The New York Yankees were not particularly good in the eighties and the first half of the nineties.
After the 1994 strike took away a very good season from fans, the team finally made the playoffs in 1995, for the first time since 1981.
A Division Series exit against the red-hot Seattle Mariners ensued, and Buck Showalter left the team after that season.
The Yankees were starting to re-surface again, and George Steinbrenner wanted a veteran manager to lead the team to success again.
With stints in front of the New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, and the St. Louis Cardinals under his belt, Joe Torre was that man.
He was hired on this day, but 27 years ago.
“#OTD in 1995, the @Yankees named Joe Torre as their new manager. He proved early skeptics wrong, leading the Yankees to four World Series titles and six AL pennants,” the National Baseball Hall of Fame tweeted.
#OTD in 1995, the @Yankees named Joe Torre as their new manager. He proved early skeptics wrong, leading the Yankees to four World Series titles and six AL pennants. https://t.co/Jj6ObERDTQ pic.twitter.com/XMjQrTriil
— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) November 2, 2022
The Move That Changed History For The Yankees
That moved proved to be historic.
Torres’ Yankees were the last team in MLB history to win three championships in a row, from 1998 to 2000.
He was a calmed presence in a dugout filled with egos, and that helped him lead the way for years.
Without a doubt, Torre is one of the most successful managers in Yankees history, with 1,173 wins and a .605 winning percentage.
He also won six pennants and four Fall Classics.
He fostered the last great generation of Yankees players, one that included Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada, Bernie Williams, and Mariano Rivera.
For his achievements, Torre is a Monument Park honoree and the Yankees had his number 6 retired.
He is also a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame since 2014.
