If you’re a New York Yankees fan you probably know a thing or two about Derek Jeter. The former star shortstop, who is currently a minority owner with the Miami Marlins, grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan with interracial parents. Jeter himself is biracial, and he detailed the injustices and racism he experienced on ESPN’s Harold Reynolds “Baseball Tonight” segment.
“When I grew up, at the time interracial marriage was not as common as it may be nowadays,” Jeter said. “Growing up, every time you went somewhere with just one of your parents, people would look at you and they’d wonder who’s this person you’re with. When you went out to eat or to a store with both parents, you really got some uncomfortable looks.
The social injustices against African Americans have been vocalized across the world amid the coronavirus pandemic, spurring protests, and large changes in companies and subconscious innuendoes. Athletes have taken a huge part in the development of “BLM” and how it has been expressed in all corners of the United States.
Jeter was disciplined in his ways early on, as his parents ensured he and his sister spent time with people of all nationalities and colors, eliminating any unwarranted hate toward anyone specific.
“But my parents were very direct with me, and my sister as well, that you have to make sure that you surround yourself with people of all nationalities, all colors and don’t let anyone talk down to you because of your race. Stick up for yourself.
The Marlins co-owner has been active after the death of George Floyd several weeks ago, the ignition behind a global protest to advocate for the equal treatment of black people.
“You get to a point and say, ‘When is it going to stop and how many more tragedies?’” Jeter said. “George Floyd, Ahmaud Arber, Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There’s countless others that people never even hear those stories, and something needs to change and it gets to a point where you say enough is enough.”
Jeter understands that forcing the conversation on people is sometimes the only way to get it out in the open.
“You’ve got to talk about it,” he said. “You’ve got to have those conversations and they’re uncomfortable. but you’ve got to force them. That’s the only way you’re going to be able to change. And you have to listen. That’s the key. You have to be willing to listen. Don’t just hear. Listen to what they’re saying and try to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, which is very difficult.
Most of these players contributed to the 27 World Series rings that the New York Yankees franchise has won. From World Series MVPs to record-breaking statistics, these players have done it all in the sport of baseball.
All-Time Starting Lineup/Bench
1. SS Derek Jeter
Jeter played all 20 seasons of his career for the Yankees and was one of 15 captains in New York Yankees history. He deserved to be the second unanimous hall of fame player but fell one vote short.
He had 650 1st-pitch hits, indicating he was aggressive at the plate, which makes a perfect leadoff hitter for this team.
2. LF Joe DiMaggio
A 56-game hitting streak is Dimaggio’s most popular call to fame, however, he did make the all-star team all 13 years of his career.
He hit over .300 in 11 out of 13 years at the highest stage, which is almost never seen in today’s baseball.
To top it all off, he served his country in WWII for three years.
3. RF Babe Ruth
“The Bambino” was the greatest display of power in the early 20th century and no one will forget when he “called his shot.”
His 714 home runs have kept him among the top three home run hitters for almost a century. He has the best slugging percentage, OPS, and OPS+ of all-time as well.
He is arguably the best all-around hitter ever and needs to be in the middle of this lineup.
4. 1B Lou Gehrig
He and Ruth were the best one-two punch of their era, if Ruth did not drive in the runs one game, Gehrig would put the “cleanup” in “cleanup hitter” and drive in the runs himself.
In 1931, Gehrig drove in 185 runs, which is the second-most for a single season in history, behind Hack Wilson, who drove in 191 runs a year prior.
Gehrig also won the triple crown in 1934, meaning he led the American League in home runs, RBIs, and batting average, a feat that only a few players have achieved in their careers.
5. CF Mickey Mantle
Following in DiMaggio’s footsteps, Mantle, led the New York Yankees to seven World Series titles. He won the triple crown in 1956, paving the way for his first MVP award.
Mantle was arguably one of the first five-tool players in baseball, as he led the American League in many batting categories, in a single season, at some point in his career and even won a gold glove award.
Behind Babe Ruth, Mantle is second on the all-time Yankees home run list.
6. 3B Alex Rodriguez
Although his best years were for the Texas Rangers, A-Rod won two MVPs as the Yankees’ third baseman.
Yes, he did admit to using steroids, but he was still one of the most feared hitters in baseball for almost two decades.
7. C Yogi Berra
Berra, won three MVPs, 10 World Series rings, meaning he has one for each finger, not even Tom Brady has reached that level of success.
Between his “Yogisms” and serving in WWII, he did all you can ask for of a man and a baseball player. He is the textbook definition of a legend in the game of baseball.
8. 2B Tony Lazzeri
There is an argument to have Robinson Cano in this lineup, however, Lazzeri’s Yankees tenure was longer and was inducted into the Hall of Fame. He also helped the historic teams of the 1920s and 30s win five World Series titles.
