On This Date in 1996...

The Yankees won their first World Series title in 18 years. John Wetteland, who got the last out in all four New York victories -- and would be named MVP of the Fall Classic -- retires Mark Lemke on a foul pop to 3rd baseman Charlie Hayes, for the final out in a 3-2 win.
That began the Joe Torre-era dynasty, with four titles in five years. The last of those was completed on this date in 2000 at Shea Stadium, when Luis Sojo hit a tie-breaking single off Al Leiter in the top of the 9th to push the Yankees past the Mets in game five of the first modern-era Subway Series.

Also on our October 26th baseball calendar:


  • 1998: Mike Piazza decides he likes life in Flushing and signs a seven-year $91-million deal to remain with the Mets.

  • 1985: Don Denkinger's blown call at 1st base keeps the Royals alive in game six of the World Series. KC would go onto win 2-1 and then capture the Series over their cross-state rivals the next night.

  • 1982: Steve Carlton, off a 23-win, 287-strikeout victory with the Phillies, becomes the first pitcher to win four Cy Young Awards.

  • 1977: Sparky Lyle of the Yankees becomes the first relief pitcher to win the Cy Young Award.

  • 1960: The American League announces it would expand to 10 teams for the upcoming 1961 season. Those new clubs would be located in Los Angeles and Washington, thus allowing the 'old' Senators club to move to Minnesota.

  • 1950: Phil Rizzuto, off the most productive season of his career, when he hit .324 with 200 hits and 125 runs scored for the World Champion Yankees, is named American League MVP.
  • Also on this date in 1950, in a move that would impact the destinies of several franchises, Walter O'Malley succeeds Branch Rickey as President of the Brooklyn Dodgers.

(My images of Wetteland and Hayes are from the 2016 Yankees Old Timers Day.)

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