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Yankee Baseball
This page is a personal favorite of mine and is dedicated to my father, Mel, a diehard Yankee Fan, who had instilled in me a fascination for the Yankees, the players, and the history of baseball.
At the tender age of four, mid summer of 1953, I accompanied my parents to the old Tiger Stadium to take in a Yankees vs Detroit game. With Yogi Berra catching and Mickey Mantel in the field, I only wish I could remember it.
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Murderers' Row
On April 12, 1927, at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees opened their season with a game against the Philadelphia Athletics, starting a record setting season.
"Murderers' Row" is the legendary nickname given to the first six hitters in the batting order of the 1927 New York Yankees. Widely considered one of the greatest baseball teams of all time, they dominated the league with their fearsome, unstoppable lineup.
The formidable group consisted of the following players in batting order:
The 1927 Yankees compiled a 110-44 record, won the American League pennant by 19 games, and swept the Pittsburgh Pirates in the World Series. The name has since become synonymous with any batting order that boasts overwhelming, back-to-back offensive power.
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Talkin' Baseball
The song "Talkin' Baseball" (originally titled "Willie, Mickey and the Duke") by Terry Cashman is a nostalgic tribute to the "Golden Age" of Major League Baseball in the 1950s. It captures the history of the sport, baseball heroes, and the culture of a simpler era in America.
The song's refrain of "Willie, Mickey and the Duke" refers to Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, and Duke Snider, three Hall-of-Fame center fielders, all of whom played in the same city at the same time—Mays for the New York Giants, Mantle for the New York Yankees and Snider for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Other players and managers are referred to in the song, some by full name, some partial name, and some by nicknames.
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Joltin' Joe
The Yankee Clipper
Joseph Paul DiMaggio, nicknamed Joltin' Joe and The Yankee Clipper, made his major league debut with the Yankees on May 3, 1936, batting ahead of Lou Gehrig.
He was an outstanding player, one of the game's most graceful athletes. He had an aura of quiet dignity; a picture perfect player remembered for his smooth, effortless fielding and hitting. Joe made playing baseball look easy. He held major league records, was named MVP in 1939, 1941 and 1947, and voted baseball's greatest living player in 1969.
 Joe DiMaggio, retired from baseball at the end of the 1951 season. Yankee Jersey No. 5 was officially retired in 1952. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 25th, 1955.
Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe
Married January 14, 1954 - San Francisco
Joe and Marilyn's elopement at San Francisco City Hall on January 14, 1954 was the culmination of a courtship that had captivated the nation.
Their marriage ended after 274 days. Their friendship ended on her death, August 5th, 1962. Joe had a half-dozen red roses delivered 3 times a week to Marilyn's crypt for the next 20 years. Their love story never ended.
 Pop Culture
Joe DiMaggio has been the subject of a wide variety of songs and can be heard in the music of John Fogerty, Madonna, Simon & Garfunkel, Jennifer Lopez, and many more.
The most famous song directly about the Yankee Clipper is the 1941 hit "Joltin' Joe DiMaggio" by Les Brown and His Orchestra, featuring vocalist Betty Bonney. It famously chronicles his legendary 56-game hitting streak.
Movies and televisions shows have created plots around Joe, including Seinfeld, Daffy Duck and Star Trek.
Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital
On 17 September 1992, the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital opened, for which he raised over $4,000,000.
Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital is a world-class hospital that has earned the distinction of being the leading children’s hospital in Broward and Palm Beach Counties. This premier facility combines advanced technology and the expertise of the largest diversity of board-certified specialists in the region, all in a caring, compassionate setting designed specifically for children.
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Murderers' Row
The Iron Horse
 Of all the players in baseball history, none possessed as much talent and humility as Lou Gehrig. His accomplishments on the field made him an American hero, and his tragic early death made him a legend.
Lou Gehrig
Henry Louis "Lou" Gehrig, is remembered for his prowess as a hitter, his consecutive games played record, and his tearful farewell from baseball at age 36. Between 1925 and 1939, he played in 2,130 consecutive games, setting several Major League records. He was voted the greatest first baseman of all time by the Baseball Writers' Association.