9. P Whitey Ford
This is just to fill a hole in the lineup without a DH, if there had to be a DH, a case could be made for Don Mattingly, Graig Nettles, or Dave Winfield, cannot go wrong with any of these players.
Ford was arguably the best pitcher in Yankees history and would be the opening day starter for this team.
Bench:
C Bill Dickey
He was Yogi Berra’s predecessor and helped the Yankees win seven World Series rings. An 11-time all-star and a hall of fame inductee earn his spot on this team.
1B/OF Don Mattingly
His best season was 1986 when he hit 53 doubles. Mattingly is a great pinch-hit option off the bench.
2B Robinson Cano
Cano got the assist on the final out of 2009 World Series game 6, which one the Yankees first World Series since 2000. He played all but one game that season and became a big part of the New York Yankees team in the early 2010s.
He is the only active player on this team, but his spot is well deserved.
3B Graig Nettles
Nettles led the American League in home runs in 1976, with 32. He is a fan favorite of the ’70s Yankees teams and needs to be on this team.
OF Dave Winfield
Last, but not least, Winfield had one of the best arms of any right-fielder ever. He would rack up double-digit outfield assist seasons a bunch of times in his career.
He also had middle-of-the-lineup production at the plate during his career, making him the perfect player to round out this team.
American sports icons and stars have reacted to the death of George Floyd in the last few days. Derek Jeter, the New York Yankees‘ last captain and Hall of Famer, recently released a statement through the Miami Marlins Twitter account (a team of which he is currently the CEO.)
“I am deeply saddened by the death of George Floyd and feel the pain and outrage it has caused his family and people throughout the world,” Jeter said, per the New York Post. “This is a narrative that has happened far too often with us as people of color. It is time for racial hatred to end and to be unquestionably recognized and responded to with severe punishment.”
Police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd, an African American, specifically into his neck, for several minutes. Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and was fired with the other three officers that were in the scene.
There have been protests in several cities around America, and while some have been peaceful, others have escalated and have resulted in violence.
The Yankees’ icon wants no more excuses
“It’s encouraging to see people of all colors around the world speaking out and protesting another human tragedy that has too often been the death of a black person,” the Yankees’ legend said. “No one should be excused from acts of racial hatred. Please do not allow anyone to demonize those who are standing up against these acts.”
Jeter himself is the son of a black man and a white mother.
“I hope that my children and nephews don’t have to live in a society where people are unjustly treated because of the color of their skin,” he said. “I hope that their white friends grow up to recognize that it is not only enough to verbalize their non-racist views, but also to participate at an active level to eradicate racism.”
While he played for the New York Yankees and shortly after his retirement, Jeter was not known for being outspoken on social issues. However, he chose to stand up and speak this time around.
“I hope we can all denounce the insidious signs of racial hatred,” Jeter said, “and take action as human beings.”
Today marks the date when New York Yankees‘ legend Derek Jeter made his MLB debut and began his legacy. Dealing with a big number of injuries that season, the Yankees needed players to cover spots and Jeter was brought up to fill in shortstop Tony Fernandez as he was dealing with an injury. May 29, 1995, Jeter was given the uniform number two and was penciled into the nine spot in the lineup.
Jeter would go 0-5 in his first Major League game and the Yankees would fall to the Seattle Mariners 8-7 in 12 innings. The following day, Jeter was in the lineup again and recorded his first two hits of his career. He finished 2-3 on the day with a walk and would get another hit on the final game of the series.
Jeter only played 15 games in 1995 and his Rookie Year began in 1996. That season Jeter showed the world what he was about. Racking up a total of 183 hits in 157 games played, Jeter finished with a .314 batting average and was awarded Rookie of the Year because of his young success.
Following those 15 games in the Major Leagues in 1995, Jeter was sent back down to triple-A along with other Yankee legend, Mariano Rivera. Don Mattingly, who also played his entire career with the Yankees, told 20-year-old Jeter after he was sent down, “You’ll be back.” Boy was Mattingly right.
The next 19 years Jeter would go on to win five World Series titles all with the New York Yankees. As a 14-time All-Star, Jeter would be awarded five Golden Gloves and five Silver Slugger awards. Retiring in 2014, Jeter was inducted into the Class of 2020 Baseball Hall of Fame where he was shy just one vote of being unanimous. Due to his tremendous success as a ballplayer, Jeter goes down as one of the best and most clutch players in MLB history.
25 years ago today, Derek Jeter made his MLB debut 🔥
Before embarking on a Hall of Fame career that saw him earn Rookie of the Year honors in 1996, New York Yankees‘ legend Derek Jeter had a brief stint with the big club in 1995. His manager at Columbus Clippers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Bombers, surely remembers the moment.
