New York Yankees: 4 players who are on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore

The New York Yankees are an organization rich in tradition. They have 27 World Series championships and a number of Hall of Famers.

They have Monument Park in the outfield where 37 members of the franchise have been honored and 22 have had their uniform numbers retired. They had the original Monument Park in the original Yankee Stadium, then when they opened their current stadium in 2008, they established a new Monument Park in straightaway center field.

Among all the history on the field, creating a Yankees Mount Rushmore is not as easy as you think. Out of all the teams in the majors, finding four names to put on the list from other ones is a difficult task.

Their fanbase is everywhere from the East Coast to the West Coast. They show up in droves when the Yankees visit any city, even Boston, and they usually pack Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay, where they hold their spring training each season. No matter where you go around any ballpark, you are almost guaranteed to see a Yankee jersey or shirt of some kind.

With that, let’s dive into the four players who make up the Mount Rushmore for the New York Yankees.

New York Yankees: Lou Gehrig belongs on the franchise Mount Rushmore

Sometimes all it takes is an opportunity that comes from injury to begin a career. That’s what happened in the case of Lou Gehrig.

Early in the 1925 season, Wally Pipp went down with an injury and he was replaced by Gehrig. It’s safe to say that it was the beginning of the end of Pipp’s time with the Yankees. Gehrig took advantage of his opportunity and never looked back winning six World Series championships.

Over 14 seasons in the Bronx, Gehrig slashed .340/.448/.634 with 492 home runs and 1,981 RBI. That was just the beginning. He had a career on-base percentage of .447 and an OPS of 1.080. He ranks second in most franchise categories behind Ruth and it was after his Hall of Fame career came to an end that Gehrig is also known for.

When he was 36 years old, he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and he passed away from it in 1941. Two years before he died, he made a speech at Yankee Stadium where he declared himself as “the luckiest man on the face of the earth.”

It was a sad ending to what was an outstanding and memorable career for one of the Yankees’ greats.

New York Yankees: Mickey Mantle belongs on the franchise Mount Rushmore

Mickey Mantle could not even sign his own contract, his very first with the New York Yankees. Why? Well, he was only 17 years old, so his parents had to sign it. The rest, they say, is history.

Over 19 years wearing the Pinstripes, Mantle won three MVPs and was part of seven championship teams. His best season was in 1956 when he slashed .353/.464/.705 with 52 home runs and drove in 130 to win the triple crown.

What he accomplished during his career in New York was nothing short of jaw-dropping. He belted 536 career home runs, 13 of which were walk-offs, he batted .300 or better in 10 seasons and was a 16-time All-Star. The Oklahoma native was a defensive stalwart in center field and first base.

Mantle might not be the first name that comes up when the Yankees’ Mount Rushmore is talked about, but seven World Series titles, one of the game’s biggest clutch hitters, and his ability to excel defensively in the infield and outfield make him an easy choice for this list.

New York Yankees: Joe DiMaggio belongs on the franchise Mount Rushmore

Joe DiMaggio, also known as “The Yankee Clipper”, played just 13 seasons in the Bronx, but it was an impressive 13 seasons in pinstripes.

For his career, he slashed .325/.398/.579 and drove in 1,537 runs, scored another 1,390, and had 361 home runs. He won three MVPs, but it was his unheard-of hitting streak in 1941 that he is most famous for. He had a 56-game hitting streak and that is one of those records that more than likely will never be broken. In 1939, he slashed .381/.448/.671 to win his first of two AL batting titles.

DiMaggio was part of nine World Series winners for the Yankees, but after his first seven years, he missed the 1943, 1944, and 1945 seasons due to military service. When he returned in 1946, he went on to be part of four World Series championships and he was the middle of Ruth and Gehrig, then Mantle’s time in the Bronx. It’s safe to say that he carried the load from the two ahead of him to Mantle after him.

The debate as to who could be on the Yankees’ Mt. Rushmore is one that could go on for a very long time. Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera were big parts of the late 1990s dynasty and of course, there was Yogi Berra and the great Whitey Ford. Currently, Aaron Judge has a long way to go, but don’t be surprised to see him in the argument to be on this list long after his career is over.