1974 New York Yankees

The final standing	2nd in AL East
Regular season record	89-73 (.549)
Post-season record	Did not qualify
Divisional rank	2nd
ALDS record and opponent	Did not play
AL rank	2nd
ALCS record and opponent	Did not play
World Series record and opponent	Did not play
Manager	Bill Virdon
Captain	–
Top batter	Home run: Graig Nettles (22), Thurman Munson (13), Bobby Murcer, Ron Blomberg (10) BA: Lou Piniella (.305), Elliott Maddox (.303), Roy White (.303) Runs: Elliot Maddox (75), Graig Nettles (74), Lou Piniella (71) RBI: Bobby Murcer (88), Graig Nettles (75), Lou Piniella (70)
Top pitcher/ (W-L, ERA)	Pat Dobson: 19-15, 3.07Doc Medich: 19-15, 3.60
Attendance record	1,273,075 (2nd of 12)

1974 New York Yankees season: A brief summary

In the crisp October air of 1974, the New York Yankees found themselves engaged in a high-stakes dance with destiny, chasing the elusive pennant that had eluded them for a decade. Under the seasoned guidance of their new skipper, Bill Virdon, the Yankees embarked on a rollercoaster season that would be etched into the annals of baseball lore.

For the entirety of the season, the Yankees, temporarily displaced from their beloved Yankee Stadium due to renovations, called Shea Stadium home. The unfamiliar surroundings did little to deter their resolve as they battled their way through the American League East. As the chilly winds of autumn swept over Milwaukee on October 1, the Yankees faced a decisive moment against the Brewers. In a dramatic clash, the game stretched into extra innings, each pitch laden with the weight of the Yankees’ hopes for a triumphant return to glory.

The night unfolded in a dramatic crescendo as the Milwaukee Brewers staged a late-game comeback, scoring two crucial runs in the eighth inning to level the score. The tension reached its peak in the 10th inning when George Scott, Milwaukee’s power hitter, delivered a clutch single with the bases loaded, sealing the Yankees’ fate and extinguishing their dreams of a pennant. With a heavy heart, the Yankees watched as the Baltimore Orioles secured their place in the playoffs. The aftermath of the game was a scene of mixed emotions in the Yankees’ locker room. Manager Bill Virdon, despite the bitter taste of defeat, commended his team of underdogs, a mix of pickups and traded players who had defied expectations throughout the season. “It’s just hard to finish second when you’re so close to first,” Virdon lamented, acknowledging the fine line between triumph and heartbreak.

In the quiet introspection that followed, players like Ron Blomberg and Roy White expressed a mix of disappointment and pride. White, contemplating a trade unless guaranteed regular playing time, conceded defeat with grace, recognizing the team’s remarkable comeback from midsummer obscurity. The 1974 season for the Yankees was a tale of resilience, epitomized by a stirring September surge that saw them win 23 of their last 33 games. Despite the ultimate heartbreak in Milwaukee, the Yankees left an indelible mark on the season, a testament to the unpredictable and magical nature of baseball in the sweltering heat of summer and the chilly embrace of fall. The 1974 Yankees may not have clinched the pennant, but their journey, marked by unforgettable moments and hard-fought victories, remains eternally etched in the collective memory of baseball enthusiasts.

1974 New York Yankees: Controversial tale of Graig Nettles’ broken bat

The crisp September day in 1974 bore witness to a clash that would go down in baseball history, where the New York Yankees’ Graig Nettles found himself at the center of a controversy that added a touch of intrigue to an already tight American League Eastern Division race.

The doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers unfolded as a crucial chapter in the Yankees’ pursuit of a coveted pennant. In the second game, Nettles emerged as the hero, delivering a solo home run in the second inning that secured a 1-0 victory and propelled the Yankees a game ahead in the division standings.

