George Herman Ruth, Jr., best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", has been named the greatest baseball player in history in various surveys and rankings, and his home run hitting prowess and charismatic personality made him a larger than life figure in the "Roaring Twenties". Ruth was the first player to hit 60 home runs in one season (1927), setting the season record which stood until broken by Roger Maris in 1961. Ruth's lifetime total of 714 home runs at his retirement in 1935 was a record, until first surpassed by Hank Aaron in 1974. Unlike many power hitters, Ruth also hit for average: his .342 lifetime batting is tenth highest in baseball history.
Thurman Munson played his entire 11-year career for the New York Yankees (1969-1979). A perennial All-Star, Munson is the only Yankee ever to win both the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards. Considered the "heart and soul" of the Yankees, Munson became the first team captain since Lou Gehrig. He led the Yankees to three consecutive World Series, winning two of them.
Lawrence "Yogi" Berra (born May 12, 1925) is a former American Major League Baseball catcher, outfielder, and manager. He played almost his entire 19-year baseball career (1946-1965) for the New York Yankees. Berra was one of only four players to be named the Most Valuable Player of the American League three times and one of only six managers to lead both American and National League teams to the World Series. He was elected to the baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.
Donald Mattingly, nicknamed "Donnie Baseball", played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees (1982-1995). Mattingly made his major league debut in 1982, the year after the Yankees lost the World Series. The team did not reach the postseason in any of Mattingly's first 13 years. Mattingly set a major league record by hitting six grand slam home runs in a season. He finally reached the playoffs when the Yankees won the AL wild card on the next-to-last day of the season. He is commonly cited as the best Yankee player to have never played in a World Series.
Derek Jeter debuted in the Major Leagues in 1995, and the following year he won the Rookie of the Year Award and helped the Yankees win the 1996 World Series. Jeter was also a member of championship-winning teams in 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2009. In 2000, he became the only player in history to win both the All-Star Game MVP Award and the World Series MVP Award in the same year. He is the all-time Yankees hit leader, passing Hall of Fame member Lou Gehrig in 2009.
Joe Torre managed the New York Yankees from 1996-2007. The Yankees reached the post season each year and won ten American League East Division titles, six American League pennants, four World Series titles, and overall compiled a .605 winning percentage. With 2,326 wins, he presently ranks 5th in Major League Baseball all-time managerial wins.
Lou Gehrig, nicknamed "The Iron Horse" for his durability, played his entire 17-year baseball career for the New York Yankees (1923-1939). Gehrig set several major league records. He holds the record for most career grand slams (23). Gehrig is chiefly remembered for his prowess as a hitter, his consecutive games-played record. his career was cut short by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), now commonly known in the United States and Canada as Lou Gehrig's disease. Over a 15-season span from 1925 through 1939, he played in 2,130 consecutive games, the streak ending only when Gehrig became disabled by the fatal neuromuscular disease that claimed his life two years later.
The History of the Yankees; a six-part, six-hour series commemorating the franchise's 100th anniversary: covering the team's early days, and the years of Ruth, Gehrig and DiMaggio, into the early Mantle years.
The History of the Yankees; a six-part, six-hour series commemorating the franchise's 100th anniversary: into the later years of Mantle, the down years between the 1965 collapse of the dynasty and the renewal of glory under new owner George Steinbrenner.
Phil Rizzuto nicknamed "The Scooter", was an Italian American Major League Baseball shortstop. He spent his entire 13-year baseball career for the New York Yankees (1941-1956). A popular figure on a team dynasty which captured 10 AL titles and seven World Championships, Rizzuto holds numerous World Series records for shortstops. His best statistical season was 1950, when he was named the American League's Most Valuable Player. Rizzuto was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994. After his playing career, Rizzuto enjoyed a 40-year career as a radio and television sports announcer for the Yankees.
The History of the Yankees; a six-part, six-hour series commemorating the franchise's 100th anniversary: covering the Winfield and Mattingly years, and the rebuilding that led to the titles of the Jeter/Torre years.
Mickey Mantle played his entire 18-year baseball career for the New York Yankees (1951-1968). He won 3 American League MVP titles and played in 20 All-Star games. Mantle appeared in 12 World Series, winning 7 of them. He still holds the records for most World Series home runs (18), RBIs (40), runs (42), walks (43), extra-base hits (26), and total bases (123). He is also the career leader in walk-off home runs, with a combined 13 in regular season and post-season play (12 regular, 1 postseason). He won the triple crown in 1956. He is regarded by many to be the greatest switch hitter of all time, and one of the greatest players in baseball history.
