New York Yankees MLB Fleece: Tossed

The New York Yankees have set the mark for success in baseball and in doing so have become the marquee franchise in the Major Leagues. As one of the charter members of the American League, the Yankees started play in 1901 as the Baltimore Orioles. While the plan had originally been to put an American League team in New York, the then New York Giants blocked the efforts. With the removal of some obstacles in 1902, the Orioles moved to New York and became the Highlanders. The team would remain the Highlanders until 1913, when the name was finally changed to the Yankees.

The franchise's first two decades of existence weren't particularly eventful and presaged none of the success it would enjoy in the following decades. By the early 1920's the pieces had been put in place to propel the Yankees to excellence. By this time owners Jacob Ruppert and Tillinghast L'Hommedieu Huston had taken over for the original owners, Ed Barrow became general manager, and Miller Huggins was hired as manager. The most important piece was Babe Ruth, famously (or infamously) acquired from the Boston Red Sox. These pieces in place, the Yankess made three straight World Series appearances from 1921 to 1923; they face the Giants each year, losing the first two series and winning the third. The Yankees made three more World Series appearances in the 1920s, losing one and winning two in a row.

World Series appearances in the 1920s:

• 1921: Lost 5-3 to the New York Giants

• 1922: Lost 4-0 to the New York Giants

• 1923: Won 4-2 over the New York Giants

• 1926: Lost 4-3 to the St. Louis Cardinals

• 1927: Won 4-0 over the Pittsburgh Pirates

• 1928: Won 4-0 over the St. Louis Cardinals

Yankees Hall of Famers from these years:

• Frank "Home Run" Baker, Third Baseman (1921-1922)

• Earle Combs, Outfielder (1924-1935)

• Stan Coveleski, Pitcher (1928)

• Lou Gehrig, First Baseman (1923-1939)

• Waite Hoyt, Pitcher (1921-1930)

• Miller Huggins, Manager (1918-1929)

• Herb Pennock, Pitcher (1923-1933)

• Babe Ruth, Outfielder (1920-1934)

The Yankees started off the 1930s strongly and finished in the same way, despite the loss of legends such Ruth and Gehrig toward the end of the decade. The true mark of the Yankees' dominance came in the form of World Series titles. The decade saw the Yankees defeat the Chicago Cubs, New York Giants and Cincinnati Reds, including four straight World Series from 1936 to 1939.

World Series appearances in the 1930s:

• 1932: Won 4-0 over the Chicago Cubs

• 1936: Won 4-2 over the New York Giants

• 1937: Won 4-1 over the New York Giants

• 1938: Won 4-0 over the Chicago Cubs

• 1939: Won 4-0 over the Cincinnati Reds

Yankees Hall of Famers from these years:

• Bill Dickey, Catcher (1928-1943, 1946)

• Joe DiMaggio, Outfielder (1936-1942, 1946-1951)

• Lefty Gomez, Pitcher (1930-1942)

• Burleigh Grimes, Pitcher (1934)

• Tony Lazzeri, Second Baseman (1926-1937)

• Joe McCarthy, Manager (1931-1946)

• Red Ruffing, Pitcher (1930-1942, 1945-1946)

• Joe Sewell, Shortstop (1931-1933)

During the 1940s the Yankees continued their dominance of the sport by winning 4 more World Series and losing 1. Behind Joltin' Joe DiMaggio and Bill Dickey, the Yankees defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers three times and the St. Louis Cardinals once.

World Series appearances in the 1940s:

• 1941: Won 4-1 over the Brooklyn Dodgers

• 1942: Lost 4-1 to the St. Louis Cardinals

• 1943: Won 4-1 over the St. Louis Cardinals

• 1947: Won 4-3 over the Brooklyn Dodgers

• 1949: Won 4-1 over the Brooklyn Dodgers

Yankees Hall of Famers from these years:

• Bucky Harris, Manager (1947-1948)

• Phil Rizzuto, Shortstop (1941-1942, 1946-1956)

• Paul Waner, Outfielder (1944-1945)

In the 1950s the Yankees started to acquire some big bats, foremost among these was Mickey Mantle. The Yankees of the 1950s also achieved something that no other baseball club has: winning five straight World Series (1949-1953).

