70 Years Ago Today

Coming off a 94-win season, but a third-place finish behind Lou Boudreau's Indians, the Yankees made suprising choice to replace manager Bucky Harris. Casey Stengel, the witty ex-player who'd managed weak Dodgers and Braves teams during the '30s and early '40s, was handed the keys to a club led by future Hall of Famers Joe Di Maggio, Phil Rizzuto and Yogi Berra. 

Some fans were startled; some players snickered. Jerry Coleman, who'd break in with the Yankees in 1949, once told me his teammates were shocked -- Stengel was widely considered "a clown," and few knew of this baseball lifer's deep wisdom. But they'd soon see it played out on the field -- his strategic innovations (especially platooning) and savvy touch with the press were just what GM George Weiss needed. Casey went onto win 10 pennants in his 12 seasons -- including five straight World Series championships to begin his tenure. Joe D, the Scooter and Yogi were soon joined by more legends: Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford would join them in Cooperstown. Billy Martin, Elston Howard and Moose Skowron became Bronx mainstays. All under Casey's watch. The most dominating era of the greatest dynasty in sports began on October 12th, 1948.

(My image is from the replica Monument Park just outside Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.)

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