YANKEES VS. DODGERS: A RICH HISTORY

As the New York Yankees look ahead to the 2024 World Series, they do so with the weight of history on their side—especially when it comes to their storied rivalry with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

For many of us,1978 and the 1981 World Series are most memorable. It is true that 1981 may have been a rare blemish in that history, but it only serves as a reminder of the Yankees’ resilience and determination to come back stronger. After all, this rivalry has largely belonged to the Bronx Bombers, and with that legacy, the Yankees are poised to reclaim their rightful place at the top in 2024.

Let’s rewind for a moment. In the 1978 World Series, the Dodgers jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, but the Yankees, true to their championship spirit, stormed back with four straight victories to win it all. Lou Piniella's clutch walk-off hit in Game 4 was a turning point, igniting the Yankees' charge. Then, in Game 5, captain Thurman Munson led the way with a heroic five-RBI performance, putting the Yankees in control. With their trademark resilience and determination, the Yankees proved once again why they are baseball’s most iconic and unstoppable team.

Then the rematch, 1981. The Yankees appeared to be on track for another triumph against the Dodgers, much like they had done countless times before. From Brooklyn to Los Angeles, the Yankees had consistently outplayed the Dodgers, with iconic victories in 1949, 1952, and 1953, leaving Dodgers fans heartbroken and frustrated. New York simply had the Dodgers’ number.

The 1981 Fall Classic started much the same way. The Yankees took the first two games at Yankee Stadium, and it seemed like another chapter of their dominance was about to unfold. But the series shifted to Dodger Stadium, and suddenly, the tide turned. Rookie sensation Fernando Valenzuela ignited the Dodgers with a Game 3 win, sparking a comeback that led to four straight victories and an unexpected championship for Los Angeles. Pedro Guerrero’s Game 6 heroics capped off the upset, with the Dodgers winning 9-2 and sending Yankees fans into shock.

It was a rare moment of disappointment for Yankees fans, but even that loss can be seen as fuel for the fire. George Steinbrenner, never one to accept defeat lightly, famously issued an apology to the people of New York after the series. It wasn’t just a statement—it was a promise that the Yankees would be back, stronger than ever. And if there’s one thing the Yankees have always done, they work to deliver on that promise.

History, after all, is a Yankee stronghold. While the Dodgers celebrated their 1981 victory, it’s important to remember that this rivalry leans heavily in New York’s favor. In 11 World Series matchups, the Yankees have won eight, including a 6-1 domination over the Brooklyn Dodgers before they packed their bags for Los Angeles. Even in moments of defeat, the Yankees have bounced back, often with a vengeance. The 1981 loss? Just a blip in the grand scheme of things.

 

Look back at the defining moments of this rivalry, and you’ll see why Yankees fans should feel confident heading into 2024. Don Larsen’s perfect game in 1956 is still the only one in World Series history, with Yogi Berra jumping into his arms in celebration. Johnny Kucks threw a three-hit shutout in Game 7 of that series, sending the Dodgers packing and cementing the Yankees' status as the team of destiny. The Bronx Bombers have been built on these legendary moments, and 2024 could very well be the next chapter.

Yes, the Yankees have faced adversity before, but that’s precisely what has shaped them into baseball’s most successful franchise. And if history is any indication, the Yankees have a knack for rising to the occasion when it matters most. As they gear up for another World Series run in 2024, it’s not just about the present—it’s about drawing strength from their past. The Dodgers may have gotten the better of them in 1981, but the Yankees have shown time and again that they know how to bounce back.

With a record of dominance over the Dodgers and a tradition of excellence in October, the Yankees are more than capable of writing a different ending in 2024. The ghosts of their past triumphs—Larsen, Berra, Mantle—are all there, ready to inspire this new generation of Yankees to reclaim the crown, Soto, Judge, Cole. 2024 could be the year they bring another World Series title back home.

So, as the Yankees march toward another Fall Classic, fans can take comfort in the fact that history—and the heart of a champion—are on their side. The 1981 World Series may have been a painful chapter, but it’s part of a larger narrative, one that has the Yankees standing tall as baseball’s most iconic and successful team. Come Friday, don’t be surprised if the Yankees are once again celebrating on top of the baseball world, proving that in the end, the Bronx always finds a way to win, especially this team.