The History of the Yankees; a six-part, six-hour series commemorating the franchise's 100th anniversary: concerning the history of Yankee Stadium, including its non-baseball-related events.
Elston Howard was an American Negro League and Major League Baseball catcher, left fielder and coach. During a 14-year baseball career, he played from 1955-1968, primarily for the New York Yankees. The first African American player on the Yankees roster, he was named the American League's Most Valuable Player for the 1963 pennant winners after finishing third in the league in slugging average and fifth in home runs, becoming the first black player in AL history to win the honor. He won Gold Glove Awards in 1963 and 1964, in the latter season setting AL records for putouts and total chances in a season.
Paul O'Neill won five World Series while playing for the Cincinnati Reds (1985–1992) and New York Yankees (1993–2001). In a 17 year career, O'Neill compiled 281 home runs, 1,269 runs batted in, 2,107 hits, and a lifetime batting average of .288. O'Neill won the American League batting title in 1994 with a .359 average, and was also a five-time All-Star, playing in 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, and 1998.
The History of the Yankees; a six-part, six-hour series commemorating the franchise's 100th anniversary: A Comprehensive homage of the magical, exhilarating, and history-making heroics spun into baseball lore by the New York Yankees.
Mariano Rivera is a Panamanian right-handed baseball pitcher who has spent his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the New York Yankees. Nicknamed "Mo", Rivera has served as a relief pitcher for most of his career, and since 1997, he has been the Yankees' closer. An 11-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Rivera has accumulated 559 saves, the second-most in MLB history. He holds Major League postseason records for saves and earned run average (ERA), among other records. Rivera is regarded as one of the greatest closers in baseball history.
The History of the Yankees; a six-part, six-hour series commemorating the franchise's 100th anniversary: featuring the 1927, 1961, 1977-1978 and 1998 World Championship squads.
Joe" DiMaggio, nicknamed "The Yankee Clipper" played his entire 13-year baseball career for the New York Yankees. He was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955. DiMaggio was a 3-time MVP winner and 13-time All-Star (the only player to be selected for the All-Star Game in every season he played). In his thirteen year career, the Yankees won ten pennants and nine world championships. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak (May 15–July 16, 1941), a record that still stands.
Bobby Murcer was an American Major League Baseball outfielder who played for 17 seasons between 1965 and 1983, mostly with the New York Yankees, whom he later rejoined as a longtime broadcaster. A Gold Glove winner and five-time All-Star, Murcer led the American League in on-base percentage in 1971, and in runs and total bases in 1972. A left-handed hitter, Murcer had a career .277 batting average, finishing with 252 home runs and 1,043 RBIs.
James "Catfish" Hunter (April 8, 1946 - September 9, 1999), was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. During a 15-year baseball career, he pitched from 1965-1979 for both the Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987.
Reginald Martinez "Reggie" Jackson, nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the post-season, is a former American Major League Baseball right fielder. During a 21-year baseball career, he helped win three consecutive World Series titles as a member of the Oakland A's in the early 1970s and also helped win two consecutive titles with the New York Yankees. Jackson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993. 14× All-Star selection (1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984) 5× World Series champion (1972, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978) 2× Silver Slugger Award winner (1980, 1982) 1973 AL MVP 2× World Series MVP (1973, 1977)
Richard "Goose" Gossage is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. During a 22-year baseball career, he pitched from 1972-1994 for nine different teams, spending his best years with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres. The nickname "Goose" is a play on his surname. From 1977 through 1983 he never recorded an earned run average over 2.62, including a mark of 0.77 in 1981, and in 1980 he finished third in AL voting for both the MVP Award and Cy Young Award as the Yankees won a division title. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008.
Jorge Posada is a Major League Baseball catcher who plays for the New York Yankees. He is a switch hitter, and has been on five All-Star teams over his 16-year career. He is the only Major League catcher to ever have hit .330 or better with 40 doubles, 20 home runs, and 90 RBIs in a single season. Posada and Yogi Berra are the only Yankees catchers to hit 30 Home Runs in a season. Since 2000, Posada had more runs batted in, home runs, and hits than any other catcher in baseball.
