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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Roger Maris (September 10, 1934 – December 14, 1985) was an American Major League Baseball right fielder. He is primarily remembered for hitting 61 home runs for the New York Yankees during the 1961 season. This broke Babe Ruth's single-season record of 60 home runs (set in 1927) and set a record that would stand for 37 years.
Roger Clemens, nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for 13 consecutive seasons for the Boston Red Sox, spanning more than half of his career. In 1997, he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays. In each of his two seasons with the Blue Jays Clemens won the pitching triple crown (leading the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts) and a Cy Young Award. Clemens was traded to the New York Yankees for the 1999 season, where he had his first World Series success. In 2003, he reached his 300th win and 4,000th strikeout in the same game. Clemens is one of only four pitchers to have more than 4,000 strikeouts in their career (the others are pitchers Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, and Steve Carlton). Clemens played three seasons with the Houston Astros, where he won his seventh Cy Young Award. He rejoined the New York Yankees during the 2007 season.
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.
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.
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.
Williams had become the regular Yankees center fielder by 1993. Buck Showalter helped keep him with the Yankees through 1995, when George Steinbrenner sought to trade him. The highlights of his career include: 5× All-Star selection (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001) 4× World Series champion (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000) 4× Gold Glove Award winner (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000) Silver Slugger Award winner (2002) 1996 ALCS MVP
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.
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.
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.
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)
Guidry, nicknamed "Louisiana Lightning" played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees (1975-1988). In 1978, Guidry posted a career year, one of the best in the modern era. For the season, Guidry went 25-3, in a season that is among the top 10 in baseball history. He led the league with a sparkling 1.74 ERA, 25 wins, a .893 winning percentage, 9 shutouts, 248 strikeouts, and 6.15 hits allowed per 9 innings pitched.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Lou Piniella is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played with the Yankees for 11 seasons, winning five AL East titles (1976–78, 1980 and 1981), four AL pennants (1976–78 and 1981), and two World Series championships (1977–78). After center fielder Mickey Rivers was traded during the 1979 season, Piniella became the Yankees' lead-off hitter. He made one All-Star team and compiled 1705 lifetime hits despite not playing full-time for just under half of his career.
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.
Edward "Whitey" Ford is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who spent his entire 18-year career with the New York Yankees. Ford won 236 games for New York (career 236-106), still a franchise record. Ford's 2.75 earned run average is the lowest among starting pitchers whose careers began after the advent of the Live Ball Era in 1920. He was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
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.
Hosted by Reggie Jackson on location at the Baseball Hall of Fame, this is the one Yankeeography yet aired that was hosted by someone other than John Sterling.
Albert "Sparky" Lyle is an American former left-handed relief pitcher who spent sixteen seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was a closer from 1969 to 1977, first for the Boston Red Sox and then the New York Yankees. A three-time All-Star, he won the American League (AL) Cy Young Award in 1977. He was most famous for co-authoring with Peter Golenbock The Bronx Zoo, a 1979 tell-all book which chronicled the dissension within the Yankees in its World Series Championship seasons of 1977 and 1978.
Graig Nettles, nicknamed "Puff", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman. During a 22-year baseball career, Nettles was one of the best defensive third basemen of all time, and despite his relatively low career batting average, he was an excellent offensive contributor, setting an American League record for career home runs by a third baseman. As a part of four pennant-winning Yankee teams, Nettles enjoyed his best season in 1977 when he won the Gold Glove Award and had career-highs in home runs (37) and runs batted in (107) in leading the Yankees to the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Charles "Casey" Stengel, nicknamed "The Old Perfessor", was an American Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. Stengel was hired as the skipper of the Yankees in 1949. He and the Yankees proceeded to win record numbers of championships. Stengel became the only person to manage a team to five consecutive World Series championships (1949–1953). After the streak ended with the Yankees failing to win the American League pennant in 1954, Stengel and the Yanks continued their dominance, going on to win two more World Championships (1956 and 1958), and five more American League pennants (1955–1958, 1960). He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966.
David Cone is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1986-2003 for six different teams. Cone pitched the sixteenth perfect game in baseball history. He also set the MLB record for most years between 20-win seasons. He won five World Series championships, (1992 with the Toronto Blue Jays and 1996, 1998, 1999 & 2000 with the New York Yankees). He had a career 8–3 postseason record over 21 postseason starts and a postseason ERA of 3.80.
Alfred "Billy" Martin, Jr. was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times. As Yankees manager, he led the team to consecutive American League pennants in 1976 and 1977; the Yankees were swept in the 1976 World Series by the Cincinnati Reds but triumphed over the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games in the 1977 World Series. He also had notable managerial tenures with several other AL squads, leading four of them to division championships.
Constantino "Tino" Martinez is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) first baseman. Martinez was the first round draft pick for the Seattle Mariners in 1988 out of the University of Tampa where he starred during his time on campus. He began his Major League career in 1990 and has played for the Mariners, New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and rejoined the Yankees in the 2005 season. During his 16-year MLB career, he scored 1,008 runs, drove in 1,271 runs, and hit 339 home runs. He had 100 or more RBI in six different seasons and was twice named to the All-Star team.
This was set to premiere in June 2006, but was held back due to an on-field injury.
Dedicated to the 3 perfect games pitched by former Yankees Don Larsen, David Wells, and David Cone.