--Alvin Izzo
BYB Yankee History Contributor

THE COPACABANA INCIDENT

May 16, 1957. 

One of the most well-documented and reported stories about Mickey Mantle's antics off the field involves the infamous "Copacabana incident" of 1957. This event encapsulates the wild side of Mantle's life, involving drinking, rowdy behavior, and his notorious teammates. That night at the Copa was the Mick, Whitey Ford, Billy Martin, Hank Bauer, Yogi Berra and Johnny Kucks. Sammy Davis Jr. was the headliner.

The Yankees had just played a game against the Kansas City Athletics earlier that day. In celebration of Billy Martin's birthday, several Yankees players and their wives decided to go out for a night on the town, choosing the Copacabana, a popular nightclub, as their destination. The night took a wild turn as the players consumed copious amounts of alcohol.

As the evening progressed, the group found themselves embroiled in a brawl with some patrons from a nearby table. These patrons were reportedly members of a bowling team who had been heckling singer Sammy Davis Jr., who was performing that night. The Yankees players took offense to the derogatory remarks and a physical altercation ensued.

So, what happened? Some consequences. The incident garnered significant media attention and became a public relations nightmare for the Yankees. 

Yankees’ management, led by General Manager George Weiss, was furious. Billy Martin, who was considered a troublemaker, was traded to the Kansas City Athletics shortly after the incident. Other players faced fines, but the exact amounts and internal disciplinary actions were not always publicly disclosed. The New York newspapers had a field day with the story, which dominated the sports pages for weeks.

Mickey Mantle's image as a hard-drinking, fun-loving player was cemented. Despite the incident, Mantle continued to be a fan favorite and a highly productive player on the field. The incident highlighted the wild and rebellious culture within the Yankees clubhouse during that era, particularly among Mantle, Ford, Martin, and other players known for their nightlife escapades.

This story remains one of the most colorful and frequently recounted episodes in the history of Mickey Mantle and the New York Yankees, encapsulating the intersection of sports, celebrity, and scandal during the 1950s.

--Alvin Izzo
BYB Yankee History Contributor

A YANKEE GREAT HAS PASSED

If I told you Johnny Kucks died, you wouldn't know who I was talking about.  If I told you he was a New York Yankee, and a Yankee hero in the 1956 World Series... you would.

Yogi Berra once said Kucks sinker was the "heaviest sinker ball" he had ever seen.  Kucks was a side arm right-hander and he played for the Yankees from 1955 to 1959.  He was in the service and did not play in 1953 and 1954.  He compiled a 42-35 record with a 3.82 ERA for the Yankees. 

As the New York Daily News reports, Kucks "...spent 4½ seasons with the Yankees from 1955-59 and appeared in eight games over four World Series with a 1.89 ERA in them. But his finest hour was when Yankee manager Casey Stengel gave him the ball for Game 7 of the 1956 World Series at Ebbets Field — after the Dodgers had tied the Series 3-3 the day before on a 1-0, 10-inning shutout by Clem Labine — and Kucks responded by pitching a three-hit shutout in a 9-0 Yankee win..."

Another baseball great is gone.  Remember the old-timers and embrace them... these are the guys that pushed baseball into the forefront.

Rest in Peace Johnny.

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RELIVING YANKEE TOUGHNESS AND HOW IT TRANSLATES TODAY

In May of 1957, several Yankee players went out on the town to celebrate Billy Martin's 29th birthday. A mix of players and wives were in the entourage of celebrants that wound up at famous New York hot spot, the Copacabanna at 10 East 60th Street. Yogi Berra's wife, Carmen, had ordered a cake for the occasion, and she made the point that this was Billy's last chance to celebrate before he gets old!

The pastry chef at the Waldorf baked Billy's cake, and Martin was toasted frequently during and after the birthday dinner.  The revelers had already made a couple of additional stops before arriving at the Copa for the late show that featured Sammy Davis, Jr.   A couple of the Yankees might have already arrived at what Casey Stengel called "whiskey slick" status.  

Something happened that night that still remains unclear 55 years later. Also in the club that evening were several members of an upper Manhattan bowling club, one or more of whom got too smart with the Yankee players and/or made racially disparaging remarks directed at Sammy Davis. Whatever took place, the Yankee party that included Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Hank Bauer, Whitey Ford, Martin, and Johnny Kucks took exception.

