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The New York Yankees have a long and storied history, and many great players have donned the fabled number 1 jersey. Who wore it best?
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Lou Gehrig
Many famous Yankee players have worn the number 2, including Babe Ruth, Earl Combs, and Derek Jeter, but the first player to wear it was Lou Gehrig. Gehrig was a first baseman who played for the Yankees from 1923-1939. He was nicknamed “The Iron Horse” because he had a record of 2,130 consecutive games played.
Gehrig’s storied career with the Yankees
Gehrig played his entire Major League career with the New York Yankees from 1923 until he retired in 1939. He is considered one of the best players in baseball history and is widely known for his prowess as a hitter and for his durability, which earned him his nickname “The Iron Horse.” Gehrig holds the record for most consecutive games played, 2,130, a mark that stood for 56 years until it was broken by Cal Ripken Jr. in 1995.
Gehrig’s battle with ALS
Lou Gehrig was a legendary figure in baseball, playing for the New York Yankees from 1923 until his retirement in 1939. Gehrig was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in 1939, and died from the disease two years later.
ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. ALS causes the death of motor neurons, which results in muscle weakness and paralysis. There is currently no cure for ALS, and it is fatal.
Babe Ruth
George Herman “Babe” Ruth Jr. (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948) was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935. Nicknamed “The Bambino” and “The Sultan of Swat”, he began his MLB career as a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, but achieved his greatest fame as a slugging outfielder for the New York Yankees. Ruth established many MLB batting records, including career home runs (714), runs batted in (RBIs) (2,213), bases on balls (2,062), slugging percentage (.690), and on-base plus slugging (OPS) (1.164); the latter two still stand as of 2019.
Ruth’s career with the Yankees
Ruth first joined the Yankees in 1920, after he was traded from the Red Sox. He quickly became one of the most dominant players in baseball, helping lead the Yankees to their first World Series title in 1923.
Ruth continued to perform at an incredibly high level for the Yankees over the next several years. He led the league in home runs six times, and in RBIs four times. He was also a key member of the Yankees teams that won back-to-back World Series titles in 1927 and 1928.
Near the end of his career, Ruth’s production began to decline. He retired from baseball in 1935, after playing for one final season with the Boston Braves.
Ruth’s impact on the game of baseball
Babe Ruth was one of the most influential figures in the history of baseball. He changed the way the game was played, and his legend has lived on for generations.
Ruth was known for his powerful hitting, and he set many records during his career. He was also a great fielder, and he helped his team win many championships. Ruth’s impact on the game of baseball was so great that he is often considered one of the greatest players of all time.
Derek Jeter
Derek Jeter wore number 2 during his first Major League season in 1995, but after Dick Tidrow suggested that Jeter wear number 1 in 1996, he did so for the rest of his career. Wearing number 1 has been a tradition for Yankee shortstops, as Jeter followed in the footsteps of names like Phil Rizzuto, Tony Kubek, and Bucky Dent.
Jeter’s career with the Yankees
Derek Jeter is a former professional baseball shortstop who played 20 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), all for the New York Yankees. A five-time World Series champion, Jeter is regarded as one of the primary contributors to the Yankees’ success of the late 1990s and early 2000s for his hitting, baserunning, fielding and leadership. He was elected to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game every year from 1998 to 2002, won five Silver Slugger Awards at shortstop and was the American League Rookie of the Year in 1996.
Jeter became the Yankees’ starting shortstop in 1998, helped lead them to four World Series titles, and served as captain from 2003 until his retirement in 2014. Throughout his career, Jeter contributed reliably to both his team’s offense and defense. He accumulated more hits than any other Yankee and is one of only four players at any position ever to amass 3,000 hits and 250 home runs; he is also one of only seven players with a career batting average of .310 or higher and 2,500 hits.
Jeter’s impact on the game of baseball
Many experts say that Derek Jeter is one of the greatest players in the history of baseball. Jeter was known for his clutch hitting, speed on the bases, and sure-handed defense. He helped lead the Yankees to five World Series titles and was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2000 World Series.
During his 20-year career, Jeter became one of baseball’s most popular players. He was a 12-time All-Star and won five Gold Glove Awards. In 2009, he passed Lou Gehrig as the Yankees’ all-time leader in hits. Jeter retired after the 2014 season with a career total of 3,465 hits.
