Why The New York Yankees Are the Greatest: Part Five

Almost all great baseball teams have had very good catchers.  Throughout the years when the New York Yankees have been champions, they have had very good or great catchers.

It must also be said that during those periods in their history when the Yankees have fallen on bad times, their catching has been suspect at best.

The only period in their history when the Yankees were winning championships and their catchers were not household names was in the 1920s.  From 1923 through 1929 the Yankees were world champs four times. 

But their catchers were two men not well known to any but the most avid baseball fans.  Benny Bengough and Pat Collins split time behind the plate in the Bronx. 

Bengough was the primary catcher from 1923 through 1925.   He remained with the club through 1929 but Collins caught more games from 1926 through 1928. 

A rookie came to the Yankees in 1928 and would be the mainstay behind home plate during the glory years of the 1930s and ‘40s. 

Bill Dickey would be elected to the Hall of Fame in 1954.  Dickey had a career batting average of .313.  One of the most amazing statistics for this catcher was that in 6300 plate appearances he only struck out 289 times.

Dickey missed two years during World War II when he served in the military.  After the All Star game was started in 1933, Dickey appeared in every mid-summer classic except 1935 and his two years in the service.

Dickey was nearing the end of his career when another Hall of Famer came to New York.  Very few people will argue when Yogi Berra is listed among the top three catchers of all time. 

But at first, Berra was so rough and raw on defense that he was placed in the special care of the old catcher, Dickey.  Through Dickey’s careful teaching, Yogi became one of the best defensive catchers in the game and the best known bad ball hitter of all time. 

Because Berra was so reliable behind home plate another catching great was relegated to part time duty for many years.  Elston Howard was the first African-American player signed by the New York team.  He came to the Yankees in 1955 when he was already twenty-six years old.

In his thirteen years with New York, Elllie Howard would be a member of nine pennant winners and four World Series championship teams.  By 1963 Howard had taken over most of the catching duties and he won MVP that year.

The Yankees went to the World Series in 1964 and lost to the Cardinals.  They would not get back to another fall classic for twelve years. 

After Elston Howard was finished, the Yanks primary catcher was Jake Gibbs who did not have the greatness that the Yankees had known at that position since 1929.  Gibbs played in New York from 1962 to 1971 but was mediocre at best. 

In 1969 another Yankee great took his place behind home plate.  Thurman Munson became the Yankee mainstay until his tragic death in 1979.   He was the heart of the Yankee championship teams of the 1970s and he finished his career with a .292 batting average.

Debate will always rage over whether Thurm or Carlton Fisk of Boston was the more valuable backstop.  Fisk put up better offensive numbers but during their rivalry, Munson led the Yankees to more glory than Boston was able to achieve.

With Thurman Munson’s death the Yankees began a steep decline that lasted through the 1980s and until 1995 when they finally returned to the post season. 

During those years New York had to be satisfied with catchers whose names have easily been forgotten:  Barry Foote, Don Slaught, Bob Geren, Joel Skinner, Ron Hassey, Don Slaught, Matt Nokes. 

A few catchers during that era were more notable, such as Rick Cerone and Butch Wynegar.  But they could not provide the offense Yankee fans had been accustomed to. 

Beginning in the early nineties, some names more familiar to younger Yankee fans came on the scene. 

With Mike Stanley, Jim Leyritz, and Joe Girardi sharing catching duties from 1992 to 1997 the Yankees went back to the playoffs and won another World Championship in ‘96.

Finally Jorge Posada, one of the most productive catchers on offense, has provided a steady influence at this position.  Posada became the regular Yankee catcher in 1998 until his injury riddled 2008 season.  During his time the Yankees gathered three more Series’ rings.

Posada has never been a classic defensive catcher.  But he has more than made up for his deficiencies behind the plate with his bat.  It remains to be seen whether he can return from shoulder surgery and be a full time catcher.

It also cannot be ignored that former catchers have led the Yankees as manager.  Yogi Berra, Ralph Houk, Joe Torre and Joe Girardi are among the former catchers who have led the Yankees from the bench.

From Bill Dickey to Yogi Berria to Elston Howard to Thurman Munson to Jorge Posada, when the Yankees have had great catchers, they have been the greatest team in baseball.