Out of 102 World Series played in baseball history, the New York Yankees have been to 39 and won 26 of them. The Cardinals are the only other team to even reach double digits in WS wins (with 10). I can´t think of any better reason to hate the Yankees, though the good Lord has provided with us with many to choose from. But the truth is they didn´t really become the Evil Empire until a convicted criminal named George Steinbrenner (he was later pardoned by Ronald Reagan) took control of the Yankees in the 1970s. Steinbrenner fired and hired managers on a whim (most of them being named Billy Martin) and threw money at any free agent he could find, trying to buy one championship after another. Today, at least, Steinbrenner sticks with his manager.
The big money failed to turn into post-season success until 1976 when they made the World Series only to lose to the Big Red Machine. That wasn´t good enough for George Costanza´s future boss, so he decided to tender a then-staggering $3 million/5 year contract to slugger Reggie Jackson (TRIVIA QUESTION: What team did Jackson play for in 1976? Answer below) to ensure more butts in the seats and a World Series victory. As far as big money gambles go, this one worked out every bit as good as Steinbrenner and Yankees fans could have dreamed. Jackson hit 32 homers and drove in 110 runs, the Yankees won 100 games to finish atop a very tough AL East division (both the Orioles and Red Sox won 97 games) and then beat the Royals in a dramatic come-from-behind Game 5 to make it to the World Series.
There they faced their long-time cross-league rivals the Dodgers, marking an extraordinary 9th time the two teams had faced each other in the Fall Classic. It didn´t turn out any better for the Dodgers than it usually did. The Yankees won in 6 games, and as you might have heard, that Reggie Jackson fellow hit 3 home runs in the final game, making it 5 total in one of the great post-season performance of all-time.
Reggie was hardly the only star on the team. Team captain Thurman Munson caught and batted third, while the greatly underrated Graig Nettles drew walks, hit key home runs (he actually led the 1977 Yankees with 37 homers) and fielded everything hit within a long acre of him at third base. Current managers Willie Randolph and Lou Piniella were also major contributors. Catfish Hunter, Ron Guidry, Ed Figueroa and Mike Torrez were the staff anchors with Sparky Lyle ready to slam the door shut late in the game.
This boxed set features seven discs, each housed in a separate keep case. It includes the six games of the World Series as well as a "bonus disc" with Game 5 of the Yankees-Royals playoff. The broadcasts are presented in their entirety (minus commercials) including brief pre-game material.
TRIVIA ANSWER: After playing his entire career with the A´s (in KC and Oakland), Reggie Jackson spent the 1976 season with the Baltimore Orioles.]
The big money failed to turn into post-season success until 1976 when they made the World Series only to lose to the Big Red Machine. That wasn´t good enough for George Costanza´s future boss, so he decided to tender a then-staggering $3 million/5 year contract to slugger Reggie Jackson (TRIVIA QUESTION: What team did Jackson play for in 1976? Answer below) to ensure more butts in the seats and a World Series victory. As far as big money gambles go, this one worked out every bit as good as Steinbrenner and Yankees fans could have dreamed. Jackson hit 32 homers and drove in 110 runs, the Yankees won 100 games to finish atop a very tough AL East division (both the Orioles and Red Sox won 97 games) and then beat the Royals in a dramatic come-from-behind Game 5 to make it to the World Series.
There they faced their long-time cross-league rivals the Dodgers, marking an extraordinary 9th time the two teams had faced each other in the Fall Classic. It didn´t turn out any better for the Dodgers than it usually did. The Yankees won in 6 games, and as you might have heard, that Reggie Jackson fellow hit 3 home runs in the final game, making it 5 total in one of the great post-season performance of all-time.
Reggie was hardly the only star on the team. Team captain Thurman Munson caught and batted third, while the greatly underrated Graig Nettles drew walks, hit key home runs (he actually led the 1977 Yankees with 37 homers) and fielded everything hit within a long acre of him at third base. Current managers Willie Randolph and Lou Piniella were also major contributors. Catfish Hunter, Ron Guidry, Ed Figueroa and Mike Torrez were the staff anchors with Sparky Lyle ready to slam the door shut late in the game.
This boxed set features seven discs, each housed in a separate keep case. It includes the six games of the World Series as well as a "bonus disc" with Game 5 of the Yankees-Royals playoff. The broadcasts are presented in their entirety (minus commercials) including brief pre-game material.
TRIVIA ANSWER: After playing his entire career with the A´s (in KC and Oakland), Reggie Jackson spent the 1976 season with the Baltimore Orioles.]