However, the real drama unfolded in the fifth inning when Nettles stepped up to the plate for his next at-bat. As he connected with the ball, the bat shattered into pieces, revealing an unexpected secret inside—six superballs that bounced onto the field. Tigers catcher Bill Freehan, quick to notice the peculiar turn of events, scrambled to collect the superballs, while the umpire, Lou DiMuro, called Nettles out on the broken-bat single.

In the post-game aftermath, Nettles maintained a façade of innocence, claiming he was unaware of anything unusual with the bat. With a straight face, he explained, “I didn’t know there was anything in the bat; that was the first time I used it.” According to Nettles, a Yankees fan in Chicago had gifted him the mysterious bat, assuring him it would bring good luck. The absence of a brand name on the bat added an extra layer of mystery, prompting speculation that it might have been a homemade creation.

The revelation of the cork-filled bat ignited discussions about the potential use of illegal equipment in baseball. Nettles insisted that he had unintentionally picked up the bat, mistaking it for the one he had been using in previous games. He maintained that the solo home run was achieved with a legitimate bat, possibly belonging to Walt Williams.

The Tigers, while inspecting the illegal bat, acknowledged that they couldn’t be certain if Nettles had used it for the home run. Detroit’s manager, Ralph Houk, commented with a sly grin, “We never cheat.” The situation left umpire DiMuro in a bind, as the only way to protest would have been at the time Nettles used the bat.

Despite the controversy surrounding Nettles’ bat, the Yankees emerged victorious in the second game, securing a crucial win in their quest for the division title. The incident, however, added a unique and unexpected chapter to the 1974 Yankees season, ensuring that Graig Nettles’ broken-bat controversy would be remembered as a peculiar footnote in baseball history.

1974 New York Yankees in videos

Postseason

(Did not qualify – Eliminated in Regular Season)

