In 1900,Ban Johnson, the president of aminor league known as theWestern League (1894–1899),[25] changed the Western League name to the American League (AL) and asked the National League to classify it as a major league.[26] Johnson held that his league would operate on friendly terms with the National League, but the National League demanded concessions which Johnson did not agree with and he declared major league status for the AL in 1901 anyway.[27][28][29]
Plans to add an AL team in New York City were blocked by the NL'sNew York Giants.[30] A team was instead placed inBaltimore, Maryland, in 1901 and named the Orioles.[31] The Orioles were managed byJohn McGraw, who was also a part owner. After many personal clashes with Johnson, during the1902 season McGraw jumped to become the new manager of the Giants, taking many players with him.[32] The Orioles limped through the remainder of the season under league control, using a roster of players loaned from the rest of the AL clubs. The Orioles were disbanded at the end of the season.[33]
In early 1903, the two leagues decided to settle their disputes and try to coexist.[34] At a conference, Johnson requested that an AL team be put in New York, to play alongside the NL's Giants.[35] It was put to a vote, and 15 of the 16 major league owners agreed on it.[30] The franchise was awarded toFrank J. Farrell andWilliam S. Devery.[36][37]
1903–1912: Establishment in New York and the Highlanders years
The team's new ballpark,Hilltop Park (formally known as "American League Park"),[38] was constructed in one ofUpper Manhattan's highest points—between 165th and 168th Streets in theWashington Heights neighborhood.[39] The team was named the New York Highlanders.[40] Fans believed the name was chosen because of the team's elevated location in Upper Manhattan, or as a nod to team president Joseph Gordon's Scottish-Irish heritage (theGordon Highlanders were a well known Scottish military unit).[41][42]: 18 The land was owned by theNew York Institute for the Education of the Blind and was leased to the Highlanders for 10 years.[43]
Initially, the team was commonly referred to as the New York Americans.[44] The team was also referred to as the "Invaders" in theEvening Journal andThe Evening World.[45][46]New York Press Sports EditorJim Price coined the unofficial nickname Yankees (or "Yanks") for the club as early as 1904, because it was easier to fit in headlines.[47] The Highlanders finished second in the AL in 1904, 1906, and 1910.[48] In 1904, they lost the deciding game on awild pitch to theBoston Americans, who later became the Boston Red Sox.[49][50] That year, Highlander pitcherJack Chesbro set the single-season wins record at 41.[51] At this time there was no formal World Series agreement wherein the AL and NL winners would play each other.[51]
1913–1922: New owners, a new home, and a new name: Years at the Polo Grounds
ThePolo Grounds, home of the Yankees from 1913 to 1922, was demolished in 1964, after theMets had moved toShea Stadium in Flushing.
ThePolo Grounds,[b] located on the shore of theHarlem River in Washington Heights, was home to theNew York Giants of the National League.[53] The Giants were inter-city rivals with the Highlanders, dating back to when Giants managerJohn McGraw feuded with Ban Johnson after McGraw jumped from the Orioles to the Giants.[54][55] Polo Grounds III burned down in 1911 and the Highlanders shared Hilltop Park with the Giants during a two-month renovation period.[56][57] Later, from 1913 to 1922, the Highlanders shared the Polo Grounds with the Giants after their lease with Hilltop Park expired.[58] While playing at the Polo Grounds, the name "Highlanders" fell into disuse among the press.[47] In 1913 the team became officially known as the New York Yankees.[59]
In the mid‑1910s, the Yankees finished towards the bottom of the standings.[42]: 66–69 The relationship between Farrell and Devery became strained due to money issues and the team performance.[60] At the start of 1915, the pair sold the team to ColonelJacob Ruppert, a brewer, and CaptainTillinghast L'Hommedieu Huston, a contractor-engineer.[6][61] Ruppert and Huston paid $350,000 (equivalent to $9,375,000 in 2021) with both men contributing half of the total price.[62] After the purchase, Ruppert assumed the role of team president with Huston becoming team secretary andtreasurer.[63]
1923–1935: Sluggers and the Stadium: Ruth, Gehrig, and Murderer's Row
With his hitting prowess,Babe Ruth (1895–1948) ushered in an offensive-oriented era of baseball and helped lead the Yankees to four World Series titles.
In the years around 1920, the Yankees, the Red Sox, and theChicago White Sox had adétente.[64] The trades between the three ball clubs antagonized Ban Johnson and garnered the teams the nickname "TheInsurrectos".[65][66] This détente paid off well for the Yankees as they increased their payroll. Most new players who later contributed to the team's success came from the Red Sox, whose owner,Harry Frazee, was trading them for large sums of money to finance his theatrical productions.[67][68] Pitcher-turned-outfielderBabe Ruth was the most talented of all the acquisitions from Boston, and the outcome of that trade would haunt the Red Sox for the next 86 years, a span in which the team did not win a single World Series championship.[69] This phenomenon eventually became known as theCurse of the Bambino, which was coined by writerDan Shaughnessy in the 1990 book of the same name.[70]
Ruth's multitude of home runs proved so popular that the Yankees began drawing more people than their National League counterpart, the Giants.[66] In 1921 — the year after acquiring Ruth — theYankees played in theirfirst World Series.[71][72] They competed against theGiants,[73] and all eight games of the series were played in the Polo Grounds.[74] After the 1922 season, the Yankees were told to move out of the Polo Grounds.[75] Giants managerJohn McGraw became upset with the increase of Yankees attendance along with the number of home runs.[76] He was said to have commented that the Yankees should "move to some out-of-the-way place, like Queens",[77] but they instead broke ground for a new ballpark inthe Bronx, right across theHarlem River from the Polo Grounds.[78] In 1922, theYankees returned to theWorld Series again and were dealt a second defeat at the hands of theGiants.[79] ManagerMiller Huggins and general managerEd Barrow were important newcomers in this period.[80] The hiring of Huggins by Ruppert in 1918 caused a rift between the owners that eventually led to Ruppert buying Huston out in 1923.[81]
Lou Gehrig (1903–1941) was the first Yankees player to have his number retired, in 1939, which was the same year that he retired from baseball due to a crippling disease.
In 1923, the Yankees moved to their new home,Yankee Stadium,[82] which took 11 months to build and cost $2.5 million (equivalent to $40,000,000 in 2021).[83] The team announced that 99,200 fans showed up on Opening Day and 25,000 were turned away.[84] In the first game at Yankee Stadium, Ruth hit a home run.[85] The stadium was nicknamed "The House That Ruth Built", due mainly to the fact that Ruth had doubled Yankees' attendance, which helped the team pay for the new stadium.[86] At the end of the season, theYankees faced theGiants in theWorld Series for the third straight year and won their first championship.[87]
In the 1927season, theYankees featured a lineup that became known as "Murderers' Row",[88] and some consider this team to be the best in the history of baseball (though similar claims have been made for other Yankee squads, notably those of 1939, 1961 and 1998).[89] The name originated fromThe Tombs, a jail complex inLower Manhattan that had specific cell block formurderers.[90] That season, the Yankees became the first team in baseball to occupy first place every day of the season, winning 110 games.[91] The team also swept thePittsburgh Pirates in theWorld Series.[92] Ruth's home run total of 60 in 1927 set a single-season home run record that stood until it was broken byRoger Maris in 1961, although Maris had eight additional games in which to break the record.[91] Meanwhile, first basemanLou Gehrig had his first big season, batting .373 with 47 home runs and 175 runs batted in (RBI),[93] beating Ruth's single-season RBI mark which he had set in 1921.[94] The Yankees won the World Series again in 1928.[95]
In 1931,Joe McCarthy, who was previously manager of theChicago Cubs, was hired as manager and brought theYankees back to the top of the AL.[96] They swept the Chicago Cubs in the1932 World Series, and brought the team's streak of consecutive World Series game wins to 12.[97] This series was made famous by Babe Ruth's "Called Shot" in game three of the series atWrigley Field, in which Ruth pointed to center field before hitting a home run.[98] In 1935, Ruth left the Yankees to join the NL'sBoston Braves,[99] and he made his last major league baseball appearance on May 30 of that year.[100]
1936–1951: Joltin' Joe DiMaggio
In 1941,Joe DiMaggio (1914–1999) set an MLB record with a 56-game hitting streak that stands to this day and will probably never be broken.
