. But things went much, much better in 1961. The 1961 Yankees are considered one of the greatest teams of all time. A 109-win regular season, a (then) single season record for home runs in a season and a World Series victory over the Cincinnati Reds were just part of the reason. They are also remembered for the home run chase by the M&M boys. Both Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris went after Babe Ruth's record of 60 home runs in a season. A late-season injury slowed Mantle, but Maris went all the way hitting his 61st home run on the last day of the season.

After losing the 1964 World Series, the Yankees began a long decline. They forced out manager Yogi Berra an all-time Yankee great, and replaced him with Johnny Keane, who had led the victorious St. Louis Cardinals in the 1964 Series. Keane was never really accepted by Yankee fans and would be felled by illness while the Yankees would have only one winning season for the rest of the decade. Ralph Houk, who had been moved upstairs to general manager after winning the 1961 and 1962 World Series but being swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1963 World Series, returned to the helm to succeed Keane. This timing coincided with the purchase of the club by CBS. Many of the Yankees' top players from the 1950s and early 1960s dynasties found retirement at the end of the decade as Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford and Bobby Richardson hung up their cleats. The new ownership also began to cut costs, trading away veterans like Moose Skowron, Elston Howard, Roger Maris, Clete Boyer and Ralph Terry. In the end, the team had to be rebuilt around young veterans Roy White and Mel Stottlemyre, and flawed players like Horace Clarke were handed big roles on the team. The team hit a new low in 1966 finishing in 10th place.

1970s

At the start of the 1970s the Yankees were once again a middle-of-the-pack team. The team relied on mainstays White and Stottlemyre and youngsters Thurman Munson and Bobby Murcer to keep them from the cellar. In 1974 the Yankees got a change of ownership as George Steinbrenner purchased the team from CBS. Steinbrenner vowed to be a "hands-off" owner. The early 1970s Yankees did see some history despite their mediocrity on the field. Former first round pick Ron Blomberg became the first designated hitter to hit in a Major League game in 1973.

The Yankees would spend the 1974 and 1975 seasons in Shea Stadium as Yankee Stadium was remodeled. By the time the team moved back to the Bronx in 1976 they were a contender. Shrewd trades had brought in Willie Randolph, Chris Chambliss, Graig Nettles, Mickey Rivers, Paul Blair, Bucky Dent, Sparky Lyle, Lou Piniella and Ed Figueroa. The team also got help from the farm system as Ron Guidry became an All-Star pitcher for the team. But the real help came in the form of free agency. Steinbrenner's deep pockets brought the club Hall of Famers Goose Gossage, Catfish Hunter and Reggie Jackson, in addition to Don Gullett and others.

The Yankees used this collection of stars to win three straight American League titles from 1976 to 1978 and World Titles in 1977 and 1978. The 1978 season is remembered for the Yankees coming back from 10 and half games behind the Boston Red Sox on July 24th to win the division in a one-game playoff, capped off with Bucky Dent's unlikely home run off Mike Torrez.

The decade ended on a sad note when on August 2nd 1979 team captain Thurman Munson died in a plane crash. Few Yankees fans will forget the sight of teammate and friend Bobby Murcer, who had only been reacquired a month earlier, crying in the outfield when the team returned to the field days later. The end of the decade was also marked by Steinbrenner's habit of juggling managers: Billy Martin was fired mid-way through the 1978 season, was replaced by Bob Lemon who led the team to the World Championship, then came back in mid-1979, but was fired at the end of the season. The merry-go-round of short-term managers, many coming back time and again, would continue until Joe Torre's appointment at the helm in 1996

1980s

The 1980s were the first decade since the 1910s where the Yankees did not win a World Series. A loss in the American League Championship Series in 1980 and a loss in the 1981 World Series were the only post-season berths for the team during the decade. The team only finished below .500 twice in the decade, yet could not not overcome the powerful teams that were put out by the Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox. The decade was marred by bad decisions as the team acquired a number of veterans who did not mesh well together. Players such as Toby Harrah, Butch Wynegar, Ken Griffey, Roy Smalley, Steve Kemp, Omar Moreno, Claudell Washington, Tommy John, Phil and Joe Niekro, Dennis Rasmussen and Ed Whitson were paraded in and out of the Bronx. Many of them were well into the decline phase of their careers by the time they put on the Yankee pinstripes. The main problem came from a lack of quality pitching. Most of the good young pitchers the Yankees had were either one-year sensations or were traded away for veteran pitchers who were past their prime, or for more hitting.

