Pinstriped

P I N STR I PED The History, Legacy & Lifestyle of the New York Yankees

PLAY by PLAY Covering Every Base of the MLB 1

PINSTRIPED The History, Legacy & Lifestyle of the New York Yankees

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The Beginning

The Stadium

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The Legends

The Fans

The Philanthropy

The Empire

THE BEGINNING The Highlanders at Hilltop Park

Hilltop Park at 168th St. and Broadway, Circa 1903

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The Highlanders, soon to officially be the Yankees, Circa 1907

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THE MOVE FROM MARYLAND Baltimore Orioles Become the New York Highlanders 1901–1903 The Original 28

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owards the end of 1900, Ban Johnson started to reorganize the American League. To Challenge the National League, he created the American League. Johnson began by adding teams in three east coast cities. However, plans to put a team in New York City were blocked by the National League’s New York Giants, who had enough political power in to prevent the American League from establishing a team in the city. Instead, a team was put in Baltimore, Maryland, a city, which the NL abandoned when it contracted from 12 to 8 teams. Nicknamed the Orioles, the team began playing in 1901, and were managed and owned in part by John McGraw. During the 1902 season, McGraw feuded with Johnson, and secretly joined the Giants.

In the middle of the season, the Giants, aided and abetted by McGraw, gained controlling interest of the Orioles and began raiding it for players, until the AL stepped in and took control of the team. In January 1903, a “peace conference” was held between the two leagues to settle disputes and try to coexist.

At the conference, Johnson requested that an American League team be put in New York City, to play alongside the National League’s Giants. It was put to a vote, and 15 of the 16 Major League owners agreed on it. The Orioles’ new owners, Frank J. Farrell and William S. Devery, found a ballpark location that was not blocked by the Giants, and Baltimore’s team moved to the Hilltop Park in New York City.

Pitchers Doc Adkins Elmer Bliss Jack Chesbro John Deering Clark Griffith Harry Howell Ambrose Puttmann Eddie Quick Jesse Tannehill Snake Wiltse Barney Wolfe Catchers Monte Beville Pat McCauley Jack O’Connor Jack Zalusky Infielders Wid Conroy Ernie Courtney Kid Elberfeld John Ganzel Paddy Greene Fred Holmes Tim Jordan Herman Long Jimmy Williams Outfielders Lefty Davis Dave Fultz Herm McFarland Willie Keeler Manager Clark Griffith

THE HIGHLANDERS 1903-1913

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he team’s new ballpark, Hilltop Park, was constructed in northern Manhattan at one of the island’s highest points between 165th and 168th Streets, just a few blocks away from the much larger Polo Grounds. The team came to be known as the New York Highlanders. it was a reference to the team’s elevated location which was somewhat higher in altitude than the bulk of Manhattan and was considerably “uphill” from the Polo Grounds, the Giants’ established home.

“Highlanders” was also short for “Gordon’s Highlanders,” a play on the name of the team President during 1903–1906, Joseph Gordon, along with the noted British military unit that is called The Gordon Highlanders. The club was also derisively called “Invaders” in 1903, which is thought to have come from writers that were favorable to the Giants.

The most success the Highlanders achieved was finishing second in 1904, 1906 and 1910, 1904 being the closest they came to winning the American League pennant. That year, they lost the deciding game on the last day of the season to the Boston Americans, who later became the Boston Red Sox. This had much historical significance, as the Highlanders’ role in the pennant race caused the Giants to announce that they would not play in the World Series against the AL pennant winner. The World Series was not skipped again for another 90 years, when a strike truncated the entire 1994 season. This was the last time Boston would beat New York in a pennant deciding game for a full century (2004). 1904 was the year that pitcher Jack Chesbro set the single-season wins record at 41, a record which still stands. Under current playing practices, this is said to most likely be an unbreakable record.

New York Press Sports Editor Jim Price coined the unofficial nickname Yankees (or “Yanks”) for the club as early as 1904, because it was easier to fit in headlines.

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January 9, 1903 Frank Farrell and Bill Devery purchase the defunct Baltimore franchise of the American League for $18,000 and then move the team to Manhattan.

March 12, 1903 The New York franchise is approved as a member of the American League.

The team will play in a hastily constructed, all-wood park at 168th Street and Broadway. Because the site is one of the highest spots in Manhattan, the club will be known as the “Highlanders” and their home field “Hilltop Park.”

April 22, 1903 The Highlanders play their first game, a 3-1 loss at Washington.

The New York Highlanders’ 1903 season finished with the team in 4th place in the American League with a record of 72–62. The team was managed by Clark Griffith and played its home games at Hilltop Park, formally “American League Park.” The season began with the Baltimore Orioles relocating to New York City. The club was at first officially the “Greater New York” baseball club, in deference to the New York Giants.

The New York press was creative with analogous nicknames for teams. In addition to “Highlanders,” the team would soon acquire the alternate nickname “Yankees.” That word itself is a synonym for “American” in general, and short for American Leaguers or “Americans” in this case. Given media penchant for citing popular culture, the nickname was then also possibly influenced by the then–current and hugely popular America centric George M. Cohan Broadway play, “Little Johnny Jones,” and its song, “Yankee Doodle Dandy.”

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April 23, 1903 The Highlanders record the first win in franchise history, a 7-2 decision at Washington. Harry Howell was the man who recorded the win.

April 30, 1903 The Highlanders notch a 6-2 win vs.

Washington in their inaugural home opener at Hilltop Park.

April 11, 1912 Pinstripes first appear on Highlanders’ uniforms, creating a look that would become the most famous uniform design in sports.

April 1913 The Highlanders are officially renamed the “Yankees” after moving to the Polo Grounds, home of the National League’s New York Giants.

BABE BECOMES A YANKEE January 5, 1920

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n January 5, 1920, the New York Yankees major league baseball club announces its purchase of the heavy-hitting outfielder George Herman “Babe” Ruth from the Boston Red Sox for the sum of $125,000 in cash, and more in loans.

In all, Ruth had played six seasons with the Red Sox, leading them to three World Series victories. On the mound, Ruth pitched a total of 29 2/3 scoreless World Series innings, setting a new league record that would stand for 43 years. He was fresh off a sensational 1919 season, having broken the major league home run record with 29 and led the American League with 114 runs-batted-in and 103 runs. In addition to playing more than 100 games in left field, he also went 9-5 as a pitcher.

With his prodigious hitting, pitching and fielding skills, Ruth had become baseball’s biggest attraction.

Despite Ruth’s performance, the Red Sox stumbled to a 66-71 record in 1919, finishing at sixth place in the American League.

New ownership took control of the club, and in early January, owner Harry Frazee made the decision to sell Ruth to the Yankees for $125,000 in cash $300,000 in loans. After the sale, the Yankees took over Ruth’s contract, which called for a salary of $10,000 per year. Aware of his value, Ruth had demanded a salary raise, and New York agreed to negotiate a new contract.

