This Day in Yankees History: “I’d like to thank the good Lord for making me a Yankee.”

Welcome to the relaunched This Day in Yankees History. Even with the 2020 season well underway, the Pinstripe Alley team has decided to continue the revived program in its new format. These daily posts will highlight two or three key moments in Yankees history on a given date, as well as recognize players born on the day. Hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane with us!

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This Day in Yankees History (October 1)

88 Years Ago

In the fifth inning of Game Three of the 1932 World Series, baseball legend has it that Babe Ruth “called his shot,” pointing to the outfield and gesturing that he will hit a home run on his next pitch, immediately before taking Chicago Cubs pitcher Charlie Root deep. No definitive proof exists, although Ruth continued to embellish his account of the story, while Root continued to refute its validity.

87 Years Ago

In his final performance on the mound, Babe Ruth throws a complete game but gives up five runs on 12 hits as the Yankees beat the Red Sox, 6-5. The 38-year-old, who had not pitched in three years and who had not served as a full-time pitcher for 13 seasons, took the mound to attract fans to a meaningless game.

71 Years Ago

Prior to a game against the Boston Red Sox, for whom his brother Dom had played, the Yankees hold Joe DiMaggio Day, as the Yankees honored their 34-year-old centerfielder. It was on this day that “the Yankee Clipper” famously said, “I like to thank the good Lord for making me a Yankee.”

59 Years Ago

Roger Maris homers off Red Sox pitcher Tracy Stallard, his 61st of the season, breaking Babe Ruth’s single-season home run record. The Yankees would go on to win, 1-0.

25 Years Ago

The Yankees and Rockies become the first two Wild Card teams in Major League Baseball history, as the Yankees finish with a 79-65 record that puts them seven games behind the first-place Boston Red Sox (the schedule was 144 games due to the 1994-1995 baseball strike). Both squads would ultimately be eliminated in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

5 Years Ago

The Yankees record their 10,000th regular season win as a franchise, as the Yankees down the Red Sox, 4-1. Carlos Beltran, Greg Bird, and Rob Refsnyder all homer to provide the Bombers’ scoring, while the bullpen records its 589th strikeout, a Major League record. Oh, and the Yankees clinch a Wild Card birth, making the playoffs for the first time since 2012.

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We thank Baseball-Reference, Nationalpastime.com, and FanGraphs for providing background information for these posts.