1974 New York Yankees roster

Name	Age	B	T	Ht	Wt	DoB	Yrs	G	GS	WAR	Salary
Sandy Alomar	30	B	R	5′ 9″	140	Oct 19, 1943	11	76	75	0.8	$40,000
Fred Beene	31	B	R	5′ 9″	155	Nov 24, 1942	6	6	0	0.1
Ron Blomberg	25	L	R	6′ 1″	195	Aug 23, 1948	5	90	71	2
Tom Buskey	27	R	R	6′ 3″	200	Feb 20, 1947	2	4	0	-0.3
Chris Chambliss	25	L	R	6′ 1″	195	Dec 26, 1948	4	110	103	0.7
Horace Clarke	35	B	R	5′ 9″	175	Jun 2, 1939	10	24	9	0.1
Jim Deidel	25	R	R	6′ 2″	195	Jun 6, 1949	1st	2	0	0.1	$8,000
Rick Dempsey	24	R	R	6′ 0″	190	Sep 13, 1949	6	43	25	0.9
Pat Dobson	32	R	R	6′ 3″	190	Feb 12, 1942	8	39	39	4.3	$58,000
Fernando Gonzalez	24	R	R	5′ 10″	165	Jun 19, 1950	3	51	36	-0.5
Larry Gura	26	B	L	6′ 0″	170	Nov 26, 1947	5	8	8	1.4
Jim Ray Hart	32	R	R	5′ 11″	185	Oct 30, 1941	12	10	4	-0.3	$25,000
Mike Hegan	31	L	L	6′ 1″	188	Jul 21, 1942	9	18	13	0.1
Alex Johnson	31	R	R	6′ 0″	205	Dec 7, 1942	11	10	4	-0.2	$62,000
Steve Kline	26	R	R	6′ 3″	200	Oct 6, 1947	5	4	4	0.2
Sparky Lyle	29	L	L	6′ 1″	182	Jul 22, 1944	8	66	0	3.4	$87,500
Elliott Maddox	26	R	R	5′ 11″	180	Dec 21, 1947	5	137	115	5.4	$23,000
Tippy Martinez	24	L	L	5′ 10″	180	May 31, 1950	1st	10	0	-0.1
Jim Mason	23	L	R	6′ 2″	185	Aug 14, 1950	4	152	144	1.2	$19,000
Rudy May	29	L	L	6′ 2″	205	Jul 18, 1944	7	17	15	2.7	$28,000
Sam McDowell	31	L	L	6′ 5″	190	Sep 21, 1942	14	13	7	-0.1	$67,500
Doc Medich	25	R	R	6′ 5″	225	Dec 9, 1948	3	39	38	2.9
Gene Michael	36	B	R	6′ 2″	183	Jun 2, 1938	9	81	52	0.7	$55,000
Thurman Munson	27	R	R	5′ 11″	190	Jun 7, 1947	6	144	140	3	$63,000
Bobby Murcer	28	L	R	5′ 11″	160	May 20, 1946	8	156	153	1	$110,000
Larry Murray	21	B	R	5′ 11″	179	Apr 1, 1953	1st	6	0	-0.1
Graig Nettles	29	L	R	6′ 0″	180	Aug 20, 1944	8	155	154	4.9
Dave Pagan	24	R	R	6′ 2″	175	Sep 15, 1949	2	16	6	-0.2
Fritz Peterson	32	B	L	6′ 0″	185	Feb 8, 1942	9	3	1	0	$65,000
Lou Piniella	30	R	R	6′ 0″	182	Aug 28, 1943	8	140	134	3.4	$57,000
Rick Sawyer	26	R	R	6′ 2″	205	Apr 7, 1948	1st	1	0	-0.3
Duke Sims	33	L	R	6′ 2″	197	Jun 5, 1941	11	5	3	-0.2	$50,000
Fred Stanley	26	R	R	5′ 10″	165	Aug 13, 1947	6	33	12	0.1
Mel Stottlemyre	32	R	R	6′ 1″	178	Nov 13, 1941	11	19	15	0.6	$87,500
Bill Sudakis	28	B	R	6′ 1″	190	Mar 27, 1946	7	89	67	-0.4	$30,000
Dick Tidrow	27	R	R	6′ 4″	210	May 14, 1947	3	33	25	0
Cecil Upshaw	31	R	R	6′ 6″	205	Oct 22, 1942	8	36	0	0.3
Otto Velez	23	R	R	6′ 0″	170	Nov 29, 1950	2	27	22	-0.1
Mike Wallace	23	L	L	6′ 2″	190	Feb 3, 1951	2	23	1	0.8
Roy White	30	B	R	5′ 10″	160	Dec 27, 1943	10	136	115	3.2
Terry Whitfield	21	L	R	6′ 1″	197	Jan 12, 1953	1st	2	1	-0.1
Walt Williams	30	R	R	5′ 6″	165	Dec 19, 1943	9	43	6	-1.1	$32,000
Dick Woodson	29	R	R	6′ 5″	205	Mar 30, 1945	5	8	3	-0.5
Ken Wright	27	R	R	6′ 2″	210	Sep 4, 1946	5	3	0	0.1	$20,000

1974 New York Yankees: Player additions, transactions, and trades

December 1973

• December 3: Drafted Billy Parker from the California Angels in the 1973 rule 5 draft.
• December 6: Purchased Jim Mason from the Texas Rangers.
• December 7: Purchased Bill Sudakis from the Texas Rangers. Traded Lindy McDaniel to the Kansas City Royals. Received Lou Piniella and Ken Wright.
• December 10: Released Hal Lanier.
• December 11: Released Ron Swoboda.

January 1974

• January 9: Drafted Ken Phelps in the 1st round (11th pick) of the 1974 amateur draft (January), but did not sign the player.

March 1974

• March 19: As part of a 3-team trade, traded Jerry Moses to the Detroit Tigers. Received Ed Farmer from the Detroit Tigers and Rick Sawyer and Walt Williams from the Cleveland Indians. In addition, the Detroit Tigers sent Jim Perry to the Cleveland Indians.
• March 21: Ed Farmer player rights sold to the Philadelphia Phillies.
• March 23: Purchased Elliott Maddox from the Texas Rangers.
• March 26: Released Wayne Granger.