The decade did have its bright spots though. The team signed Dave Winfield to a 10-year contract to start the decade. Winfield played well throughout the deal but could not overcome the perception of a bad post-season in 1981 in the eyes of Steinbrenner and many fans. The real darling of the decade was first baseman Don Mattingly. Mattingly, who would win the 1985 AL MVP Award, quickly became the face of the franchise and was considered one of the best players in baseball. The team also acquired Rickey Henderson in 1985. Henderson, who spent just four years with the Yankees, was the team's all-time leader in steals until Derek Jeter finally passed him in 2011. This gave the Yankees three perennial All-Stars in the starting line-up from 1985 to 1988. They were also joined by Willie Randolph in 1987 to make it a foursome. The 1980s Yankees also featured two other fan favorites: Rags and Pags. Dave Righetti and Mike Pagliarulo were a pair of popular Italian-American players who were quickly taken in by fans. Righetti received special affection for his July 4th 1983 No-Hitter over the hated Boston Red Sox.

One would be remissed to talk about the Yankees of the 1980s and not mention the revolving door at manager during the decade. George Steinbrenner showed little patience during this time, making fifteen managerial changes during the decade. In total, eight different men managed the Yankees during the decade.

Once again the decade ended on a sad note for the Yankees. On December 25th 1989 five-time manager and All-Star second baseman Billy Martin died in a car crash.

1990s

The 1990s were a lot like the 1970s for the Yankees. The decade began with a young team going through growing pains and finding itself then ended with a dynasty. At the end of the 1980s and the start of the 1990s, New York had become the place where no free agent wanted to go, despite the money. High expectations from fans and ownership and little chance for success left the Yankees as few players' first choice. This slowly began to change as General Manager Gene Michael began to rebuild the team's reputation and farm system while George Steinbrenner was suspended from baseball. Michael rebuilt the team's reputation by signing free agents such as Steve Farr, Danny Tartabull and Mike Gallego. These signings began to defrost New York to the free agent market. This set up for the Yankees to go out and sign better players such as Mike Stanley, Spike Owen, Jimmy Key and Wade Boggs by the 1993 season. Michael also rebuilt the farm system by refusing to trade outfielder Bernie Williams and utility man Jim Leyritz and drafting or signing players like Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada. Smart trades also brought in talent like Paul O'Neill, David Cone, Jim Abbott, Melido Perez and John Wetteland.

By 1995 the Yankees were back in the post-season for the first time since 1981 (they would have played in the 1994 post-season, had the strike not wiped it out, as they held the American League's best record at the time the remainder of the season was cancelled). In an exciting series, that was seen to legitimize the wild card, the Yankees lost to the Seattle Mariners in five games. This series was the first playoff games and the final games of Don Mattingly's career as the team captain retired after the season. The team moved quickly to replace him, acquiring Tino Martinez, along with Jeff Nelson, from the Mariners. After the 1995 season manager Buck Showalter left the team to begin the expansion process with his next team, the Arizona Diamondbacks.

1996 started a new dynasty for the Yankees. Under new manager Joe Torre the team won its first World Series in 18 years. Led by the players acquired by Gene Michael as well as newcomers like Joe Girardi, Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Kenny Rogers and Cecil Fielder. the team brought Yankee baseball back to life.

After losing in the Division Series in 1997 the Yankees began a streak of three straight World Series titles from 1998 - 2000. By the end of this run, only Bernie Williams, Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, Paul O'Neill and David Cone remained from the 1996 team. New players were infused into the team throughout the run through trades (Scott Brosius, Chuck Knoblauch, Roger Clemens, David Justice, Graeme Lloyd), free agency (Orlando Hernandez, Chili Davis and Luis Sojo), and the farm system (Shane Spencer, Ricky Ledee and Ramiro Mendoza).