After Ruth left the Yankees following the1934 season, Gehrig finally had a chance to take center stage, but it was only one year before a new star appeared,Joe DiMaggio.[101] The team won an unprecedented four straight World Series titles from 1936 to 1939.[102] For most of 1939, however, they had to do it without Gehrig, who took himself out of the lineup on May 2 and retired due toamyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which was later known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease" in his memory.[103][104] The Yankees declared July 4, 1939, to be "Lou Gehrig Day", on which they retired his number 4, the firstretired number in baseball.[105] Gehrig made a famous speech in which he declared himself to be "the luckiest man on the face of the earth."[106] He died two years later on June 2, 1941.[107] The acclaimed movieThe Pride of the Yankees about Gehrig was released in 1942.
The 1941 season was often described as the last year of the "Golden Era" before the United States enteredWorld War II and other realities intervened.[108] Numerous achievements were made in the early 1940s includingTed Williams of the Red Sox hitting for the elusive .400batting average and Joe DiMaggio getting hits in consecutive ballgames.[109] By the end of hishitting streak, DiMaggiohit in 56 consecutive games, the current major league record and one oftendeemed unbreakable.[110]
Two months after the Yankees beat theBrooklyn Dodgers in the1941 World Series, the first of seven October meetings between the two crosstown rivals before the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles.[111] As a result of themandatory draft following theattack on Pearl Harbor, more than 90 percent of the players, including DiMaggio, were forced to suspend their playing careers and enter the military.[112] Despite losing many of their players, the Yankees still managed to pull out a win against theSt. Louis Cardinals in the1943 World Series.[113] Following Jacob Ruppert's death in 1939, his heirs assumed control on the team.[114] In 1945 construction and real estate magnateDel Webb along with partnersDan Topping andLarry MacPhail purchased the team from the Ruppert estate for $2.8 million (equivalent to roughly $47.8 million in 2023);[115][116] MacPhail, who was the team president, treasurer, and general manager, was bought out following the1947 World Series.[117]
After a few slumping seasons, McCarthy left the organization in 1946.[118] A few interim managers later,Bucky Harris took the job, righting the ship and taking the Yankees to a hard-foughtseries victory against theDodgers.[119][120] Despite finishing only three games behind theCleveland Indians in the 1948 pennant race, Harris was relieved of his duties and replaced byCasey Stengel, who had a reputation of being a clown and managing bad teams.[121][122] His tenure as Yankees' field manager, however, was marked with success.[123] The "underdog" Yankees came from behind to catch and surprise a powerfulRed Sox team on the last two days of the 1949 season, a face-off that fueled the beginning of the modernYankees–Red Sox rivalry.[124] By this time, however, DiMaggio's career was winding down, and the "Yankee Clipper" retired after the 1951 season after numerous injuries.[125] That year marked the arrival ofMickey Mantle, who was one of several rookies to fill the gap.[126]
Bettering the clubs managed by Joe McCarthy, the Yankees won the World Series five consecutive times from1949 to1953 under Stengel, which remains an MLB record.[127] Led by players like center fielderMickey Mantle, pitcherWhitey Ford, and catcherYogi Berra, Stengel's teams won ten pennants and seven World Series titles in his 12 seasons as the Yankees manager.[123] The1950 title was the only one of those five championships not to be won against either theNew York Giants or Brooklyn Dodgers; it was won in four straight games against theWhiz Kids of thePhiladelphia Phillies.[128][129]
In 1954, theYankees won 103 games, but theCleveland Indians took the pennant with a then-AL record 111 wins; 1954 was famously referred to as "The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant".[130] The term was coined by writerDouglass Wallop, who wrotea novel of the same name.[131] The novel was then adapted into a musical calledDamn Yankees.[132] In1955, theDodgers finally beat theYankees in the World Series, after five previous Series losses to them. The Yankees came back strong the next year.[133] In Game 5 of the1956 World Series against theDodgers, pitcherDon Larsen threw the onlyperfect game in World Series history,[134] which remains the only perfect game in postseason play and the only postseasonno-hitter until 2010.[135]
TheYankees lost the1957 World Series to theMilwaukee Braves whenLew Burdette won three games for the Braves and was awardedWorld Series MVP.[136][137] Following the Series, the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers both left forSan Francisco andLos Angeles, respectively.[138] This left the Yankees as New York's only baseball team. In the1958 World Series, the Yankees got their revenge against the Braves and became the second team to win the Series after being down 3–1.[139] For the decade, the Yankees won six World Series championships (1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1958) and eight American League pennants (those six plus 1955 and 1957).[140] Led by Mantle, Ford, Berra,Elston Howard (the Yankees' first African-American player),[141] and the newly acquiredRoger Maris, the Yankees entered the 1960s seeking to replicate their success of the 1950s.[142]
1960–1964: Mantle and Maris
Mickey Mantle (1931–1995) was one of the franchise's most celebrated hitters, highlighted by his 1956 Triple Crown and World Series championship.
Arnold Johnson, owner of theKansas City Athletics, was a longtime business associate of Yankees co-ownersDel Webb andDan Topping.[115] Because of this "special relationship" with the Yankees, he traded young players to them in exchange for cash and aging veterans.[143] Invariably, these trades ended up being heavily tilted in the Yankees' favor, leading to accusations that the Athletics were little more than a Yankees farm team at the major league level.[144][145] Kansas City had been home to the Yankees' top farm team, theKansas City Blues, for almost 20 years before the Athletics moved there from Philadelphia in 1954.[146]
In 1960,Charles O. Finley purchased the Athletics and put an end to the trades with the Yankees.[147] At that point, however, the Yankees had already strengthened their supply of future prospects, which included a young outfielder namedRoger Maris.[148] In 1960, Maris led the league in slugging percentage, RBI, and extra-base hits.[149] He finished second in home runs (one behindMickey Mantle) and total bases, and won aGold Glove, which garnered enough votes for the American League MVP award.[150]
The year 1961 was one of the most memorable in Yankees history.[151][152]: n12 Mantle and Maris hit home runs at a fast pace and became known as the "M&M Boys".[153] Ultimately, a severe hip infection forced Mantle to leave the lineup at the end of the regular season.[154] Maris continued though, and on October 1, the last day of the regular season, he hit home run number 61, surpassing Babe Ruth's single-season home run record of 60.[155] However, MLB CommissionerFord Frick decreed that since Maris had played in a 162-game season, and Ruth (in 1927) had played in a 154-game season.[156] They were considered two separate records for 30 years, until MLB reversed course and stated Maris held the record alone.[157] His record would be broken byMark McGwire, who hit 70 home runs in 1998.[158] Maris held the American League record until 2022 whenAaron Judge hit 62.[159]
The Yankees won the pennant with a 109–53 record and went on to defeat theCincinnati Reds in the1961 World Series.[160] The team finished the year with 240 home runs, which was an MLB record until surpassed by the1996 Baltimore Orioles team with 257 home runs.[161] In 1962, the sports scene in New York changed when the National League added an expansion team, theNew York Mets.[162] The Mets played at the Giants' former home, thePolo Grounds, for two seasons while Shea Stadium was under construction in nearbyFlushing, Queens.[163] This restored New York as a city with more than one team, as it had been from the late 1800s until 1957.[164] The Yankees won the1962 World Series, their tenth in the past sixteen years, defeating theSan Francisco Giants 4–3.[165] It was the Yankees' last championship until1977.[166]
TheYankees easily reached the1963 World Series when they won the pennant by 10.5 games, but they scored only four runs in the series and were swept by theLos Angeles Dodgers and their ace pitcher,Sandy Koufax.[167] The series was the first between the Yankees and the new Los Angeles Dodgers, after their move in 1958.[168] After the season, Yogi Berra, who had just retired from playing, took over managerial duties.[169] The agingYankees returned the next year fora fifth straight World Series, but were beaten 4–3 by theSt. Louis Cardinals. It would be the Yankees' last World Series appearance until 1976.[170][171]
1965–1972: New ownership and a steep decline