In a fascinating recollection of events by MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, we are met with the fact that Derek Jeter, the man that broke so many postseason records, actually had to fail for a brief period of time before reaching stardom.
Jeter was the New York Yankees’ top prospect when he got the call to fill in for an injured Tony Fernandez. “I made him aware that he was going up there for the time that Tony was hurt, and when Tony was able to come back, he was going to come back to me,” said Evers, now serving as the Twins’ catching instructor on the Major League coaching staff. “He was excited to go there for the first time and be the guy.”
Jeter was Baseball America’s Minor Leaguer of the year in 1994, but the Yankees called up Robert Eenhoorn first. He went 0-for-7 and GM Gene Michael called up Jeter on May 29, 1995 for a series in Seattle.
“I was always criticized for not sticking with our young players,” George Steinbrenner told the New York Post days before Jeter was called up. “I was always accused of giving up our young talent. We’ve got some fine young talent. Now we’ll find out about them.”
Evers went to Jeter’s hotel room to tell him he was going to be a big leaguer. “I told him, ‘The simple fact is that you’re getting the opportunity, so make the most of it. Come September, if they need you, you’ll be ready to go back up there. After that, hopefully things work out and you can be the guy.’ He was going up there and prove to them that they were making the right choice.”
Buck Showalter, the New York Yankees’ manager back then, wrote Jeter’s name in the ninth spot in the lineup.
“I was trying to figure out how he was going to help us,” Showalter said in 2014. “I knew he would run and steal a base, and we felt like he could catch the ball. I mean, this was two years removed from making 60 errors in Greensboro.”
Jeter went 0-for-5 in that game, including a strikeout in the 11th inning with the winning run at third. The Yankees lost.
Jeter went for a bite to eat with his father Charles, who had flown to Seattle to see Derek’s debut. They settled for McDonald’s.
“It was the only place that was open,” Jeter told The New York Times in 2009. “I treated.”
The next day, Jeter went 2-for-3 with a walk, but the Yankees were swept. He was struggling, yet Showalter saw something in him.
“The big thing everybody felt comfortable with is that he was going to be as good as he was capable of being,” Showalter said. “That’s a great accolade to pay somebody, because that’s what keeps managers, coaches and front offices up; ‘I wonder if he’ll ever reach his potential.’ Then the sky is the limit.”
The Yankees gave him one more shot
Fernandez returned on June 8, but the Yankees wanted to take a longer look at Jeter. So they had him start 13 straight games, and he batted .234 with three doubles, a triple and six RBIs, with as many hits (11) as strikeouts (11) in 47 at-bats.
And right when he was supposed to play in Detroit (close to his hometown) in front of his loved ones, the Yankees decided to send him down alongside Mariano Rivera.
“I think I was guilty by association,” Jeter said in 2014. “They sent us down. Our bags were packed and we were going to Detroit, so there was a lot of friends and family that had to change their plans.”
“Man, me and Mo were so depressed,” Jeter told the New York Post in 2010. “It was terrible. You never want to be sent down, especially when you’re somewhere you think you can play.”
“We were devastated; we were almost in tears,” Rivera said last year on MLB.com’s Full Account podcast. “The feeling we were feeling that day, we didn’t want to feel that again ever. That moment was difficult; it was hard, it was tough. We had never been sent down from nowhere; Minor Leagues, we always went up. Both together the same day; if you ask him, he would tell you it’s my fault because I didn’t do my job. It was something we both had to go through to understand the abilities and the capacity that we had to get better.”
That’s the story of how Jeter had to fail to experience success later on. In 1996, he slashed .314/.370/.430 with 10 homers, 14 steals and 104 runs scored en route to the ROY award. He made the New York Yankees proud.
Right now we’re heading into the end of May and we’d just be wrapping up the second month of the Yankees and Mets season. Two months with no baseball in May is a weird feeling.Like many of you, fans and players alike, I’m really missing baseball.
Some players have been keeping baseball around by watching old games, playing MLB The Show, or simply just playing catch.
New York has been hit the hardest by this Coronavirus. And times like this really show what people are made of.After 9/11 people really came together, really stepped up. If I could take away one thing from this tragic time, it’s all the good that people are doing.
In times like these, you look to your idols. And our superstars of New York, past and present have really stepped up. From legends like Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter to future legends, Pete Alonso and Aaron Judge. Different players have been helping out in different ways, from donating food and medical supplies to auctioning off memorabilia for charity.
How have the Yankees and Mets stepped up?
