Pinstripe Alley - The Pinstripe Alley Top Yankees Moments TournamentBig boi dinger enthusiastshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/51961/pinstripe_alley_minimal.png2014-01-12T11:01:13-05:00http://www.pinstripealley.com/rss/stream/48838632014-01-12T11:01:13-05:002014-01-12T11:01:13-05:00Yankees Top Moment: Gehrig's "Luckiest Man" speech
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<figcaption>WikiCommons</figcaption>
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<p>Winner, winner, chicken dinner.</p> <p>After three days of voting, the results of the Pinstripe Alley <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a> Top Moments Tournament are in!</p>
<p>Gehrig's "Luckiest Man" speech: 68%<br>Boone's pennant-winning homer: 32%</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3852013/Top_32_Moments.jpg"><img src="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/3852013/Top_32_Moments_medium.jpg" class="photo" alt="Top_32_moments_medium"></a><br><i>Click to embiggen</i></p>
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<p>With a little over 2/3 of the vote, Lou Gehrig's "Luckiest Man" speech was voted the top Yankees moment in history by a wide margin over Aaron Boone's famous 2003 ALCS Game 7 homer. I am not surprised by these results at all, as I figured the tournament's pivotal matchup was Gehrig vs. Don Larsen's perfect game. Once the speech beat that, it seemed inevitable that the speech would win the tournament. I would have voted Boone since I think the top Yankees moment took place during a game, but that's just me. Gehrig's speech is certainly a worthy winner.</p>
<p>That being said, I do wonder what the consensus on Pinstripe Alley is of the greatest on-field moment in Yankees history. Boone's homer was technically the runner-up in the tournament, but it'd be interesting to see how people think of it compared to other great moments. Vote in the poll below and let us know!</p>
<p>We have one more offseason series coming up on Monday. It will be the third, following the <a href="http://www.pinstripealley.com/analysis/2013/10/1/4789742/yankees-2013-roster-report-card" target="_blank">2013 Roster Report Cards</a> and the <a href="http://www.pinstripealley.com/yankees-history-trivia/2013/11/18/5119822/yankees-top-moments-tournament-pinstripe-alley" target="_blank">Yankees Top Moments Tournament</a>. This series will be on 25 (unranked) prospects to watch in the Yankees' system for 2014. We'll come out with one of these prospects every weekday, and that will bring us right up until pitchers and catchers reporting on February 14th.</p>
<p>Thanks go out to everyone for your help in making this tournament possible, from the post authors to the community members who voted so much. We wouldn't have results otherwise, so we're definitely appreciative of your efforts.</p>
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https://www.pinstripealley.com/2014/1/12/5295588/yankees-history-best-moment-lou-gehrig-luckiest-man-speechAndrew Mearns2014-01-09T09:00:23-05:002014-01-09T09:00:23-05:00Top Moments Tournament Finals: Gehrig vs. Boone
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<figcaption>WikiCommons and Al Bello</figcaption>
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<p>It's come down to one final question. Which was the greatest moment in Yankees history: Lou Gehrig's "Luckiest Man" speech or Aaron Boone's unforgettable pennant-winner?</p> <p>The results are in for the semifinals of Pinstripe Alley's Yankees Top Moments Tournament:</p>
<p>(Founding-1959) Gehrig's "Luckiest Man" speech: 59%<br>(1960-79) Bucky Dent's playoff homer: 41%</p>
<p>(2000-present) Aaron bleepin' Boone: 73%<br>(1980-99) Jim Leyritz's game-tying World Series homer: 27%</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>It shouldn't be too much of a surprise that it came down to these two moments, given the tournament setup and the incredible memories they created. So without further ado, here is the final matchup of the Top Moments Tournament:</p>
<h4>Lou Gehrig's "Luckiest Man" Speech</h4>
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<p>On July 4, 1939, Lou Gehrig stepped to the microphone at Yankee Stadium on Lou Gehrig Day after being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a disease that would later be known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The disease put an early end to the Iron Horse's career, also forcing an end to Gehrig's consecutive game streak at 2,130 games from June 1, 1925 to May 2, 1939 because of his deteriorating health.</p>
<p>After announcing his retirement on June 21, Gehrig made his famous speech in front of more than 60,000 fans between games of a double header against the Senators on Independence Day. In the emotional farewell, Gehrig thanked the fans for their kindness and encouragement following his grim diagnosis, and claimed himself "the luckiest man on the face of the Earth", which would become one of the most iconic sports moments in history. Gehrig closed his speech with the similarly famous line, "So I close in saying that I might have been given a bad break, but I've got an awful lot to live for", before being joined at the microphone by his Murderer's Row partner, Babe Ruth.</p>
<p>By the time Gehrig made his famous speech, his condition had already worsened considerably. His number 4 was retired by the <a href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Yankees</a>, earning him the honor as the first baseball player to have their number retired in baseball. In December of 1939, Gehrig was elected to the Hall of Fame in a special vote by the Baseball Writers Association as the second-youngest player ever to be voted in. Gehrig passed away in 1941, exactly 16 years after he famously took over for Wally Pipp in the Yankees' lineup to begin his great consecutive game streak.</p>
<p>The Luckiest Man speech is much more than just an iconic player's farewell to the game of baseball, instead representing a dying man showing grace and humility in the face of a tragic illness that ended his career and life all too soon. Gehrig walked away because his condition made him feel like he was hurting his team, but as his manager told him on the day of his famous speech, he was never that.</p>
<p><i>Entry written by <a href="http://www.pinstripealley.com/yankees-history-trivia/2013/11/19/5120680/yankees-history-lou-gehrig-luckiest-man-speech-1941-world-series/in/4883863" target="new">Tanya Bondurant</a> on November 19, 2013.</i></p>
