In a storied history full of legendary players, which New York Yankees stand above the rest? These pinstriped heroes would make for the ultimate Yankee monument.
One of the most storied franchises in sports history is the New York Yankees. The Yankees were established in 1901 as the Baltimore Orioles, before moving to New York in 1903. In their history, the Yankees have clinched five Wild Card berths, 18 AL East titles, 40 AL Pennants, and 27 World Series Championships. The Yankees have had 55 representatives in the Baseball Hall of Fame, 44 players and 11 managers.
The Yankees are one of the most valuable teams in the history of sports. They are the most valuable sports team in the United States, as well as the fourth-highest valued team in the world. The team is among the leaders in all-time attendance for baseball games, as a result of a dedicated fan base. Long story short: the Yankees are legit.
The list of all-time greats that played for the Yankees is endless. Because of that, it is difficult to narrow down their best player, or their best group of players. Many have been influential in baseball, especially to the Yankee organization. When names such as Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle, Yogi, Maris, Rizzuto, Munson, Jackson, Guidry, Jeter, Matsui, Posada, Bernie, and Rivera are mentioned, it’s not easy to choose.
Most of them are defined by numbers. Some of them are defined by championships. Others are defined by personal achievements and accomplishments. Others are defined by their love and passion for the sport of baseball, and their loyalty to the Yankees organization. Whatever the case may be, these are baseball’s all-time greats, and there is no denying it. When it comes to the Yankees, however, there really is no wrong answer in determining the greatest crop of Yankees in history.
Here is the Mount Rushmore of the New York Yankees…
When you mention baseball to a casual sports fan, the first name that always gets brought up is Babe Ruth. Ruth was incredibly influential in not only baseball, but the sports world in general. With the Yankees, Ruth managed to win four World Series rings. He was a two-time All-Star (both with the Yankees), an AL MVP, an AL batting champion, a 12-time home run leader (10 with the Yankees), a six-time RBI leader (five with the Yankees), a member of the MLB All-Century Team, and a member of the MLB All-Time Team.
As Ruth’s final playing days were approaching, his eagerness to continue working with the Yankees as a manager proved how much he loved the organization. Ruth is third on the all-time home run list, holding the record until Hank Aaron broke it in 1974. Ruth is a baseball icon, and an icon in the Yankees organization.
Unlike Ruth, Lou Gehrig managed to remain a Yankee throughout his career. Gehrig debuted in 1923 and played until his retirement in 1939. Gehrig managed to leave behind a legacy that almost no other player could match. The first baseman set several MLB records in his career. Gehrig had the most consecutive seasons with 120 RBI, the most RBI and runs scored by a first baseman, and the highest on-base percentage for a first baseman.
Gehrig is also a member of the MLB All-Century Team and the MLB All-Time Team. Perhaps his most impressive feat was his seemingly unbreakable consecutive games record. Gehrig appeared in 2,130 consecutive games, which was a record that stood until Cal Ripken Jr. surpassed him in 1995. Gehrig’s career was cut short with his diagnosis of ALS, but his impact and legacy will always be felt by Yankee fans and the organization.
Like Ruth, Yogi Berra spent a majority of his MLB career in pinstripes. Berra led the Yankees to 10 World Series championships to go along with 18 All-Star selections. Berra won three AL MVP Awards and is also a member of the MLB All-Century Team. Yogi averaged 27 home runs and 109 runs batted in per year. He made history during the 1956 World Series by becoming the first catcher to catch a perfect game in the World Series. That perfect game was one of only two playoff no-hitters.
From 1950 to 1957, Berra never finished below fourth in the AL MVP voting. After his career was completed, Berra managed the Yankees in 1964, and again managing them in 1984 and 1985. Berra’s legacy will always live on as one of the greatest hitting catchers in baseball history.
A central figure of the Bronx Bombers’ recent success, Derek Jeter provided a little bit of everything throughout his career en route to becoming an all-time baseball great. Jeter is the franchise’s all-time leader in hits, doubles, stolen bases, at-bats, and plate appearances. Jeter is a 14-time All-Star, the 1996 AL Rookie of the Year, the 2000 World Series MVP, and a five-time Silver Slugger award winner.
Though he wasn’t considered a spectacular defender, Jeter managed to win five Gold Glove awards as well. Most impressively, Jeter is a five-time World Series champion, and his postseason heroics have made him one of the greatest playoff hitters of all-time. Like Gehrig, Jeter also played his entire career in New York and he is the only full-time Yankee to reach 3,000 hits.
