New York Yankees 1973 1981

A group of investors, led by Cleveland-based shipbuilder George Steinbrenner, purchased the club from CBS on January 3, 1973 for $8.7 million. Mike Burke stayed on as president until he quit in April. Within a year, Steinbrenner bought out most of his other partners and became the team's principal owner, although Burke continued to hold a minority share into the 1980s.
One of Steinbrenner's major goals was to repair the Stadium, which had greatly deteriorated by the late 1960s. CBS initially suggested renovations, but the team would have needed to play elsewhere, and the Mets refused to open their home, Shea Stadium, to the Yankees. A new stadium in the Meadowlands, across the Hudson River in New Jersey, was suggested. Finally, in mid-1972, Mayor John Lindsay stepped in. The city bought the Stadium and began an extensive two-year renovation period. Since the city owned Shea, the Mets had to allow the Yankees to play two seasons there. The renovations modernized the look of the stadium and reconfigured some of the seating.
After the 1974 season, Steinbrenner made a move that started
the modern era of free agency, signing star pitcher Jim "Catfish"
Hunter away from Oakland. Midway through the 1975 season, Steinbrenner
made another move, hiring former second baseman Billy Martin as
manager. With Martin at the helm, the Yankees reached the 1976 World
Series, but were swept by the Cincinnati Reds and their famed "Big Red
Machine."
After the 1976 campaign, Steinbrenner added star Oakland outfielder
Reggie Jackson to his roster. During spring training of 1977, Jackson
alienated his teammates with controversial remarks about the Yankees
captain, catcher Thurman Munson. He had bad blood with manager Billy
Martin, who had managed the Detroit Tigers when Jackson's Athletics
defeated them in the 1972 playoffs.
Jackson, Martin, and Steinbrenner repeatedly feuded with each other
throughout the life of Jackson's five-year contract. Martin would be
hired and fired by Steinbrenner five times over the next 13 years. This
conflict, combined with the extremely rowdy Yankees fans of the late
1970s and the bad conditions of the Bronx, led to the Yankee
organization and stadium being referred to as the "Bronx Zoo." Despite
the turmoil, Jackson starred in the 1977 World Series, when he hit
three home runs in the same game, and overall, four home runs on four
consecutive pitches from four different pitchers. Jackson's great
performance in the postseason earned him the Series MVP Award, and the
nickname "Mr. October."
On July 14, 1978, the Yankees were 14½ games behind the Red Sox. The
Yankees went on a long winning streak, and by the time they met Boston
for a pivotal four-game series at Fenway Park in early September, they
were only four games behind the Red Sox. The Yankees swept the Red Sox
in what became known as the "Boston Massacre", winning the games 15–3,
13–2, 7–0, and 7–4. The third game was a shutout pitched by "Louisiana
Lightning" Ron Guidry, who would lead the majors with nine shutouts, a
25–3 record, and a 1.74 ERA. Guidry finished with 248 strikeouts, but
Nolan Ryan's 260 strikeouts with the California Angels deprived Guidry
of the pitching Triple Crown.
On the last day of the season, the two clubs finished in a tie for
first place in the AL East, and a one-game playoff (the 163rd game of
the regular season) was held at Fenway Park. With Guidry pitching
against former Yankee Mike Torrez, the Red Sox took an early 2–0 lead.
In the seventh inning, light-hitting Yankee shortstop Bucky Dent drove
a three-run home run over the "Green Monster" (Fenway Park's famed left
field wall), putting the Yankees up 3–2. Reggie Jackson's solo home run
in the following inning sealed the eventual 5–4 win that gave the
Yankees their 100th win of the season and their third straight AL East
title and Guidry earned his 25th win of the season.
After beating the Kansas City Royals for the third consecutive year in
the ALCS, the Yankees faced the Dodgers again in the World Series. They
lost the first two games in LA, but won all three games at Yankee
Stadium and won Game 6 in Los Angeles, winning their 22nd World
Championship.
The 1970s ended on a tragic note for the Yankees. On August 2, 1979,
Thurman Munson died after crashing his private plane while practicing
"Touch and Go" landings. Four days later, the entire team flew out to
Canton, Ohio for the funeral, despite having a game later that day
against the Orioles. Martin adamantly stated that the funeral was more
important, and that he did not care if they made it back in time. Bobby
Murcer, a close friend of Munson's, was chosen to give the eulogy at
his funeral. In a nationally televised and emotional game, Murcer used
Munson's bat (which he gave to his fallen friend's wife after the
game), and drove in all five of the team's runs in a dramatic 5–4
walk-off victory. Before the game, Munson's locker sat empty except for
his catching gear, a sad reminder for his teammates. His locker,
labeled with his number 15, has remained empty in the Yankee clubhouse
as a memorial. The number 15 has been retired by the team.
The 1980 season brought more changes to the Yankees. Billy Martin was
fired once again and Dick Howser took his place. The Yankees won 103
games and the AL East by three games over the 100-win Baltimore
Orioles, but were swept by the Royals in the 1980 ALCS.
After the season ended, the Yankees signed Dave Winfield to a ten-year
contract. The Yankees fired Howser and replaced him with Gene Michael.
Under Michael, the Yankees led the AL East before a strike hit in June
of 1981. In the second half of the season, the Yankees struggled under
Bob Lemon, who replaced Michael. Thanks to the split-season playoff
format, the Yankees faced the second-half winner Milwaukee Brewers in
the special 1981 American League Division Series. After narrowly
defeating Milwaukee in five games, they breezed through Billy Martin
and the Oakland Athletics in a three-game ALCS. In the World Series,
the Yankees got off to a hot start by winning the first two games
against the Los Angeles Dodgers. But the Dodgers fought back and
stunned the Yankees by winning the next four games to clinch their
first World Series title since 1965.