After the 1964 season, broadcasting companyCBS purchased 80% of the Yankees from Topping and Webb for $11.2 million (equivalent to $113.6 million in 2024).[172] With the new ownership, the team began to decline.[173] The1965 edition of the team posted a record of 77–85 — the Yankees' first losing record in 40 years.[174] In 1966, theYankees finished in last place in the AL for the first time since 1912.[175] It also marked their first consecutive losing seasons since 1917 and 1918.[176] The1967 season was not much better; they finished only ahead of theKansas City Athletics in the American League.[177] While their fortunes improved somewhat in the late 1960s and early 1970s, they finished higher than fourth only once during CBS' ownership, in1970.[178]
The Yankees were not able to replace their aging superstars with promising young talent, as they had consistently done in the previous five decades.[179] As early as the 1961–62 off-season, longtime fans noticed that the pipeline of talent from theminor league affiliates had started to dry up.[180] This was worsened by the introduction of theamateur draft that year, which meant that the Yankees could no longer sign any player they wanted.[181] The Yankees were one of four teams who voted against the establishment of the draft, with the Dodgers, Mets, and Cardinals also objecting.[182] While the Yankees usually drafted fairly early during this period due to their lackluster records,Thurman Munson was the only pick who lived up to his billing.[183]
1973–1981: Steinbrenner, Martin, Jackson, and Munson: the Bronx Zoo
On January 3, 1973, CBS announced they were selling the club to a group of investors, led byCleveland-based shipbuilderGeorge Steinbrenner (1930–2010), for $10 million (equivalent to $70.8 million in 2024).[184]E. Michael Burke, who assumed the role of team president in 1966, resigned as president in April but stayed with the organization as a consultant to the owner.[185][186] 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.[178]
One of Steinbrenner's major goals was to renovate Yankee Stadium.[187] Both the stadium and the surrounding neighborhood had deteriorated by the late 1960s.[188] CBS initially suggested renovations, but the team needed to play elsewhere, and the Mets refused to open their home, Shea Stadium, to the Yankees.[189] A new stadium inthe Meadowlands, across theHudson River inNew Jersey, was suggested (and was eventually built, asGiants Stadium, specifically for football).[190] Finally, in mid-1972, MayorJohn Lindsay stepped in. The city bought the stadium and began an extensive two-year renovation period.[187] Since the city also owned Shea Stadium, the Mets were forced to allow the Yankees to play two seasons there.[189] The renovations modernized the look of the stadium, significantly altered the dimensions, and reconfigured some of the seating.[191]
In 1973, Steinbrenner instituted apersonal appearance policy that included being clean-shaven, with long hair slicked back or trimmed.[192] In an interview withThe New York Times, Steinbrenner stated the policy was to " instill a certain sense of order and discipline" in the players.[193] The policy originated from Steinbrenner's service in theUnited States Air Force, which had a similar appearance policy.[194][195] This rule is still in effect today, and enforced by his sons after George's passing.[196] TheCincinnati Reds had the same personal appearance policy from 1967 until 1999.[197]
During 1974 and 1975,Yankee Stadium was renovated into its final shape and structure, as shown here in 2002, seven years before demolition.
After the 1976 campaign, Steinbrenner added star Oakland outfielderReggie Jackson—who had spent 1976 with theBaltimore Orioles—to his roster.[201]During spring training of 1977, Jackson alienated his teammates with controversial remarks about the Yankees captain, catcherThurman Munson.[202] He had bad blood with manager Billy Martin, who had managed theDetroit Tigers when Jackson'sAthletics defeated them in the1972 playoffs.[203] Jackson, Martin, and Steinbrenner repeatedly feuded with each other throughout Jackson's 5-year contract. Martin was hired and fired by Steinbrenner five times over the next 13 years.[204][205] This conflict, combined with the extremely rowdy Yankees fans of the late 1970s and the bad conditions of the Bronx, led to the Yankees organization and stadium being referred to as the "Bronx Zoo".[206][207] Despite the turmoil, Jackson hit four home runs in the1977 World Series; hit three of those home runs on the first pitch of his at bats in the fourth, fifth and eighth innings of the sixth game of the World Series; earned theSeries MVP Award; and got the nickname "Mr. October."[208]
Throughout the late 1970s, the race for the pennant was often a close competition between the Yankees and the Red Sox. Despite that, during the1978 season, theRed Sox were14+1⁄2 games ahead of the Yankees in July.[209] In late July, Martin suspended Reggie Jackson and fined him $9,000 (equivalent to $43,000 in 2024) for "defiance" after he bunted while Martin had the "swing" signal on.[210] Upon Jackson's return, Martin made a famous statement against both Jackson and owner Steinbrenner: "They deserve each other. One's a born liar; the other's convicted."[211] Martin was forced to resign the next day and was replaced byBob Lemon. This came while the team was winning five games in a row and Boston was losing five in a row.[212]
The Yankees continued to win games, and by the time they met Boston for a pivotal four-game series atFenway Park in early September, the Yankees were four games behind the Red Sox. The Yankees swept the Red Sox in what became known as the "Boston Massacre", winning the games 15–3, 13–2, 7–0, and 7–4.[213][214] The third game was a shutout pitched byRon Guidry, who led the majors with nine shutouts, a 25–3 record, and a 1.74 ERA.[215] On the last day of the season, the two clubs finished in a tie for first place in the AL East, and a tiebreaker game was held at Fenway Park. With Guidry pitching against former YankeeMike Torrez, the Red Sox took an early 2–0 lead. In the seventh inning, light-hitting Yankee shortstopBucky Dent drove a three-run home run over the Fenway Park'sGreen Monster, putting the Yankees up 3–2. Reggie Jackson's solo home run in the following inning sealed the eventual 5–4 win that gave the Yankees their one-hundredth win of the season and their third straight AL East title. Guidry earned his 25th win of the season.[216][217]
After defeating theKansas City Royals for the third consecutive year in theALCS, the Yankees faced the Los Angeles Dodgers in theWorld Series. They lost the first two games in Los Angeles, but won all three games at Yankee Stadium and Game 6 back in Los Angeles, winning their 22nd world championship.[218] Changes occurred during the 1979 season. Former Cy Young Award-winning closerSparky Lyle was traded to theTexas Rangers for several players, includingDave Righetti.[219]Tommy John was acquired from the Dodgers andLuis Tiant from the Red Sox to bolster the pitching staff.[220] During the season, Bob Lemon was replaced by Billy Martin, who was serving his second stint as Yankees manager.[221]
The mask and catcher's mitt ofThurman Munson, the team captain who was killed in a plane crash in 1979
The 1970s ended on a tragic note for the Yankees. On August 2, 1979, catcherThurman Munson died when his private plane crashed while he was practicingtouch-and-go landings.[222] Four days later, the entire team flew out toCanton, Ohio, for the funeral, despite having a game later that day against theOrioles.[223]Bobby Murcer, a close friend of Munson's, along withLou Piniella, were chosen to give the eulogy at his funeral.[224] In a nationally televised and emotional game, Murcer used Munson's bat (which he gave to Munson's wife after the game), and drove in all five of the team's runs in a dramatic 5–4 walk-off victory.[225][226] Before the game, Munson's locker sat empty except for his catching gear, a sad reminder for his teammates. His locker, labeled with his number 15, has remained empty in the Yankees clubhouse as a memorial. When the Yankees moved across the street, Munson's locker was torn out and installed in the new stadium's museum.[227] Immediately after Munson's death, the team announced his number 15 would beretired.[228]
After the season ended, the Yankees signedDave Winfield to a 10-year contract.[234] A contract misunderstanding led to a feud between Winfield and Steinbrenner.[235] The team fired Howser and replaced him withGene Michael. Under Michael, the Yankees led the AL East before astrike hit in June 1981.[236] The Yankees struggled underBob Lemon, who replaced Michael for the second half of the season.[237] Thanks to the split-season playoff format, the Yankees faced the second-half winnerMilwaukee Brewers in the special1981 American League Division Series.[238] After defeating Milwaukee 3–2, they swept the Oakland Athletics in a three-gameALCS.[239] In theWorld Series, the Yankees won the first two games against the Los Angeles Dodgers. But the Dodgers fought back to win the next four games to claim the World Series title. This World Series would be the most recent between the Yankees and the Dodgers.[111]
1982–1995: Struggles during the Mattingly years
Don Mattingly headlined a Yankees franchise that struggled in the 1980s.