Former Yankees, CC Sabathia, and Mariano Rivera have been hands-on, with donating meals to those in need. Sabathia and his wife Amber, with the help of their PitCCh In Foundation, has been donating meals to the Boys And Girls Club once a week in the Bronx and their hometown in California. They’ve also teamed up with Fresh Direct for their “Operation 5 Borough Food Drive” which is helping feed kids across New York City.
Along with celebrating health care workers and donating headphones to students in New York City, Yankees rookie of the year and star outfielder Aaron Judge joined in on the “All In Challenge”. As well as Yankees manager Aaron Boone, CC Sabathia, the New York Yankees organization, and others. The “All in Challenge” is where fans can donate money for raffle tickets for a chance to win once in a lifetime experiences like on-field passes, dinner with the players, and more. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to No Kid Hungry, Meals on wheels, Feeding America, World Central Kitchen, and America’s Food Fund.
Aaron Judge’s foundation the “All Rise Foundation” has granted the Boys and Girls Club of America a mini-grant to help launch the “club on the go” program. A program that provides kits to kids with healthy snacks and learning activities to help prevent kids from falling behind during the pandemic.
Another former Yankees legend, Derek Jeter is auctioning off the 2014 All-Star jersey that he wore in his final All-Star game to raise money for the “All In Challenge”
Along with that, Jeter has stated he will be forgoing his salary during the pandemic, and the Marlins have committed $1 million to help the ballpark employees during this time.
Giancarlo Stanton also donated 15,000 reusable face shields to health care workers in both New York City, and Southern California. Also both the Mets and Yankees have created funds for their employees to get paid during this time that there is no baseball.
And the new Yankees Pitcher Gerrit Cole may not have even played his first game in pinstripes yet but is stepping up. Cole and his wife, through their foundation, the “Gerrit and Amy Cole Foundation” are donating to Direct Relief, which is an organization that coordinates with nonprofit organizations, and public health authorities to provide essential medical items and PPE to healthcare workers responding to Covid-19.
Pete Alonso may also be a newer addition to New York but has stepped up to the plate in a big way during this pandemic. Looking to give back, Pete and his Fiancé launched their new foundation “Homers For Heroes”. A foundation looking to honor our everyday heroes such as front line workers, veterans, teachers, and coaches.
In March Alonso sent a video message to an 82-year-old life long Mets fan who was just diagnosed with cancer, after her granddaughter took to twitter to reach out to the Mets. The one thing that could really help her during this time was watching her team play. But being that there was no baseball due to the pandemic, Alonso did the next best thing.Alonso is not only a great player on the field but a great guy off the field as well.
Another Met and Fellow New Yorker, Steven Matz donated $32,000 to hospitals and first responders in NYC through his TRU32 charity. A charity that he started in 2016 to honor the FDNY, NYPD, and Military.
The one story that really stood out to me, was Nick’s Gourmet Deli in East Elmhurst that was closing their doors for good the day the Mets called and asked his deli to provide 1,000 meals. With even more meals in the days to follow.
The Mets have also donated food from other small businesses which are also helping them to stay open.
They also helped donate cases of produce to food banks in the local area along with 4,500 meals to health care staff on the front lines. I really applaud the Mets for this move, they are truly paying it forward and helping out their community.
I always say I’m a die-hard New Yorker, that being a New Yorker is just part of who I am. And these teams represent our city, and couldn’t be more proud of the guys representing it.
The New York Yankees history is a book filled with great baseball players, like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, and a host of other award-winning players. For Generation Z fans, Derek Jeter is the greatest of all Yankees. Much of the praise is deserved. A few days ago, I wrote a top 10 for the best Yankee games stretching back to 1923. With one of Derek Jeter’s games in that article, it got me to thinking about what the top 10 moments of Derek Jeter’s Hall of Fame career would be. Below is my top 10, feel free to disagree in the comments.
10. Jeter’s Jeffery Maier Home Run
Under the category of taking it when you can get it, Jeter benefited from a young boy in the stands. It was the 1996 ALCS against the Orioles. That young boy was Jeffery Maier, surely he didn’t know it at the time, but his Derek Jeter catch or knock into the stands would go down in baseball history. Umpire Richie Garcia would call it a home run tying the game. The New York Yankees would go on to win the game 5-4 with a Bernie Williams walk-off homer.
9. Derek’s Opening Day 1996
Before opening day in 1996 owner, George M. Steinbrenner wasn’t sure Jeter should be the opening day shortstop. Afterall just a few months early he almost traded him to the Mariners. He only 21 and a scrawny kid that had had problems with his defense in spring training. So what did Jeter do, he made spectacular plays and got a homer in the win against Cleveland on opening day. The next day he would go 3-3 and stole bases. In those two games, Jeter turned heads in what would be a Hall of Fame career, all with the Yankees.