Out of 102 World Series played in baseball history, the New York Yankees have been to 39 and won 26 of them. The Cardinals are the only other team to even reach double digits in WS wins (with 10). I can´t think of any better reason to hate the Yankees, though the good Lord has provided with us with many to choose from. But the truth is they didn´t really become the Evil Empire until a convicted criminal named George Steinbrenner (he was later pardoned by Ronald Reagan) took control of the Yankees in the 1970s. Steinbrenner fired and hired managers on a whim (most of them being named Billy Martin) and threw money at any free agent he could find, trying to buy one championship after another. Today, at least, Steinbrenner sticks with his manager.
The big money failed to turn into post-season success until 1976 when they made the World Series only to lose to the Big Red Machine. That wasn´t good enough for George Costanza´s future boss, so he decided to tender a then-staggering $3 million/5 year contract to slugger Reggie Jackson (TRIVIA QUESTION: What team did Jackson play for in 1976? Answer below) to ensure more butts in the seats and a World Series victory. As far as big money gambles go, this one worked out every bit as good as Steinbrenner and Yankees fans could have dreamed. Jackson hit 32 homers and drove in 110 runs, the Yankees won 100 games to finish atop a very tough AL East division (both the Orioles and Red Sox won 97 games) and then beat the Royals in a dramatic come-from-behind Game 5 to make it to the World Series.
There they faced their long-time cross-league rivals the Dodgers, marking an extraordinary 9th time the two teams had faced each other in the Fall Classic. It didn´t turn out any better for the Dodgers than it usually did. The Yankees won in 6 games, and as you might have heard, that Reggie Jackson fellow hit 3 home runs in the final game, making it 5 total in one of the great post-season performance of all-time.
Reggie was hardly the only star on the team. Team captain Thurman Munson caught and batted third, while the greatly underrated Graig Nettles drew walks, hit key home runs (he actually led the 1977 Yankees with 37 homers) and fielded everything hit within a long acre of him at third base. Current managers Willie Randolph and Lou Piniella were also major contributors. Catfish Hunter, Ron Guidry, Ed Figueroa and Mike Torrez were the staff anchors with Sparky Lyle ready to slam the door shut late in the game.
This boxed set features seven discs, each housed in a separate keep case. It includes the six games of the World Series as well as a "bonus disc" with Game 5 of the Yankees-Royals playoff. The broadcasts are presented in their entirety (minus commercials) including brief pre-game material.
TRIVIA ANSWER: After playing his entire career with the A´s (in KC and Oakland), Reggie Jackson spent the 1976 season with the Baltimore Orioles.]
The big money failed to turn into post-season success until 1976 when they made the World Series only to lose to the Big Red Machine. That wasn´t good enough for George Costanza´s future boss, so he decided to tender a then-staggering $3 million/5 year contract to slugger Reggie Jackson (TRIVIA QUESTION: What team did Jackson play for in 1976? Answer below) to ensure more butts in the seats and a World Series victory. As far as big money gambles go, this one worked out every bit as good as Steinbrenner and Yankees fans could have dreamed. Jackson hit 32 homers and drove in 110 runs, the Yankees won 100 games to finish atop a very tough AL East division (both the Orioles and Red Sox won 97 games) and then beat the Royals in a dramatic come-from-behind Game 5 to make it to the World Series.
There they faced their long-time cross-league rivals the Dodgers, marking an extraordinary 9th time the two teams had faced each other in the Fall Classic. It didn´t turn out any better for the Dodgers than it usually did. The Yankees won in 6 games, and as you might have heard, that Reggie Jackson fellow hit 3 home runs in the final game, making it 5 total in one of the great post-season performance of all-time.
Reggie was hardly the only star on the team. Team captain Thurman Munson caught and batted third, while the greatly underrated Graig Nettles drew walks, hit key home runs (he actually led the 1977 Yankees with 37 homers) and fielded everything hit within a long acre of him at third base. Current managers Willie Randolph and Lou Piniella were also major contributors. Catfish Hunter, Ron Guidry, Ed Figueroa and Mike Torrez were the staff anchors with Sparky Lyle ready to slam the door shut late in the game.
This boxed set features seven discs, each housed in a separate keep case. It includes the six games of the World Series as well as a "bonus disc" with Game 5 of the Yankees-Royals playoff. The broadcasts are presented in their entirety (minus commercials) including brief pre-game material.
TRIVIA ANSWER: After playing his entire career with the A´s (in KC and Oakland), Reggie Jackson spent the 1976 season with the Baltimore Orioles.]
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