Things You Probably Never Knew About the Yankees
Harvey Frommer
The franchise is right up there as one of the most
famous in sports. Probably more books and articles have been written about it
than any other baseball team. Yet, there is always something new to learn about
the Bronx Bombers so read on.
Yankees
A reference with the name "Yankees” first
appeared in print in the Boston Herald
in 1904. It referred to the American League baseball team in New York
City. Sportswriters Sam Crane of the New York Journal and Mark Roth of the New York Globe, are credited with first using the name
"Yankees" in their writing about the team.
Logo
The iconic “bat in the hat” logo was introduced in 1947. It
has been the Yankees' primary logo ever since. The artwork was originally
credited to Henry Alonzo Keller, a sports illustrator who worked in New York.
However, the New York Times reported in 2009 that the logo could have
other origins.
According to the family of Sam Friedman, an artist who worked
at the “21” club in the 1940s and ’50s, it was their ancestor who sketched the
logo onto a bar napkin for Dan Topping, a regular “21” patron. The Yankee owner
allegedly immediately decided that would be the new logo for his team. That
Yankee logo is the oldest still in use in the major leagues.
Shame
Negro League teams who played at the
Stadium when the Yankees were on the road were not allowed to use their
dressing rooms. Instead they were obliged to use the visitors’ dressing room.
Unlikely Friendship
Pitcher Herb Pennock was born to
a wealthy Pennsylvania family and graduated from elite prep schools. Babe Ruth was raised in an orphanage.
Pennock was refined, dignified, sophisticated. The great Ruth was the opposite
of Pennock. Nevertheless, they were friends for almost three decades. The
friendship began when both were young lefty hurlers for the Boston Red Sox in 1916. The unusual friendship continued when they
were teammates on the Yankees in the 1920s and 1930s.
FIGHT SONG
The
official fight song for the Yankees "Here Come the Yankees,"
was written in 1967 by Bob Bundin and Lou Stallman. Not used as too often now
at Yankee Stadium, it is still frequently played in instrumental form, most
times in radio broadcasts.
Monuments
The first monument honoring a Yankee
legend was created in 1932 for Miller Huggins. Monuments and plaques were
located in centerfield in front of the fence as part of the playing field about
450 feet or so from home plate. Outfielders always had to be wary running back
for long fly balls. At one time ticket holders exited through the centerfield
gates viewing monuments on their way out of the Stadium. The monuments were on
the field, in front of the fence.
Starting in 1976, the monuments and plaques were behind the fence in
Monument Park.
YANK Newsletter
Created
by owner Larry MacPhail, YANK Newsletter was first published in 1946 and had a
long run. It was published about 6 times a year. Its final season
was 1967 when it was published in a newspaper format.
Travel
by Airplane
In 1946, the Yankees became the first team to
regularly travel by airplane. The team leased a United Airlines plane
nicknamed the "Yankee Mainliner.” Despite the advantages of flying, four
players, including Red Ruffing, still chose to take the train.
Mascot
The
Yankees are one of four teams today lacking a mascot. From 1982
until 1985, the team mascot was Dandy, a pinstriped bird. That did not work out.
Hideki Matsui
Before becoming a Yankee, Hideki
Matsui recorded the second-longest consecutive games played streak in Japanese
baseball history - 1,250 straight games.
Elaine’s
George
Steinbrenner liked to dine at Elaine's
on Second Avenue in Manhattan. With his team at home, he would often partake of
an early supper.
Mantle’s Locker
Yankee outfielder
and future broadcaster Bobby Murcer took over Mickey Mantle's locker after “the
Mick” retired in 1968.
About
Harvey
Frommer
A professor for more than two decades in the MALS program at Dartmouth College,
Frommer was dubbed “Dartmouth’s Mr. Baseball” by their alumni magazine. He’s
also the founder of www.HarveyFrommerSports.com.
Material in this
article was adapted from his THE ULTIMATE YAKEE BOOK. https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Yankee-Book-Beginning-Today_Essential/dp/1624144330
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