 Lou played for the New York Yankees until his career was cut short by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), now commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease.
On May 2, 1939 Gehrig benched himself telling the Yankees that he was doing so "for the good of the team". He never played baseball again.
On June 21, 1939 the New York Yankees announced Gearing's retirement and proclaimed July 4, 1939 "Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day" at Yankee Stadium. Yankee Jersey No. 4 was officially retired. He inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.
Farewell Speech
Lou Gehrig's farewell speech was one of the most emotional moments in the history of American sports. The Times account the following day called the moment "one of the most touching scenes ever witnessed on a ball field" that made even hard-boiled reporters "swallow hard".
He started with "Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth" and concluded saying "I might have been given a bad break, but I've got an awful lot to live for. Thank you." (Lou Gehrig - Yankee Stadium, July 4, 1939.)
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Murderers' Row
The Sultan of Swat - The Bambino
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr., also popularly known as "Babe", "The Bambino", and "The Sultan of Swat", has been named the greatest baseball player in history in various surveys and rankings. His home run hitting prowess and charismatic personality made him a larger than life figure in the "Roaring Twenties". Off the field his often reckless lifestyle kept him in the news and scandals were the order of the day.
Babe's sensational home run hitting and undeniable candor became the biggest ticket in New York City. Soon, the Yankees drew so many fans that the team could afford to build Yankee Stadium, which opened in 1923. The famous stadium became known as "The House that Ruth Built."
In 1936, Ruth became one of the first five players elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Curse of the Bambino The Curse of the Bambino was said to have begun after the Boston Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees in the off-season of 1919-1920. Before that year, the Red Sox had been one of the most successful professional baseball franchises. After the sale, it would be another 86 years, from 1918 to 2004, before the Sox won the World Series again. The Curse was broken.  The 25th anniversary of the opening of Yankee Stadium was held on June 13th, 1948. Ruth made his last appearance at the stadium where his legend was born. Yankee Jersey No. 3 was officially retired. Pop Culture
"The Babe" is a folk-pop tribute song by American singer-songwriter Terry Cashman, dedicated to the legendary baseball icon Babe Ruth. It is a prominent track within Cashman's extensive collection of baseball-themed music, celebrating the larger-than-life legacy of the "Sultan of Swat". Spotify "How Does He Do It?" In this Clifford Berryman cartoon, presidential candidates Warren G. Harding and James M. Cox wonder at Ruth's record home run pace.
The Price of the Yankees The Pride of the Yankees a 1942 American sports drama film produced by Samuel Goldwyn starring Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright, and Walter Brennan. It is a tribute to the legendary New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig, who died a year before its release.
Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum, Baltimore In 1974, Ruth's birthplace in Baltimore was renovated and opened to the public as the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum. The museum houses a collection of artifacts from Ruth's life, including some rare baseball cards and the earliest known signature of Ruth, from when he was still pitching in the schoolyard.
Babe Ruth Bows Out, June 13, 1948 Nathaniel Fein's photo of Ruth taken from behind, standing near home plate and facing "Ruthville" (right field) became one of baseball's most famous and widely circulated photographs, and won the 1949 Pulitzer Prize for Photography. Ruth was photographed with his back turned to the camera; he was sick with throat cancer at the time and was leaning on a baseball bat for support. The New York Yankees were honoring Ruth by retiring his jersey number. It had been 14 years since he had played for the Yankees: he wore his number three Yankees uniform to celebrate the occasion.
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The Mick
Mickey Mantle
Mickey Mantle made his debut with the Yankees on April 17th, 1951. Mickey's career was fraught with injuries, alcoholism, business failures, marital problems, scandals, and a suspension for being a "greeter" at a casino. In between upheavals, and despite a series of knee and leg injuries, he managed to lead the American League four times in home runs and six times in runs scored and he was named most valuable player three times. He still holds the records for most World Series home runs.
 Mantle announced his retirement on March 1, 1969, and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on August 12th, 1974. Yankee Jersey No. 7 was officially retired.