Following the team's loss to the Dodgers in the 1981 World Series, the Yankees began their longest absence from the playoffs since 1921.[240] Steinbrenner announced his plan to transform the Yankees from the "Bronx Bombers" into the "Bronx Burners", increasing the Yankees' ability to win games based on speed and defense instead of relying on home runs.[241] As a first step towards this end, the Yankees signedDave Collins from theCincinnati Reds during the 1981 off-season.[242] Collins was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays after the 1982 season in a deal that also included future All-StarsFred McGriff andMike Morgan. In return the Yankees gotDale Murray andTom Dodd.[243]
The Yankees of the 1980s were led by All-Star first basemanDon Mattingly.[244] In spite of accumulating the most total wins of any major league team, they failed to win a World Series (the 1980s were the first decade since the 1910s in which the Yankees did not win at least two Series) and had only two playoff appearances.[245] They consistently had a powerful offense, with Mattingly and Winfield competing for the best average in the AL for the1984 season.[246] Despite their offense, the Yankees teams of the 1980s lacked sufficient starting pitching to win a championship in the 1980s.[247] After posting a 22–6 record in 1985, arm problems caught up with Guidry, and his performance declined over the next three years. He retired after the 1988 season.[248] Of the remaining mainstays of the Yankees' rotation, onlyDave Righetti stood out, pitching ano-hitter on July 4, 1983, but he was moved to the bullpen the next year where he helped to define the closer role.[249][250]
Despite the Yankees' lack of pitching success during the 1980s, they had three of the premier pitchers of the early 1990s on their roster during these years inAl Leiter,Doug Drabek andJosé Rijo.[251] All were mismanaged and dealt away before they could reach their full potential, with only Rijo returning much value – he was traded to the Oakland A's in the deal that brought Henderson to New York.[252] The team came close to winning the AL East in1985 and1986, finishing second to theToronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox, respectively, but fell to fourth place in1987 and fifth in1988, despite having mid-season leads in the AL East both years.[253][254][255][256]
By the end of the decade, the Yankees' offense declined. Henderson and third basemanMike Pagliarulo had departed by the middle of1989,[257] while back problems hampered both Winfield (who missed the entire 1989 season)[258] and Mattingly (who missed almost the entire second half of 1990).[259] Winfield's tenure with the team ended when he was dealt to theCalifornia Angels.[260] From 1989 to 1992, the team had a losing record, spending significant money on free-agents and draft picks who did not live up to expectations.[261] In 1990, theYankees had the worst record in the American League, and their fourth last-place finish in franchise history.[262]
During the 1990 season, Yankee fans started to chant "1918!" to taunt the Red Sox, reminding them of the last time they won a World Series one weekend the Red Sox were there in 1990.[263] Each time the Red Sox were at Yankee Stadium afterward, chants of "1918!" echoed through the stadium.[264] Yankee fans also taunted the Red Sox with signs saying "CURSE OF THE BAMBINO", pictures of Babe Ruth, and wearing "1918!" T-shirts each time they were at the stadium.[264] These fans came to be known as theBleacher Creatures.[265]
The poor showings in the 1980s and early 1990s soon changed. Steinbrenner hiredHoward Spira to uncover damaging information on Winfield and was subsequently suspended from day-to-day team operations by CommissionerFay Vincent for two years when the plot was revealed.[266] This turn of events allowed management to implement a coherent acquisition and development program without owner interference. General ManagerGene Michael, along with managerBuck Showalter, shifted the club's emphasis from high-priced acquisitions to developing talent through thefarm system.[267] This new philosophy developed key players such as outfielderBernie Williams, shortstopDerek Jeter, catcherJorge Posada, and pitchersAndy Pettitte andMariano Rivera.[268] The first significant success came in1994, when the Yankees had the best record in the AL, but the season was cut short by aplayers' strike.[269] Because the Yankees were last in a postseason in a season cut short by astrike, the news media constantly reminded the Yankees about the parallels between these two Yankees teams, which included both teams having division leads taken away by strike.[270][271] Throughout October, the media continued to speculate about what might have been if there had not been a strike, making references to the day's games in the postseason would have been played.[272]
A year later, the team qualified for the playoffs in the new wild card slot in the strike-shortened 1995 season. In the memorable1995 American League Division Series against theSeattle Mariners, the Yankees won the first two games at home and lost the next three in Seattle. Although Mattingly batted .417 with a home run and six RBI in the only postseason series of his career, his back problems led him to retire after the 1997 season after sitting out the 1996 season.[273][274]
1996–2007: Core Four: Jeter, Posada, Pettitte, and Rivera
Joe Torre had a mediocre run as a manager in the National League,[275] and the choice was initially derided ("Clueless Joe" was a headline in theNew York Daily News).[276] However, his calm demeanor proved to be a good fit, and his tenure was the longest under George Steinbrenner's ownership.[277][278] Torre was announced as the new Yankees manager in November 1995.[279]
The1996 season saw the rise of three Yankees who formed the core of the team for years to come: rookie shortstopDerek Jeter, second-year starting pitcherAndy Pettitte, and second-year pitcherMariano Rivera, who served assetup man in 1996 before becomingcloser in 1997.[280] Aided by these young players, the Yankees won their first AL East title in 15 years.[281] They defeated theTexas Rangers in theALDS,[282] and inALCS beat the Baltimore Orioles 4–1, which included a notable fan interference byJeffrey Maier that was called as a home run for the Yankees.[283] In theWorld Series the team rebounded from an 0–2 series deficit and defeated the defending championAtlanta Braves, ending an 18-year championship drought.[284] Jeter was named Rookie of the Year.[285] In 1997, the Yankees lost the1997 ALDS to theCleveland Indians 3–2.[286] General managerBob Watson stepped down and was replaced by assistant general managerBrian Cashman.[287]
The1998 Yankees are widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest teams in baseball history, compiling a record of 114–48, a then–AL record for the most wins in a season.[288] On May 17, 1998,David Wells pitched aperfect game against theMinnesota Twins.[289]The Yankees went on to sweep theSan Diego Padres in theWorld Series.[290] Their 125 combined regular and postseason wins remains an MLB single-season record.[291] On July 18, 1999,David Cone pitched aperfect game against theMontreal Expos.[292] TheALCS was the Yankees' first postseason meeting with the rival Red Sox.[293] The1999 Yankees defeated the Red Sox 4–1 and swept theBraves in the1999 World Series giving the 1998–99 Yankees a combined 22–3 record in the (including four series sweeps) in the six post-season series those years.[294][295]
In2000, the Yankees faced the Mets in the first New York CitySubwayWorld Series in 44 years. The Yankees won the series in 5 games, but a loss in Game 3 snapped their streak of consecutive games won in World Series contests at 14, surpassing the club's previous record of 12 (in 1927, 1928, and 1932). The Yankees are the last MLB team to repeat as World Series champions and after the 2000 season they joined the Yankees teams of 1936–39 and 1949–53, as well as the 1972–74 Oakland Athletics as the only teams to win at least three consecutive World Series.[296]
In aftermath of theSeptember 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, theYankees defeated the Oakland Athletics in theALDS, and the Seattle Mariners in theALCS.[297] By winning the pennant for a fourth straight year, the 1998–2001 Yankees joined the1921–24 New York Giants, and the Yankees teams of 1936–39, 1949–53, 1955–58 and 1960–64 as the only teams to win at least four straight pennants.[298] The Yankees won 11 consecutive postseason series in this 4-year period. In theWorld Series against theArizona Diamondbacks, the Yankees lost the series when Rivera uncharacteristically blew a save in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 7.[299] Also, despite a very poor series overall, batting under .200, Derek Jeter got the nickname, "Mr. November", echoing comparisons to Reggie Jackson's "Mr. October", for his walk-off home run in Game 4, though it began October 31, as the game ended in the first minutes of November 1.[300] In addition, Yankee Stadium played host for a memorial service titled "Prayer for America" for theSeptember 11 victims.[301]