8. The 5 for 5 in Division opener
During 2006 in the Division Series against the Detroit Tigers, a series the Yankees would like to forget. The Tigers took the ALDS from the Yankees in four games. But in the only game, the Yankees won, game one, Derek Jeter went 5-5, including two doubles and a home run while scoring three runs. It would be one of only three games in his career where he would get 10 RBIs.
7. Jeter is All-Star and World Series MVP
In 2000 Jeter put his hame into the history books by becoming the only player in the history of the game to be both All-Star and World Series MVPs in the same season. That record still stands today.
6. Derek Jeter’s 3,000th hit
Like so many great Yankee players, Jeter hit a lot of home runs, but he was also a hitting king. In a comeback year, Jeter was hitting .331, but his signature moment was when he hit his 3,000th hit. On July 9, 2011, he hit number 3,000 off Rays ace David Price. He wasn’t done in the same game. He had a total of five hits and went 5-5. Jeter always reached milestones with style increasing his mystique.
5. Jeter’s World Series leadoff homer
In the first subway World series since 1956, the Yankees would take game one in twelve innings. They would survive a comeback and take game two. Moving to the Queens in games 3 and 4, the Mets would win game 3. In game four, Manager Joes Torres moved Jeter from his familiar hitting spot, to lead off. Jeter launched a home run off Mets starter Bobby Jones into the left-field bleachers at Shea. The New York Yankees would win the game and ultimately the series with Jeter being named MVP.
4. Jeter becomes Mr. November
Years before, Reggie Jackson was nicknamed “Mr. October” for his clutch hitting in the postseason with the Dodgers and the Yankees. After hitting two home runs in the first five games of the World Series in 1977, Jackson hit three home runs in game six, and the Yankees would win their first World Series in fifteen years.
Derek Jeter was named Mister November with me in the stands during the ALCS of 2001. Jeter in the tenth inning of a tied game against the Diamondbacks came to the plate just as the clock struck midnight, marking the first time that Major League Baseball had been played in November. Byung-Hyun Kim was one the mound pitching. Jeter then hit Kim’s ninth pitch of the at-bat just over Yankee Stadium’s short rightfield wall for a game-winning and Series-tying home run. It was the first walk-off home run of Jeter’s career. From then on, Jeter was known as Mr. November.
3. Derek Jeter’s flip
Many call it the most fantastic play in baseball. It was the 2001 American League Division Series against the A’s, and the New York Yankees were facing elimination in Oakland in Game 3. Jorge Posada hit a solo home run off Zito in the top of the fifth, and the Yankees carried that 1-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh in what would be a pitching duel between Zito and the Yankees Mike Mussina.
With slow-footed Jason Giambi on third, Terrence Long doubled, and the third base coach signaled that Giambi should take off for home. Shane Spencer threw an off-line throw to cut of Giambi. Giambi’s attempt to reach home plate seemed a surety. The ball went just past the first baseline, but Jeter seemingly popped up out of nowhere to scoop up the ball and flip it to catcher Jorge Posada to catch Giambi by a split second and get the out that would seal the deal on the Yankee 1-0 win.
2. Derek Jeter flies into the stands
With no regard for his own safety, Derek Jeter flew into the New York Yankee Stadium fan’s arms. In the 12th inning of a tie game against the Red Sox, Trot Nixon popped up down the left-field line. Derek Jeter, in a dead sprint from his shortstop position, made an over the shoulder catch. He had so much momentum that he launched himself over the railing and ended up two rows deep. He emerged with a cut on his chin and blood running from his cheek. Team trainer Gene Monahan, manager Aaron Boone, and Alex Rodriguez helped Jeter off the field with his parents shocked in the stands. The Yankees went on to win the game in the bottom of the 13th inning on a John Flaherty single.
1. Derek Jeter’s walk-off goodbye to Yankee Stadium.
On the last day, Jeter faced dozens of reporters in the locker room. All they wanted was for Jeter to talk about his career, something he always hated to do, somehow he slipped away to a private area, but when he returned, the number of reporters had more than doubled. Jeter finally relented and said:
“The only thing I’ve ever wanted to talk about is winning,” Jeter said. “When there’s particular attention on you, as opposed to the team, it can be uncomfortable. But I understand it, and I appreciate it.”
Jeter took to the field for a pregame ceremony a few minutes before 7 p.m., and following that, a video was played on the center-field video board in which several fans — young and old — thanked Jeter for his years with the Yankees. At the end of the video, Jeter reciprocated, thanking the fans. When Jeter appeared on the board, the crowd roared with applause.
