The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team that plays in the American League. The Yankees are one of the eight charter members of the American League. They were formed in 1901 as the Baltimore Orioles, moving to New York in 1903 when their name was changed to the New York Highlanders. In 1913 the Highlanders’ officially became the New York Yankees and has remained so ever since.

Over the years the Yankees have won 39 American League pennants and 26 World Series, the most by any professional baseball team, or any franchised sports team. Yankee history is dotted with colorful characters, Babe Ruth in the 1920 to 1930, Joe DiMaggio from 1936 until 1951, and Casey Stengel. There are many stories about the years while Casey Stengel was the Yankees’ manager. One cute one was during a game in the later innings, Stengel wanted the umpire to order the stadium lights be put on, but the umpire refused. Shortly after that Casey went out to the mound to bring in a relief pitcher and he signaled the dugout by waving a lantern back and forth. The lights were turned on.

Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris next brought added fame to the team with their respective hitting prowess. Louis B. Tiffany designed the very popular “NY” that adorns the Yankee uniforms and hats in 1877 in tribute to the first NYPD officer killed in the line of duty. One of the owners of the Yankees, Bill Devery, was a retired police chief and chose the design of those letters for the New York Yankees.