The deal paid off–in spades–for New York, as Ruth went on to smash his own home run record in 1920, hitting 54 home runs.

He connected for 59 homers in 1921, dominating the game and increasing Yankee revenues to the point that the team was able to leave the Polo Grounds, which was also the home of the New York Giants and build Yankee Stadium, which opened in 1923 and was known as “the house that Ruth built.”

“Curse of the Bambino” A superstition about the failure of the Boston Red Sox baseball team to win the World Series in the 86-year period from 1918 to 2004. It is said to have happened because of the trade of Babe Ruth.

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T H E S TA DI U M

1923 to Today

Yankee Stadium, Circa 1923

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Yankee Stadium, Circa 2009

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A NEW HOME FOR THE YANKS May 5, 1922

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n February 6, 1921, the Yankees issued a press release to announce the purchase of 10 acres of property in the west Bronx. The land was purchased from the estate of a man named William Waldorf Astor for the price of $675,000. It sat directly across the Harlem River from the Yankees’ current Manhattan home, the Polo Grounds, which they shared unhappily with the landlord Giants of the National League since 1913.

The relationship between the Giants and their tenant crumbled after the 1920 season when Yankee game attendance doubled to 1,289,422; boosted by their new slugging sensation. That was over 100,000 more than the Giants, who, in 1921, notified the Yankees to vacate the Polo Grounds as soon as possible. With their departure from the Polo Grounds now inevitable, Yankee co-owners Jacob Ruppert and Tillinghast l’Hommedieu Huston set out to build a spectacular ballpark of their own, Baseball’s first triple–decked structure. With an advertised capacity of 70,000, it would also be the first to be labeled a “stadium.”

Yankee Stadium was one of the first to be deliberately designed as a multi-purpose facility. The field was initially surrounded by a 0.25 miles running track, which effectively also served as a warning track for outfielders, a feature now standard on all major league fields. The left and right field bleacher sections were laid out roughly at a right angle and toward the third base stands, to be properly positioned for both track–and–field events and football. The large electronic scoreboard, featuring both teams’ lineups and scores of other baseball games that were happening at the same time, was the first of its kind.

Initially the fence was 295 feet from home plate down the right-field line, referred to as the “short porch” and 350 feet to near right field, compared with 490 feet to the deepest part of center field, nicknamed Death Valley. The right–field bleachers were appropriately nicknamed “Ruthville.” Although the right field fences were eventually pushed back after the 1974–1975 renovations, they were still close to home plate.

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May 5, 1922 Construction begins on Yankee Stadium.

April 18, 1923 Yankee Stadium opens with a 4-1 win over the Boston Red Sox before a reported crowd of 74,200. Babe Ruth hits the Stadium’s first home run.

April 20, 1928 The Yankees’ sixth season at Yankee Stadium opens with the left-field stands enlarged to three decks.

April 20, 1937 The Yankees’ 15th season at Yankee Stadium opens with the right-field stands enlarged to three decks. The wooden bleachers are replaced by a concrete structure with the distance to center field dropping from 490 to 461 feet.

August 8, 1972 The Yankees sign a 30-year lease to play in a remodeled Yankee Stadium to be completed in 1976.

April 15, 1976 Remodeled Yankee Stadium opens with an 11-4 win over the Twins.

Yankee Stadium was the first three-tiered sports facility in the United States and one of the first baseball parks to be given the lasting title of stadium.

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September 21, 2008 Derek Jeter promises to help bring the memories across the street for the new Yankee Stadium in 2009.

April 3-4, 2009 The Yankees play their first exhibition games in the current Yankee Stadium, defeating the Chicago Cubs, 7-4 and 10-1, respectively.

April 16, 2009 The Yankees play the first regular season game in Yankee Stadium history, falling to Cleveland, 10-2, and snapping their all-time record 11game home-opener winning streak.

CC Sabathia tosses the Stadium’s first official pitch, Johnny Damon records the first hit.

MONUMENT PARK

ICONIC STADIUM FAÇADE

As Yankee Stadium owed its creation largely to Ruth because of the money he brought into the stadium, its design partially accommodated the game’s left-handedhitting slugger.

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onument Park was an open-air museum that contained the Yankees’ retired numbers, as well as a collection of monuments and plaques honoring distinguished members of the New York Yankees. It was located beyond the left-center field fences, near the bullpens.

The origins of Monument Park can be traced to the original three monuments of Lou Gehrig, Miller Huggins and Babe Ruth that once used to stand in-play in center field. Over the years, the Yankees continued to honor players and personnel with additional monuments and plaques. After the 1974–1975 renovations of Yankee Stadium, the monuments and plaques were moved behind the outfield fences to “Monument Park”.

A visual collection of retired numbers was soon added to this location. Monument Park remained there until the stadium’s closing in 2008; when the monuments were moved into a new Monument Park at the new ballpark.

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ne of the most distinguishing characteristics of Yankee Stadium was the “façade”, a white frieze that ran along the bleacher billboards and scoreboard. The facade was an addition made by Osborn Engineering, when the owners of the Yankees asked that the stadium be given “an air of dignity.” It originally ran around the roof of the grandstand’s upper deck.

This original façade was made of copper and over the course of time, developed a patina. It was painted white in the mid1960s. When the stadium was renovated in the 1970s, 10 rows were added to the top of upper deck, and the support columns were removed. The original roof had to be removed; the façade was removed and sold as scrap. A smaller, concrete version was erected above the scoreboards and billboards behind the bleachers. In the new stadium, the façade was replicated in its original position along the roof of the upper deck, although now constructed of steel painted white. It does not cantilever out over the upper deck as much as the original did.

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Yankee Stadium set up for a New York Giants football game, 1956.

Fans in line outside Yankee Stadium for World Series Tickets, 1940.

Yankee Stadium, 1930.

25 Yankee Stadium Monument Park, 2005.

Original Yankee Stadium Scoreboard. It was the first of its kind, 1923.

Yankee Stadium from the top deck during practice, 1996.

A TEARFUL FAREWELL After 85 Years, The Yankees Say Goodbye to Their Home

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ith a new $1.3 billion facility rising directly across 161st Street, the 2008 season was to be the final one within the original Yankee Stadium. Selected to also host the All–Star Game in July, the building hosted the longest Midsummer Classic in terms of time, a 15–inning affair clocking at four hours and 50 minutes, won by the American League on Michael Young’s sacrifice fly.

A season–long countdown from 81 to zero was displayed on a board in right–center field; with the Yankees not qualifying for postseason play, the last game was played on September 21, 2008, with the Yankees defeating the Baltimore Orioles, 7–3.

A sellout crowd of 54,610 packed the building, many arriving hours early, as the Yankees set an all-time season attendance record of 4,298,543. The all–time Yankee Stadium attendance mark thus inched to freeze at 151,959,005. Andy Pettitte was the winning pitcher, Mariano Rivera recorded the last out and

Jose Molina hit the last home run in New York’s victory over Baltimore, bookending Babe Ruth’s shot to open the building in 1923. The blast, a two–run shot in the fourth inning, proved historic when viewed with a quote attributed to Ruth after he homered on the Stadium’s first day: “I was glad to have hit the first home run in this park. God only knows who will hit the last.”