April 1974

April 10: Released Mike Ferraro.

April 26: Traded Fred Beene, Tom Buskey, Steve Kline, and Fritz Peterson to the Cleveland Indians. Received Chris Chambliss, Dick Tidrow, and Cecil Upshaw.

May 1974

• May 3: Traded Ken Wright to the Philadelphia Phillies. Received Mike Wallace.
• May 4: Traded Mike Pazik and cash to the Minnesota Twins. Received Dick Woodson.
• May 5: Purchased Fernando Gonzalez from the Kansas City Royals.
• May 7: Traded Duke Sims to the Texas Rangers. Received Larry Gura and cash.
• May 13: Mike Hegan player rights sold to the Milwaukee Brewers.
• May 31: Horace Clarke and Lowell Palmer player rights sold to the San Diego Padres.

June 1974

• June 5: Drafted Dennis Sherrill in the 1st round (12th pick) of the 1974 amateur draft. Drafted Dave Bergman in the 2nd round of the 1974 amateur draft. Drafted Jerry Narron in the 6th round of the 1974 amateur draft.   Drafted Dennis Werth in the 19th round of the 1974 amateur draft.
• June 7: Released Jim Ray Hart.
• June 15: Purchased Rudy May from the California Angels.

July 1974

• July 8: Purchased Sandy Alomar from the California Angels.

September 1974

• September 6: Signed Dave Rajsich as an amateur free agent.
• September 9: Purchased Alex Johnson from the Texas Rangers.
• September 29: Signed Jesus Figueroa as an amateur free agent.

October 1974

• October 22: Traded Bobby Murcer to the San Francisco Giants. Received Bobby Bonds.

1974 New York Yankees: Player debuts

• Jim Deidel – 05-31-1974 – 24 years old
• Tippy Martinez – 08-09-1974 – 24 years old
• Larry Murray – 09-07-1974 – 21 years old
• Rick Sawyer – 04-28-1974 – 26 years old
• Terry Whitfield – 09-29-1974 – 21 years old

1974 New York Yankees team stats (batting)

Pos	Name	Age	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA
C	Thurman Munson	27	144	571	517	64	135	19	2	13	60	2	0	44	66	0.261
1B	Chris Chambliss*	25	110	427	400	38	97	16	3	6	43	0	0	23	43	0.243
2B	Sandy Alomar#	30	76	299	279	35	75	8	0	1	27	6	4	14	25	0.269
SS	Jim Mason*	23	152	487	440	41	110	18	6	5	37	1	2	35	87	0.25
3B	Graig Nettles*	29	155	638	566	74	139	21	1	22	75	1	0	59	75	0.246
LF	Lou Piniella	30	140	567	518	71	158	26	0	9	70	1	8	32	58	0.305
CF	Elliott Maddox	26	137	550	466	75	141	26	2	3	45	6	5	69	48	0.303
RF	Bobby Murcer*	28	156	679	606	69	166	25	4	10	88	14	5	57	59	0.274
DH	Ron Blomberg*	25	90	301	264	39	82	11	2	10	48	2	1	29	33	0.311
LF	Roy White#	30	136	556	473	68	130	19	8	7	43	15	6	67	44	0.275
DH	Bill Sudakis#	28	89	293	259	26	60	8	0	7	39	0	0	25	48	0.232
MI	Gene Michael#	36	81	193	177	19	46	9	0	0	13	0	0	14	24	0.26
2B	Fernando Gonzalez	24	51	130	121	11	26	5	1	1	7	0	0	7	7	0.215
C	Rick Dempsey	24	43	119	109	12	26	3	0	2	12	1	0	8	7	0.239
1B	Otto Velez	23	27	84	67	9	14	1	1	2	10	0	0	15	24	0.209
1B	Mike Hegan*	31	18	62	53	3	12	2	0	2	9	1	1	5	9	0.226
OF	Walt Williams	30	43	56	53	5	6	0	0	0	3	1	0	1	10	0.113
2B	Horace Clarke#	35	24	53	47	3	11	1	0	0	1	1	0	4	5	0.234
MI	Fred Stanley	26	33	42	38	2	7	0	0	0	3	1	2	3	2	0.184
DH	Alex Johnson	31	10	28	28	3	6	1	0	1	2	0	0	0	3	0.214
DH	Jim Ray Hart	32	10	22	19	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	7	0.053
DH	Duke Sims*	33	5	16	15	1	2	1	0	0	2	0	0	1	5	0.133
CF	Terry Whitfield*	21	2	5	5	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0.2
C	Jim Deidel	25	2	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
OF	Larry Murray#	21	6	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
	Team Totals	27.8	162	6182	5524	671	1451	220	30	101	637	53	35	515	690	0.263
	Rank in 12 AL teams				6	6	4	6	9	9		12	1	6	1	5