Nothing was more like Derek Jeter than his final game at Yankee Stadium. It was as if it was a perfectly choreographed game to show off Derek Jeter as the man of the moment he was throughout so much of his career. Setting the stage, it was Derek Jeter’s last game at New York Yankee Stadium; his parents were in the stands as they were in many important moments in their son’s career. The game was tied 5-5 in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Baltimore Orioles.
What Jeter and his fans didn’t know was that Jeter’s memorable moments weren’t finished; it was about to get emotional and magical. Richardson was on first base; Brett Gardner hit a sac fly to center advancing Richardson to second. The game was tied at 5. In his last at-bat in a game that would probably go into extra innings, Jeter stepped to the plate. The eternally patrician Bob Sheppard over the public address announced “number two, Derek Jeter, number two.” The crowd is cheering Der-Ek-Jet-er, Der-Ek-Jet-er. Jeter would go after the first pitch he saw and smack a walk-off single and win for the Yankees in his very last game at Yankee Stadium. Jeter, who seldom showed emotion, realized he had won the game with a massive smile across his face and raised arms, as his teammates swamped him.
It’s moments like this. The Yankees make tears stream down my face. It happened when I learned Thurmon had died when George obviously ill, handed out the ball at the All-Star Game when Bobby died when Yogi died when Mariano lost it on the mound when Derek and Andy took the ball from him that one last time, and when Derek said goodby with a walk-off win. I can’t help it; I love my Yankees.
After the game Manager, Joe Torres would sum up Jeter’s career perfectly. “What he represents, we don’t have enough of in sports; I’m not just talking about his ability to play baseball, but also what he represents as a man. Sports will cry out for more people as respectful as Derek Jeter.”
Few teams in baseball have had as many exciting, impactful games as the New York Yankees in their 107-year history. With so many great games to choose from, there are bound to be those that don’t agree with me. And that’s fine; it’s what denotes a New York Yankees fan, we all have our favorite players, seasons, and yes greatest games. I have the benefit of being an old Yankee fan who has seen all but two of these games myself. But I also respect the history of the games that came before me. Here are my top 10 Yankee games ever.
10. Yankee Stadium opens, April 18, 1923
After ten years of tenancy at the Polo Grounds, home of the New York Giants, the Yankees build their own stadium. The Yankees proved that they had become the gold standard in baseball by building the largest ever built baseball stadium. The franchise spent less than a year and $2.5 million erecting New York Yankee Stadium, a monstrous palace that housed some 20,000 more seats than the next largest major league facility. None of the Stadium’s 74,000 seats would be empty for the first game ever played there on a crisp, sunny Wednesday afternoon. The Stadium was known as the house Ruth built. The game that day was against the rival Red Sox. The Yankees would shut out the Sox 4-0.
9. Deter Jeter’s trip into the stands, July 1, 2004
In the 12th inning of a tie game against the Red Sox, Trot Nixon popped up down the left-field line. Derek Jeter, in a dead sprint from his shortstop position, made an over the shoulder catch. He had so much momentum that he launched himself over the railing and ended up two rows deep. He emerged with a cut on his chin and blood running from his cheek. Team trainer Gene Monahan, manager Aaron Boone, and Alex Rodriguez helped Jeter off the field with his parents shocked in the stands. The Yankees went on to win the game in the bottom of the 13th inning on a John Flaherty single.
8. Aaron Boone the hero, October 13, 2003
Yankee manager Aaron Boone made his mark in New York Yankee history long before he managed his first Yankee game. Aaron Boone was a trade-deadline acquisition and unlikely playoff hero for the Bronx Bombers. In Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS against the Red Sox, Boone led off the bottom of the 11th inning and sent the first pitch knuckleballer Tim Wakefield threw soaring into the Bronx night for a walk-off homer that sent the Yankees to the World Series for the sixth time in eight years. Boone, an average player, placed his name into the history books that night in Boston. The Boston Red Sox have a name for Boone, which I won’t repeat here.
7. Ron Guidry 18 strikeouts, June 17, 1978
On June 17, 1978, Ron Guidry would put his name in the history books by striking out a Yankee-record 18 batters. Guidry’s 18-strikeout performance is usually cited as the launching pad of the Yankee Stadium tradition of fans standing and clapping for a strikeout with two strikes on the opposing batter. After about 12 strikeouts the tension in the stands became papable. For the season, Guidry went 25-3 in a season that is among the top 10 for winning percentage in all of baseball history. He led the league with a 1.74 ERA, a .893 winning percentage, nine shutouts, and 248 strikeouts. Guidry’s success during 1978 was due in large part to his mastery of the slider. His 248 strikeouts set a Yankees’ team record for most strikeouts notched by a pitcher in a single season.