2000s

After winning the 2000 World Series the Yankees had great success in the regular season in the 2000s, winning 9 straight division titles starting in 1998. The streak ended in 2007, as the team lost the division title to the Boston Red Sox, but they kept their post-season streak alive for one more season by clinching the American League wild card. The Yankees had problems in the post-season however. They lost the World Series twice in the early 21st century, first to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001 and then to the Florida Marlins in 2003. They also lost the American League Championship Series to the Boston Red Sox in 2004, after leading the series 3 games to none. This was the first time in history that a team had lost a playoff series after attaining such a lead. In 2002, 2005 and 2006, they failed to advance out of the first round of the playoffs. Many of the team's stars from the late 1990s dynasty retired and were replaced with high-priced players who did not perform as well. At the end of the 2006 season, only Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Bernie Williams remained from the 2000 World Series Champions.

The 2000s were not without high spots, though. Most of these high points came in the heated rivalry with the Boston Red Sox. Aaron Boone put himself down next to Bucky Dent in Yankees-Red Sox history with his historic game- and series-winning home run in the 11th inning of Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS. That year on July 1st, Derek Jeter made an amazing catch diving into the stands at Yankee Stadium in a classic 13-inning game between the two AL East powers.

The Yankees of the 2000s resembled an All Star team featuring players like Jason Giambi, Robin Ventura, Alex Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui, Alfonso Soriano, Raul Mondesi, Rondell White, Gary Sheffield, Randy Johnson, Javier Vazquez, Kevin Brown, Jeff Weaver, Mike Mussina, Bobby Abreu, Tom Gordon and Kyle Farnsworth. Very few of these players were actually successful in New York - Rodriguez being a notable exception - and even fewer were accepted by Yankees fans. In a situation that paralleled the relationship between home-grown Don Mattingly and import Dave Winfield in the 1980s, Yankee fans were much more supportive of Yankee-bred Derek Jeter than import Alex Rodriguez, in spite of Rodriguez winning two MVP awards to Jeter's none (the standard reply from Jeter fans was "Count the rings", referring to the lack of success of teams featuring Rodriguez in the post-season).

In 2006 the Yankees showed signs of rebuilding from within, while still competing. They chose not to trade young talented players like Robinson Canó, Melky Cabrera and Chien-Ming Wang, in spite of pressure to acquire more veteran talent. They also traded Randy Johnson back to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The result was another playoff appearance by a rejuvenated team led by these three youngsters and relief pitcher Joba Chamberlain in 2007.

The Yankees finished in second in the AL East in 2007, but still won the American League wild card to advance to the playoffs. It was the first time they had not won the division since the addition of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to the American League. After the season, Joe Torre opted not to return as manager. With former catcher Joe Girardi at the helm the Yankees failed to make the post-season for the first time since 1993 in 2008. The team made major changes that off-season, bringing in three of the top free agents by signing C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira to long-term deals starting in 2009. 2009 would also be the first year of a New Yankee Stadium and after a slow start (with Rodriguez absent because of a hip injury), the Yankees started winning and passed Boston and Tampa Bay in the standings to finish with the best record in the majors by a significant margin. They reached the World Series thanks to outstanding performances by Rodriguez and Sabathia in the first two rounds in the postseason, then defeated the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies in the Fall Classic to claim their 27th title, closing the decade with a flourish. Japanese slugger Hideki Matsui was the MVP of the World Series.