The final word in Yankee Stadium belonged to Derek Jeter, who was also the final Yankees batter at the ballpark. The captain took a microphone behind the mound during the on–field ceremony and addressed the standing crowd, many of them wiping away tears. The speech, Jeter later said, had been off–the–cuff and as nerve-wracking as any experience in his professional career.

“We’re relying on you to take the memories from this stadium and add them to the new memories that come to the new Yankee Stadium, and continue to pass them on from generation to generation. On behalf of this entire organization, we want to take this moment to salute you, the greatest fans in the world.”

Derek Jeter Farewell to Yankee Stadium, 2008

Location East 161st Street & River Avenue Bronx, New York City Capacity 57,545 Sizing Field size Left Field – 318 feet Left Center – 399 feet Center Field – 408 feet Right Center – 385 feet Right Field – 314 feet Backstop – 84 feet Construction Start May 5, 1922 Opened April 18, 1923 Final Game September 21, 2008 Demolished September 22, 2008 – May 13, 2010 Construction Cost $2.4 million (1923) $167 million (1976) Architect Osborn Engineering Corp. (1923) Praeger-Kavanaugh-Waterbury (1976) General contractor White Construction Co. (1923) Regular Season Yankee Games 6,581 26

A MOVE ACCROSS THE STREET New Yankee Stadium Inaugural Season 2009

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ew York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner began campaigning for a new stadium in the early 1980s, just a few years after the remodeled Yankee Stadium opened.

Steinbrenner at the time was reportedly considering a move to the Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey. In a statewide referendum in 1987, New Jersey taxpayers rejected $185 million in public financing for a baseball stadium for the Yankees. Despite this rejection, Steinbrenner frequently threatened a move there in negotiations with New York City.

In 1988, Mayor Ed Koch agreed to have city taxpayers spend $90 million on a second renovation of Yankee Stadium that included luxury boxes, restaurants inside the stadium, parking garages and traffic improvements outside. Steinbrenner agreed in principle, but then backed out of the deal. In 1993, Mayor David Dinkins expanded on Koch’s proposal by offering his Bronx Center vision for the neighborhood, including new housing, a new courthouse, and relocating the Police Academy.

In 1993, New York Governor Mario Cuomo proposed using the West Side Yard, a 30-acre rail yard along the West Side of Manhattan and owned by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, as the location for new stadium for the Yankees.

However, Cuomo lost his re-election bid a few months later.

By 1995, Steinbrenner had rejected 13 proposals to keep the Yankees in the Bronx.

In 1998, Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer proposed spending $600 million in public money to add dozens of luxury boxes to the stadium, to improve highway and public transportation access, and to create a Yankee Village with shops, restaurants, and a museum. Steinbrenner rejected

this as well. That same year, Mayor Rudy Giuliani unveiled a plan to relocate the Yankees to the West Side Yard for a $1 billion stadium. However, with most of the funding coming from taxpayers, Giuliani tabled the proposal, fearing rejection in a citywide referendum. The West Side Stadium plan resurfaced in December 2001, and by January 2002, months after the September 11 attacks, Giuliani announced “tentative agreements” for both the New York Yankees and New York Mets to build new stadiums. He estimated that both stadiums would cost $2 billion.

Michael Bloomberg, who succeeded Giuliani as mayor in 2002, called the former mayor’s agreements “corporate welfare” and exercised the escape clause in the agreements to back out of both deals, saying that the city could not afford to build new stadiums for the Yankees and Mets. Bloomberg said that Giuliani had inserted a clause in this deal which loosened the teams’ leases with the city and would allow the Yankees and Mets to leave the city on 60 days’ notice to find a new home elsewhere if the city backed out of the agreement. At the time, Bloomberg said that publicly funded stadiums were a poor investment. Bloomberg’s blueprint for the stadium was unveiled in 2004. The final cost for the two stadiums was more than $3.1 billion; taxpayer subsidies accounted for $1.8 billion.

Groundbreaking ceremonies for the stadium took place on August 16, 2006, the 58th anniversary of Babe Ruth’s death, with Steinbrenner, Bloomberg and then-Governor of New York George Pataki among the notables donning Yankees hard hats and wielding ceremonial shovels to mark the occasion. The Yankees continued to play in the previous Yankee Stadium during the 2007 & 2008 seasons while their new home stadium was built across the street.

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AN (ALMOST) MIRRORED IMAGE The Upgraded Design of Yankee Stadium

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he new stadium is meant to evoke elements of the original Yankee Stadium, both in its original 1923 state and its postrenovation state in 1976. The exterior resembles the original look of the 1923 Yankee Stadium. The interior, a modern ballpark with greater space and increased amenities, features a playing field that closely mimics the 1988–2008 dimensions of the old stadium. The current stadium features 4,300 club seats and 68 luxury suites.

The stadium was designed by the architect firm Populous. The exterior was made from 11,000 pieces of Indiana limestone, along with granite and pre-cast concrete. The exterior features the building’s name V-cut and gold-leaf lettered above each gate, while the interior of the stadium is adorned with hundreds of photographs capturing the history of the Yankees.

The seats are laid out similar to the original stadium’s stands,

with grandstand seating that stretches beyond the foul poles, as well as bleacher seats beyond the outfield fences. The Field Level and Main Level comprise the lower bowl, with suites on the H&R Block Level, the Upper Level and the Grandstand Level comprising the upper bowl. Approximately two-thirds of the stadium’s seating is in the lower bowl, the inverse from the original Yankee Stadium. 50,291 fans can be seated, with a standing room capacity of 52,325. The new stadium’s seating is spaced outward in a bowl, unlike the stacked-tiers design at the old stadium. This design places most fans farther back but lower to the field, by about an average of 30 feet. Over 56 suites are located within the ballpark, triple the amount from the previous stadium. Many lower level seats are cushioned, while all seats are equipped with cup holders. To allow for the extra seating space, the stadium’s capacity is reduced by more than 4,000 seats in comparison to the previous stadium.

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The frieze that lined the roof of the original Yankee Stadium from 1923 to 1973 is replicated on the current stadium’s roof.

Made of steel coated with zinc for rust protection, it is part of the support system for the cantilevers holding up the top deck and the lighting on the roof. The wall beyond the bleacher seats is “cut out” to reveal the 4 subway trains as they pass by, like they were in the original facility. A manually operated auxiliary scoreboard is built into the left and right field fences.

Between the exterior perimeter wall and interior of the stadium is the “Great Hall”, a large concourse that runs between Gates 4 and 6. With seven-story ceilings, the Great Hall features more than 31,000 square feet of retail space and is lined with banners of past and present Yankees superstars. The Great Hall features a 5-by-383-foot LED ribbon display as well as a 25’ by 36’ LED video display above the entrance to the ballpark.