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<span>Aaron Boone's</span> Game 7 home run</h4>
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<p>Game 7. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a>-<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Red Sox</a>. If you're a fan of the greatest rivalry in sports, then 2003 was as good as you can hope for. The Yankees had won 101 games under Joe Torre behind one of the best pitching staffs in all of baseball. The starting rotation led by <span>Roger Clemens</span>, <span>Mike Mussina</span>, <span>Andy Pettitte</span>, and <span>David Wells</span> led the major leagues in innings pitched, FIP, and fWAR while their closer, some guy named <span>Mariano Rivera</span>, had a pretty decent season too with 40 saves and a minuscule 1.66 ERA.</p>
<p>The Red Sox, meanwhile, had hired a new General Manager in Theo Epstein, and signed little-known free agent backup DH David Ortiz a few weeks before the start of spring training. Ortiz went from starting the season as a part-time player to hitting 31 home runs and finishing fifth in the MVP voting, much to the delight of Red Sox fans.</p>
<p>The Yankees and Red Sox were neck-and-neck throughout much the 2003 season before the Yankees pulled away with the division title in the final two months. The ALCS was about as heated as this rivalry has been in a long time, from both the fans and the players. This was highlighted during Game 3 in Boston, where <a href="http://wapc.mlb.com/play/?content_id=25536729&query=yankees%2Bred%2Bsox%2Balcs">tempers flared and the benches cleared</a>. Going into Game 7, the Yankees and Red Sox were dead even in head-to-head matchups throughout the season.</p>
<p>The game itself did not start off well for Yankee fans. <span>Pedro Martinez</span> was lights out early on while Yankees starter Roger Clemens struggled to get into rhythm. The Yankees were already down 4-0 when Mussina relieved Clemens with two on and nobody out in the top of the fourth to get out of the jam. <span>Jason Giambi</span> was able to get to Pedro with a pair of solo home runs in the fifth and seventh innings to cut it to 4-2, but Ortiz responded with a home run in the eighth to extend the lead back to three. After Nick Johnson popped out to lead off the bottom of the eighth, the Red Sox were five outs away from <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/world-series">the World Series</a>. That's when the magic began.</p>
<p><span>Derek Jeter</span> doubled to right and scored on a single by <span>Bernie Williams</span> to cut it to 5-3, prompting Boston manager Grady Little to go out to the mound, presumably to bring in a lefty to face Hideki Matsui. Instead, he left Pedro in the game, and two doubles later from Matsui and <span>Jorge Posada</span>, the game was tied at five. Little's decision to leave Pedro in the game was a big talking point for Red Sox fans in a classic second-guess situation.</p>
<p>The game went into extras, as Rivera came on in relief as the game remained tied through the ninth and tenth innings. The Yankees were running out of time after Rivera pitched his third inning of relief. Nobody knew if Rivera could pitch any more, and <span>Jose Contreras</span> was going to be the next guy out of the bullpen. Thankfully, we never had to see that happen, as with <span>Tim Wakefield</span> on the mound, Aaron Boone came to the plate to lead off the bottom of the 11th.</p>
<p>Boone didn't even start the game for the Yankees. He was sat down for Game 7 in favor of <span>Enrique Wilson</span>, who had a history of success against Pedro. Boone entered earlier as a pinch-runner before taking over at third base, and was getting his first at bat of the game. He connected on Wakefield's first pitch of the inning, homering over the left field wall and sending the Yankees to the World Series, breaking the hearts of plenty of Red Sox fans in the process. In a special moment, his brother <span>Bret Boone</span> was in the booth with Joe Buck and Tim McCarver as he hit one of the biggest home runs in Yankees history.</p>
<p><img src="http://mlb.mlb.com/images/3/2/2/62987322/101603_alcs_gm7_bosnyy_b11_boone_hr_xg83yigr.gif"></p>
<p><i>Entry written by <a target="new" href="http://www.pinstripealley.com/yankees-history-trivia/2013/12/9/5187156/yankees-top-moments-aaron-boone-red-sox-walk-off-derek-jeter-diving-catch/in/4883863">Chris Kirby</a> on December 9, 2013.</i></p>
<p>***</p>
<p>So which moment is the best in Yankees history? Vote in the poll below.</p>
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https://www.pinstripealley.com/yankees-history-trivia/2014/1/9/5290962/yankees-history-lou-gehrig-luckiest-man-speech-aaron-boone-game-sevenAndrew Mearns2014-01-07T09:00:31-05:002014-01-07T09:00:31-05:00Top Moments Tournament: 1980-Present (#1) vs. (#3)
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<p>Which of these newer Yankees moments deserves a spot in the finals – Aaron bleepin' Boone or Jim Leyritz's game-tying homer?</p> <h4><i style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px;">The Pinstripe Alley Top Moments Tournament enters the semifinals. The moment with the most votes moves on to the finals against Lou Gehrig's "Luckiest Man" speech. Vote for the moment that deserves to move on in the poll below.</i></h4>
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<h4>#1: <span>Aaron Boone's</span> Game 7 home run</h4>
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<p>Game 7. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a>-<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Red Sox</a>. If you're a fan of the greatest rivalry in sports, then 2003 was as good as you can hope for. The Yankees had won 101 games under Joe Torre behind one of the best pitching staffs in all of baseball. The starting rotation led by <span>Roger Clemens</span>, <span>Mike Mussina</span>, <span>Andy Pettitte</span>, and <span>David Wells</span> led the major leagues in innings pitched, FIP, and fWAR while their closer, some guy named <span>Mariano Rivera</span>, had a pretty decent season too with 40 saves and a minuscule 1.66 ERA.</p>
<p>The Red Sox, meanwhile, had hired a new General Manager in Theo Epstein, and signed little-known free agent backup DH David Ortiz a few weeks before the start of spring training. Ortiz went from starting the season as a part-time player to hitting 31 home runs and finishing fifth in the MVP voting, much to the delight of Red Sox fans.</p>