2010s

The Yankees were again in the postseason in 2010, after a season in which they battled with Tampa Bay down to the wire for the AL East crown, leaving the Red Sox in their dust. The season was highlighted by outstanding performances by Teixeira and Sabathia, who won 20 games, and Robinson Cano, who emerged as a genuine superstar. However, they ran into an unexpected problem in the ALCS, losing in 6 games to the Texas Rangers led by P Cliff Lee. With long-time starting rotation mainstay Andy Pettitte retiring after the season, they made a bid for Lee's services in the off-season, but lost out and had to head into the 2011 season with a patched-up starting rotation that featured two retread veterans, Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon, and rookie Ivan Nova. However, the group held, and the offense led by CF Curtis Granderson, who found heretofore unsuspected power, and a defense anchored by C Russell Martin were both solid. The season was highlighted by two milestones from Derek Jeter: his 3,000th hit, and his passing Mickey Mantle for most games played by a member of the Yankees. That year, they also became the first team ever to hit three grand slams in one game. The year ended again in the ALCS, when Derek Jeter fractured his ankle in Game 1 and the Yanks were swept by the Detroit Tigers. 2013 was a trying year, with Jeter barely able to play because of the previous year's injury, Alex Rodriguez injured over the first half and embroiled in the Biogenesis scandal and Teixeira also hurt almost all season. As a result, the Yankees finished well out of the postseason, in spite of Mariano Rivera being as good as ever in his farewell season. The following off-season, Robinson Cano left as well, enticed by a long-term contract offered by the Seattle Mariners, but Teixeira and Jeter were back, the latter for a final season. The Yankees went on a spending spree that off-season, signing OFs Carlos Beltran and Jacoby Ellsbury, C Brian McCann and Japanese P Masahiro Tanaka, in addition to a couple others. Following the retirement of Jeter at the end of the 2014 season, the Yankees tried to remain competitive by leaning heavily on veteran players, but it wasn't too successful. They did manage to make it to the postseason in 2015 but suffered a quick exit when shut out at home by the Houston Astros in the Wild Card Game.

In 2016, both 1B Teixeira and DH Rodriguez were let go before the end of the season, both of them retiring, as a youth movement got under way in earnest. The first positive result from that change of tack was an outstanding second half by rookie C Gary Sanchez that year, and it was followed in 2017 with an exceptional rookie season by RF Aaron Judge, who hit 52 homers and became the toast of the city. He was not the only good young player on the team, either: Sanchez had a very solid first full season, P Luis Severino emerged as the team's ace, 1B Greg Bird lost most of the season to injury but hit well when it counted, down the stretch and in the postseason, while Chad Green had an excellent season out of the bullpen. Add to that the very solid play of the double play combo of SS Didi Gregorius and 2B Juan Castro, and suddenly most of the team's most productive players were well under the age of 30, earning them the nickname of "Baby Bombers". They gave the Red Sox a run for their money before finishing second in the AL East, then won the Wild Card Game and upset the heavily-favored Indians in the ALDS before finally bowing in seven games to the Astros in the ALCS. It was by all accounts a very successful season, but differences had emerged in the front office between GM Brian Cashman and manager Girardi, and the latter was fired shortly after the team's elimination. The nomination of his successor, Aaron Boone, whose entire post-playing career had been as a broadcaster, came as a significant surprise.

Boone led the team to the postseason in his first two seasons, winning over 100 games each year, but the Yankees failed to advance to the World Series in either 2018 and 2019, with the hurt compounded when it was the Red Sox who eliminated the first year on their way to winning the big prize. Before that season, the Yankees had made a major addition by obtaining OF Giancarlo Stanton in a trade with the Miami Marlins, based on their ability to absorb the huge contract the Marlins had granted him a couple of years earlier. The Yankees were great both years, but by falling short both times, they completed the decade without a single World Series appearance, the first time this had happened since the 1910s.

Ownership

The team is currently owned by Hal Steinbrenner and a number of minority owners, following the passing of Hal's brother Hank Steinbrenner in 2020. In the past the minority owners have included the late George Steinbrenner's wife Joan, and part owners that include Robert Nederlander, Daniel McCarthy, Marvin Goldklang, future Boston Red Sox and Florida Marlins owner John Henry and memorabilia dealer Barry Halper. Stephen Swindal and Joe Molloy both were general partners with the team, while married to Steinbrenner daughters Jennifer and Jessica, but gave up their positions after divorces. After the 2007 season Hank Steinbrenner stepped into the forefront as the new face of ownership due to his father's declining health, with his older brother listed as co-owner. In November of 2008 ownership was officially transferred from George to his son.