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Monument Park, which features the Yankees’ retired numbers, as well as monuments and plaques dedicated to distinguished Yankees, has been moved from its location beyond the left field fences in the original Yankee Stadium to its new location beyond the center field fences at the new facility. The newly relocated Monument Park is now situated under the sports bar; black shades cover the monuments on the back wall during games to prevent interference with the vision of the batter.

The new location of the monuments is meant to mirror their original placement in center field at the original pre-renovation Yankee Stadium, albeit when they were on the playing field.

Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera requested that the Yankees reposition the team’s bullpen, as well as add a door to connect the Yankees’ bullpen to Monument Park, in order to allow access to it by Yankee relievers. The organization complied with his request.

HIGH CLASS BASEBALL Facilities and Amenities of Yankee Stadium

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ankee Stadium features a wide array of amenities. It contains 63 percent more space, 500,000 square feet more in total, than the previous stadium, with wider concourses and open sight lines on concourses. Along with 227 miles of wired Ethernet cable, the building has sufficient fiber-optic cable wiring that Cisco Vice President and Treasurer David Holland calls the building “future proof”. There are over 1,100 high-definition video monitors are placed within the stadium and approximately $10 million worth of baseball merchandise is housed within the ballpark. The center field scoreboard, manufactured by Mitsubishi Diamond Vision, measures 59 x 101 feet and offers 5,925 square feet of viewing area. It was the third-largest high definition scoreboard in the world when it opened, although has since been surpassed by others.

The Yankees clubhouse features 30,000 square feet of space, over 2.5 times the space of the clubhouse from the previous facility. The dressing area alone features 3,344 ft of space, with each locker equipped with a safety deposit box and touch-screen computer. The Yankees clubhouse features a weight room, training room, video room, and lounge area, while both teams’ clubhouses have their own indoor batting cages. The therapy room features a hydrotherapy pool with an underwater treadmill. The Yankees are believed to be the first team to chemically treat their uniforms, as well as the showering surfaces with an anti-bacterial agent that reduces the risk of infection.

The New York Yankees Museum, located on the lower level at Gate 6, displays a wide range of Yankees’ memorabilia.

A “Ball Wall” features hundreds of balls autographed by past and present Yankees, and there are plans to eventually add autographs for every living player who has played for the Yankees. The centerpiece of the museum is a tribute to Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series, with a commemorative home plate in the floor and statues of Larsen pitching to Yogi Berra. Along with a facsimile of a current locker from the Yankees’ clubhouse, fans can view the locker of the late Thurman Munson, which sat unoccupied in the previous stadium’s Yankee clubhouse in honor of Munson.

The ballpark offers a wide choice of restaurants. There are 25 fixed concessions stands, along with 112 moveable ones.

A Hard Rock Cafe is located within the ballpark, but it is open to anyone at the 161 St. and River Ave. entrance year round. A steakhouse called NYY Steak is located beyond right field. Celebrity chefs will occasionally make appearances at the ballpark’s restaurants and help prepare food for fans in premium seating over the course of the season. Above Monument Park in center field is the Mohegan Sun sports bar, whose tinted black glass acts as the ballpark’s batter’s eye. The sports bar obstructs the view of approximately 600 bleacher seats in the right and left field bleachers, preventing fans from seeing the action occurring deep in the opposite side of the outfield. In response, the Yankees installed TV monitors on the sides of the sports bar’s outer walls, and have reduced the price of these obstructed-view seats from $12 to $5.

Location 1 East 161st Street Bronx New York, NY Capacity 50,291 Sizing Left Field – 318 feet Left Center – 399 feet Center Field – 408 feet Right Center – 385 feet Right Field – 314 feet Backstop – 52 feet 4 inches Construction Start August 19, 2006 Opened April 16, 2009 Construction Cost $2.3 billion Architect Populous General contractor Turner Construction

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A | Yankee Stadium Museum Ball Wall featuring statues of Yogi Berra and Don Larsen.

B | Interior or NYY Steak, one of the high class dining restaurants at the stadium.

C | Yankee clubhouse, featuring a touch screen computer in each locker.

D | Mohegan Sun sports bar, view of the stadium to the left.

E | Stadium Concessions located all around the stadium.

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THE LEGENDS Yankee Hall of Famers

Lou Gehrig, Circa 1931

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Derek Jeter, Circa 2011

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Babe Ruth’s Records Go Down In History

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“How to hit home runs: I swing as hard as I can, and I try to swing right through the ball...The harder you grip the bat, the more you can swing it through the

ball, and the farther the ball will go. I swing big, with everything I’ve got. I hit big or I miss big. I like to live as big as I can.”

Babe Ruth Position Pitcher Outfielder Batting average .342 Home runs 714 Hits 2,873 RBI 2,213 Pitching W/L record 94-46 Earned Run Average 2.28 Years as a Yankee 1929-1934 Inducted Into Baseball Hall of Fame 1936 Top Ten in MLB history in the following categories: 3rd on home run list – 714 10th in batting average – .342 2nd on RBI list – 2,213 1st on all-time slugging % – .690 2nd on all-time on-base % – .474 1st on all-time OPS – 1.164 4th on all-time runs list – 2,174 6th on all-time total bases list – 5,793 3rd on all-time walks list – 2,062

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eorge Herman "Babe" Ruth, Jr. (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948) was an American baseball outfielder and pitcher who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1914 to 1935. Nicknamed "The Bambino" and "The Sultan of Swat", he began his career as a stellar left-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, but achieved his greatest fame as a slugging outfielder for the New York Yankees. Ruth established many MLB batting and some pitching records, including career home runs, slugging percentage, runs batted in, bases on balls, and on-base plus slugging. His career slugging percentage and OPS records still stand today. He was one of the first five inductees into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.

At age seven, Ruth was sent to St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys, a reformatory where he learned life lessons and baseball skills from Brother Matthias Boutlier, of the Christian Brothers, the school's disciplinarian and a capable baseball player. In 1914, Ruth was signed to play minor-league baseball for the Baltimore Orioles. By 1916 he had built a reputation as an outstanding pitcher who sometimes hit long home runs, a feat unusual for any player in the pre-1920 dead-ball era.

Although Ruth twice won 23 games in a season as a pitcher and was a member of three World Series championship teams with Boston, he wanted to play every day and was allowed to convert to an outfielder. He responded by breaking the MLB single-season home run record in 1919. After that season, Red Sox owner Harry Frazee controversially sold Ruth to the Yankees. In his 15 years with New York, Ruth helped the Yankees win seven American League (AL) championships and four World Series championships. His big swing led to escalating home run totals that not only drew fans to the ballpark and boosted the sport’s popularity but also helped usher in the live-ball era of baseball, in which it evolved from a low-scoring game of strategy to a sport where the home run was a major factor.

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“After I hit a home run I had a habit of running the bases with my head down.

I figured the pitcher already felt bad enough without me showing him up rounding the bases.”