<p>The Yankees and Red Sox were neck-and-neck throughout much the 2003 season before the Yankees pulled away with the division title in the final two months. The ALCS was about as heated as this rivalry has been in a long time, from both the fans and the players. This was highlighted during Game 3 in Boston, where <a href="http://wapc.mlb.com/play/?content_id=25536729&query=yankees%2Bred%2Bsox%2Balcs">tempers flared and the benches cleared</a>. Going into Game 7, the Yankees and Red Sox were dead even in head-to-head matchups throughout the season.</p>
<p>The game itself did not start off well for Yankee fans. <span>Pedro Martinez</span> was lights out early on while Yankees starter Roger Clemens struggled to get into rhythm. The Yankees were already down 4-0 when Mussina relieved Clemens with two on and nobody out in the top of the fourth to get out of the jam. <span>Jason Giambi</span> was able to get to Pedro with a pair of solo home runs in the fifth and seventh innings to cut it to 4-2, but Ortiz responded with a home run in the eighth to extend the lead back to three. After Nick Johnson popped out to lead off the bottom of the eighth, the Red Sox were five outs away from <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/world-series">the World Series</a>. That's when the magic began.</p>
<p><span>Derek Jeter</span> doubled to right and scored on a single by <span>Bernie Williams</span> to cut it to 5-3, prompting Boston manager Grady Little to go out to the mound, presumably to bring in a lefty to face Hideki Matsui. Instead, he left Pedro in the game, and two doubles later from Matsui and <span>Jorge Posada</span>, the game was tied at five. Little's decision to leave Pedro in the game was a big talking point for Red Sox fans in a classic second-guess situation.</p>
<p>The game went into extras, as Rivera came on in relief as the game remained tied through the ninth and tenth innings. The Yankees were running out of time after Rivera pitched his third inning of relief. Nobody knew if Rivera could pitch any more, and <span>Jose Contreras</span> was going to be the next guy out of the bullpen. Thankfully, we never had to see that happen, as with <span>Tim Wakefield</span> on the mound, Aaron Boone came to the plate to lead off the bottom of the 11th.</p>
<p>Boone didn't even start the game for the Yankees. He was sat down for Game 7 in favor of <span>Enrique Wilson</span>, who had a history of success against Pedro. Boone entered earlier as a pinch-runner before taking over at third base, and was getting his first at bat of the game. He connected on Wakefield's first pitch of the inning, homering over the left field wall and sending the Yankees to the World Series, breaking the hearts of plenty of Red Sox fans in the process. In a special moment, his brother <span>Bret Boone</span> was in the booth with Joe Buck and Tim McCarver as he hit one of the biggest home runs in Yankees history.</p>
<p><img src="http://mlb.mlb.com/images/3/2/2/62987322/101603_alcs_gm7_bosnyy_b11_boone_hr_xg83yigr.gif"></p>
<p><i>Entry written by <a target="new" href="http://www.pinstripealley.com/yankees-history-trivia/2013/12/9/5187156/yankees-top-moments-aaron-boone-red-sox-walk-off-derek-jeter-diving-catch/in/4883863">Chris Kirby</a> on December 9, 2013.</i></p>
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<h4>#3: Jim Leyritz's '96 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/world-series">World Series</a> game-tying home run</h4>
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a> got off to a very sluggish start to the 1996 World Series; they got outscored at home 16-1 through the first two games against the defending champion <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.talkingchop.com/">Atlanta Braves</a>. They got back on track in Game 3, however, as David Cone gave them a very gritty six innings while yielding just one run, and the offense was able to outlast <span>Tom Glavine</span> and the Braves' bullpen in Atlanta. With the series now 2-1 in favor of the Braves, the Yankees, like the first two games, struggled mightily, this time through the first five innings of Game 4. <span>Kenny Rogers</span> started for the Bombers, and, like his first two playoff starts that October, got shelled. "The Gambler" allowed five runs and seven base runners through just two innings. The offense, meanwhile, had a hard time picking up their starter, as the Braves' Denny Neagle held New York in check. At least through the first five innings, anyway.</p>
<p>Neagle retired the first eight Yankees he faced before allowing a single to the opposing starter Rogers with two down in the third. The Yankees were able to scratch together a handful of walks (three, to be exact) in the fourth, but a poorly timed <span>Bernie Williams</span> double play hurt the rally. In the sixth, however, things changed, as the Yankees, down 6-0 to begin the frame, strung together four straight base runners together (<span>Derek Jeter</span> single, Bernie Williams walk, Cecil Fielder single, and a Charlie Hayes single) to knock Neagle out of the game and make the score 6-3. The Braves' bullpen was able to stop the damage and escape further trouble.</p>
<p>Although Jeff Nelson pieced together two scoreless innings in the sixth and seventh, the Yankees were running out of time to complete the comeback. The Braves attempted to put the nail in the Yankees' coffin by summoning their closer, <span>Mark Wohlers</span>, to record the final six outs. However, Hayes reached on an infield single that slowly rolled to third base and died in fair territory while Darryl Strawberry singled to left set the stage for Jim Leyritz to tie the game. Leyritz, who didn't even start the game, worked one hell of an at-bat against one of the best closers in baseball that year in Wohlers. With the count at 2-2, Wohlers hung a slider to Leyritz and the latter crushed it over the left field fence for a three-run home run to knot the game at six.</p>
<p>Though the Yankees were able to tie the game, the business wasn't finished quite yet. Thanks to more help from the Yankees' bullpen (namely <span>Mariano Rivera</span> and Graeme Lloyd), which was a very underrated part of this game, the team was able to take the lead in the 10th, courtesy of a bases loaded, pinch-hit walk by Wade Boggs. For insurance, Charlie Hayes reached on a <span>Ryan Klesko</span> error. With the score 8-6, Yankees, John Wetteland was able to wiggle out of trouble, though Paul O'Neill helped him out as the latter made a nice running catch to rob Terry Pendleton of a game-tying extra base hit to end the game.</p>