A vastly revamped Yankees team finished the 2002 season with an AL-best record of 103–58. The season was highlighted byAlfonso Soriano becoming the first second baseman ever to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in a season.[302] In theALDS the Yankees lost to the eventual World Series championAnaheim Angels 3–1.[303] In 2003, the Yankees again had the best league record (101–61), highlighted byRoger Clemens' 300th win and 4000th strikeout. In theALCS, they defeated the Boston Red Sox in a dramatic seven-game series, which featured a bench-clearing incident in Game 3 and a series-endingwalk-off home run byAaron Boone in the bottom of the 11th inning of Game 7.[304] In theWorld Series the Yankees lost in 6 games to theFlorida Marlins.[305]
Alex Rodriguez was acquired via trade in 2004, and would go on to win twoAL MVP awards with the team
In 2004, the Yankees tradedAlfonso Soriano to the Texas Rangers in exchange for star shortstopAlex Rodriguez, who moved to third base from his usual shortstop position to accommodate Jeter.[306] In theALCS, the Yankees met theBoston Red Sox again, and became the first team in professional baseball history, and only the third team in North American professional sports history, to lose a best-of-seven series after taking a 3–0 series lead.[307][308] The Red Sox would go on to defeat the Cardinals in theWorld Series, their first championship since 1918.[309]In 2005 Alex Rodriguez won theAmerican LeagueMVP award, becoming the first Yankee to win the award since Don Mattingly in 1985.[310] The 2006 season was highlighted by a 5-game series sweep of the Red Sox at Fenway Park (sometimes referred to as the "Second Boston Massacre"), outscoring the Red Sox 49–26.[311]
The Yankees' streak of nine straight AL East division titles ended in 2007, but they still reached the playoffs with the AL Wild Card.[312] For the third year in a row, the team lost in the first round of the playoffs, as the Cleveland Indians defeated the Yankees, 3–1, in the2007 ALDS. After the series,[313] Joe Torre declined a reduced-length and compensation contract offer from the Yankees and returned to the National League as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers.[314]
2008–2016: Championship run, followed by pennant drought
Joe Girardi was a Yankees catcher before he became manager in 2008.
After Torre's departure, the Yankees signed former catcherJoe Girardi to a three-year contract to manage the club.[315] The 2008season was the last season played at Yankee Stadium. To celebrate the final year and history of Yankee Stadium, the2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was played there.[316] The final regular-season game at Yankee Stadium was played on September 21, 2008, with the Yankees defeating the Orioles.[317] After the game, Jeter addressed the crowd, thanking them for their support over the years, and urging them to "take the memories of this field, add them to the new memories that will come at the new Yankee Stadium and continue to pass them on from generation to generation."[318] Despite multiple midseason roster moves, the team was hampered by injuries and missed the playoffs for the first time in 14 seasons.[319]
The new Yankee Stadium opened in 2009 and was christened with a World Series victory in the same way that the original Yankee Stadium was christened with a World Series victory when it opened in 1923.
During the off-season, the Yankees retooled their roster with several star free agent acquisitions, includingCC Sabathia,[320]Mark Teixeira,[321] andA. J. Burnett.[322] At the beginning of the2009 season, the Yankees opened the newYankee Stadium, located just a block north on River Avenue from their former home.[10] The Yankees set a major league record by playing error-free ball for 18 consecutive games from May 14 to June 1, 2009.[323] In theALDS they swept theMinnesota Twins before defeating the Los Angeles Angels in theALCS, 4–2. They Yankees defeated thePhiladelphia Phillies, in theWorld Series 4–2, their 27th World Series title.[324]
In 2012, the Yankees again finished the season with the AL's best record at 95–67. In mid-July, the Yankees traded two prospects to the Seattle Mariners forIchiro Suzuki.[329] They faced the Orioles in theALDS. In Game 3,Raúl Ibañez became the oldest player to hit two home runs in a game, the oldest to hit a walk-off home run, the first substitute position player in a postseason game to hit two home runs, and the first to hit two home runs in the 9th inning or later in a postseason game, in the Yankees' 3–2 win.[330] The Yankees defeated the Orioles in five games.[331] However, in theALCS, the Yankees lost to the Tigers again, this time in a four-game sweep, which was compounded with a struggling offense and a season-ending injury toDerek Jeter.[332]
On April 12, 2013, the Yankees made their secondtriple play ever. It was scored as4–6–5–6–5–3–4, the first triple play of its kind in baseball history.[333] On September 25, the Yankees lost to theTampa Bay Rays, which for the second time in the wild-card era, eliminated them from playoff contention.[334] They ended the season 85–77, finishing in 3rd place in the AL East.[335]
On September 25, 2014, Jeter – playing his final home game – hit a walk-off single off pitcherEvan Meek to defeat the Baltimore Orioles in front of a sold out stadium.[336] RelieverDellin Betances finished 3rd in voting forAL Rookie of the Year, while starting pitcherMasahiro Tanaka finished 5th.[337]
Before the2016 season began, the Yankees acquired closerAroldis Chapman. The triumvirate of Betances, Chapman, and Miller became known by fans as "NoRuns–D.M.C.", owing to the relievers' dominance of opposing hitters.[338] The Yankees struggled through the2016 season, ending at 4th place in the AL East.[339] The resurgent 2015 experienced by Rodriguez and Teixeira did not carry over, as they batted .200 and .204 for the season, respectively.[340][341] At thetrade deadline, the Yankees stood at an uninspiring 52–52, and decided to become sellers rather than buyers.[342]
2017–present: Baby Bombers
Yankees outfielderAaron Judge quickly became the new face of the team.
The Yankees trades brought a group of players to the team, most notably, Cubs prospectGleyber Torres. In discussing the midseason trades, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said that the Yankees recognized the "need to look toward the future."[343]
In early August, both Teixeira and Rodriguez revealed their plans to retire by the season's end.[344][345] Rodriguez played his final game on August 12, 2016, accepting a front office job with the Yankees shortly after.[346] In one of his final games, Teixeira hit a walk-off grand slam against the Boston Red Sox, his 409th and last career home run.[347][348] The Yankees called upTyler Austin and outfielderAaron Judge in August. They made their debuts on August 13, hitting back-to-back home runs in their first career at-bats.[349] CatcherGary Sánchez hit 20 home runs in 53 games, finishing 2nd inAL Rookie of the Year voting and setting the record at the time as the fastest to reach 20 career home runs.[350] Sanchez, Judge and Austin, as well as the Yankees' prosperous farm system in general, became nicknamed the "Baby Bombers".[351][352]
In 2017, Judge led the American League with 52 home runs, breaking Mark McGwire's major league record for most home runs by a rookie in a single season (McGwire hit 49 in 1987).[353] Judge won the 2017Home Run Derby, making the Yankees the team with the most players in history to win a Home Run Derby.[354] Judge would end the season by winningRookie of the Year, and finishing second in theAL MVP voting.[355]
In the 2017–18 off-season, the Yankees made a couple moves including hiring Aaron Boone to succeed Girardi as their new manager.[356] and trading for reigning National League Most Valuable PlayerGiancarlo Stanton.[357] A right fielder who bats right-handed, Stanton hit 59 home runs and drove in 132 runs—both major league highs—in 2017;[358] his contract was the largest player contract in the history of professional sports in North America at the time.[359][360]
In 2019 the Yankees traveled toLondon in late June to play the Red Sox in the first everMLB London Series, in addition to the first MLB games played in Europe.[361] The Yankeesswept Boston in the two-game series, with the first game lasted 4 hours and 42 minutes, 3 minutes shorter than the longest MLB 9-inning game.[362] The Yankees beat the Twins in a three-game sweep to advance to the ALCS for the second time in three seasons.[363] However, on October 19, the Houston Astros beat the Yankees in theALCS 4–2.[364] With this loss, the 2010s decade became the first since the 1980s to have the Yankees fail to win a World Series and the first since the 1910s to have the Yankees failing to play in one.[365][366] In addition, with theMets losing the2015 World Series, the 2010s decade also was the first decade since the 1910s in which there was no World Series champion in New York.