Mickey Mantle

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ickey Mantle was an iconic baseball player with immense talent. His drive and love for the game pushed him past the injuries he was plagued with and into the record books. He played his entire 18–year career with the New York Yankees, & the injuries he suffered never allowed him to live up to the potential he displayed to the team when he arrived in 1951.

Despite never quite being at 100 percent, Mantle established himself as the greatest switch–hitter to play the game, and one of the game’s best players ever. The outfielder almost had his career cut short when his leg was infected with osteomyelitis after being kicked in the shin playing youth football. Effects of the disease lasted his lifetime and might have been responsible for other injuries that took the speed he had early in his career.

Position Center Field Batting average .298 Home runs 536 Hits 2,415 RBI 1,509 Years as a Yankee 1951-1968 Inducted Into Baseball Hall of Fame 1974 Career Highlights & Awards 20 Time All-Star 7 Time World Series Champion 3 Time AL MVP Triple Crown Gold Glove Award AL Batting Champion 4 Time AL Home Run Champion AL RBI Champion New York Yankees #7 Retired MLB All-Century Team

A 1951 on–field accident resulted in a serious leg injury, preventing Mantle from ever playing his best again, and he returned to the Yankees in 1952 as the starting center fielder.

From 1953 to 1955, he averaged 28 home runs, 98 RBI and 118 runs per season. He also batted over .300 in two of the three years. He led the American League in 1954 with 129 runs and in 1955 he topped the AL with 37 home runs, a .431 on–base percentage and a .611 slugging percentage. In 1956 he won the AL Triple Crown and the first of two consecutive MVP awards.

He also led the Yankees to their sixth pennant in seven seasons with the team. In 1962, Mantle missed almost 40 games, but still managed to capture his third MVP title, while bringing New York to their third consecutive pennant and second straight world championship.

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The Career–Long Yankee, Mickey Mantle

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Berra, One of the Best Catchers in History

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“I never blame myself when I’m not hitting. I just blame the bat and if it keeps up, I change bats. After all, if I know it isn’t my fault that I’m not hitting, how can I get mad at myself?”

Yogi Berra

Position Catcher Batting average .285 Home runs 358 Hits 2,150

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awrence Peter “Yogi” Berra, born May 12, 1925 is a retired American Major League Baseball catcher, manager, and coach. He played almost his entire 19-year baseball career (1946–1965) for the New York Yankees. He is widely regarded as one of the best catchers in baseball history.

Berra was an All-Star for 15 seasons. He is one of only four players to be named the Most Valuable Player of the American League three times and is one of seven managers to lead both American and National League teams to the World Series. As a player, coach, or manager, Berra appeared in 21 World Series including 13 World Series championships. He was named to the MLB All-Century Team in a voting of fans in 1999.

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RBI 1,430 Years as a Yankee 1946-1963 Inducted Into Baseball Hall of Fame 1972 Career Highlights & Awards 18 Time All-Star 13 Time World Series Champion 3 Time AL MVP New York Yankees #8 Retired MLB All-Century Team

Position First Base Batting Average .340 Hits 2,721 Homeruns 493 RBIs 1,995 OBP .447 Games Played 2,164 Years as a Yankee 1923-1939 Inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame 1939 Career Highlights & Awards 7 Time All-Star 6 Time World Series champion 2 Time AL MVP Triple Crown AL batting champion 3 Time AL Home Run Champion 4 Home Runs in 1 Game in 1932 New York Yankees Captain New York Yankees #4 Retired MLB All-Century Team MLB All-Time Team

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Position Outfield Batting Average .325 Hits 2,214 Homeruns 361 RBIs 1,537 OBP .398 Games Played 1736 Years as a Yankee 1936-1951 Inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame 1955 195 Career Highlights & Awards 13 Time All-Star 9 Time World Series Champion 3 Time AL MVP MLB Record 56-game Hitting Streak New York Yankees #5 Retired MLB All-Century Team

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JOE DI MAGGIO

44 “A baseball swing is a very finely tuned instrument. It is repetition, and more repetition, then a little more after that.”

Position Right Field Batting Average ,262

Reggie Jackson

Hits 2,584

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eginald Martinez “Reggie” Jackson, born May 18, 1946, is a retired American baseball right fielder who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball for five different teams.

He was nicknamed “Mr. October” for his clutch hitting in the postseason with the Oakland A’s and the New York Yankees.

Jackson won five consecutive American League West divisional pennants, three consecutive AL pennants and two consecutive World Series titles as a member of the Oakland Athletics from 1971 to 1975; four American League East divisional pennants, three American League pennants and two consecutive World Series titles with the Yankees from 1977 to 1981. He is perhaps best remembered for hitting three consecutive home runs in the clinching game of the 1977 World Series.

Jackson played 21 seasons and reached the post-season in 11 of them, winning six pennants and five World Series. His accomplishments include winning both the regular-season and World Series MVP awards in 1973, hitting 563 career home runs, which was the sixth all-time at the time of his retirement, maintaining a .490 career slugging percentage, being named to 14 All-Star teams, and the dubious distinction of being the alltime leader in strikeouts with 2,597. Jackson was the first major leaguer to hit one hundred home runs for three different clubs, having hit over 100 for the Athletics, Yankees, and Angels.

Reggie Jackson is the only player in the 500 home run club that never had consecutive 30 home run seasons in a career.

Homeruns 563 RBIs 1,702 OBP .356 Games Played 2,820 Years as a Yankee 1977-1981 Inducted Into Baseball Hall of Fame 1993 Career Highlights & Awards 14 Time All-Star 5 Time World Series Champion AL MVP 2 Time World Series MVP 2 Time Silver Slugger Award 4 Time AL Home Run Champion AL RBI Champion Oakland Athletics #9 Retired New York Yankees #44 Retired

Clutch Hitter, Reggie Jackson

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Mariano Rivera, One of the Most Dominant Relievers in MLB History

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Position Relief Pitcher Win-Loss Record 82-60 Earned Run Average 2.21 Strikeouts 1,173 Saves 652 WHIP 1.00 Games Finished 952 Years as a Yankee 1995-2014

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Career Highlights & Awards 13 Time All-Star 5 Time World Series Champion World Series MVP ALCS MVP 5 Time AL Rolaids Relief Man Award 3 Time Delivery Man of the Year AL Comeback Player of the Year 3 Time MLB Saves Leader Commissioner’s Historic Achievement Award New York Yankees #42 Retired MLB Record for Career Saves

“I’m not used to seeing the ball go wherever she wants. As a

pitcher, I like to be — I don’t want to say perfect, but I want to know what the ball is going to do.”

Mariano Rivera

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ariano Rivera, born November 29, 1969 is a Panamanian former professional baseball pitcher who played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees, from 1995 to 2013. Rivera spent most of his career as a relief pitcher and served as the Yankees’ closer for 17 seasons. A thirteen-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, he is MLB’s career leader in saves and games finished. Rivera won five American League (AL) Rolaids Relief Man Awards and three Delivery Man of the Year Awards, and he finished in the top three in voting for the AL Cy Young Award four times.

