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 1932 Yankees Photo Gallery
Click on any image below to see photos in full size and to start Photo Gallery:

1932 New York Yankees

Check out this wonderful team photo of the 1932 World Series Champion Yankees, beautifully restored/colorized by the very talented artist, Chris Whitehouse of Mancave Pictures. I did the player IDs on this one a while back, so see how many names you can pick out before looking at the complete IDs below.

What a Team!

Of course, this gives me a chance to say a few words about this great team. It was loaded with superstars, including a record nine future Hall-of-Famers: Earle Combs, Bill Dickey, Lou Gehrig, Lefty Gomez, Tony Lazzeri, Herb Pennock, Red Ruffing, Babe Ruth, Joe Sewell, plus Hall-of-Fame manager, Joe McCarthy.

The Bronx Bombers finished the year at 107-42, 13 games ahead of the Philadelphia Athletics. They won their seventh pennant and fourth World Series title. For Joe McCarthy, whose career .615 winning percentage (2125-1333) is the highest in history, this was his second of nine

pennants (he won one with the Cubs in ‘29), and his first of seven World Series championships. In his time at the Yankees’ helm, he won eight pennants and all seven of his World Series titles. In the 1932 World Series, the Yanks swept the overmatched Cubs in four games.

Interesting Facts About the 1932 Yankees:

• They were the first team in major league history to go the entire season without being shutout. It’s only happened once since, by the 2000 Cincinnati Reds.
• On June 3, 1932, they played what has to be one of the most unique games in major league history. On that day, Lou Gehrig became the first player in the modern era to hit four homeruns in one game, something that has happened only 18 times in major league history. But on the same day, Tony Lazzeri hit for a natural cycle (single, double, triple, and homerun in order). Plus, the home run was a grand slam. A natural cycle has only happened 14 times in major league history. What are the odds of two such rare events happening in the same game!
• On May 2, 1932, a monument to Miller Huggins was dedicated in Yankee stadium. This was the first of what was to become Monument Park. It was placed in front of the flag pole in center field.
• This was the year of the famous Babe Ruth “Called Shot” in the 1932 World Series. Here’s a few words I wrote about it a couple years ago:

“Did He Or Didn’t He? The Babe Ruth ‘Called Shot’ ”

Babe Ruth’s “Called Shot” came in the fifth inning of Game Three of the 1932 World Series, on October 1, 1932, at Wrigley Field. During the at-bat, Ruth made a pointing gesture, which existing film confirms, but the exact nature of his gesture has never been settled. The story goes that Ruth pointed to the center-field bleachers during the at-bat. It was allegedly a declaration that he would hit a home run to this part of the park. On the next pitch, Ruth hit a home run to center field. The homer was his fifteenth, and last, in his 41 post-season games.

There is no dispute over the general events of the moment. All the reports say that the Chicago Cubs’ “bench jockeys” were riding Ruth mercilessly, and that Ruth, rather than ignoring them, was “playing” with them through words and gestures. The longtime debate is over the nature of one of Ruth’s gestures. It is unclear if he pointed to center field, to the pitcher, Charlie Root, or to the Cubs bench. Even the films of the at-bat that emerged during the 1990s have not allowed any definitive conclusions.

With the score tied at four in the fifth inning, he took strike one from Root. As the Cubs players heckled Ruth, and the fans hurled insults, Ruth held up his hand, pointing at either Root, the Cubs dugout, or center field. No one knows for sure what his intentions were. He then repeated this gesture after taking strike two.

Root’s next pitch was a curveball that Ruth hit at least 440 feet to the deepest part of center field near the flag pole (some estimates are as high as 490 feet). The ground distance to the center field corner, somewhat right of straightaway center, was 440 feet. The ball landed a little bit to the right of the 440 corner and farther back, apparently in the temporary seating in Sheffield Avenue behind the permanent interior bleacher seats.

Root was left in the game, but for only one pitch, which Lou Gehrig drilled into the right field seats for his second homer of the day. The Yankees won the game 7–5, and the next day they finished off the demoralized Cubs 13–6, completing the four-game sweep.

 Accounts of Two Who Were at the Game:

“Don’t let anybody tell you differently. Babe definitely pointed. You bet your life Ruth called it.” — Long-time Cubs public-address announcer Pat Pieper.

“My dad took me to see the World Series, and we were sitting behind third base, not too far back…. Ruth did point to the center-field scoreboard. And he did hit the ball out of the park after he pointed with his bat. So it really happened.” Associate Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens

Charlie Root went to his grave vehemently denying that Ruth ever pointed to center field.

1932 New York Yankees Player Identifications

Top Row, L-R: Doc Farrell, Red Ruffing, George Pipgras, Wilcy Moore, Charlie Devens, Danny MacFayden, Art Jorgens, Joe Sewell, Joe Glenn. Middle Row, L-R: Cy Perkins, Johnny Allen, Eddie Wells, Tony Lazzeri, Lefty Gomez, Babe Ruth, Jumbo Brown, Lou Gehrig, Earl Combs, Lyn Lary. Bottom Row, L-R: Herb Pennock, Sammy Byrd, Frankie Crosetti, Art Fletcher (coach), Joe McCarthy (Mgr.), Jimmy Burke (coach), Myril Hoag, Ben Chapman, Bill Dickey. Front: Jimmy Marr (mascot)