The American Dream. Mantle's Monument Park plaque bears the words "A great teammate, A magnificent Yankee who left a legacy of unequaled courage."
After baseball, Mickey battled and overcame alcoholism. He was a hero, even as he was dying, as he said, "Don’t be like me. I’m not a role model." in order to discourage kids from alcohol and drugs.
 "The story of Mickey Mantle is a story of courage, perseverance, loyalty, determination, inspiration and that of being a great teammate." Danny Mantle
Pop Culture
Mantle portrayed himself a number of times on screen. He appeared as himself in the 1958 film Damn Yankees in an uncredited role. He and Roger Maris starred as themselves in the 1962 film Safe at Home!, and also appeared, along with Yogi Berra, in a scene in the film That Touch of Mink (1962), sitting next to Doris Day and Cary Grant.
In August 2022, a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle baseball card in mint condition sold for a record $12.6 million. It was originally purchased for $50,000 in 1991. At the time of the 2022 sale, the Mickey Mantle card was considered the most valuable card of the modern era.
There is a Mickey Mantle Drive in San Antonio, Texas.
Mantle has been referenced in a number of songs. The most notable song is "I Love Mickey" by Teresa Brewer which came out in 1956. Mantle also took part in the recording, in a speaking role.
Other well-known songs are "Talkin' Baseball" and "Seasons in the Sun (Mickey Mantle) from the Terry Cashman album Greatest Baseball Hits released in 1981.
 I guess in all of our lives we want to do something we could be proud of. I've been very lucky in mine - but I really am proud to be a part of Make-A-Wish and I know you are too. Thanks a lot. Mickey Mantle
Mickey Mantle was a dedicated supporter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, notably hosting the annual Mickey Mantle Celebrity Golf Classic in Oklahoma during the early 1990s. This charity tournament raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to grant wishes for children facing critical illnesses.
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Yankee Stadium
1923-2008
 The House That Ruth Built
The 2008 baseball season marks the end of one of the most famous stadiums in the world, Yankee Stadium.
Ruth's power as a drawing card enabled the Yankees to build their own stadium in the Bronx in 1923. It would immediately become known as "The House That Ruth Built." Fittingly, on opening day, April 18, 1923, Ruth hit the first home run at the Stadium. The Yankees also won their first World Series during the Stadium's inaugural season.
Since its opening, the stadium has been the home of one of the greatest teams in sports, the New York Yankees with legendary players such as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Alex Rodriquez and Derek Jeter.
 The Yankees played their last regular season game at Yankee Stadium on September 21, 2008.
Our Heroes
Our heroes wore wool in August.
Starters went nine.
And sluggers called their shots.
Our heroes spiked.
Pitchers threw inside.
And no one charged the mound.
Our heroes played on grass.
They stole home.
And they played every day.
Our heroes played baseball.
Remember?
(Author - unknown)
New Yankee Stadium
At a cost of 800 million dollars, the new Yankee Stadium opened on April 16, 2009 with a Yankees game against the Cleveland Indians.
Groundbreaking ceremonies for the stadium took place on August 16, 2006, the 58th anniversary of Babe Ruth's death. Once the new stadium opened, the old stadium was demolished to become parkland.
Monument Park
Monument Park, which features the Yankees' retired numbers, five freestanding monuments, and plaques dedicated to Yankees' players and managers and notable visitors will be relocated to the new stadium.
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Official Theme Song
"Here Come the Yankees"
Here Come the Yankees is the official theme song of the New York Yankees baseball team.
It has been the official team anthem since 1967, when it was composed by Bob Bundin and Lou Stallman.[1] Bundin and Stallman were associated at the time with Columbia Records, whose then-owner, the media conglomerate CBS, was also the parent company of the Yankees.
It was recorded by the Sid Bass Orchestra and Mitch Miller's Sing Along with Mitch Chorus. The instrumental version airs at the top of all Yankees radio broadcasts and was also used on Yankee telecasts until 1990 and when WCBS2 had the Yankees in 2002 and 2003 seasons during the end broadcast.
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