Based in Bronx, New York, the Yankees were a part of the East Division of the Major League. However, they aren’t originally from New York but from Maryland. The team was founded in Baltimore in 1901. Two years later, they have moved and stayed for good in New York.
During their first few years in their new city, they were known as the New York Highlanders. Eventually, they have found a more fitting name, the Yankees. Since then, they have been in the top ranks in Major League baseball. When it comes to titles, they have a total of twenty-six Word Series championships and thirty-nine American League Pennants.
During their stint in Baltimore, the Yankees used to be called the Orioles and they play in the American League. At that time, the team is partially owned by John McGraw. The team moved to New York when the officials requested an American League to transfer to the city and play alongside the Giants. While the Giants aren’t happy with the decision, they were outvoted and the Orioles officially moved to their hometown.
When they moved, the Baltimore Orioles decided to change their name to New York Highlanders, partly because the team plays in an elevated location, the Hilltop Park. But mostly, the name was in reference to The Gordon Highlanders, which is a British military unit. Incidentally, the head of the team at that time is Joseph Gordon.
When the Highlanders changed their home court from the elevated Hilltop Park to the low altitude Harlem River, the name Highlanders become inapplicable. The team’s owners have changed as well. It was actually the press who named the ball team the Yankees, because they too, found the name Highlanders not fitting the club any longer. In 1913, the team owners made it official. The Highlanders are no more and the New York Yankees were born.
The team’s dominance in the league actually started when military men Captain Tillinghast L’Hommedieu and Colonel Jacob Rupert acquired the team for one and a quarter million dollars. Colonel Rupert, having inherited a flourishing brewery business, has money to make a winning team out of the Yankees.
When Red Sox owner Harry Frazee started trading his good players for large amounts of money, the Colonel didn’t have second thoughts about it and acquired the soon-to-be legendary Babe Ruth. During his time with the Yankees, Babe Ruth became the most popular baseball player of all time. The Red Sox had regretted the trade for 86 long years, which is also the equivalent of the Yankee’s dominance in the league.
Babe Ruth eventually retired but he did pass the torch to another great player. Lou Gehrig generally played alongside Babe Ruth during his reign. So his baseball prowess was somewhat overshadowed by the main star. But he momentarily enjoyed center stage when Babe Ruth retired. But then, the entry of Joe DiMaggio in the Yankees is really what made the team continue their winning legacy from that time up to the present. Right now, The New York Yankees is still the most popular ball club in the league and leads all franchises in terms of revenue and titles.
The NY Yankees clinched the 2009 AL East division title. Tickets are now on sale for all ALDS and ALCS playoff games.
