Throwback Thursday

Like a lot of us, I've held onto some magazines tied to noteworthy events over the years. Celebrating 1998's 125-win Yankees, this Sports Illustrated has been stored in my basement for close to 20 years.
The success of this Yankee team adds it to the conversation of which was the single best team ever. Was it the one whose season was capped by Scott Brosius's World Series MVP performance? That '98 club was certainly overpowering at times en route to 108 regular season wins. In the year the original Stadium turned 75, the Yanks matched the results of 1923 -- winning it all. There were standout seasons from Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Paul O'Neill and Brosius -- who replaced Charlie Hayes at 3rd base and turned in a career year. On the mound, David Cone won 20; David Wells won 18 -- and tossed a perfect game on Mother's Day; "El Duque" Orlando Hernandez went 12 -4 and even the oft-maligned Hideki Irabu won a baker's dozen. But do you remember that this club started sluggishly, losing its first three and four of its first five games before going 107 - 43 the rest of the way.
Was this the "Greatest Team Ever" or just the the "Greatest Yankees Team Ever?" Folks around my age might vote -- with a sentimental nod to your youth -- for the 1961 Yanks: Mantle and Maris chasing Babe Ruth's home run record; Whitey Ford's Cy Young Award season; Luis Arroyo -- the closer before the term was coined -- winning 15 and saving 29 out of the bullpen; Elston Howard hitting close to .350; Yogi belting 22 homers as the primary left fielder; Johnny Blanchard hit over .300 with 21 homers in the year of his life.
Maybe you'd rather focus on 1977, the first World Series champs since '62. Growing up, we'd heard tales of the Ruth and Gehrig "Murderer's Row" '27 club. 1936, the first season Gehrig and DiMaggio teamed up, also gets support. As does 1939, where despite the Iron Horse's retirement after being diagnosed with ALS, the team went 106 - 45 before sweeping the Reds in the World Series.
Just curious, which magazines have you held on? Is there a season or player that means something extra to you? Click on the comment button and share your memory and what fuels it.

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