Author Archives: Dan McCourt

October 23 in Yankee History

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  • Jim Leyritz went yard off Mark Wohlers in what may have been the most famous game of the amazing, 13-year, in-the-playoffs string that just ended for the Yanks in 2008. The Yanks and Kenny Rogers fell behind the Braves early, 6-0, but The King’s shot capped the second three-run inning the Yanks posted to get even, and they scored two in the 10th for the 8-6 win. They won back-to-back games in Atlanta and evened a Series they had been given little chance to win, on October 23, 1996. Continue reading →

    • October 22 in Yankee History

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  • On October 22, 2001, the Yanks confronted the Seattle Mariners in Yankee Stadium after the M’s had played a season better than the one New York had put together in 1998, but the Bombers sent them home one round short of the World Series. Andy Pettitte got the 12-3 win over Aaron Sele, and Bernie Williams, Paul O’Neill, and Tino Martinez went yard. My favorite sign from that night in The Big Ballpark graced the Tier facade on the first base side in Section 11:

    1998 New York Yankees 125 wins
    2001 Seattle Mariners 120 wins     Continue reading →

    • October 21 in Yankee History

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  • There is no choice but to lead off once again with a birthday, and how odd but wonderful it is that the Yanks and their fans can celebrate the birthdays of Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford (1928), the “Chairman of the Board,” on back to back days. Whitey is one of two Yankee pitchers who were born October 21, and the two share the day with two Yankee catchers. Ford’s 236-106 record computes to the best winning percentage in the 20th Century, he holds the record at 10 World Series game victories, and Whitey’s 33-inning consecutive-scoreless-inning streak in the World Series that surpassed the one Babe Ruth had posted is still intact. In a 1961 known for Yankee offense he won the Cy Young Award and was the Series MVP. He topped the League in wins three times, in win/loss percentage three times, and in innings pitched twice. Furthermore, I spent a year of my youth erroneously convinced he was my cousin. Continue reading →

    • October 20 in Yankee History

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  • We’ll depart the usual history template today by leading off with a birthday, perhaps the biggest Yankee birthday ever, at least to this fan. Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle (1931) was born on October 20, and to our delight, found his way to the roster of the New York Yankees. He amassed 536 homers and 1,509 rbi’s in the Bronx from 1951 through 1968, sadly experiencing his superb career batting average dip below .300 to.298 in his final years, slowed by injury and age. Some of us found the admitted problems with alcohol that led to his death from liver disease, and the way he dealt with that in his final days, to be as inspirational as his marvelous playing career, if not more so. A three-time AL MVP, Mickey was proud of his plaque in Monument Park indicating that he was “a great teammate.” Continue reading →

    • October 19 in Yankee History

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  • A shutout the day before notwithstanding, the Yanks’ 10-3 loss to Texas in Game 4 of the 2010 ALCS on October 19, 2010, was probably the most frustrating loss, because behind A.J. Burnett, the Bombers led 1-0 and then 3-2 through five innings. But when Bengie Molina turned the game with a three-run sixth-inning home run, New York had to try to fight back from a three games to one deficit. Also of note: Mark Teixeira was lost to injury in the fifth inning. Continue reading →

    • October 18 in Yankee History

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  • He wasn’t “Mr. October” until the 18th of the month in 1977. The Yanks had fallen behind the Dodgers, but not for long. Reggie Jackson hit three home runs on three pitched balls on October 18, 1977, and the Yankees prevailed over the Dodgers, 8-4, to win the game and the Series. Despite the return to near glory the year before, it was the first Yankee Championship in 15 years. Continue reading →

    • October 17 in Yankee History

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  • I used the word “stirring” to describe the Yankee victory in Game Three of the 2017 ALCS over Houston yesterday, but it really rightfully applies to the come-from-behind gem they pulled out of a hat on October 17 in Game Four. Fans may be surprised to read that Sonny Gray matched zeroes with Lance McCullers, Jr. through five, but a leadoff walk and catcher’s interference in the sixth were the first two of three runs to score on a Yuri Gurriel double off David Robertson. Carlos Beltran doubled off Chad Green in the seventh to make it 4-0, but that’s when the fun began. An Aaron Judge home run started a two-run rally in the bottom half, then his double and one off the bat of Gary Sanchez propelled the four-run rally in the eighth that brought home the 6-4 victory. Didi Gregorius tripled and singled in the two rallies as well. Continue reading →

    • October 16 in Yankee History

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  • A miraculous and stirring three days in the Bronx began with an 8-1 thrashing of Charlie Morton and the Astros in Game Three of the ALCS (they had gone 0-2 in Houston) on October 16, 2017. Three-run home runs from Todd Frazier and Aaron Judge propelled the offense, and CC Sabathia surrendered three singles, four walks, and no runs through six. The beloved Bernie Williams threw out the first pitch on a cool, becoming cold, and breezy Monday night in the Bronx. Continue reading →

    • October 14 in Yankee History

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  • The Yanks were going back to the Series after a 15-year absence! George Brett‘s three-run homer in the eighth had tied it, but Yankee first baseman Chris Chambliss hit a moon shot that appeared to scrape the back of the wall in right off Mark Littell in the bottom of the ninth on October 14, 1976, and all was beautiful bedlam in the Bronx. It’s almost quaint to view the TV feed today and see thousands in a pre-“global terror” world swarming the field as Chambliss fights his way to the Yankee dugout. He would touch third base and home plate afterward with a police escort. Continue reading →