Past Owners include

• Frank Farrell and Bill Devery - 1903 - 1914
• Jacob Ruppert and Tillinghast L'Hommedieu Huston - 1914 - 1923
• Jacob Ruppert - 1923 - 1939
• Mrs. J. Basil Hollern, Mrs. Joseph McGuire, Miss Helen Weyant - 1939 - 1945
• Dan Topping, Del Webb & Larry MacPhail - 1945 - 1947
• Dan Topping, & Del Webb - 1947 - 1964
• William S. Paley, Dan Topping, & Del Webb - 1964 - 1965
• William S. Paley, & Dan Topping - 1965 - 1966
• William S. Paley - 1966 - 1973
• George Steinbrenner - 1973 - 2010
• Hank Steinbrenner and Hal Steinbrenner - 2010 - 2020
• Hal Steinbrenner - 2020 -

See also former Yankees Presidents

Front Office

The Yankees current General Manager is Brian Cashman. He has been the clubs GM since 1998. The current assistant GMs are Billy Eppler and Jean Afterman. Afterman is the second consecutive woman to hold this position with the Yankees as she replaced Kim Ng who took the same position with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the past these positions have been held by people such as Ed Barrow, George Weiss, Larry MacPhail, Cedric Tallis, Gene Michael, Bob Watson, Woody Woodward, Lou Piniella, Syd Thrift and Bob Quinn among others.

Also see: Former Yankees General Managers

Coaching Staff

See Yankees Managers and Coaches

Current Minor League Teams

• AAA - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
• AA - Trenton Thunder
• A - Tampa Yankees
• A - Charleston River Dogs
• A Short-Season - Staten Island Yankees
• Rookie-Advanced - Pulaski Yankees
• R - GCL Yankees

Also see: Former Affiliates

Awards

• American League MVP:
  • Babe Ruth - 1923
  • Lou Gehrig - 1927 & 1936
  • Joe DiMaggio - 1939, 1941 & 1947
  • Joe Gordon - 1942
  • Spud Chandler - 1943
  • Phil Rizzuto - 1950
  • Yogi Berra - 1951, 1953 & 1955
  • Mickey Mantle - 1956, 1957 & 1962
  • Roger Maris - 1960 & 1961
  • Elston Howard - 1963
  • Thurman Munson - 1976
  • Don Mattingly - 1985
  • Alex Rodriguez - 2005 & 2007
  • Aaron Judge: 2022

• American League Cy Young Award:
  • Bob Turley - 1958 (Major League)
  • Whitey Ford - 1961 (Major League)
  • Sparky Lyle - 1977
  • Ron Guidry - 1978
  • Roger Clemens - 2001
  • Gerrit Cole - 2023

• American League Rookie of the Year Award:
  • Gil McDougald - 1951
  • Bob Grim - 1954
  • Tony Kubek - |1957
  • Tom Tresh - 1962
  • Stan Bahnsen - 1968
  • Thurman Munson - 1970
  • Dave Righetti - 1981
  • Derek Jeter - 1996
  • Aaron Judge - 2017
  • Luis Gil - 2024

• American League Manager of the Year Award:
  • Joe McCarthy - 1936, 1938 & 1943 (all Major League)
  • Bucky Harris - 1947 (Major League)
  • Casey Stengel - 1949, 1953 & 1958 (all Major League)
  • Ralph Houk - 1961 (Major League)
  • Bill Virdon - 1974 (Major League)
  • Buck Showalter - 1994
  • Joe Torre - 1996 & 1998

Famous Feats

• Perfect game:
  • Don Larsen: October 8, 1956 (Game 5 of 1956 World Series)
  • David Wells: May 17, 1998
  • David Cone: July 18, 1999
  • Domingo Germán: June 28, 2023

• No-hitter:
  • George Mogridge: April 24, 1917
  • Sam Jones: September 4, 1923
  • Monte Pearson: August 27, 1938
  • Allie Reynolds: July 12, 1951
  • Allie Reynolds: September 28, 1951
  • Don Larsen: October 8, 1956 (Game 5 of 1956 World Series)
  • Dave Righetti: July 4, 1983
  • Jim Abbott: September 4, 1993
  • Dwight Gooden: May 14, 1996
  • David Wells: May 17, 1998
  • David Cone: July 18, 1999
  • Corey Kluber: May 19, 2021
  • Domingo Germán: June 28, 2023

• Unassisted Triple Play:
  • none

• Four home runs in one game:
  • Lou Gehrig: June 3, 1932

• Two home runs in one inning:
  • Joe DiMaggio: June 24, 1936
  • Joe Pepitone: May 23, 1962
  • Cliff Johnson: June 30, 1977
  • Alex Rodriguez: September 5, 2007
  • Alex Rodriguez: October 4, 2009