<p>If you believe in "momentum," Leyritz's game-tying three-run home run was surely a momentum-grabber that the Yankees would hold onto for good. After winning Game 4, the Yankees were able to win Game 5 in Atlanta (thanks to <span>Andy Pettitte's</span> masterful pitching performance) and Game 6 back in the Bronx to seal the franchise's 23rd World Series championship.</p>
<p><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=hrblp5" target="_blank"><img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/hrblp5.gif" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" border="0"></a></p>
<p><i>Entry written by <a href="http://www.pinstripealley.com/yankees-history-trivia/2013/12/5/5175420/yankees-top-moments-jim-leyritz-1996-world-series-jeffrey-maier-jeter-ALCS-homer/in/4883863" target="new">Jesse Schindler</a> on December 5, 2013.</i></p>
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https://www.pinstripealley.com/yankees-history-trivia/2014/1/7/5282694/yankees-history-aaron-boone-game-seven-jim-leyritz-home-runTanyaAnderson2014-01-06T09:00:21-05:002014-01-06T09:00:21-05:00Top Moments Tournament: Founding-1979 (#1) vs (#3)
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<figcaption>WikiCommons and Jim McIsaac</figcaption>
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<p>Two franchise-defining moments go head-to-head. Will Gehrig's speech or Bucky's blast advance to the finals?</p> <p><i>The Pinstripe Alley Top Moments Tournament enters the semifinals. The moment with the most votes moves on to the finals against the winner of the 1980-99 & 2000-present matchup. Vote for the moment that deserves to move on in the poll below.</i></p>
<h4>(#1) Lou Gehrig's "Luckiest Man" Speech</h4>
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<p>On July 4, 1939, Lou Gehrig stepped to the microphone at Yankee Stadium on Lou Gehrig Day after being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a disease that would later be known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The disease put an early end to the Iron Horse's career, also forcing an end to Gehrig's consecutive game streak at 2,130 games from June 1, 1925 to May 2, 1939 because of his deteriorating health.</p>
<p>After announcing his retirement on June 21, Gehrig made his famous speech in front of more than 60,000 fans between games of a double header against the Senators on Independence Day. In the emotional farewell, Gehrig thanked the fans for their kindness and encouragement following his grim diagnosis, and claimed himself "the luckiest man on the face of the Earth", which would become one of the most iconic sports moments in history. Gehrig closed his speech with the similarly famous line, "So I close in saying that I might have been given a bad break, but I've got an awful lot to live for", before being joined at the microphone by his Murderer's Row partner, Babe Ruth.</p>
<p>By the time Gehrig made his famous speech, his condition had already worsened considerably. His number 4 was retired by the <a href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Yankees</a>, earning him the honor as the first baseball player to have their number retired in baseball. In December of 1939, Gehrig was elected to the Hall of Fame in a special vote by the Baseball Writers Association as the second-youngest player ever to be voted in. Gehrig passed away in 1941, exactly 16 years after he famously took over for Wally Pipp in the Yankees' lineup to begin his great consecutive game streak.</p>
<p>The Luckiest Man speech is much more than just an iconic player's farewell to the game of baseball, instead representing a dying man showing grace and humility in the face of a tragic illness that ended his career and life all too soon. Gehrig walked away because his condition made him feel like he was hurting his team, but as his manager told him on the day of his famous speech, he was never that.</p>
<p><i>Entry written by <a href="http://www.pinstripealley.com/yankees-history-trivia/2013/11/19/5120680/yankees-history-lou-gehrig-luckiest-man-speech-1941-world-series/in/4883863" target="new">Tanya Bondurant</a> on November 19, 2013.</i></p>
<h4>(#3) Bucky F'in Dent</h4>
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<p>Preface: There aren't enough words in the galaxy to properly describe the awesomeness of this moment.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a> were defending champions heading into the '78 season, seeking to win their third AL pennant in a row to boot. However, those were the days of the "Bronx Zoo," and clubhouse tension was worse than ever during the first half. Injuries plagued the team, egos collided, and by July 17th, the Yankees were 47-42, a deflating 14 1/2 games behind the first place <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Red Sox</a>. They had just been swept by the rival <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.royalsreview.com/">Royals</a> at home, and they were 18-27 since Memorial Day. The Yankees' fortunes began to change with a five-game winning streak, followed by troubled manager Billy Martin's resignation from his position on July 23rd in Chicago. Martin was replaced by Bob Lemon, a player's manager who brought some calm to the clubhouse.</p>
<p>From the time Lemon took over the team on July 25th, the Yankees went an outstanding 47-20, a .702 winning percentage that surged them up the AL East standings. Boston slumped, and the Yankees emphasized their return to the pennant race by humiliating the Red Sox in the "Boston Massacre," a four-game sweep at Fenway Park from September 7-10 that tied them atop the division. Eventually, the teams ended the season still tied at 99-63. A coin flip determined that they would play a one-game playoff at Fenway Park to decide the division title.</p>
<p>Ron Guidry started for the Yankees on three days' rest. "Louisiana Lightning" had one of the most electric pitching seasons in the history of the game in '78, and his regular season ended that day with a staggering 1.74 ERA, 208 ERA+, 0.946 WHIP, and 9.6 rWAR. He was not quite as sharp as normal though; he surrendered a solo homer to Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski to lead off the second and a Jim Rice single in the sixth made the score 2-0, Boston. Former Yankee Mike Torrez blanked his old teammates through six innings, but ran into trouble on back-to-back one-out singles by Chris Chambliss and Roy White. Jim Spencer popped out, bringing up light-hitting shortstop Bucky Dent. He was never much of a hitter, only exceeding a 90 OPS+ once over 11 full seasons of play. He had hit just four homers on the season, but after breaking his bat on a foul off his ankle to make it 0-2, Dent borrowed Mickey Rivers's bat and silenced the raucous crowd at Fenway Park:</p>