World Series appearances in the 1950s:

• 1950: Won 4-0 over the Philadelphia Phillies

• 1951: Won 4-2 over the New York Giants

• 1952: Won 4-3 over the Brooklyn Dodgers

• 1953: Won 4-2 over the Brooklyn Dodgers

• 1955: Lost 4-3 to the Brooklyn Dodgers

• 1956: Won 4-3 over the Brooklyn Dodgers

• 1957: Lost 4-3 to the Milwaukee Braves

• 1958: Won 4-3 over the Milwaukee Braves

Yankees Hall of Famers from these years:

• Yogi Berra, Catcher (1946-1963)

• Whitey Ford, Pitcher (1950, 1953-1967)

• Mickey Mantle, Outfielder (1951-1968)

• Johnny Mize, First Baseman (1949-1953)

• Enos Slaughter, Outfielder (1954-1959)

• Casey Stengle, Manager (1949-1960)

The 1960s Yankees featured the slugging tandem of Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. Behind these two big bats, the Yankees made five consecutive trips to the World Series. Out of these appearances, however, the Yankees walked away with only two titles.

World Series appearances in the 1960s:

• 1960: Lost 4-3 to the Pittsburgh Pirates

• 1961: Won 4-1 over the Cincinnati Reds

• 1962: Won 4-3 over the San Francisco Giants

• 1963: Lost 4-0 to the Los Angeles Dodgers

• 1964: Lost 4-3 to the St. Louis Cardinals

Yankees greats from these years:

• Roger Maris, Outfielder (1960-1966)

• Bobby Richardson, Second Baseman (1955-1966)

• Mel Stottlemyre, Pitcher (1964-1964)

After 1964, it would be twelve long seasons before the Yankees made another World Series appearance. Although the 1976 Yankees were swept by the "Big Red Machine" Cincinnati Reds, it would be the first of three consecutive World Series appearances. The Yankees won the next two Series (1977 and 1978), both times defeating the Dodgers in six games. During this time, the colorful and at times volatile mix of players such as Thurman Munson, Reggie Jackson and Catfish Hunter with manager Billy Martin led to the teams of the late 1970s being known as the "Bronx Zoo".

World Series appearances in the 1970s:

• 1976: Lost 4-0 to the Cincinnati Reds

• 1977: Won 4-2 over the Los Angeles Dodgers

• 1978: Won 4-2 over the Los Angeles Dodgers

Yankees greats from these years:

• Bucky Dent, Shortstop (1977-1982)

• Jim "Catfish" Hunter, Pitcher (1975-1979)

• Reggie Jackson, Outfielder (1977-1981)

• Billy Martin, Manager (1975-1978, 1979)

• Thurman Munson, Catcher (1969-1979)

• Bobby Murcer, Outfielder (1965-1974, 1979-1983)

The 1980s were a frustrating decade for the proud Yankees franchise, as the team made only one World Series appearance, losing in six games to the Dodgers.

World Series appearances in the 1980s:

• 1981: Lost 4-1 to the Los Angeles Dodgers

Yankees greats from these years:

• Ron Guidry, Pitcher (1975-1988)

• Rickey Hernderson, Outfielder (1985-1989)

• Don Mattingly, First Baseman (1982-1995)

• Phil Niekro, Pitcher (1984-1985)

• Gaylord Perry, Pitcher (1980)

• Dave Winfield, Outfielder (1981-1990)

From the mid-1990s to the 2000s, Yankees baseball has experienced a resurgence and the organization is once again at the pinnacle of the Major Leagues. Since 1996, the Yankees have made six World Series appearances, winning four and losing two.

World Series appearances in the 1990s:

• 1996: Won 4-2 over the Atlanta Braves

• 1998: Won 4-0 over the San Diego Padres

• 1999: Won 4-0 over the Atlanta Braves

Yankees greats from these years:

• Wade Boggs, Third Baseman (1993-1997)

• Scott Brosius, Third Baseman (1998-2001)

• David Cone, Pitcher (1995-2000)

• Derek Jeter, Shortstop (1995-)

• Paul O'Neill, Outfielder (1993-2001)

• Andy Pettite, Pitcher (1995-2003, 2007-)

• Jorge Posada, Cather (1995-)

• Mariano Rivera, Pitcher (1995-)

• Joe Torre, Manager (1996-2007)

• David Wells, Pitcher (1997-1998, 2002-2003)

• John Wetteland, Pitcher (1995-1996)

• Bernie Williams, Outfielder (1991-2006)

World Series appearances in the 2000s:

• 2000: Won 4-1 over the New York Mets

• 2001: Lost 4-3 to the Arizona Diamondbacks

• 2003: Lost 4-2 to the Florida Marlins

Yankees greats from these years:

• Roger Clemens, Pitcher (1999-2003, 2007)

• Randy Johnson, Pitcher (2005-2006)

• Alex Rodriguez, Third Baseman (2004-)

Out of all baseball franchises, the Yankees have by far the most appearances in the World Series with 39. The club's 26-13 record in the World Series is also the best in MLB history.

The design of the New York Yankees MLB Fleece: Tossed is composed of the team's name, logos and baseballs over a midnight blue background.