As members of the Eastern Division of the American League, the New York Yankees boast the most World Series wins and World Series appearances. Winning 27 World Championship titles, the Yankees have made it to the World Series 40 times, well above any other team in major league baseball. The L.A. Dodgers have the next most appearances in the World Series at 18.
Beginning in 1903 as "The Highlanders," the now New York Yankees earned their name because their field was located in the highest spot in Manhattan. In 1913, the team moved to the Polo Grounds and were renamed, "The Yankees." The Yankees have had a historic rivalry with the Boston Red Sox. From the start, the Yankees pioneered cutting edge uniform styles. In 1912, they added pinstripes to their jerseys, a classic look in baseball. In 1929, players' numbers were added to the back of their jerseys. Today, numbers on jerseys are common place.
Some of the biggest names in baseball have been a part of the Yankees' roster. In 1920, an historic trade occurred between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, resulting in the Yankees' acquisition of Babe Ruth. Babe Ruth, also known as the Great Bambino, holds the second highest career RBIs of all time in baseball and the most career homeruns for the Yankees with 659 homeruns. Ruth also holds the highest batting average for Yankees players.
Other well known Yankees players include Lou Gehrig, Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio and Roger Maris. Lou Gehrig had an impressive streak of 2130 consecutive games played. After a decline in his health, Gehrig finally benched himself in 1939 at what would've been his 2131st consecutive game. Gehrig never returned to the game as his health declined quickly and was eventually diagnosed with ALS on his 36th birthday. On July 4th of that year, the Yankees declared Lou Gehrig Day and honored him at a ceremony. The Yankees retired his number; the first time a player in MLB history had ever had that honor. Gehrig spoke to the crowd, delivering his well known "Today I Consider Myself The Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth" speech. Soon after elected into baseball hall of fame, the youngest player ever to win this honor.
Joe DiMaggio won 3 MVPs and was the only player to be chosen for the All-Star team in every season that he played. DiMaggio was a center fielder and was voted baseball's greatest living player in the 1960s when baseball was celebrating its centennial. Yogi Berra was considered one of the greatest pitchers of all time and is well known for his witticisms, often called "Yogiisms." "It ain't over ‘til it's over" is one well known Yogiism. Yankee Roger Maris set a league home run record in 1961, with 61 homeruns
Yankee Stadium opened in 1923 in the Bronx and the Yankees won their home opener against the Boston Red Sox with Babe Ruth hitting the stadium's first home run. Recently, a new Yankee stadium was built next door to the old stadium. The original stadium was torn down and currently the Yankees play in the new Yankee Stadium.