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<p>No one saw Dent's three-run dinger coming. Suddenly, the Yankees had a 3-2 lead via the 64% shift in WPA from Dent's fly ball over the Monster. The Yankees needed the two insurance that followed, as they narrowly survived a scare in the ninth inning caused by the afternoon sun blinding right fielder Lou Piniella. A one-out, one-on single bounced in front of Piniella, who couldn't see it and luckily stuck his glove out to cut it off. The tying run was stranded in scoring position, and Hall of Fame closer Goose Gossage closed it out on Yaz's pop-up to Graig Nettles at third. After dealing perhaps the most crushing blow in the history of their long rivalry with Boston, the Yankees went on to win the '78 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/world-series">World Series</a> to secure their 22nd championship.</p>
<p>Even though rumors claim that the Red Sox eventually broke their series of bad luck against the Yankees (unconfirmed), generations of Boston fans still revile "Bucky F'in Dent."</p>
<p><i>Entry written by <a target="new" href="http://www.pinstripealley.com/yankees-history-trivia/2013/11/27/5150412/yankees-top-moments-bucky-dent-playoff-homer-1962-game-7-richardson-mccovey/in/4883863">Andrew Mearns</a> on November 27, 2013.</i></p>
<p>
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https://www.pinstripealley.com/yankees-history-trivia/2014/1/6/5275660/yankees-history-lou-gehrig-luckiest-man-speech-bucky-dent-red-soxAndrew Mearns2014-01-03T09:00:15-05:002014-01-03T09:00:15-05:003rd round results for PSA Top Moments Tournament
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<img alt=""back again, Bucky" "yessirree, Booney"" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/yDSc-_XZOpQ3SFChGMyWxdqgHp4=/0x0:599x399/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/26173345/gyi0062128956.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>"back again, Bucky" "yessirree, Booney" | Al Bello</figcaption>
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<p>Only three matchups remain. Which should be the top moment in Yankees history?</p> <p>The third round of the Pinstripe Alley Top Moments Tournament is now complete. Here are the results for the eight matchups.</p>
<h4>Founding-1959</h4>
<p>(1) Gehrig's "Luckiest Man" speech: 61%<br> (2) Larsen's perfecto: 39%</p>
<h4>1960-79</h4>
<p>(3) Bucky F'in Dent: 55%<br> (4) Reggie homers thrice in '77 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/world-series">World Series</a> Game 6: 45%</p>
<h4>1980-99</h4>
<p>(3) Leyritz homer ties '96 World Series Game 6: 64%<br> (1) Cone's perfecto: 36%</p>
<h4>2000-present</h4>
<p>(1) <span>Aaron Boone</span>: 85%<br> (2) Late-game '01 World Series heroics: 15%</p>
<h3>Semifinals</h3>
<h4>Fouding-1979</h4>
<p>(1a) Gehrig's "Luckiest Man" speech vs. (3b) Bucky F'in Dent</p>
<h4>1980-present</h4>
<p>(3c) Leyritz homer ties '96 World Series Game 4 vs. (1d) Aaron Boone</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3801335/PSA_Top_Moments.jpg"><img src="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3801335/PSA_Top_Moments_medium.jpg" class="photo" alt="Psa_top_moments_medium"></a><br><i>Click to embiggen</i></p>
<p>***</p>
<p>So the semifinals are set with the Luckiest Man speech taking on the Bucky Dent game and Jim Leyritz's pivotal '96 series homer against Aaron Bleepin' Boone. We'll be back next week with both these matchups and the final on Wednesday.</p>
<p>Thanks for your participation throughout this tournament. It wouldn't be possible without it. Keep up the great work!</p>
<p>
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https://www.pinstripealley.com/yankees-history-trivia/2014/1/3/5269012/yankees-top-moments-tournament-pinstripe-alley-third-roundAndrew Mearns2014-01-02T09:00:08-05:002014-01-02T09:00:08-05:00Top Moments Tournament: 2000-Present (#1) vs. (#2)
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fwb2BMDMt8RGxZuXcCD3diErh_Y=/0x0:478x319/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/26103727/boone_tino.0.jpg" />
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<p>Game 7 walk-off or late-game World Series heroics – which iconic moment deserves to move onto the semifinals in the Top Moments Tournament?</p> <p><i>The Pinstripe Alley Top Moments Tournament enters the third and final round of the 2000-present bracket. The moment with the most votes moves on to the semifinals against the winner of the 1980-1999 bracket. Vote for the moment that deserves to move on in the poll below. </i></p>
<h4>#1: <span>Aaron Boone's</span> Game 7 home run</h4>
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<p>Game 7. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a>-<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Red Sox</a>. If you're a fan of the greatest rivalry in sports, then 2003 was as good as you can hope for. The Yankees had won 101 games under Joe Torre behind one of the best pitching staffs in all of baseball. The starting rotation led by <span>Roger Clemens</span>, <span>Mike Mussina</span>, <span>Andy Pettitte</span>, and <span>David Wells</span> led the major leagues in innings pitched, FIP, and fWAR while their closer, some guy named <span>Mariano Rivera</span>, had a pretty decent season too with 40 saves and a minuscule 1.66 ERA.</p>
<p>The Red Sox, meanwhile, had hired a new General Manager in Theo Epstein, and signed little-known free agent backup DH David Ortiz a few weeks before the start of spring training. Ortiz went from starting the season as a part-time player to hitting 31 home runs and finishing fifth in the MVP voting, much to the delight of Red Sox fans.</p>
<p>The Yankees and Red Sox were neck-and-neck throughout much the 2003 season before the Yankees pulled away with the division title in the final two months. The ALCS was about as heated as this rivalry has been in a long time, from both the fans and the players. This was highlighted during Game 3 in Boston, where <a href="http://wapc.mlb.com/play/?content_id=25536729&query=yankees%2Bred%2Bsox%2Balcs">tempers flared and the benches cleared</a>. Going into Game 7, the Yankees and Red Sox were dead even in head-to-head matchups throughout the season.</p>