1974 New York Yankees team stats (pitching)

Pos	Name	Age	W	L	W-L%	ERA	G	GS	GF	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	R	ER
SP	Pat Dobson	32	19	15	0.559	3.07	39	39	0	12	2	0	281	282	111	96
SP	Doc Medich	25	19	15	0.559	3.6	38	38	0	17	4	0	279.2	275	122	112
SP	Dick Tidrow	27	11	9	0.55	3.87	33	25	4	5	0	1	190.2	205	99	82
SP	Rudy May*	29	8	4	0.667	2.28	17	15	1	8	2	0	114.1	75	36	29
SP	Mel Stottlemyre	32	6	7	0.462	3.58	16	15	1	6	0	0	113	119	54	45
CL	Sparky Lyle*	29	9	3	0.75	1.66	66	0	59	0	0	15	114	93	30	21
RP	Cecil Upshaw	31	1	5	0.167	3.02	36	0	17	0	0	6	59.2	53	25	20
RP	Mike Wallace*	23	6	0	1	2.41	23	1	8	0	0	0	52.1	42	18	14
RP	Dave Pagan	24	1	3	0.25	5.11	16	6	2	1	0	0	49.1	49	29	28
RP	Sam McDowell*	31	1	6	0.143	4.69	13	7	3	0	0	0	48	42	27	25
	Larry Gura*	26	5	1	0.833	2.41	8	8	0	4	2	0	56	54	17	15
	Dick Woodson	29	1	2	0.333	5.79	8	3	2	0	0	0	28	34	19	18
	Steve Kline	26	2	2	0.5	3.46	4	4	0	0	0	0	26	26	12	10
	Tippy Martinez*	24	0	0		4.26	10	0	4	0	0	0	12.2	14	7	6
	Fred Beene	31	0	0		2.7	6	0	3	0	0	1	10	9	4	3
	Fritz Peterson*	32	0	0		4.7	3	1	2	0	0	0	7.2	13	4	4
	Ken Wright	27	0	0		3.18	3	0	1	0	0	0	5.2	5	2	2
	Tom Buskey	27	0	1	0	6.35	4	0	2	0	0	1	5.2	10	4	4
	Rick Sawyer	26	0	0		16.2	1	0	0	0	0	0	1.2	2	3	3
	Team Totals	28.3	89	73	0.549	3.31	162	162	109	53	10	24	1455.1	1402	623	535
	Rank in 12 AL teams		3	10		3				8	3	6	6	4	3	2