• Hitting for the Cycle:
  • Bert Daniels: July 25, 1912
  • Bob Meusel: May 7, 1921
  • Bob Meusel: July 3, 1922
  • Bob Meusel: July 26, 1928 (12-inning game)
  • Tony Lazzeri: June 3, 1932 Natural Cycle
  • Lou Gehrig: June 25, 1934
  • Joe DiMaggio: July 9, 1937
  • Lou Gehrig: August 1, 1937
  • Buddy Rosar: July 19, 1940
  • Joe Gordon: September 8, 1940
  • Joe DiMaggio: May 20, 1948
  • Mickey Mantle: July 23, 1957
  • Bobby Murcer: August 29, 1972 (11-inning game)
  • Tony Fernandez: September 3, 1995 (10-inning game)
  • Melky Cabrera: August 2, 2009

Captains

The Yankees have had sixteen captains in their history. For many years the team did not officially recognize some of their earliest captains. Clark Griffith was the first captain holding that position for the 1903-1905 seasons. In 1906 he was replaced by Kid Elberfeld. Elberfeld would also replace Griffith as manager during the 1908 season. Willie Keeler was named captain for the 1909.

First basemen Hal Chase, who was long believed to be the first captain, was named to the post in 1912. In 1913 Frank Chance was named both manager and captain. In the middle of the 1913 season the Yankees traded Chase to the Washington Senators for Rollie Zeider, who was named the new captain. Roger Peckinpaugh became the seventh captain in 1914. He held the title for seven years before being traded to the Boston Red Sox in a seven-player trade that brought Everett Scott, Sam Jones and Joe Bush after the 1921 season. In 1922, Babe Ruth was named captain for a five-day period, before manager Miller Huggins stripped of the title because of his behavior. Later that season Everett Scott was named the new captain. Scott would hold the position until 1925 when he was lost on waivers to the Washington Senators. It would be ten years before another player was named captain of the Yankees.

In 1935 first basemen Lou Gehrig was named the fifth captain in Yankees history. Gehrig would hold the position for four years until his retirement in 1939. Following his death in 1941 it was announced that the Yankees would never have a captain again.

For thirty-five years the Yankees kept this promise. But in 1976 the Yankees named Thurman Munson the new team captain. The catcher rewarded the Yankees by leading them to the American League title and winning the MVP award. Munson's career also ended tragically, though, as he died in a plane crash in 1979. Three years later, the Yankees named a new captain, as third basemen Graig Nettles took over the role. Nettles would only get in two years on the job before being traded to the San Diego Padres. 1986 saw the first co-captains in Willie Randolph and Ron Guidry. The teammates were the last remaining members of the late 1970s championship teams. They both held the position until 1989, when Guidry retired and Randolph signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a free agent. After going without a captain for the 1990 season, the club named Don Mattingly captain. The announcement came shortly after he signed a five-year deal through the 1995 season. After that season Mattingly stepped down from the position and retired.

It was another seven years before the Yankees named a new captain. In 2003, shortstop Derek Jeter was named the new captain of the Yankees. Jeter held the position until his final season in 2014. When he retired, there were once again calls that the title be retired in perpetuity but instead, the title was handed to Aaron Judge before the 2023 season, after he had broken Roger Maris' single-season home run record and re-signed with the Yankees for a record amount.

Uniforms

The Yankees famous uniform design features a white and navy pinstripe combo for home games and gray jerseys with New York written on the chest for road games. The hat for both road and home games is navy blue with a white interlocking NY. The Yankees have retired 17 uniform numbers. Those numbers are displayed in Monument Park. For more information see New York Yankees uniforms.

The interlocking NY logo is inspired by a design by jeweler Tiffany, used on a medal given to New York City policemen to honor acts of bravery, first used in 1877. It was adopted in 1903 by team owner William Devery, who was a former New York chief of police and thus familiar with the design.