<p>The game itself did not start off well for Yankee fans. <span>Pedro Martinez</span> was lights out early on while Yankees starter Roger Clemens struggled to get into rhythm. The Yankees were already down 4-0 when Mussina relieved Clemens with two on and nobody out in the top of the fourth to get out of the jam. <span>Jason Giambi</span> was able to get to Pedro with a pair of solo home runs in the fifth and seventh innings to cut it to 4-2, but Ortiz responded with a home run in the eighth to extend the lead back to three. After Nick Johnson popped out to lead off the bottom of the eighth, the Red Sox were five outs away from <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/world-series">the World Series</a>. That's when the magic began.</p>
<p><span>Derek Jeter</span> doubled to right and scored on a single by <span>Bernie Williams</span> to cut it to 5-3, prompting Boston manager Grady Little to go out to the mound, presumably to bring in a lefty to face Hideki Matsui. Instead, he left Pedro in the game, and two doubles later from Matsui and <span>Jorge Posada</span>, the game was tied at five. Little's decision to leave Pedro in the game was a big talking point for Red Sox fans in a classic second-guess situation.</p>
<p>The game went into extras, as Rivera came on in relief as the game remained tied through the ninth and tenth innings. The Yankees were running out of time after Rivera pitched his third inning of relief. Nobody knew if Rivera could pitch any more, and <span>Jose Contreras</span> was going to be the next guy out of the bullpen. Thankfully, we never had to see that happen, as with <span>Tim Wakefield</span> on the mound, Aaron Boone came to the plate to lead off the bottom of the 11th.</p>
<p>Boone didn't even start the game for the Yankees. He was sat down for Game 7 in favor of <span>Enrique Wilson</span>, who had a history of success against Pedro. Boone entered earlier as a pinch-runner before taking over at third base, and was getting his first at bat of the game. He connected on Wakefield's first pitch of the inning, homering over the left field wall and sending the Yankees to the World Series, breaking the hearts of plenty of Red Sox fans in the process. In a special moment, his brother <span>Bret Boone</span> was in the booth with Joe Buck and Tim McCarver as he hit one of the biggest home runs in Yankees history.</p>
<p><img src="http://mlb.mlb.com/images/3/2/2/62987322/101603_alcs_gm7_bosnyy_b11_boone_hr_xg83yigr.gif"></p>
<p><i>Entry written by <a target="new" href="http://www.pinstripealley.com/yankees-history-trivia/2013/12/9/5187156/yankees-top-moments-aaron-boone-red-sox-walk-off-derek-jeter-diving-catch/in/4883863">Chris Kirby</a> on December 9, 2013.</i></p>
<h3>#2: Late-game homers in 2001 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/world-series">World Series</a>
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<p>Already down two games to one to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> in the 2001 World Series, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a> were mowed down easily by <span>Curt Schilling</span> and trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 4. The Yankees offense has mustered all of four runs scored to that point of the series. Exceptional D'Backs closer <span>Byung-Hyun Kim</span> came on for his second inning of work, and there was no real reason for Yankees fans to think there were any surprises left in the team's aging bats. But with two outs and Paul O'Neill on base, Tino Martinez crushed the first offering from Kim that he saw over the wall in right-center to tie the game up at 3 runs apiece. The job was only half done, so it was up to <span>Derek Jeter</span>. Shortly after the time struck midnight signalling the first instance of November baseball, The Captain responded to the unique occasion by lining a Kim offering the opposite way that just barely cleared the wall, giving the Yankees a shocking 4-3 victory in ten innings.</p>
<p>The absurdity was far from over, however, as the Yankees continued their paltry hitting and found themselves down in the final frame of Game 5 as well, trailing 2-0. Kim was on the mound again, once more only one final out from shutting the door on the Yankees. With Jorge Posada on, Scott Brosius played the role of hero hitting his two-run homer off Kim to square the game at 2-2. A devastated Kim was not left out there to languish for another batter as he was the night before, but it wouldn't matter. In the 12th an <span>Alfonso Soriano</span> single scored the winning run to give the Yankees a 3-2 series advantage. They were the first team ever with two back-to-back postseason victories after trailing going into the ninth inning.</p>
<p><i>Entry written by <a href="http://www.pinstripealley.com/2013/12/10/5194328/yankees-top-moments-2001-series-homers-2009-rodriguez-homer-nathan" target="_blank">Michael Brown</a> on December 10, 2013.</i></p>
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https://www.pinstripealley.com/yankees-history-trivia/2014/1/2/5264742/yankees-history-aaron-boone-game-seven-2001-world-series-jeterTanyaAnderson2014-01-01T09:00:09-05:002014-01-01T09:00:09-05:00Top Moments Tournament: 1980-99 (#1) vs (#3)
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/1IPV_thRkEK62l5JwCNk6QbExUI=/190x0:780x393/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/26136631/cone_leyritz.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>USA Today Sports and Jim McIsaac</figcaption>
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<p>Leyritz's series-changing homer already knocked out Boomer's perfecto, but can it do the same with Coney's classic?</p> <p><i>The Pinstripe Alley Top Moments Tournament enters the third and final round of the 1980-99 bracket. The moment with the most votes moves on to the semifinals against the winner of the 2000-present bracket. Vote for the moment that deserves to move on in the poll below.</i></p>
<h4>#1: David Cone's Perfect Game</h4>
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<p>On July 18, 1999, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Yankees</a> held "Yogi Berra Day" in the Bronx, celebrating Berra's terrific career in pinstripes, a career that saw him make 18 All-Star teams and win 13 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/world-series" style="background-color: #ffffff;">World Series</a> championships as a player and coach. Don Larsen, the very man who had tossed a perfect game with Berra behind the plate in the 1956 World Series, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.</p>
