The New York Yankees just sent out a press release regarding the upcoming Old Timers Day celebration, retirement of Hall of Fame manger Joe Torre’s number 6, and other Yankee legends including Paul O’Neill, Goose Gossage, Tino Martinez and Bernie Williams. Just to clarify things the team will only be retiring Torre’s number, but will honor the rest with plaques in Monument Park.
The New York Yankees today announced that Class of 2014 Hall of Fame Inductee Joe Torre, Hall of Famer Rich “Goose” Gossage, Tino Martinez and Paul O’Neill will all be honored with plaques in Monument Park. Torre will also have his uniform No. 6 retired. The ceremonies are part of a recognition series that will include Bernie Williams in 2015.
Martinez and Gossage will be celebrated during Old-Timers’ Day weekend on Saturday, June 21, and Sunday, June 22, respectively. O’Neill’s ceremony will take place on Saturday, August 9, while Torre will take his place in Monument Park on Saturday, August 23.
Acquired by the Yankees in a trade with Seattle prior to the 1996 season, Martinez went on to play in seven seasons with New York (1996-2001, ’05), helping to lead the team to four World Series victories during that time (1996, ’98-2000). He combined to hit .276 with 192 home runs and 739 RBI in his pinstriped career. He is arguably best known for his grand slam off San Diego’s Mark Langston in Game 1 of the 1998 World Series at Yankee Stadium that gave the Yankees the lead and helped propel them to their 24thWorld Championship in franchise history.
Gossage, who was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008, played in parts of seven seasons with the Yankees (1978-83, ’89), winning a World Series with the team in 1978. The nine-time All-Star compiled a 42-28 record with a 2.14 ERA with the Yankees, including 151 saves and 512 strikeouts in 319 games. He allowed just 390 hits in 533.0 innings pitched during his time in pinstripes. Gossage trails only Mariano Rivera (652) and Dave Righetti (224) on the all-time Yankees saves list.
O’Neill, who currently serves as a game analyst for the YES Network, spent the final nine seasons of his 17-year Major League career in the Bronx (1993-2001), winning four world titles with New York (1996, ’98-2000). He concluded his Yankees career with a .303 batting average, 304 doubles, 185 home runs and 858 RBI, claiming the American League batting title in 1994 with a .359 average. Affectionately known as a “warrior” to many of his fans, he played in 235 consecutive games in right field without making an error from July 1995 to May 1997. In 2001, at the age of 38, O’Neill became the oldest player in Major League history to steal 20 bases and hit 20 home runs in the same season.
Currently serving as Major League Baseball’s Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations, Torre spent 12 seasons as Manager of the Yankees (1996-2007). He piloted the team to six World Series appearances (1996, ’98-2001, ’03) and four World Championships (1996, ’98-2000). Torre compiled a 1,173-767 (.605) regular season record and a 76-47 (.618) postseason mark during his Yankees tenure, leading the club to the playoffs in each year that he managed the team. While with the organization, he went 21-11 in the World Series, 27-14 in the ALCS and 28-22 in the ALDS. His regular season wins total is second in club history to only Joe McCarthy, who went 1,460-867 (.627) over 16 seasons.
Tickets to these dates will probably start to become expensive, so any fans interested in attending, go to the Yankees web site for more info.