During the 2019 offseason, on December 18, 2019, the Yankees signedGerrit Cole to a nine-year, $324 million contract.[367][368]
On May 19, 2021, formerCy Young Award winnerCorey Kluber threw ano-hitter against theTexas Rangers. This was the Yankees 12th no-hitter of all time, and the first sinceDavid Cone's perfect game in 1999.[369] The Yankees also recorded a record-tying three triple plays throughout the 2021 season.[370]
In 2022, the Yankees clinched their 30th straight winning season.[371] On October 4,Aaron Judge hit his 62nd home run, breaking the American League single-season home run record set in 1961 byRoger Maris.[372] In the offseason,Jose Trevino would become the first Yankee ever to win thePlatinum Glove Award.Aaron Judge would also winAL MVP after having an historic season, being the first Yankee to win the award sinceAlex Rodriguez did in 2007.[373]
On December 21, 2022, Aaron Judge was named the 16thcaptain in Yankees history, after getting resigned to a nine-year, $360 million contract.[374] Judge was named the first captain of the team sinceDerek Jeter retired in 2014.[375]
On December 6, 2023, the Yankees made a blockbuster trade for young superstarJuan Soto.[379] The addition of Soto helped boost the Yankees to capturing their 21stAL East title and securing the top seed in theAmerican League,[380] just one season after missing the playoffs entirely. Throughout the 2024 season, Aaron Judge had an historic season once again, leading the MLB in most major offensive categories; while also hitting 50 or more homeruns in a season for the third time, making him one of five players in history to do so.[381] In the ALCS the Yankees defeated theCleveland Guardians in five games, with Soto delivering a game-clinching three-run home run in the 10th inning of Game Five.Giancarlo Stanton was namedALCS MVP, hitting four homeruns in the series.[382] The Yankees won their 41stAL Pennant, and headed to the2024 World Series to face theLos Angeles Dodgers. This marked the 12th time ever that the Yankees and Dodgers played each other in the World Series, which is an MLB record.[383] The Yankees fell to the Dodgers in a tightly contested five-game series, marking their 14th World Series loss—tying the Dodgers for the most in MLB history.[384] Despite close games, the Yankees struggled to capitalize on key moments, with Aaron Judge enduring a postseason slump, batting just .222 in the World Series. Following the season, Judge was announced asAL MVP for the second time in his career. This marks the 22nd Yankees MVP since the BBWAA began voting on the award in 1931, the most of any team. He won the award unanimously joining Mickey Mantle as the only other Yankee to do so.[385]
The Yankees have won 27 World Series in 41 appearances, the most in Major League Baseball in addition to major North American professional sports leagues.[365][12] TheSt. Louis Cardinals are in second place with 11 World Series championships with their last win in2011. The Dodgers are second in total World Series appearances with 22.[386] The Yankees have lost 14 World Series which is tied for the most in MLB with the Dodgers.[387] The Yankees have faced the Dodgers in 12 World Series, going 8–4 overall.[388] Among North American major sports, the Yankees' success is approached by only the 24Stanley Cup championships of theMontreal Canadiens of theNational Hockey League. The Yankees have played in the World Series against every National League pennant winner except theHouston Astros (who now play in the American League), theColorado Rockies, and theWashington Nationals.[389]
Through 2024, the Yankees have an all-time regular season winning percentage of .569 (a 10,778 – 8,148 record), the best of any team in MLB history.[15] On June 25, 2019, they set a new major league record for homering in 28 consecutive games, breaking the record set by the2002 Texas Rangers.[390] The streak would reach 31 games, during which they hit 57 home runs.[391] With the walk-off solo home run byDJ LeMahieu to win the game against the Oakland Athletics on August 31, 2019, the Yankees ended the month of August that year now holding a new record of 74 home runs hit in the month alone, a new record for the most home runs hit in a month by a single MLB team.[392][393]
World Series championships
The Yankees have won a record 27 World Series championships. Their most recent one came when the new stadium opened in 2009; they defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in six games under manager Joe Girardi.[394][395]
The team has acquired different nicknames over the years by both baseball personalities and the media. SportswriterFred Lieb, in a 1922 story for theBaseball Magazine, said he will call the club "the Yanks" in his articles.[42]: 18 He stated the nickname "will fit into heads better".[47] Their most prominently usednickname is "the Bronx Bombers" or simply "the Bombers", a reference to their home and their prolific hitting. The nickname "Bronx Bombers" was first used by writer Frank Wallace in a July 5, 1928, article in theNew York Daily News.[396] By 1935, the name had caught on among sportswriters around the country.[397][398]
A less used nickname is "the Pinstripes" or "Pinstripers", in reference to the iconic feature on their home uniforms.[399] The term "Murderers' Row" has historically been used to refer to both the 1920s Yankees and the team altogether.[400][401] Critics often refer to the team and the organization as "the Evil Empire", a term applied to the Yankees byBoston Red Sox presidentLarry Lucchino in a 2002 interview withThe New York Times after the Yankees signed pitching prospectJosé Contreras.[402][403] Ironically, Yankee fans and supporters refer to their team as the "Evil Empire" as a badge of honor and in fact enjoy having their team play the villain.[404] The team also embraced the label as well, with the stadium playing "The Imperial March" fromStar Wars, the song associated with antagonistDarth Vader, at home games.[405] A term from the team's tumultuous late 1970s, "the Bronx Zoo", is sometimes used by detractors, as well as the "Damn Yankees", after themusical of the same name.[406]
The Yankees logo and uniform design has changed throughout the team's history. During the inaugural Highlanders season in1903, the uniform featured a large "N" and a "Y" on each breast.[407]: 288 In 1909, the "N" and "Y" were combined and was added to both the left breast and caps.[1] According to history, the interlocking "NY" letters predates the New York Yankees. The letters appear on theNew York City Police Department Medal for Valor, which was established in 1877 and was designed byTiffany & Co.[1] Three years later, blackpinstripes were added to the Highlander uniforms for the first time.[408] The current cap look, a navy blue hat with the white interlocking "NY" letters, was adopted in 1932.[1] Both the home and away uniforms has been relatively unchanged since the 1920s and 1940s, respectively.[407] The away uniform is grey in color with "NEW YORK" across the chest.[409]
Cap insignia
Jersey logo
Print insignia
Team logo
Merchandise with the Yankees logo, such asbaseball caps, is popular worldwide, including in countries where the sport of baseball is not popular. According to a 2023New York Times report, for instance, Yankees caps (mostlycounterfeit) are "viral" in Brazil. Customers there mostly do not know that the logo represents a baseball team, but think of it as "a classic piece ofAmericana, a status symbol, or a generic—perhapschic—emblem of the West".[410]
Popularity
Fan support
"Freddy Sez" holding one of his signs near the bleachers entrance before a game between the Yankees and theTexas Rangers
With their recurring success since the 1920s, the Yankees have since been one of the most popular teams in the world,[411] with their fan base coming from much further than theNew York metropolitan area.[412] 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.[413]
The Yankees have consistently been the most attended MLB games. The first 1 million-fan season was in 1920, when more than 1.2 millions fans attended Yankee games at the Polo Grounds. According toBaseball-Reference.com, the 2008 season saw the most fans per game in Yankees history, with an average of 53,000 per game.[11] In the past seven years, 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.[414] The Yankees were the league leaders in "road attendance" each year from 2001 through 2006.[415]