<p>While memories of that perfect performance began the afternoon, fans would leave with another pitching masterpiece fresh in their minds. On that day, David Cone turned in the best game of his career, throwing just the third perfect game in Yankee history. Coming off a season in which he'd won 20 games, posted a 3.45 ERA and a 5.2 fWAR, Cone hadn't quite replicated those levels of success in 1999. Still, he was 9-4 when the Montreal Expos (remember them?) came to the Bronx, although the Detroit Tigers had roughed up Cone is his last start to the tune of six earned runs in seven innings.</p>
<p>In the top of the first, the Expos' came as close to a hit as they would all afternoon. Center fielder Terry Jones smacked a pitch up in the zone to right-center field, and Cone himself later said, "I was thinking triple, right off the bat." But Paul O'Neill robbed Jones with a diving save, and Cone retired James Mouton to end the inning.</p>
<p>Cone stuck out the side in the third before a 33-minute rain delay halted the game. But even a break in the action couldn't knock Cone out of his rhythm. Once the weather cleared, Cone went back to work, proceeding to strike out ten on the way to retiring 27 straight batters. It was the highlight of his career, made even more special by taking place in front of Yankee legends Larsen and Berra.</p>
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<b>Yankees GIFs</b>: <a target="new" href="http://www.pinstripealley.com/2013/11/4/5063404/yankees-gifs-david-cones-perfect-game-funny-girardi">Cone's perfect game</a>
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<p><a href="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1897255/819532394.gif"><img src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1897255/819532394_medium.gif" class="photo" alt="819532394_medium"></a></p>
<p><i>Entry written by <a href="http://www.pinstripealley.com/yankees-history-trivia/2013/12/3/5168058/yankees-top-moments-david-cone-perfect-game-jim-abbott-no-hitter/in/4883863" target="new">Scott Davis</a> on December 3, 2013.</i></p>
<h4>#3: Jim Leyritz's '96 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/world-series">World Series</a> game-tying home run</h4>
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a> got off to a very sluggish start to the 1996 World Series; they got outscored at home 16-1 through the first two games against the defending champion <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.talkingchop.com/">Atlanta Braves</a>. They got back on track in Game 3, however, as David Cone gave them a very gritty six innings while yielding just one run, and the offense was able to outlast <span>Tom Glavine</span> and the Braves' bullpen in Atlanta. With the series now 2-1 in favor of the Braves, the Yankees, like the first two games, struggled mightily, this time through the first five innings of Game 4. <span>Kenny Rogers</span> started for the Bombers, and, like his first two playoff starts that October, got shelled. "The Gambler" allowed five runs and seven base runners through just two innings. The offense, meanwhile, had a hard time picking up their starter, as the Braves' Denny Neagle held New York in check. At least through the first five innings, anyway.</p>
<p>Neagle retired the first eight Yankees he faced before allowing a single to the opposing starter Rogers with two down in the third. The Yankees were able to scratch together a handful of walks (three, to be exact) in the fourth, but a poorly timed <span>Bernie Williams</span> double play hurt the rally. In the sixth, however, things changed, as the Yankees, down 6-0 to begin the frame, strung together four straight base runners together (<span>Derek Jeter</span> single, Bernie Williams walk, Cecil Fielder single, and a Charlie Hayes single) to knock Neagle out of the game and make the score 6-3. The Braves' bullpen was able to stop the damage and escape further trouble.</p>
<p>Although Jeff Nelson pieced together two scoreless innings in the sixth and seventh, the Yankees were running out of time to complete the comeback. The Braves attempted to put the nail in the Yankees' coffin by summoning their closer, <span>Mark Wohlers</span>, to record the final six outs. However, Hayes reached on an infield single that slowly rolled to third base and died in fair territory while Darryl Strawberry singled to left set the stage for Jim Leyritz to tie the game. Leyritz, who didn't even start the game, worked one hell of an at-bat against one of the best closers in baseball that year in Wohlers. With the count at 2-2, Wohlers hung a slider to Leyritz and the latter crushed it over the left field fence for a three-run home run to knot the game at six.</p>
<p>Though the Yankees were able to tie the game, the business wasn't finished quite yet. Thanks to more help from the Yankees' bullpen (namely <span>Mariano Rivera</span> and Graeme Lloyd), which was a very underrated part of this game, the team was able to take the lead in the 10th, courtesy of a bases loaded, pinch-hit walk by Wade Boggs. For insurance, Charlie Hayes reached on a <span>Ryan Klesko</span> error. With the score 8-6, Yankees, John Wetteland was able to wiggle out of trouble, though Paul O'Neill helped him out as the latter made a nice running catch to rob Terry Pendleton of a game-tying extra base hit to end the game.</p>
<p>If you believe in "momentum," Leyritz's game-tying three-run home run was surely a momentum-grabber that the Yankees would hold onto for good. After winning Game 4, the Yankees were able to win Game 5 in Atlanta (thanks to <span>Andy Pettitte's</span> masterful pitching performance) and Game 6 back in the Bronx to seal the franchise's 23rd World Series championship.</p>
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<p><i>Entry written by <a href="http://www.pinstripealley.com/yankees-history-trivia/2013/12/5/5175420/yankees-top-moments-jim-leyritz-1996-world-series-jeffrey-maier-jeter-ALCS-homer/in/4883863" target="new">Jesse Schindler</a> on December 5, 2013.</i></p>
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https://www.pinstripealley.com/yankees-history-trivia/2014/1/1/5254858/yankees-top-moments-david-cone-perfect-game-jim-leyritz-1996-world-seriesAndrew Mearns2013-12-31T09:00:21-05:002013-12-31T09:00:21-05:00Top Moments Tournament: 1960-1979 (#3) vs. (#2)
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<p>A Red Sox killer or three homers in Game Six – which moment holds a bigger piece of Yankees' history?</p> <p><span><i>The Pinstripe Alley Top Moments Tournament enters the third and final round of the 1960-1979 bracket. The moment with the most votes moves on to the semifinals against the winner of the Founding-1959 bracket. Vote for the moment that deserves to move on in the poll below.</i></span></p>