Spring Training Sites

• Tampa, FL - 1996-Present
• Ft. Lauderdale, FL - 1962-1995
• St. Petersburg, FL - 1925-1942, 1946-1950, 1952-1961
• Phoenix, AZ - 1951
• Atlantic City, NJ - 1944-1945
• Asbury Park, NJ - 1943
• New Orleans, LA - 1922-1924
• Shreveport, LA - 1921
• Jacksonville, FL - 1919-1920
• Macon, GA - 1909, 1916-1918
• Savannah, GA - 1915
• Houston, TX - 1914
• Hamilton, Bermuda - 1913
• Atlanta, GA - 1903-1904, 1907-1908, 1912
• Athens, GA - 1910-1911
• Birmingham, AL - 1906
• Montgomery, AL - 1905

Further Reading

• Dom Amore: A Franchise on the Rise: The First Twenty Years of the New York Yankees, Skyhorse Publishing, New York, NY, 2018. ISBN 978-1613219478
• Dave Anderson, ed.: The New York Times Story of the Yankees: 382 Articles, Profiles and Essays from 1903 to Present, Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, New York, NY, 2012. ISBN 978-1579128920
• Dave Anderson, Harold Rosenthal and Murray Chass: The Yankees: The Four Fabulous Eras of Baseball's Most Famous Team, Random House, New York, NY, 1980. ISBN 9780394511337
• Marty Appel: Pinstripe Empire: The New York Yankees from Before the Babe to after the Boss, Bloomsbury Publishing, New York, NY, 2012. ISBN 978-1608194926
• Associated Press: New York Yankees 365, Abrams Books, New York, NY, 2009.
• Ira Berkow: Summers in the Bronx: Attila the Hun and Other Yankee Stories, Triumph Books, Chicago, IL, 2009.
• Robert W. Cohen: The 50 Greatest Players in New York Yankees History, Taylor Trade Publishing, Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham, MD, 2012. ISBN 978-0-8108-8393-2
• Stanley Cohen: Yankees 1936–39, Baseball's Greatest Dynasty: Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio and the Birth of a New Era, Skyhorse Publishing, New York, NY, 2018. ISBN 978-1510720633
• Chris Donnelly: Road to Nowhere: The Early 1990s Collapse and Rebuild of New York City Baseball, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, NE, 2023. ISBN 978-1-4962-2142-1
• David Fischer: 100 Things Yankees Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die, Triumph Books, Chicago, IL, 2012.
• David Fischer: The New York Yankees of the 1950s: Mantle, Stengel, Berra, and a Decade of Dominance, Lyons Press, Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham, MD, 2019. ISBN 978-1493038923
• Rob Fleder, ed.: Damn Yankees: Twenty-Four Major League Writers on the World's Most Loved (and Hated) Team, HarperCollins Publishers, New York, NY, 2012. ISBN 0062059629
• Lew Freedman: DiMaggio's Yankees: A History of the 1936-1944 Dynasty, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 2011. ISBN 978-0-7864-5906-3
• Mark Gallagher: The Yankee Encyclopedia, Sports Publishing L.L.C., New York, NY, 1996.
• Jim Gerard: Yankees Suck! The Unofficial Guide for Fans Who Hate, Despise, Loath, and Detest Those Bums From the Bronx, Roadside Amusements, Penguin Books, New York, NY, 2005. ISBN 978-1596090422
• Gary Gillette and Pete Palmer: The Ultimate Yankees Companion: A Complete Statistical Guide and Reference Encyclopedia, Maple Street Press, Hingham, MA, 2007.
• Peter Golenbock: Dynasty: The New York Yankees, 1949-1964, Contemporary Books, Chicago, IL, 2000. ISBN 978-0486477367. Originally published in 1975.
• Ron Green. Jr.: 101 Reasons to Love the Yankees and 10 reasons to Hate the Red Sox, Abrams Books, New York, NY, 2005.
• Tommy Henrich and Bill Gilbert: Five O'Clock Lightning, Birch Lane Press, New York, NY, 1992.
• Bryan Hoch: The Baby Bombers: The Inside Story of the Next Yankees Dynasty, Diversion Books, New York, NY, 2018. ISBN 978-1635764192
• Bryan Hoch: "NYPD & Tiffany: The story behind Yanks' logo", mlb.com, February 4, 2021. [1]
• Donald Honig: The New York Yankees: An Illustrated History, Crown Publishers, New York, NY, 1981. ISBN 0517544962