Rivera was signed by the Yankees organization in Panama in 1990, and he debuted in the major leagues in 1995. Initially a starting pitcher, he was converted to a relief pitcher late in his rookie year. After a breakthrough season in 1996 as a setup man, he became the Yankees’ closer in 1997. In the following seasons, he established himself as one of baseball’s top relievers, leading the major leagues in saves in 1999, 2001, and 2004. Rivera primarily threw a sharp-moving, mid-90s mile-per-hour cut fastball that frequently broke hitters’ bats and earned a reputation as one of the league’s toughest pitches to hit. With his presence at the end of games, signaled by his foreboding entrance song “Enter Sandman”, Rivera was a key contributor to the Yankees’ success in the late 1990s and early 2000s. An accomplished postseason performer, he was named the 1999 World Series Most Valuable Player and the 2003 AL Championship Series MVP, and he holds several postseason records, including lowest earned run average and most saves.

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“There may be people who have more talent than you, but there’s no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do - and I believe that.”

Derek Jeter

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erek Sanderson Jeter, born June 26, 1974 played 20 seasons in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. A five-time World Series champion, Jeter is regarded as a central figure of the Yankees’ success of the late 1990s and early 2000s for his hitting, base running, fielding, and leadership. He is the Yankees’ all-time career leader in hits, doubles, games played, stolen bases, times on base, plate appearances & at bats. His honors include 14 All-Star selections, five Gold Glove Awards, five Silver Slugger Awards, two Hank Aaron Awards, and a Roberto Clemente Award. Jeter became the 28th player to reach 3,000 hits and finished his career sixth all-time in career hits and the all-time MLB leader in hits by a shortstop.

The Yankees drafted Jeter out of high school in 1992, and he debuted in the major leagues in 1995. The following year, he became the Yankees’ starting shortstop, won the Rookie of the Year Award, and helped the team win the 1996 World Series.

Jeter continued to contribute during the team’s championship seasons of 1998–2000. At this time he finished third in voting for the American League Most Valuable Player Award in 1998, recorded multiple career-high numbers in 1999, and won both the All-Star Game MVP and World Series MVP Awards in 2000.

He consistently placed among the AL leaders in hits and runs scored for most of his career, and served as the Yankees’ team captain from 2003 until his retirement in 2014.

Jeter has been one of the most heavily marketed athletes of his generation and is involved in several product endorsements.

His personal life and relationships with celebrities have drawn the attention of the media throughout his career. Teammates and opponents alike regard Jeter as a consummate professional and one of the best players of his generation.

Position Shortstop Batting Average .310 Hits 3,465 Homeruns 260 RBIs 1,311 OBP .377 Games Played 2,747 Years as a Yankee 1995-2014 Career Highlights & Awards 14 Time All-Star 5 Time World Series Champion World Series MVP AL Rookie of the Year 5 Time Gold Glove Award 5 Time Silver Slugger Award 2 Time AL Hank Aaron Award Roberto Clemente Award New York Yankees captain 50

Derek Jeter, Yankee Captain from 2003-2014

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WHITEY FORD

Position Starting Pitcher Win-Loss Record 236-106 Earned Run Average 2.75 Strikeouts 1,956 Saves 11 WHIP 3,170 Games Finished 498 Years as a Yankee 1950-1967 Inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame 1974 Career Highlights & Awards 10 Time All-Star 6 Time World Series Champion Cy Young Award World Series MVP New York Yankees #16 Retired

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Position First Base Batting Average .307 Hits 2,153 Homeruns 222 RBIs 1,099 OBP .830 Games Played 1,785 Years as a Yankee 1982-1995 195 Career Highlights & Awards 6× All-Star AL MVP 9× Gold Glove Award 3× Silver Slugger Award AL batting champion AL RBI champion New York Yankees team captain New York Yankees #23 retired

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DON MATTINGLY

T H E FAN S Americas Favorite Pastime

Fans at the 1946 World Series Game

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Fans at Yankee Stadium attending one of the last games of Derek Jeter’s career, 2014

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“THE GREATEST FANS IN THE WORLD” -Derek Jeter, 2008

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in sports history to draw over four million in regular season attendance in their own ballpark. The Yankees were the league leaders in “road attendance” in each year from 2001–2006.

The first one-million fan season was in 1920, when 1,289,422 fans attended Yankee games at the Polo Grounds. The first two-million fan season was in 1946, when 2,265,512 fans attended games at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees have beaten the league average for home attendance 83 out of the last 87 years. In the past seven years, the Yankees have drawn over three million fans each year, with an American League recordsetting 4,090,696 in 2005, becoming only the third franchise

The “Bleacher Creatures” are a notorious group of season ticket holders who occupied Section 39 in the right field bleachers at the old Yankee Stadium, and occupy Section 203 in the new one. They are 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. Everyone knows who they are becuase they where t-shirts with the logo seen to the left on them and they enjoy taunting the opposing team’s right fielder with a series of chanting. The “creatures” got their nickname from New 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.

ith the recurring success of the franchise since the 1920s, the Yankees have been and continue to be one of the most popular sports teams in the world, with their fan base coming from much further than the New York metropolitan area. 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.

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A FAN FOR LIFE Being a fan since the 1920’s made Freddy one of the oldest fans in Yankee History

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reddy Schuman (May 23, 1925 – October 17, 2010), better known as Freddy Sez or Freddy “Sez”, was a proud New Yorker and supporter of the New York Yankees, known for his activities in promoting the team and encouraging fan participation. For over 50 years he came to Yankees’ home games with a baseball cap, a Yankees’ jersey, which on the back bears his own name and a cake pan with a shamrock painted on it which was connected to a sign inscribed with words of encouragement for the home team. Freddy was born on May 23, 1925, and was a resident of The Bronx for most of his life.

From about 1988, until his death, he was an unofficial promoter for the Yankees.

He attended hundreds of games at the old and the new Yankee Stadiums, roaming the aisles with a frying pan and spoon for men, women and children to whack as hard as they could, a tradition he started more than 20 years ago when he was looking for a way to rally the fans while the team was in a slump. He encouraged fans to come up and talk to him, and bang on the pan to give the team some encouragement.

The Pan Schuman carried a frying pan with a shamrock painted on it, which he said “Brings ‘em luck.” The pot made a distinctive sound that echoed throughout the stadium and could be heard in the background during TV broadcasts. One of his pans is on display at the National Baseball Hall of Fame along with another at the Yogi Berra Museum.

Sponsorship Schuman can be briefly seen in a baseball themed MasterCard commercial that aired during the 2007 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby. He can also be seen for a few seconds near the end of House of Pain’s 1992 music video for their hit single “Jump Around”. Schumans 2003 tickets were sponsored by Modell’s Sporting Goods.