6. Babe Ruths called shot, October 1, 1932
Babe Ruth was seldom intimidated by any player or pitcher, and such was the case on October 1, 1932. On that night Ruth, who self-assuredly looked to the Chicago Cubs bench and pointed a finger toward the mound. Charlie Root, the Cubs pitcher, with two outs, remembered Ruth saying, “You still need one more, kid.” Others insist he was pointing to the center field to let everyone know where the next pitch would be hit.
There was no argument over what happened next. Ruth crushed Root’s next pitch exactly where he had allegedly predicted it would go, to Wrigley Field’s center-field bleachers. As he circled the bases, Ruth waived off the Cub bench, which even after the monster blast was riding him hard. If that didn’t quiet the Cubs, Gehrig followed next with a home run of his own, the Yankees were on their way to a 7-5 win and a four-game sweep of the Cubs.
5. Roger Clemens one-hitter, October 14, 2000
There is no way to describe Roger Clemens’s pitching performance on October 14, 2000, then to say it was surrealistic. It was Oct. 14, 2000, in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Seattle Mariners. Playing on the road, New York Yankees pitcher Clemens tossed a complete-game, one-hit shutout and struck out 15 batters. For any other franchise, what Clemens did would easily be considered the best pitching performance in team postseason history. But for the Yankees, his day was second only to Don Larsen, who pitched first-ever World Series perfect game in 1956.
4. Roger Maris hits #61, October 1, 1961
The New York Yankees 1961 season was all about the M&M boys. Roger Maris and Micky Mantle were going deep all season long at record rates. As the end of the season came closer, they were closing in on one of baseball’s most hallowed records: Babe Ruth’s single-season home run record of 60 in 1927. To the eyes of the omnipresent Gotham media, Mantle was the hero in pursuit, Maris the relative villain—the young Midwesterner who hated the big city atmosphere of New York, the new kid in town who hadn’t plied his trade long enough in pinstripes. Maris didn’t have a good relationship with the press, which didn’t make his relationship with the fans any better. As the end of the season progressed, Mantle became injured, and Maris overtook him. On October 1, 1961, Maris, would hit his record 61st home run, beating out Babe Ruth. However in the midseason seeing that a home run race was in progress, Commissioner Ford Frick decreed that, because of the American League’s increased 162-game schedule, any recordset after the 154th game—the old season standard—would be denoted in the record book with a “distinctive mark,” an asterisk.
3. Don Larsen’s Perfect Game, October 8, 1956
Don Larsen was not one of the greatest Yankee pitchers, in fact, he’s probably not in the top twelve. But he does have a claim to fame for the Yankees and all of baseball. He is the only pitcher to have a perfect game in the World Series. On October 8, 1956, Don Larsen pitched the only perfect game in World Series history. It was game 5 of the World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers. Larsen needed just 97 pitches to complete the perfect game, and only one Dodger batter (Pee Wee Reese in the first inning) was able to get a 3-ball count.
Brooklyn’s Maglie gave up only two runs on five hits. Mickey Mantle’s fourth-inning home run broke the scoreless tie. The Yankees added an insurance run in the sixth. Throwing fastballs, Larsen got ahead in the count at 1–2. On his 97th pitch, a called third strike by home plate umpire Babe Pinelli Larsen caught Mitchell looking for the 27th and last out. After the pitch, catcher Yogi Berra leaped into Larsen’s arms in celebration, setting up the “everlasting image.” Larsen’s unparalleled game earned him the World Series Most Valuable Player Award and Babe Ruth Award.
2. Reggie’s threesome October 18, 1977
On October 18, 1977, in the sixth game of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees outfielder, Reggie Jackson hit three home runs in a row off of three consecutive pitches from three different pitchers. The Yankees would end a 15-year championship drought in 1977, but not without enduring through a memorably tumultuous season—and certainly not without first-year New York star slugger Reggie Jackson, the unapologetic ego who was often in the middle of the tumult. Despite Jackson’s self-serving personality, his three home runs made him a semi-favorite unless Thurmon Munson was on the field.
1. Chambliss Walk Off, October 14, 1977
On a cold autumn night on October 14, 1976, the fifth game of a winner take all ALCS games; the game would be at a standstill at the bottom of the ninth. Kansas City relief pitcher Mark Littell would be taking warm-up tosses, Yankee public address announcer Bob Sheppard was cautioning the crowd of over 58,000 about throwing debris onto the playing field. The game had already been stopped several times for bottles, firecrackers, beer cans, and rolls of toilet paper being thrown from the stands, all while Yankee first baseman Chris Chambliss waited in the cold.
