The New York Yankees Early History

Before 1913, the New York Yankees were known as the New York Highlanders. It was a series of unexpected events that changed their team's name, and eventually gave them the name for their stadium. In 1911, a devastating fire destroyed most of the Polo Grounds, home of the Highlanders biggest rival team, the New York Giants. Though this strong rivalry existed between them, the Highlanders agreed to let the Giants play at Hilltop Park, for the sake of baseball.

When the construction of the Polo Grounds was completed, the Highlanders moved into this stadium after their agreement to play at Hilltop Park was over. Seated next to the Harlem River, the team had no use for the Highlanders name. They were referenced many times as the "Yankees," as a variation of "Americans." Many journals and newspapers also quoted the name "Yankees," and in 1913, the New York Highlanders officially became the New York Yankees.

In 1920, the New York Yankees acquired Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox. Ruth was already well known as a great pitcher and was becoming more known for his hitting as well. The Yankees wanted to use Ruth as a hitter only and history was to be made. Ruth would become the most celebrated player in baseball's history setting many records that stood for a very long time. Some just recently broken by Barry Bonds.

Ruth had always been a trouble maker and was now even more so now that he was in New York but his new team owners were very tolerant as long as he kept the fans coming.

In 1923, the New York Yankees moved into the new Yankee Stadium. It was the very first triple layered ball park, seating fifty eight thousand. In the first game that was played there, Babe Ruth hit a home run. Ruth's home run hitting was the power that eventually paid for the stadium, which gave Yankee Stadium the nickname "The House that Ruth Built." The New York Yankees won their first World Series this year. They would go on to win 25 total World Series championships in the century.