Signs Schuman also carried a number of colorful hand-painted signs adorned with messages to encourage the team and the fans. ]. Some Freddy messages included “Again & Again Yankees Prove They Are Great”, and “Fans, We Got To Help Yankees Out Of Slumps”. Sometimes, Schuman would give the sign to a lucky fan at the end of a game.

Route Freddy had the same routine for every game that he attended. People always knew where they could see him because of it. Before the games, Schuman could be found outside Yankee Stadium. During the games, he moved throughout the stadium, making his way from the Grandstand down to the Main Section, and finally to the Field Level.

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A | Fans at the 2015 Opening Day game hold a forgive sign for A-Rod, who had been suspended for the 2014 season for his involvement in the Biogenesis Scandal.

B | Yankee fans in the stands of the original Yankee Stadium, Circa June 1940.

C | Yankee fans don’t always hate Boston, after the Marathon Bombing in 2013, one fan shows their support for the city.

D | Fans wait to get Babe Ruth’s signature at Fenway Stadium, Circa 1919.

E | The cheering doesn’t stop when the game is over, these fans took it to the streets.

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YANKEE SUPERFAN Spencer Lewis lives, breaths and Doesn’t Talk to his Met-Fan Father if the Yankees Win the World Series

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e has a car painted with every retired Yankees number on it. He has Derek Jeter game-worn socks. And yes, he even has toilet paper that bears the Boston Red Sox logo.

To say Spencer Lewis is a superfan would be an understatement. A big one. And yet, his father is a Mets fan.

“We don’t get along during baseball season,” Lewis said of his father. “If the Yankees win the World Series, I don’t hear form my father until Spring Training.

“I have a passion, that’s really all I can describe it as. To me, there’s nothing else other than the New York Yankees, and I’m dead serious. They’re my religion, everything.” He’s not kidding. Lewis, a Glen Oaks N.Y. resident, was turned into a Yankees fan by his grandfather, whom he said would put on games when Lewis was just 1.

“My grandfather was all about tradition and the guys they had in the past,” Lewis said. “He knew DiMaggio. He made fur coats and sold a few to the old-school Yankees in the ‘40s and ‘50s. That was pretty cool to me. When I went into his office I saw the pictures and he gave me some autographs.”

The operator of Yankee Puppy, a non-profit animal rescue organization, Lewis has watched every pitch of every game since 1995 -- meaning yes, he has seen every single pitch Jeter has ever faced.

It is a freedom he has now away from his Mets-loving father, who often created tension during baseball season when the now 38-year-old Spencer was growing up. “I wasn’t allowed to put anything up in the house,” Lewis said of Yankees items. “My mother wouldn’t buy me Yankee clothing. My grandparents would and it would drive my father crazy. We’d go to Mets games and I’d root for other team and when I was 11 or 12, I was no longer allowed to go to the Mets games.”

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Lewis -- who only wears clothing items with a Yankees logo on them -- used to share season tickets at the old Yankee Stadium, where he proposed to his fiancé, Tina, on the scoreboard in 2006. The couple will be getting married at the new stadium once a date is arranged to accompany both sides of the family.

And she is as almost as crazy about the Yankees as he is, buying a pair of Alex Rodriguez’s batting gloves and surprising Lewis one day with one of Jeter’s game-used bats.

Lewis, like many, had his reservations about the new Yankee Stadium, but those were put to rest once he visited it for the Yankees’ open workout day April 2, 2009.

“It didn’t feel different, but I was scared,” Lewis said. “When the old one went down I was like a baby on the floor, crying.

I was afraid I wouldn’t like it. I have to tell you, when I saw the field I’m like, ‘Wow, I’m in Yankee Stadium.’ Like it never changed.”

Never did he feel that mystique and aura more than on Sept.

11, 2009, when Derek Jeter recorded hit No. 2,722 to eclipse Lou Gehrig’s Yankees record. “That was the

T H E P H I LAN T H ROPY Yankees help the Community

Yankee Stadium converts the outfield into a skating rink for the community, 2014

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Yankee Summer Youth Clinic, 2014

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WakeUp! NYC, sends chronically absent students automated phone calls with wake-up messages from admired public figures encouraging them to attend school on time.

YANK E ES & THE COMMUNITY Providing Positive Outlets for New York City Youth

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he New York Yankees are committed to promoting and sustaining cordial and cooperative relationships with their neighbors and community partners; working in conjunction with them to enhance the quality of life throughout the surrounding communities. The programs listed highlight various outreach initiatives supported/implemented by the New York Yankees.

Pictured to the left is The New York Yankees and the New York City Department of Education work in conjunction to address the issues of truancy, chronic absenteeism and lack of school engagement in New York City public schools. The campaign, called WakeUp! NYC, sends chronically absent students automated phone calls with wake-up messages from admired public figures encouraging them to attend school on time. WakeUp! NYC also sends automated phone calls with congratulatory messages acknowledging students for their improved attendance. As part of the campaign, NYC public school students received surprise wake-up messages from New York Yankees players, including Mark Teixeira, David Robertson, and Brett Gardner.

On Monday, May 12, 2014, the New York Yankees and Wake Up! NYC recognized public school students from across the five boroughs for their improved attendance over the past school year during an on-field pregame ceremony. In addition, the New York Yankees hosted approximately 500 students at Yankee Stadium to share in this experience and hopefully motivate them to follow in the footsteps of previous honorees.

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Art Programs Bronx Dance Theater Highbridge Voices Mind Builders Creative Arts Center New York Pops Popsed Program Renaissance Youth Center The Bronx Museums Of The Arts Publicolor and Public School Paint Project Education Programs Back-To-School Linc, Inc. Morris High School Robotics Program New York Public Library Summer Reading Program Public School Athletic League Most Valuable Pupil Scholar-Athlete Awards Ceremony Sport Management Mentoring Program Wake Up! NYC Healthy Lifestyles Programs Back-To-School Immunization Campaign Healthy Home Plate Program New York Yankees High-School Blood Donor Championship Taylor Hooton Chalk Talk

Recreation Programs Bronx Borough President’s Cup Championship Game Chicago Vs. NY Baseball All-Star Game Community Open Skate NYY & Modell’s Sporting Goods Initiative New York Yankees Summer Youth Clinic New Era Pinstripe Bowl Clinic & Pep Talk Pinewood Derby City Finals Public School Athletic League Championship Baseball Games Public School Athletic League Football City Championship Game Major League Soccer Matches Social Programs 4 + 44 Police Officer And Firefighter

Outstanding Service Award Ceremony Als Ride For Life Autism Awareness Day Green Team Initiative Holiday Food Drive Thanksgiving Feast Thanksgiving Food Voucher Giveaway Winter Wonderland Hunger Action Month Make-A-Wish Foundation

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The Yankees and the ALS Greater New York Chapter partnered to kickoff Ride for Life; in which ALS patients ride their wheelchairs down highways to raise funds for a cure and generate awareness.