Some Yankeessuperfans have become notable in their own right. One famous fan wasFreddy Schuman, popularly known as "Freddy Sez."[416] For over 50 years, he came to the Yankees' home games with a baseball cap, a Yankees' jersey (which on the back bears his own name), and a cake pan with ashamrock painted on it, which was connected to a sign inscribed with words of encouragement for the home team. Schuman died on October 17, 2010, at the age of 85.[417] The popularity of the Yankees also extended internationally. According to a Major League Baseball executive, the Yankees logo is considered a "sign of quality" despite many people not knowing the team.[23][418]
The "Bleacher Creatures" are a group of fans known for their strict allegiance to the Yankees and are often merciless to opposing fans who sit in the section and cheer for the road team. They occupied Section 39 in the right-field bleachers at the old Yankee Stadium and occupy Section 203 in the new stadium.[419] The Bleacher Creatures are known for their use of chants and songs, with the "roll call" at the beginning of each home game being the most prominent.[420]
The "creatures" got their nickname fromNew York Daily News columnist Filip "Flip" Bondy, who spent the 2004 season sitting in the section for research on his book about the group,Bleeding Pinstripes: A Season with the Bleacher Creatures of Yankee Stadium, published in 2005.[421] Throughout the years both at the old and new stadiums, the Bleacher Creatures have attracted controversy for the use of derogatory andhomophobic chants and rowdiness aimed at both opposing fans and players.[422][423]
The Judge's Chambers at Yankee Stadium
In 2017, team management ordered the creation of a special cheer section within Section 104 for fans of Yankees outfielderAaron Judge, called "the Judge's Chambers".[424] They were the second AL team to create a special cheering section, following theSeattle Mariners and the "King's Court" for pitcherFélix Hernández.[425] The Judge's Chambers was added in response to his rise as one of the league's most popular young stars.[426] The section's 18 seats are given to lucky ticketholders and their families, along with black judicial robes with the team logo on the front and Judge's 99 jersey number on the back; prior to the addition of the section, fans were wearing white wigs and judicial robes to games in support of Judge.[427] Occasionally, community organizations, charities and Little League teams are given precedence when selecting participants. The seats, which are close to his position in right field, are surrounded by mahogany wood to emulate the appearance of the city's courthouses.[428][429]
The Yankees baseball club is formally owned byYankee Global Enterprises, aholding company in turn majorly owned by theSteinbrenner family.[430] Yankee Global Enterprises also has a majority stake in theYES Network, the Yankees main television network.[431] Since purchasing the team from CBS in 1973, George Steinbrenner was involved in daily team operations, including player and manager signings.[432] Steinbrenner retired from day-to-day team operations in 2005, handing over control toSteve Swindal, his then son-in-law.[433] Swindal wasbought out in 2007 with George's sonHal Steinbrenner becoming chairman ofYankee Global Enterprises and the team'smanaging partner.[434] George Steinbrenner, citing declining health, formally handed control of the team to both Hal and brotherHank in October 2007.[435] George Steinbrenner died in 2010 and Hank died ten years later, leaving Hal as the main managing partner.[436] In 2008, the Yankees announced a joint venture with theNational Football League'sDallas Cowboys to form the basis for a partnership in running food and beverage, and other catering services to both teams' stadiums.[437]
The Yankees has consistently been one of the most valuable sport teams in the world. In 2013,Forbes magazine ranked New York Yankees as the fourth most valuable sports team in the world, behindassociation football clubsReal Madrid ofLa Liga,Manchester United of thePremier League andBarcelona of La Liga, a value of $2.3 billion.[438] In 2017,Forbes magazine ranked the Yankees as the second most valuable sports team at $3.7 billion behind the Dallas Cowboys, up 9% from 2016.[439] In 2019,Forbes magazine again ranked the Yankees as the most valuableMLB team at $4.6 billion, up 15% from 2018, behind only the Dallas Cowboys.[440] In 2022, the Yankees were again ranked as the second most valuable team behind the Cowboys, valued at $6 billion.[441] The team's value rose again in 2023, rising 17% from 2022 to $7.1 billion, and keeping the Yankees as the second most valuable sports team in the world behind the Cowboys.[442] In 2024 the team's value rose to $7.55 billion, but the team fell to fourth overall in the ranking with theGolden State Warriors andLos Angeles Rams passing the Yankees.[443]
Criticism
With the long-term success of the franchise and a large Yankee fanbase, many fans of other teams have come to dislike the Yankees.[444] When the Yankees are on the road, it is common for the home fans to chant "Yankees Suck".[445] According to the opinion poll and analytics websiteFiveThirtyEight, the Yankees were MLB's least liked team, with 48% of fans expressing an "unfavorable" view of the team.[21]
Much of the animosity toward the team may derive from its high payroll and perceptions that it "buys" champions instead of developing players.[446][447] Their payroll was around $200 million at the start of the 2008 season, the highest of any American sports team.[448] In 2005, the team's average player salary was $2.6 million with the Yankees having the five highest paid players in MLB.[449] During his tenure as team owner, George Steinbrenner attracted controversy for his public criticism of players and managers and for high personnelturnover.[450] ManagerBilly Martin was hired and fired a total of five times under Steinbrenner.[205]Chicago Tribune columnistMike Royko noted, "Hating the Yankees is as American aspizza pie,unwed mothers, and cheating on yourincome tax."[451]
Fight and theme songs
The grounds crew at Yankee Stadium dancing to "Y.M.C.A."
The officialfight song for the Yankees is "Here Come the Yankees", written in 1967 by Bob Bundin and Lou Stallman. The song was used extensively in radio and television broadcast introductions. The song, however, did not catch on with fans and has been rarely used past the 1990s.[452]: 193–197 This is contrasted to other, more popular fight songs such as "Meet the Mets", which is played at every Mets home game.[453] Another song strongly linked to the team is "New York, New York", which is played in the stadium after home games. George Steinbrenner started playing the song during the 1980 season. TheFrank Sinatra cover version is traditionally played after victories, and theLiza Minnelli original version after losses.[454][455] However, due to a complaint from Minnelli, the Frank Sinatra version is played after home games, regardless of the result.[456][452]: 108
A wide selection of songs are played regularly at the stadium, many of them live on the Stadium'sHammond organ.[457] One of the popular songs is "God Bless America", which has been played during theseventh-inning stretch sinceSeptember 11.[458] The version typically played for many years since 2001 was an abbreviated version ofKate Smith's rendition.[459] In 2019 the Yankees stopped playing Smith's rendition to allegations of racism in some of her songs.[460] The team switched to a live version by thestadium organist during the stretch in the interim.[461] In 2021, the organ version was replaced by a recording of theRobert Merrill cover of the song.[462] Merrill was thenational anthem singer in the old Yankees Stadium for Opening Day and other special events before passing away in 1998.[463] During the 5th inning, thegrounds crew, while performing their duties, dance to "Y.M.C.A.". Former Yankees executive Joseph Molloy said that he saw fans dancing to the song during a spring training game in the mid-1990s.[464] Molloy told Steinbrenner, who started to play the song at the stadium.[465]
Frank Messer,Phil Rizzuto andBill White teamed together in the 1970s and 1980s. Rizzuto, with 40 years in the broadcast booth, was the longest-serving broadcaster in the history of the club.[478] Messer and White each worked nearly two decades for the Yankees,[479] with White notably moving on to become president of theNational League in 1989.[480]
Bobby Murcer also called games for over twenty years, and continued with the YES Network until shortly before his death frombrain cancer in 2008.[481]
John Sterling called Yankees games on radio from 1989 to 2024, and also hosted select team-related programs on the YES Network.[482]
The row of retired numbers at the old stadium (top) and new stadium.