 

Both groups adjourned to the cloak room to settle their differences. Mantle testified later in the subsequent grand jury proceedings in June of 1957, that the victim came flying out and landed at his feet. Mantle thought it was Martin and picked him up. (Read HERE.) Upon seeing that it was not Martin, Mickey dropped the unfortunate fellow back on the floor. Mickey testified in court that the gentleman looked like "Roy Rogers rode through the Copa on Trigger and Trigger kicked the guy in the face."

Courtroom witnesses reported that the grand jury members were still laughing when charges were dismissed against suspected culprit, and highly decorated ex-Marine, Hank Bauer. The Copa six, as that group of players came to be known, were part of a four year run from 1955 through 1958 when the Yankees managed to win four consecutive American League pennants and two World Series.

While Bauer, Mantle, Ford, and Martin may have been world class party boys, they were also world class baseball players and laid it on the line every single game.  Manager Casey Stengel said to Hank Bauer, "You gave 110 percent every time you were in the lineup."  Stengel also referred to Bauer as one of his three best players in 1957.  Mickey Mantle was at the pinnacle of his success.  Mantle won the AL MVP award in both 1956 and 1957, and baseball's Triple Crown in 1956 with a 52HR, 130RBI and .353BA year!

In spite of how history has sullied the reputations of these Yankee players, especially Mantle, it is clear to me that the group's bonhomie and "hail fellow well met" approach to life enhanced, rather than hindered, their baseball performance.  (Read HERE.)  

The purpose of rehashing this story is to point out qualities possessed by the Copa six and other Yankees of that era that are seemingly missing on the 2012 squad.  I know the social mores have changed; I have lived through the changes that have occurred since the mid-1950's, but the 2012 Yankees have not shown anything like the toughness and camaraderie of that mid-fifties group.

When I watch Robinson Cano stroll to first base on ground balls, I certainly don't hearken back to the Yankees of the 50's and 60's.  Mickey Mantle, bad knees and all, busted his butt down the first base line almost every time.  The one time he failed to run hard on a ground ball in 1960, it was a national story.  Mantle was pulled from the lineup and publicly rebuked by Stengel.  We sure don't see that kind of behavior from the current Yankee manager when Cano loafs to first.

I have also noticed there are no war vets like Bauer and Jerry Coleman on the 2012 Yankees; There are no military vets at all, as far as I know.  Henry Albert "Hank" Bauer was a genuine WWII hero.  Bauer fought at Guadalcanal and Okinawa.  He earned eleven campaign ribbons, two Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts during his 32 months of Pacific Theatre combat.  In a desperate fight with the Japanese at Okinawa, Bauer commanded a Marine unit of 64 men.  Only six, including a badly wounded Bauer, survived.

Does anyone really think Hank Bauer could survive that ordeal and not acquire some real leadership skills?  I know society has changed and we will likely never see the Bauer, Mantle, Martin type of players again.  Hard scrabble lives make men tough, video games and cell phones, not so much!  Even so, there is no excuse for failing to face reality and doing your job as well as it can be done.  Today's baseball players are nothing like the men who played the game in post-war America. 

Whereas Yankees like Bauer, Berra, and Martin showed a fighting spirit, real leadership skills, and a strong bond as friends and teammates, the current squad of Yankees has not even demonstrated a sense of urgency during their extended baseball slump and funk.  Manager Joe Girardi seems to spend a lot of his time rationalizing and apologizing for the poor play of his team.  In fact, all we have heard from today's Yankee manager and players are platitudes, excuses, and rationalizations.  These are not good vibes if you are a Yankee fan hoping for more from this team.  Maybe it's just the sign of the times, who knows, but I do find it interesting.

Maybe the modern Yankees need to return to the rich Yankee tradition of a strongly bound team as a first step toward recovery.  Maybe somebody needs to exert some real leadership skill in the clubhouse.  Maybe somebody needs to throw a birthday party, bake a cake, go out to dinner, have some fun.  Maybe the Yankees should have a drink, loosen up a bit and stop trying to protect those well developed corporate images.  Light a fire!  Play some hardball baseball!  Hey... just an observation... it's my take. What do you think? Comment.

--Frank Gentry, BYB Writer

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