<h4><br></h4>
<h4>(#3) Bucky F'in Dent</h4>
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<p>Preface: There aren't enough words in the galaxy to properly describe the awesomeness of this moment.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a> were defending champions heading into the '78 season, seeking to win their third AL pennant in a row to boot. However, those were the days of the "Bronx Zoo," and clubhouse tension was worse than ever during the first half. Injuries plagued the team, egos collided, and by July 17th, the Yankees were 47-42, a deflating 14 1/2 games behind the first place <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Red Sox</a>. They had just been swept by the rival <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.royalsreview.com/">Royals</a> at home, and they were 18-27 since Memorial Day. The Yankees' fortunes began to change with a five-game winning streak, followed by troubled manager Billy Martin's resignation from his position on July 23rd in Chicago. Martin was replaced by Bob Lemon, a player's manager who brought some calm to the clubhouse.</p>
<p>From the time Lemon took over the team on July 25th, the Yankees went an outstanding 47-20, a .702 winning percentage that surged them up the AL East standings. Boston slumped, and the Yankees emphasized their return to the pennant race by humiliating the Red Sox in the "Boston Massacre," a four-game sweep at Fenway Park from September 7-10 that tied them atop the division. Eventually, the teams ended the season still tied at 99-63. A coin flip determined that they would play a one-game playoff at Fenway Park to decide the division title.</p>
<p>Ron Guidry started for the Yankees on three days' rest. "Louisiana Lightning" had one of the most electric pitching seasons in the history of the game in '78, and his regular season ended that day with a staggering 1.74 ERA, 208 ERA+, 0.946 WHIP, and 9.6 rWAR. He was not quite as sharp as normal though; he surrendered a solo homer to Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski to lead off the second and a Jim Rice single in the sixth made the score 2-0, Boston. Former Yankee Mike Torrez blanked his old teammates through six innings, but ran into trouble on back-to-back one-out singles by Chris Chambliss and Roy White. Jim Spencer popped out, bringing up light-hitting shortstop Bucky Dent. He was never much of a hitter, only exceeding a 90 OPS+ once over 11 full seasons of play. He had hit just four homers on the season, but after breaking his bat on a foul off his ankle to make it 0-2, Dent borrowed Mickey Rivers's bat and silenced the raucous crowd at Fenway Park:</p>
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<p>No one saw Dent's three-run dinger coming. Suddenly, the Yankees had a 3-2 lead via the 64% shift in WPA from Dent's fly ball over the Monster. The Yankees needed the two insurance that followed, as they narrowly survived a scare in the ninth inning caused by the afternoon sun blinding right fielder Lou Piniella. A one-out, one-on single bounced in front of Piniella, who couldn't see it and luckily stuck his glove out to cut it off. The tying run was stranded in scoring position, and Hall of Fame closer Goose Gossage closed it out on Yaz's pop-up to Graig Nettles at third. After dealing perhaps the most crushing blow in the history of their long rivalry with Boston, the Yankees went on to win the '78 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/world-series">World Series</a> to secure their 22nd championship.</p>
<p>Even though rumors claim that the Red Sox eventually broke their series of bad luck against the Yankees (unconfirmed), generations of Boston fans still revile "Bucky F'in Dent."</p>
<p><i>Entry written by <a target="new" href="http://www.pinstripealley.com/yankees-history-trivia/2013/11/27/5150412/yankees-top-moments-bucky-dent-playoff-homer-1962-game-7-richardson-mccovey/in/4883863">Andrew Mearns</a> on November 27, 2013.</i></p>
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<h4>(#4) Reggie Jackson hits three home runs in 1977 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/world-series">World Series</a>, Game 6</h4>
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a> could have ended the 1977 World Series in five games. They had the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> on the brink of elimination, but the Dodgers were able to win Game 5 at a score of 10-4, tagging Don Gullett for six earned runs. The Yankees came into Game 6 wanting to stop the buck right there--they had no desire to head to a decisive Game 7. Reggie Jackson made sure that that would not be a reality.</p>
<p>Reggie Jackson was acquired that past offseason for this exact purpose. After the Yankees were swept by the Cincinnati <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.redreporter.com/">Reds</a> in the 1976 World Series, George Steinbrenner wanted to add one more piece to seal the deal. Jackson was signed to a five year, $2.96 million contract ($12.1 million in today's dollars) in hopes that he could help the Yankees win a World Championship.</p>
<p>Jackson began his historic night in the bottom of the fourth inning; the Dodgers at that point had a 3-2 lead. On the first pitch from Burt Hooten, Jackson hit an absolute bomb to right field to put the Yankees ahead 4-3. The Yankees added to their lead to make the score 5-3, and the Dodgers had to bring in reliever Elias Sosa to fan the flames. Jackson swung at only his second pitch of the night and hit a line drive right over the porch in right field to put the Yankees up definitively at 7-3. That would have been enough to win the game and enough to seal his legacy. But that just wasn't Reggie's style. Against the knuckleballer Charlie Hough in the eighth and on just Jackson's third swing all night, he hit his third home run to dead center.</p>
<p>Jackson had tied Babe Ruth's World Series single-game home run record, and more importantly, he had helped the Yankees win their first World Championship since 1962. The Yankees would win again in 1978, but the Bronx would never be in a frenzy like that until 1996.</p>
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<p><i>Entry written by <a target="new" href="http://www.pinstripealley.com/yankees-history-trivia/2013/12/2/5157274/yankees-top-moments-reggie-jackson-three-homer-game-ron-guidry-18-strikeouts/in/4883863">Matt Provenzano</a> on December 2, 2013.</i></p>
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