• Jim Kaat and Greg Jennings: If These Walls Could Talk: New York Yankees: Stories from the New York Yankees Dugout, Locker Room, and Press Box, Triumph Books, Chicago, IL, 2015. ISBN 978-1629370248
• Roger Kahn: The Era, 1947-1957: When the Yankees, the Giants, and the Dodgers Ruled the World, Bison Books, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, NE, 2002 (originally published in 1993). ISBN 0803278055
• David Krell: The New York Yankees in Popular Culture, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 2019. ISBN 978-1-4766-7464-3
• Bill Madden: Pride of October: What It Was to Be Young and a Yankee, Warner Books, New York, NY, 2013. ISBN 978-0446529327
• Bill Madden and Moss Klein: Damned Yankees: Chaos, Confusion, and Craziness in the Steinbrenner Era, Triumph Books, Chicago, IL, 2012. ISBN 978-1600787041. Originally published in 1990.
• Jack Mann: The Decline and Fall of the New York Yankees, Simon and Schuster, New York, NY, 1967.
• Rich Marazzi: Yankee Stories Untold: An Insider’s Memoir from Ruth to Jeter, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 2024. ISBN 978-1-4766-9380-4
• Bill Nowlin and Jim Prime: Blood Feud: The Red Sox, the Yankees, and the Struggle of Good versus Evil, Rounder Books, Burlington, MA, 2005. ISBN 978-1579401115
• Andrew O'Toole: Strangers in the Bronx: DiMaggio, Mantle, and the Changing of the Yankee Guard, Triumph Books, Chicago, IL, 2015. ISBN 978-1629370279
• Phil Pepe: Yankee Doodles: Inside the Locker Room with Mickey, Yogi, Reggie, and Derek, Sports Publishing L.L.C., New York, NY, 2015. ISBN 978-1613217627
• Phil Rizzuto and Tom Horton: The October Twelve, Tom Doherty Associates, New York, NY, 1994.
• Ray Robinson and Christopher Jennison: Pennants and Pinstripes: The New York Yankees 1903-2002, Penguin Studio, New York, NY, 2002. ISBN 978-0670892143
• William J. Ryczek: The Yankees in the early 1960s, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 2008. ISBN 978-0-7864-2996-7
• Gary Sarnoff: The First Yankees Dynasty: Babe Ruth, Miller Huggins and the Bronx Bombers of the 1920s, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 2014. ISBN 978-0-7864-4966-8
• Gabriel Schechter: Spanking the Yankees: 366 Days of Bronx Bummers, Summer Game Books, South Orange, NJ, 2020. ISBN 978-1-9385-4596-2
• Michael Schiavone: Dodgers vs. Yankees: The Long-Standing Rivalry Between Two of Baseball's Greatest Teams, Sports Publishing LLC., New York, NY, 2020. ISBN 9781683583141
• Mark Simon: The Yankees Index: Every Number Tells a Story, Triumph Books, Chicago, IL, 2016. ISBN 978-1-6293-7176-4
• Mitchell S. Soivenski: New York Yankees Home Runs: A Comprehensive Factbook, 1903-2012, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 2013. ISBN 978-0-7864-7124-9
• Lyle Spatz: New York Yankee Openers : An Opening Day History of Baseball's Most Famous Team, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 1997. ISBN 978-0786403684
• Lyle Spatz: Yankees Coming, Yankees Going: New York Yankees Player Transactions, 1903 Through 1999, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 2000.
• Todd Stanley: They Wore Red Socks and Pinstripes: Players Who Went to the Enemy, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 2017. ISBN 978-0-7864-9751-5
• Steve Steinberg and Lyle Spatz: The Colonel and Hug: The Partnership that Transformed the New York Yankees, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, NE, 2015. ISBN 978-0803248656
• Glenn Stout and Richard A. Johnson: Yankee Century, Houghton Mifflin Co., New York, NY, 2002.
• David J. Surdam: The Postwar Yankees: Baseball's Golden Age Revisited, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, NE, 2008.

Sources:

• http://www.ballparks.com
• Peter Filichia: Green Cathedrals: The Ultimate Celebrations of All 273 Major League and Negro League Ballparks Past and Present, Addison Wesley Publishing Company (March 1993)
• http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/al/nyyanks/yankees.html