16-25: More Yankees by the Numbers
By Harvey Frommer
And now the numbers keep coming. Reaction has been so positive, that herewith the latest installment for numerals for the team from the Bronx. Please send along your own numbers
16
Number of career grand slams for Babe Ruth
Whitey Ford's Number retired in 1974. The slick southpaw wore number 19 as a rookie. Returning from the army in 1953, he wore number 16 for the rest of his career.
Dallas Green, George Steinbrenner's 16th manager to be fired.
17
Monthly home run best: Babe Ruth September 1927. Number of career homers Babe Ruth’s hit off Rube Walberg, most off any pitcher.
Bill Dickey played his entire 17 season career as a Yankee.
In 16 All Star at bats Mickey Mantle struck out a record 17 times.
Late in his career, Gehrig's hands were x-rayed and doctors spotted 17 fractures that had "healed" while he continued to play. Roy White, franchise record for sacrifice flies in a season, 1971.
In his first 17 years Steinbrenner changed managers 17 times.
On his 17th birthday in 1985, Bernie Williams signed a contract to play professional baseball for the Yankees. Number of years Jorge Posada played for Yankees.
18
Since their first title in 1923, the Yankees have not gone longer than 18 years without a world championship.
Most years with the Yankees: Yogi Berra (1946-1963), Mickey Mantle (1951-1968).
Most World Series home runs, Mickey Mantle. Joe DiMaggio's original uniform, number given to him by equipment manager Pete Sheehy and later changed to Number 5.
Number of years Frank Messer and Bill White were Yankee radio announcers
19
Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in a decade of playing together homered in the same inning 19 times.
The 1927 Yankees won the pennant by 19 games, using only twenty-five players. Not one roster change was made that season.
Longest winning streak, 1947.
Whitey Ford's rookie uniform number.
Dave Righetti began with Yankees with Jim Bouton’s old number, 56, but he became famous wearing #19.
Number of managerial changes Steinbrenner made in eighteen years, before Buck Showalter came along and lasted four years as manager.
Derek Jeter set a five game World Series record with 19 total bases in 2000.
20
Jorge Posada Number retired
20/20
In 2001, Paul O’Neill at age 38 became the oldest player to have a 20/20 season.
21
Babe Ruth hit 21 of his 60 homers in 1927 with the same bat. Whenever he homered, he’d carve a notch around the trademark. Yogi Berra had an incredible total of 21 World Series appearances as a player, coach or manager.
Since Paul O'Neill retirement after the 2001 World Series, no Yankee has worn that number. Although Latroy Hawkins actually wore #21 to honor Roberto Clemente in 2008. Yankee fans were not happy.
22
Allie Reynolds number 22, not retired, but he earned a plaque out in Monument Park.
Most hits recorded in a World Series sixth game, 2001. Yogi Berra on June 24, 1962, age 37, caught all 22 innings of a Yankees game with the Tigers in Detroit. The Yanks won, 9-7, in the seven hour game.
23
The 1909 Highlanders improved upon their previous seasons win total by
23 games, largest such increase in franchise history.
Don Mattingly's number retired, August 31, 1997.
24
In 1927, 24 of Lou Gehrig's 47 home runs were hit at Stadium.
Yankee record - most times hit by pitch, Don Baylor, 1985
25
Gene Michael, 25th Yankee manager in history. Fewest total players used in a season, 1923, and 1927. Most consecutive games with a home run, 1941. Mel Allen spent 25 years as Yankee broadcaster
Dr. Harvey Frommer, a professor at Dartmouth College in the MALS program, is in his 40th year of writing books. A noted oral historian and sports journalist, he is the author of 42 sports books including the classics: best-selling “New York City Baseball, 1947-1957″ and best-selling Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball,as well as his acclaimed Remembering Yankee Stadium and best-selling Remembering Fenway Park. His highly praised When It Was Just a Game: Remembering the First Super Bowl was published last fall.His Frommer Baseball Classic – Remembering Yankee Stadium (Second Edition) is his newest sports effort.A link to purchase autographed copies of Frommer Sports Books is at: http://frommerbooks.com/The prolific author is at work on THE ULTIMATE YANKEE BOOK (2017)
