New York Yankees Museum

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Yankees By the Numbers

Records Defining Yankees Greatness

New York Yankees fans embrace franchise records. These milestones offer unique insight into team history. Records justify reverence for the Bronx Bombers’ most celebrated heroes. Indeed, all-time franchise greats are identified by their records. These statistics answer “why” and “how” Yankees stars attained legendary status.

“Yankees by the Numbers” explores 50 New York Yankees franchise records. These statistical milestones substantiate the Yankees’ heritage as baseball’s most storied franchise.

Featured Records Include:

The New York Yankees established the standard for excellence in professional sports. The franchise holds major league records for World Series championships (27) and league pennants won (40). The 27 championships far exceed the second-highest total (11 World Series titles), won by the St. Louis Cardinals. The Yankees’ four consecutive World Series titles (1936-1939) and five consecutive championships (1949-1953) remain without equal.

Babe Ruth’s name remains synonymous with “home runs.” The “Sultan of Swat” crushed baseballs far beyond outfield fences. The distance and frequency of the Babe’s drives thrilled millions of spectators. “I swing big, with everything I’ve got,” explained Ruth. “I hit big or I miss big.” Ruth launched 659 of his 714 lifetime home runs in a Yankees uniform. In the process, the “Bambino” inaugurated the Yankees’ legacy of home run sluggers.

Lou Gehrig pinch-hit on June 1, 1925. He played in every Yankees game for the following 14 years. Illness, injury, and fatigue failed to sideline Gehrig. The “Iron Horse” rolled past Everett Scott’s 1,307 consecutive games played record in 1933. Gehrig attributed his streak to good luck and to his commitment to winning. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) halted Gehrig’s streak on May 2, 1939 after 2,130 consecutive games played.

Joe DiMaggio achieved iconic status in 1941. The “Yankee Clipper” hit safely in 56 consecutive games between May 15 and July 16. DiMaggio produced 91 hits and 15 home runs during his streak. He batted .408 with only five strikeouts. With U.S. entry into World War II looming, the hitting streak held national significance. DiMaggio’s success each day offered Americans a sense of certainty during uncertain times.

Yogi Berra competed in 14 World Series between 1947 and 1963. His Yankees teams won 10 “Fall Classic” championships, including five consecutive titles from 1949 to 1953. Berra accumulated 12 home runs and 39 RBI in World Series competition. He established records for games played (75), at-bats (259), and hits (71).

Mickey Mantle starred on baseball’s premier stage. In his first 14 seasons, Mantle played in 12 World Series. “The Mick” established World Series records for runs scored (42), total bases (123), and RBI (40). Mantle launched 18 career World Series home runs. His three homers in the 1964 “Fall Classic” surpassed Babe Ruth’s record 15 home runs, set in 1932.

Babe Ruth’s season record 60 home runs fell under siege in 1961. Two Yankees teammates – Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris – matched Ruth’s 1927 homer pace. The “M&M Boys” captivated baseball fans with a summer-long home run derby. A hip infection in September limited Mantle to 54 home runs. Maris endured intense pressure during the season’s closing weeks. On October 1, Maris crushed his 61st home run in the season’s final game.

In “must-win” games, Yankees managers pitched Whitey Ford. The southpaw consistently defeated opposing teams’ ace pitchers. Ford won over 15 games in 10 seasons, with a career-best 25 victories in 1961. Manager Ralph Houk attributed Ford’s success to “confidence, natural ability, courage, and ideal temperament.” Ford exceeded Red Ruffing’s 231 Yankees victories in 1965. His career concluded two seasons later with 236 wins and a .690 winning percentage.

“Louisiana Lightning” struck Yankee Stadium in 1978. Ron Guidry led American League pitchers in wins (25), ERA (1.74), and shutouts (9). He surpassed Jack Chesbro’s franchise record 239 strikeouts in one season, set in 1904. “I don’t believe in pacing myself,” quipped Guidry. “I throw as hard as I can for as long as I can.”

Don Mattingly tirelessly honed his batting skills. His efforts yielded over 200 hits in three consecutive seasons (1984-1986). The 1984 AL batting champion earned Most Valuable Player honors the following season. In 1986, “Donnie Baseball” batted .352 and shattered a longstanding Yankees record. His 238 hits eclipsed Earle Combs’ 231 hits in 1927.

Derek Jeter played to win. “I don’t focus on myself,” he explained. “I focus on what I can do on any particular day to help us win.” Playing with a singular goal of team success, Jeter re-wrote the Yankees’ record book. In 2009, he topped Lou Gehrig’s franchise record 2,721 hits. Jeter crossed the 3,000-hit threshold two seasons later. Consistency and longevity helped the Yankees captain tally 3,465 career hits.