The delay prevented Littell from staying loose and interfered with his rhythm. Finally, at 11:13 PM, Chambliss stepped into the box, and home-plate umpire Art Frantz yelled, “Play ball.” Littell would throw Chris a high fastball that the Chambliss would smash over the right-field wall for a walk-off win and one of the most iconic moments in baseball history, as the Yankee stands emptied onto the field.
There were so many people on the field and blocking home plate that Chambliss wasn’t actually sure he stepped on the plate. Discussing it with Graig Nettles, Nettles suggested he go back out and step on the home plate so that the umpires wouldn’t say he missed the plate and not count the run. Chambliss borrowed a police raincoat as a disguise and returned to the field that was jammed with fans and stepped on home plate, that sealed the deal, and the Yankees won the pennant. They would go on to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4 games to 2 in the 1977 World Series, their first World Championship in fifteen years.
EmpireSportsMedia.com’s Columnist William Parlee is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research.
Several actors are doing their best to battle coronavirus and minimize the damage of the problematic virus. However, some of the most underrated actions have been taken by first responders, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals that often risk their own wellbeing to protect the society. Those are the real lifesavers. And New York Yankees legend and current Miami Marlins CEO Derek Jeter had a surprise for Dr. Melissa Leber, one of the heroes we are talking about.
Dr. Leber is on the front lines in New York City’s Mount Sinai Hospital’s emergency department, helping one of the cities with the highest infection rates in America. And she happens to be a fan of the former Yankees’ captain.
Jeter called her on Sunday, on Mother’s Day, in what was a very surprising moment for her. He has two small children, and a ESPN reporter was doing a story about her for widely known news show SportsCenter.
The former Yankees’ star thanked Dr. Leber for her courageous work
The video call, as it turns out, had one special guest that popped up on Leber’s screen: Derek Jeter, Yankees’ postseason legend and the owner of five World Series rings, thanked her for her contributions in the battle against COVID-19.
“I want to be one of the first to reach out and say, ‘Happy Mother’s Day,'” Yankees legend and newly elected Hall of Famer Derek Jeter said. “As an athlete, the word ‘hero’ is thrown around quite a bit, but true heroes are people like you on the front lines, and what you do every day, risking your personal health and the health of those you love the most for the good of others, is something that is pretty remarkable.”
Leber cheered Jeter for his whole career and wanted to eventually meet him in person one day. She even shed a few tears of emotion, meeting her favorite player, and thanked the Yankees legend for being an inspiration for generations.
“I’m hoping to meet you in person at some point,” Jeter said. “We can have some time, maybe you can bring the kids down to Miami or we’ll come up to New York.”
“I’ll come anywhere,” Leber said.
Dr. Melissa Leber is a huge Derek Jeter fan.
The Captain surprised Dr. Leber to wish her a Happy #MothersDay and to thank her for the work on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. ❤️
Joel Sherman | New York Post: Aaron judge is one of the most polarizing players in Major League Baseball when he is healthy. Consistent injuries the past two seasons have derailed his progression, but he is still arguably the best talent on the Yankees and deserves the recognition. Already having a section carved out at Yankee Stadium, it would feel wrong if they let him walk in free agency and didn’t pay him a boatload of cash.
However, some have been comparing Judge to former Yankee legend, Derek Jeter. The major difference is their health history, as Jeter was one of the more durable players in all of baseball. Judge only played in 102 games last season. Jeter only dipped below 119 games twice in his entire career, which spanned 20 seasons. Ultimately, the Yankees need to see more durability out of Judge if they are going to pay him the money he desires. The 2020 campaign will hopefully offer him the opportunity to prove his worth in the category.
Bob Klapisch | Nj.com: There were plenty of factors that played a part in Gerrit Cole signing with the Yankees this past off-season. Cole has been pitching and staying in shape in his backyard. He has spent the majority of his time in his Connecticut home, far from society, and enjoying extra time with his family. There were several conversations that ultimately convinced Gerrit to sign with the Bombers, one of them being about a specific bottle of wine he shared with his wife on their anniversary in Florence.
The Yankees brought that same bottle to that meeting, as a sign of respect and appreciation. Cole was impressed by that small detail, but it was Andy Pettitte that made the biggest difference, according to the star pitcher. Pettitte understood the situation Cole was currently in and offered substantial advice and direction throughout the process. That is what ultimately led to Cole signing with the Yankees on a massive nine-year, $324 million deal.
Joe LoGrippo | Pinstripe Alley: Have you ever wondered why the Yankees don’t allow facial hair? The story is fascinating and dates back to 1973 when George M. Steinbrenner saw some of his players looking bit scratchy during the National Anthem. It was specifically Bobby Murcer, Thurman Munson, and Sparky Lyle. This was how the policy as born and has been a staple of the Yankees’ dominance and class ever-since.