1974 New York Yankees: Record vs. opponents/ Team splits

Opponent (Games)	Won	Lost	WP
Baltimore Orioles (18)	7	11	0.389
Boston Red Sox (18)	7	11	0.389
California Angels (12)	9	3	0.750
Chicago White Sox (12)	8	4	0.667
Cleveland Indians (18)	11	7	0.611
Detroit Tigers (18)	7	11	0.389
Kansas City Royals (12)	8	4	0.667
Milwaukee Brewers (18)	9	9	0.500
Minnesota Twins (12)	8	4	0.667
Oakland Athletics (12)	7	5	0.583
Texas Rangers (12)	8	4	0.667

1974 New York Yankees: Monthly record

Month (Games)	Won	Lost	WP
April (23)	13	10	0.565
May (27)	10	17	0.370
June (24)	12	12	0.500
July (29)	16	13	0.552
August (28)	18	10	0.643
September (29)	19	10	0.655
October (2)	1	1	0.500

1974 New York Yankees All-Stars

• Bobby Murcer
• Thurman Munson

1974 New York Yankees: Awards and Honors

Gold Glove

Thurman Munson

The Sporting News Manager of the Year Award

Bill Virdon

All-Star Appearances

• Bobby Murcer
• Thurman Munson

Other Achievements

• Elliott Maddox finished 8th in AL MVP Voting.

1974 New York Yankees: Dick Williams and the unfinished Chapter of Bronx managerial drama

The saga of Dick Williams’ thwarted managerial stint with the New York Yankees during the 1974 season reads like a gripping tale of legal battles and baseball politics, a narrative that unfolded in the offseason following the Yankees’ ownership change.

George Steinbrenner, the new owner of the Yankees, and his right-hand man, Gabe Paul, set their sights on Dick Williams, the seasoned skipper who had recently resigned from the Oakland Athletics after leading them to back-to-back World Series titles. However, the attempt to bring Williams to the Yankees was met with fierce resistance from A’s owner Charlie Finley.

Williams, having navigated the waters of Finley’s ownership in Oakland, seemed poised to take on the challenge of managing the Yankees. The Yankees officially named Williams their manager for the 1974 season on December 13, 1973, signing him to a three-year, $70,000-per-season deal. The move sparked immediate protest from Finley, who filed a complaint with the league office, arguing that Williams was still under contract with the Athletics.

The controversy escalated to the desk of American League president Joe Cronin, who, on December 20, 1973, ruled in favor of Finley. The decision was a significant blow to the Yankees’ plans, as Cronin’s ruling prevented Williams from taking the helm in New York. It was a continuation of the drama that had begun immediately after the 1973 World Series, where Williams had resigned as the A’s manager despite being under contract for the 1974 season.

Williams, a seasoned veteran who had previously managed the Boston Red Sox to an American League pennant in 1967, found himself in the crossfire of legal battles and contract disputes. He maintained that, in his mind, he was a free agent and not bound by the Oakland contract. The Yankees, led by President Gabe Paul, contended that they had the right to sign Williams and consulted with their attorneys to support their case.

Cronin’s ruling stipulated that Williams could only manage in 1974 if Finley agreed to the deal and that Finley could demand compensation from the Yankees for letting Williams out of his contract. The asking price, however, was steep—Yankees minor league prospects Scott McGregor and Otto Velez.

Williams, in his autobiography “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” reflected on the turn of events, stating, “When he said those names, I knew my world had been turned on its ear. Because I knew the Yankees wouldn’t agree to such a deal, nor should they.”

With the impasse unresolved, the Yankees, on January 3, 1974, announced that Bill Virdon would be their new manager, ending the Dick Williams era before it even began in the Bronx. Williams, after sitting out the beginning of the 1974 season, eventually took over as the manager of the California Angels on June 30, 1974, after Finley agreed to let him go.

Dick Williams’ managerial career continued with stints with the Expos, Padres, and Mariners, accumulating 1,571 wins, four pennants, and two World Series titles. Despite the legal battles that marked his attempt to manage the Yankees in 1974, Williams earned his place in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008, leaving a lasting legacy in the world of baseball strategy and leadership.

How do you rate the 1974 New York Yankees?