Mariano Rivera redefined the standard for relief pitching. His cut fastball shattered bat handles and stifled rallies. “The Sandman” pitched quickly, consistently, and effectively. His 602nd career save surpassed Trevor Hoffman’s all-time record on September 19, 2011. Rivera concluded his career with 652 regular-season saves. He recorded 42 additional saves in postseason play.

Andy Pettitte compiled 2,020 strikeouts as a Yankees pitcher. The tall Texan’s 1,958th Yankees strikeout, recorded on July 1, 2013, was celebrated as breaking Whitey Ford’s franchise record 1,957 strikeouts. Additional research recalculated Ford’s lifetime strikeout total at 1,958. Pettitte officially surpassed Ford’s record in his following start on July 6, 2013.

Featured Artifacts Include:

  • 1932 home uniforms worn by Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig
  • 1939 Joe DiMaggio uniform with “Centennial” patch
  • Yogi Berra 1956 home uniform and 1953 World Series bat
  • Mickey Mantle 1961 home uniform and 1961 home run bat
  • Roger Maris 1961 home uniform
  • Whitey Ford 1962-1963 glove and 1964 home uniform
  • Derek Jeter uniform from hit #2,999 – July 9, 2011 (first inning of 3,000th hit game)
  • Derek Jeter 2000 World Series MVP Award trophy
  • Don Mattingly 1985 home uniform
  • Ron Guidry 1977 home uniform
  • Mariano Rivera 2000 World Series uniform and 2003-2005 glove
  • Andy Pettitte road uniform and glove – September 28, 2013 (final career game)

Bronx Bombers

The New York Yankees’ Home Run Heritage

The New York Yankees are baseball’s “home run team.” Iconic sluggers, intimidating batting orders, and milestone four-base hits have powered a century of success. Babe Ruth inaugurated the franchise’s home run heritage. The Bambino’s pinstriped successors continued this tradition. Yankees home runs have crowned legends and entered baseball lore. Fans pledge lifelong loyalties to home run heroes. Hard-hitting lineups – from “Murderers’ Row” to today’s Bronx Bombers – have overwhelmed opponents for decades.

Featured Home Runs Include:

  • Yankees Home Run #1 – May 11, 1903
  • Yankee Stadium’s Inaugural Homer – April 18, 1923
  • Three “Fall Classic” Homers for Babe – October 6, 1926 and October 9, 1928
  • 60 Homers in 1927 – September 30, 1927
  • Four Homers for the “Iron Horse” – June 3, 1932
  • The “Called Shot” – October 1, 1932
  • Mantle’s “Tape-Measure” Blast – April 17, 1953
  • Mickey Mantle – Off the Frieze! – May 30, 1956
  • 61 in ’61 – October 1, 1961
  • Mickey Mantle – Off the Frieze, Again! – April 22, 1963
  • Mantle’s “Fall Classic” Record – October 15, 1964
  • Chris Chambliss Wins the Pennant – October 14, 1976
  • “Mister October” – October 18, 1977
  • “Bucky *Bleeping* Dent” – October 2, 1978
  • Eight Straight for “Donnie Baseball” – July 8-18, 1987
  • The “Jeffrey Maier” Home Run – October 9, 1996
  • Halloween Heroics by Tino Martinez – October 31, 2001
  • “Mister November” – November 1, 2001
  • Scott Brosius Repeats History – November 1, 2001
  • Aaron Boone Wins the Pennant – October 16, 2003
  • Jorge Posada Inaugurates Yankee Stadium – April 16, 2009
  • Derek Jeter’s 3,000th Hit – July 9, 2011
  • 3,000 Hits for Alex Rodriguez – June 19, 2015

Did You Know?

Brett Gardner hit the Yankees franchise’s 15,000th home run on September 21, 2014. Yankees batters have launched 16,215 home runs – a major league record – through the 2019 season.

Sportswriters applied the nickname “Bronx Bombers” to Yankees lineups as early as 1928. Arthur “Red” Patterson popularized this term in the New York Herald Tribune in 1936.

New York Globe sportswriter Sid Mercer nicknamed the Yankees’ lineup “Murderers’ Row” on April 16, 1918 – two years before Babe Ruth’s debut in pinstripes. This term referenced a row of cells housing convicted killers at “The Tombs,” an infamous Manhattan prison.

The Yankees homered in 30 consecutive games – a major league record – between May 26 and June 29, 2019. The Bronx Bombers launched 54 homers during this streak. The franchise’s previous home run record (25 consecutive games) was set in June 1941.