Police and Firefighter Outstanding Service Award Ceremony

Yankee Summer Youth Clinics

71 Kids learn how to eat more healthy and prepare healthy means with Yankees Healthy Home Plate Program.

PSAL Most Valuable Player Scholar Athlete Award Ceremony

New York Yankees, publicolor and public school 73x paint project

THE EMPIRE Yankee Global Enterprises, LLP

George Steinbrenner, Owner of the New York Yankees 1973–2010

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YES Network Baseball Analysts at Yankee Stadium

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START SPREADING THE NEWS Yankee Owner, George Steinbrenner Creates an Empire out of the Yankees

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ankee Global Enterprises LLC was formed in 1999, and is the owner of the New York Yankees baseball club and 20% of the YES Network cable channel. The company was originally called “YankeeNets”, because of a merger between the Yankees and the New Jersey Nets basketball team. It is controlled by the family of George Steinbrenner.

creating a combined holding company. This was done to increase the negotiating power of both teams for future TV contracts and stadium and arena construction deals. The pre– merger owners would continue to control their teams, with a minority interest in the other team. This arrangement was approved by both Major League Baseball and the NBA.

1998 brought the Yankees most successful season in modern history, winning a combined total of 125 regular season and playoff games, culminating in a World Series championship.

The team was in discussions to be sold to Cablevision, who at the time owned the broadcast rights to every MLB, NBA and NHL team in the New York City Metropolitan area. The proposed deal fell through because the two sides could not come to an agreement that would allow George Steinbrenner to continue run the team. After the proposed sale fell through, the Yankees and Nets agreed to merge business operations,

YankeeNets engaged in marketing agreements with the New York Giants football team and the British football powerhouse Manchester United, which resulted in exclusive programming on the YES Network for the two companies for a period of time. The company also created an affiliate, Puck Holdings, which purchased the New Jersey Devils ice hockey team, to have relationships in all major league professional sports, and to give better leverage to the Nets for the Prudential Center.

With the Yankees’ television contract with Cablevision expiring in 2001 and the Nets’ contract expiring after the ‘01–’02 season,

the teams negotiated together with potential cable partners for the next contract. They spoke to Cablevision about remaining on their networks, or even creating a new network with them.

Cablevision then offered to pair both teams on their Fox Sports Net New York affiliate. YankeesNets also spoke to other cable companies, including Time Warner, about launching a new network with them. In the end, YankeeNets decided to pair with Goldman Sachs to launch their own sports network, the YES Network, which launched in March 2002, in preparation of the upcoming baseball season. Cablevision, after losing out on the broadcast rights, did not reach an agreement with YES for carriage on its system during the network’s first year. The two sides did reach a temporary agreement in 2003, and a long term deal about a year later.

In 2003, reports leaked out about serious disagreements between the Yankees and Nets sides of the organization.

The Yankee ownership in Tampa did not want any part in paying for an arena for the Nets and Devils, as the teams were money–losers. This led to the Nets being sold to Bruce Ratner, who intended to move the team to an arena in Brooklyn, New York. The Nets sale did not include the team’s stake in the YES Network, which remained with the pre–merger owners.

Since the breakup, the Devils extended their TV contract with Cablevision, ending speculation that they would move to YES once their initial contract expired after the 2006–07 season.

In 2004, with the exodus of the Nets and Devils complete, the company changed its name to Yankee Global Enterprises LLC, keeping the Yankees and the YES Network as separate entities owned by the same company. The legacy of YankeeNets is the YES Network, which allowed both the Yankees and Nets to dramatically increase their revenues. This allowed the Yankees to front the $800 million to construct the new Yankee Stadium.

The Man Behind the Yankees

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“Winning is the most important thing in my life, after breathing. Breathing first, winning next.”

George Steinbrenner

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eorge Michael Steinbrenner III, July 4, 1930 – July 13, 2010, was an American businessman who was the principal owner & managing partner of Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees. During Steinbrenner’s 37-year ownership from 1973 to his death, the longest in club history, the Yankees were hugely successful, earning seven World Series titles and eleven pennants. His outspokenness and role in driving up Yankee player salaries made him one of the sport’s most controversial figures. Known as a hands-on baseball executive, Steinbrenner earned the nickname “The Boss”. He had a tendency to meddle in daily on-field decisions, and to hire and fire managers.

On January 3, 1973, Steinbrenner and minority partner Burke led a group of investors, which included Lester Crown, John DeLorean and Nelson Bunker Hunt, in purchasing the Yankees from CBS. For years, the selling price was reported to be $10 million. However, the net cost to the group for the Yankees was $8.8 million after CBS purchased parking garages back.

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he announced intention was that Burke would continue to run the team as club president. But Burke later became angry when he found out that Paul had been brought in as a senior Yankee executive, reducing his authority, and quit the team presidency in April 1973. Burke remained a minority owner of the club into the following decade, but as fellow minority owner John McMullen, later the majority owner of the Houston Astros, stated, “There is nothing in life quite so limited as being a limited partner of George Steinbrenner.”

Paul was officially named president of the club on April 19. It would be the first of many high-profile departures with employees who crossed paths with “The Boss”. At the conclusion of the 1973 season, two more prominent names departed: manager Ralph Houk, who resigned and took a similar position with the Detroit Tigers; and general manager Lee MacPhail, who became president of the American League.

The 1973 off-season would continue to be controversial when Steinbrenner and Paul fought to hire former Oakland Athletics manager Dick Williams, who had resigned immediately after leading the team to its second straight World Series title. However, because Williams was still under contract to Oakland, the subsequent legal wrangling prevented the Yankees from hiring him. On the first anniversary of the team’s ownership change, the Yankees hired former Pittsburgh Pirates manager Bill Virdon to lead the team on the field.

Steinbrenner quickly became famous for his rapid turnover of management personnel. In his first 23 seasons, he changed managers 20 times; Billy Martin alone was fired and rehired five times. He also employed 11 general managers over 30 years. He was equally famous for pursuing high-priced free agents and then feuding with them.

Another notable Steinbrenner policy was his military-style grooming code: All players, coaches, and male executives were forbidden to display any facial hair other than mustaches (except for religious reasons), and scalp hair could not be grown below the collar. The policy led to some unusual and comical incidents.

Henry George “Hank” Steinbrenner III, born April 2, 1957 is part-owner and co-chairman of the New York Yankees. He is the older brother of principal owner and managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner.

Along with Hal, Hank inherited the team upon the death of their father, George Steinbrenner, in 2010. However, from 2007 onward, George ceded most day-to-day control of the team to Hal and Hank due to failing health. Even before their father’s death, Hal and Hank made most of the decisions about the team in tandem with Yankees President Randy Levine and General Manager Brian Cashman.

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A | Steinbrenner and former Yankee manager, Billy Martin at Yankee Stadium.

B | Set of YES Network Sports Reporting.

C | Former Yankee manager, Joe Toree and Steinbrenner at Yankee Stadium, 2006.

D | Steinbrenner announcing his purchase of the Yankees, 1973.

E | Opening credits for a Yankee game broadcasted on YES network.

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