The retired numbers were displayed behind the old 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. When the franchise moved across the street to the new stadium, the numbers were incorporated into Monument Park that sits place in center field between both bullpens.[485] The 21 numbers are placed on the wall in chronological order, beginning with Lou Gehrig's number 4.[486] This was retired soon after Gehrig left baseball on July 4, 1939, the same day he gave his famous farewell speech. His was the first number retired in Major League Baseball history.[487] Beneath the numbers are plaques with the names of the players and a descriptive paragraph.[485]
The number 42 was retired throughout Major League Baseball in honor ofJackie Robinson on April 15, 1997, the 50th anniversary of his breaking thecolor barrier. The day was declaredJackie Robinson Day, and was later observed by all of baseball, with select players from every team wearing the number 42.[488] Players who wore No. 42 at the time were allowed to continue to wear it until they left the team with which they played on April 15, 1997;Mariano Rivera was the last active player covered under thatgrandfather clause.[489]
In 1972, the number 8 was retired for two players 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.[490] The numbers 37 and 6, retired for Casey Stengel and Joe Torre respectively, are the only numbers retired by the Yankees for someone who served solely as manager of the team. Stengel managed the Yankees to ten pennants and seven world championships between 1949 and 1960, including a record five consecutive world championships from 1949 through 1953.[491] Joe Torre managed the Yankees from 1996 to 2007, winning six pennants and four World Series championships.[492] On May 14, 2017, the Yankees retired number 2 in honor of Derek Jeter.[493] This leaves 0 as the only single-digit number available for future Yankees, currently worn by pitcherMarcus Stroman.
Hall of Famers
New York Yankees Hall of Famers
Affiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Names in bold received the award based primarily on their work as broadcasters for the Yankees.
** Played as a Yankee
Rivalries
The Yankees have multiple rivalries across the league, most notably The Boston Red Sox. The Yankees have also had historical rivalries with former crosstown National League teams the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants, and current crosstown rivals the New York Mets. The much storiedDodgers–Yankees rivalry goes back to the Dodgers' tenure in Brooklyn. The two teams have met in the World Series 12 times including five matchups since the Dodgers relocated to Los Angeles in 1958. More recently, the Yankees have formed a rivalry with the Houston Astros after multiple postseason meetings and the revelations of theHouston Astros sign stealing scandal.[567][568]
The Yankees–Red Sox rivalry is one of the oldest, most famous, and fiercestrivalries in professional sports.[569][570][571] The inaugural game between the two teams occurred more than 100 years ago, in 1903, when the Yankees (then known as the Highlanders) hosted the Red Sox (then named the Americans) at Hilltop Park.[572] One of the major aspects of the rivalry is theCurse of the Bambino, where Babe Ruth was traded to the Yankees in 1920.[573] Following the trade, the Red Sox did not win a World Series for 86 years, until2004.[574]
The teams also finished tied for first in1978, when the Yankees won a high-profiletie-breaker playoff for the AL East division title.[581] The 1978 division race is memorable for the Red Sox having held a 14-game lead over the Yankees more than halfway through the season.[582] Similarly, the 2004 ALCS is notable for the Yankees leading 3 games to 0 and ultimately losing the next four games and the series.[307] The Red Sox comeback was the only time in MLB history that a team has come back from a 0–3 deficit to win a postseason series.[583]
The Subway Series is a series of games played between teams based in New York City. The name originates from theNew York City Subway and the accessibility of the each team's stadium within the subway system.[584] Historically, the term "Subway Series" referred to games played between the Yankees and either theNew York Giants or theBrooklyn Dodgers.[585] When the Dodgers and Giants moved to California in the late 1950s, theNew York Mets were established as anexpansion team in 1962.[586] The term's historic usage has been in reference toWorld Series games played between New York teams. The Yankees have appeared in all Subway Series games as they have been the onlyAmerican League team in the city, and have compiled an 11–3 record in the 14 championship Subway Series.[587] The most recent World Series between the two New York teams was in2000, when the Yankees defeated the Mets, in five games.[588] Since 1997, the term Subway Series has also been applied tointerleague play during the regular season between the Yankees andNational LeagueNew York Mets.[589]
^Although the history of the New York Yankees can be traced back to the 1901–1902 Baltimore Orioles, the Orioles team is considered a separate team byBaseball-Reference.com,[7] official Major League Baseball historianJohn Thorn,[8] and the official Yankees history.[6]
^abcdHoch, Bryan (February 4, 2021)."NYPD & Tiffany: The story behind Yanks' logo".MLB Advanced Media. RetrievedOctober 21, 2022.The interlocking "NY" of the Yankees' logo is arguably the most recognizable in all of professional sports, spotted on streets from The Bronx to Beijing, Manhattan to Melbourne. Their navy blue and white caps have transcended baseball, becoming a global cultural touchstone.
^Hoch, Bryan (April 22, 2021)."Yankees making Stadium greener than ever".Yankees.com.MLB Advanced Media. RetrievedOctober 22, 2023.The official colors of the Yankees' uniforms are midnight navy and white, but thanks to the sustainability initiatives incorporated by the organization over the past several seasons, Yankee Stadium has become one of the greenest facilities in the Majors.
^Neyer, Rob (2007).Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Blunders: A Complete Guide to the Worst Decisions and Stupidest Moments in Baseball History.Simon & Schuster. pp. 84–85.ISBN9781416592143.
^"Fans voicing displeasure with Yankees' ownership".The Globe and Mail. Associated Press. August 31, 1989. p. A18.Steinbrenner said..."You have to look at the record. We didn't win a World Series this decade, but we had the best record of the 1980s of any team in the major leagues."...This is the first Yankee team since 1910–1919 to go an entire decade without winning a World Series title.
^Wallace, Frank (July 5, 1928)."Yanks Split Pair With Senators".New York Daily News The gang war moved to the national capital today. Bucky Harris' honky tonk mob mixed with Miller Huggins' Bronx bombers, and honors were even after a day of high class killings. p. 35. RetrievedFebruary 25, 2024 – viaNewspapers.com.
^Istorico, Ray (2008).Greatness in Waiting: An Illustrated History of the Early New York Yankees, 1903–1919.McFarland & Company. p. 189.ISBN9780786432110.
^abFrommer, Harvey (2017).The Ultimate Yankee Book: From the Beginning to Today: Trivia, Facts and Stats, Oral History, Marker Moments and Legendary Personalities—A History and Reference Book About Baseball's Greatest Franchise. Page Street Publishing.ISBN9781624144332.
^abDiGiovanna, Mike (October 12, 2004). "They Love to Hate Each Other; Red Sox and Yankees carry bitter rivalry into championship series that starts tonight".Los Angeles Times. p. D1.
Weeks, Jonathan (July 18, 2016).Baseball's Dynasties and the Players Who Built Them. Rowman & Littlefield.ISBN9781442261570.
Frommer, Harvey; Frommer, Frederic J. (2004).Red Sox vs. Yankees: The Great Rivalry. Sports Publishing, LLC.ISBN1-58261-767-8.
Johnson, Richard A.; Stout, Glenn; Johnson, Dick (2002).Yankees Century: 100 Years of New York Yankees Baseball. Houghton Mifflin Company.ISBN0-618-08527-0.
Prato, Greg (2014).Just Out of Reach: The 1980s New York Yankees. New York: Greg Prato Writer, Corp.ISBN978-1494931230.
Surdam, David G. (December 2008). "The New York Yankees Cope with the Great Depression".Enterprise and Society.9 (4):816–40.doi:10.1093/es/khn081.ISSN1467-2227.
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