Featured Artifacts Include:

  • Babe Ruth bat from Yankee Stadium’s inaugural home run – April 18, 1923
  • Babe Ruth “Notched” bat – 1927-1928 (eleven notches to signify eleven home runs)
  • Babe Ruth uniform from his “Called Shot” home run – 1932 World Series Game 3
  • Lou Gehrig bat from his four-homer game – June 3, 1932
  • Mickey Mantle 600-foot tape measure (presented to commemorate his April 17, 1953 homer)
  • Baseball hit by Mickey Mantle off Yankee Stadium’s frieze – May 30, 1956
  • Roger Maris uniform from his 61st home run – October 1, 1961
  • Mickey Mantle 1964 World Series bat – used to set career World Series homer record
  • Chris Chambliss 1976 ALCS-winning home run bat – October 14, 1976
  • Reggie Jackson 1978 home uniform
  • Derek Jeter 1996 ALCS Game 1 “Jeffrey Maier home run” bat – October 9, 1996
  • Baseball from Yankee Stadium’s inaugural home run (Jorge Posada) – April 16, 2009

Welcome to Cooperstown

Mariano Rivera and Mike Mussina, National Baseball Hall of Fame Inductees

In 2019, Mariano Rivera and Mike Mussina joined baseball’s immortals through induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Mariano Rivera established a new standard for dominant relief pitching. His signature “cut” fastball shattered bats and stifled rallies. Pitcher No. 42 compiled a major league-record 652 career saves. He pitched on five World Series-winning teams and earned 42 postseason saves. Rivera attributed his success to faith, simplicity, and consistency.

Mike Mussina’s name was synonymous with “ace pitcher.” The Stanford University graduate won 123 games over eight Yankees seasons (2001-2008). Pinpoint control and “big-game” prowess fueled Mussina’s success. Wearing Yankees pinstripes, the veteran starter struck-out 92 batters in 97 postseason innings. He pitched on American League championship-winning teams in 2001 and 2003. Mussina’s career concluded with a 20-win season in 2008.

MARIANO RIVERA – CONSISTENT EXCELLENCE

Mariano Rivera’s blazing four-seamer evolved into a “cut” fastball in 1997. The Panama native hurled baseball’s most unhittable pitch with historic consistency. Teammates and opponents marveled at his near-flawless execution. Rivera emphasized simplicity in recording quick, efficient outs with his “cutter.” He pitched with confidence and cool intensity. The humble closer prioritized team success and cherished his roles as teammate and mentor.

MARIANO RIVERA – A NEW STANDARD

Rivera transitioned from the starting rotation to a setup role in 1996. From 1997 to 2013, the ninth inning was his exclusive domain. The closer recorded 40 or more saves in nine seasons, peaking at 53 saves in 2004. Rivera’s 602nd career save on September 19, 2011 surpassed Trevor Hoffman’s major league record. The “Sandman” compiled 652 career saves with a 2.21 ERA.

MARIANO RIVERA – OCTOBER GLORY

Mariano Rivera’s star shone brightest in postseason competition. The closer routinely pitched multiple innings to lock-down October victories. “Mo” hurled 141 innings over 96 postseason appearances, allowing only 13 runs. He tallied 42 saves with a sparkling 0.70 ERA. The five-time World Series champion recorded the final out in four “Fall Classics” (1998-2000 and 2009).

MARIANO RIVERA – #42

The Brooklyn Dodgers’ Jackie Robinson shattered Major League Baseball’s color barrier on April 15, 1947. Fifty years later, Robinson’s uniform No. 42 was retired across the majors. Active players wearing No. 42 were permitted to don this number until retiring. Mariano Rivera retired in 2013 as Major League Baseball’s final player wearing No. 42.

MIKE MUSSINA – A HALL-OF-FAME CAREER

Mike Mussina won 270 career games over 18 seasons. He compiled 2,813 strikeouts and a 3.68 career ERA. In an era dominated by high-scoring lineups, Mussina consistently silenced opponents’ bats. The slick-fielding pitcher earned seven Gold Glove Awards, winning honors in three Yankees seasons (2001, 2003, and 2008).

Featured Artifacts Include:

  • Mariano Rivera home uniform and cap – August 21, 2013
  • Mariano Rivera glove, 2013
  • Mariano Rivera cleats, 2013
  • Uniform from Mike Mussina’s final win at Yankee Stadium – September 18, 2008
  • Baseball from Mike Mussina’s final career win – September 28, 2008
  • Game-used Mike Mussina Yankees cap and glove, 2003
  • Mike Mussina Rawlings Gold Glove Award Trophy, 2008
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