Contents
Who Wore Number 9 for the Yankees? is a blog dedicated to uncovering the stories behind the jersey numbers worn by the New York Yankees. We write about the players who wore each number, their accomplishments, and what they meant to the team.
Checkout this video:
Roger Maris
Roger Maris was an American professional baseball player who is best remembered for setting the Major League Baseball single-season home run record with 61 home runs in 1961. Maris played right field for the Yankees from 1957 to 1966.
Traded to the Yankees
On December 11, 1959, the Yankees announced that they had acquired Roger Maris, Charley Smith, and Joeica Solomon from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for Duke Sims, Bob Wiesler, and Norm Siebern. The trade was very unpopular with Yankee fans, who saw Maris as expendable after the team’s World Series victory that year.
Maris struggled in his first year with the Yankees, hitting just .235 with 17 home runs. He rebounded in 1961, setting a then-record with 61 home runs to break Babe Ruth’s single-season mark. Maris would go on to play eight seasons with the Yankees, winning two World Series titles. He was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1967 and retired after the 1968 season.
61 home runs in 1961
In 1961, New York Yankees right fielder Roger Maris hit 61 home runs, breaking Babe Ruth’s 34-year-old record of 60. Maris’ record-breaking home run, hit on the last day of the season, was a solo shot off Sox pitcher Tracy Stallard. The historic home run came in the Yankees’ 162nd game of the season; Ruth hit his 60th home run in his team’s 155th game.
Mickey Mantle
Number 9 will always be associated with Mickey Mantle. He was one of the most popular Yankees players and he wore the number 9 on his jersey. He was a switch hitter and he played for the Yankees for his entire career. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1974.
Wore number 7
Mantle originally wanted to wear number 6, which had been retired by the Yankees in 1939 in honor of Miller Huggins. When he found out that it was unavailable, he chose 7 instead. He explained, “I just wanted a number in the single digits that would look good with the Yankee script on my uniform.”
Wore number 6
Mickey Mantle wore number 6 for the New York Yankees. He was a three-time MVP and a 13-time All-Star. He is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time.
Billy Martin
The great thing about baseball is that every team has their own history. The Yankees are no different. They have had some of the best players to ever play the game. One of those players is Billy Martin. He wore number 9 for the Yankees.
Wore number 1
Billy Martin was an American baseball second baseman and manager who is best known for his association with the New York Yankees. He wore number 1 as a player with the Yankees from 1950 to 1957 and again as manager from 1975 to 1978.
Wore number 7
Billy Martin was an American baseball second baseman and manager who was known for turning around losing teams. He is best remembered for his years as manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times.
Born in Berkeley, California, Martin signed with his hometown Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) in 1946. He spent the next few years bouncing between the major and minor leagues. In 1950, he was drafted by the New York Yankees.
Martin played for the Yankees from 1950 to 1957. He was a key member of the team that won five World Series championships in those years. In particular, he played a pivotal role in the Yankees’ comeback victory in the 1952 World Series.
After being traded to the Kansas City Athletics in 1958, Martin’s career went into decline. He retired from playing baseball in 1961.
Martin began his managing career in 1969 with the Minnesota Twins. He had some success with the Twins, leading them to a division title in 1970. But he was fired after just one season.
Yogi Berra
Yogi Berra was a catcher, outfielder, and manager for the New York Yankees. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on May 12, 1925. Berra played in 21 World Series, more than any other player in baseball history. He was a three-time American League MVP and a 10-time World Series champion. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.
Wore number 8
Yogi Berra played for the New York Yankees from 1946 until 1963 and was a member of 10 World Series championship teams. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest catchers in baseball history. Berra was an 18-time All-Star and won three American League MVP Awards. He is one of only four players to win the MVP Award three times and is one of only six players to have won the award in consecutive seasons.
Wore number 8
Yogi Berra was a famous baseball player who played for the New York Yankees. He was born on May 12, 1925, in St. Louis, Missouri. His real name was Lawrence Peter Berra, but he got the nickname “Yogi” from a friend who said he looked like a Hindu holy man.
Yogi Berra was one of the most popular players in baseball history. He was a catcher, but he also played first base and third base. He played in 19 World Series games and won 10 times. He was named the Most Valuable Player three times.
Berra retired from baseball in 1965. After his retirement, he worked as a coach and a manager for the Yankees and other teams. He also worked for Yogi Berra’s Bowling & Batting Cages, a business he started in 1987.
Berra died on September 22, 2015, at the age of 90.
