1980 New York Yankees

The final standing	Lost the ALCS to the Kansas City Royals
Regular-season record	103-59 (.636)
Post-season record	0-3
Divisional rank	1st
ALDS record and opponent	–
AL rank	1st
ALCS record and opponent	Lost 0-3  vs Kansas City Royals
World Series record and opponent	–
Manager	Dick Howser
Captain	–
Top batter	Home run: Reggie Jackson (41), Graig Nettles (16), Rick Cerone, Bobby Brown, Oscar Gamble (14) BA: Bob Watson (.307), Reggie Jackson (.300), Willie Randolph (.294), Dennis Werth (.308 in 39 games) Runs: Willie Randolph (90), Reggie Jackson (94), Rick Cerone (70) RBI: Reggie Jackson (111), Rick Cerone (85), Bob Watson (68)
Top pitcher/ (W-L, ERA)	Tommy John: 22-9, 3.43 Ron Guidry: 17-10, 3.56 Rudy May: 15-5, 4.89
Attendance record	2,627,417 (1st of 14)

1980 New York Yankees season: A brief summary

In the pulsating saga of the 1980 New York Yankees, a resilient team sought redemption after a challenging 1979 season marked by a tragic plane crash that claimed the life of their beloved captain, Thurman Munson. The Yankees, donning the pinstripes with determination, aimed to restore their former glory.

Under the helm of Manager Dick Howser, a departure from the familiar faces of Billy Martin and Bob Lemon, the Yankees underwent some strategic changes. Notable departures included pitching legend Jim “Catfish” Hunter, the versatile Roy White, and the spirited Chris Chambliss, among others. Rick Cerone assumed the challenging role of catcher, adding a new dimension to the team.

The season kicked off with a sluggish start in April, but as the summer sun warmed the Bronx, the Yankees ignited a nine-game winning streak in June. By July, they had built an impressive nine-and-a-half-game lead in the American League East, setting the stage for a promising season.

All-Stars emerged in the likes of Bucky Dent, Reggie Jackson, Graig Nettles, Willie Randolph, Tommy John, and Goose Gossage, showcasing the depth of talent on the Yankees roster. However, the Baltimore Orioles, the defending American League Champions, emerged as formidable rivals, challenging the Yankees with a series of closely contested matchups.

As August unfolded, the Yankees found themselves in a tight race, only 1.5 games ahead of the Orioles. Undeterred, the Bronx Bombers displayed their mettle, concluding the season with a spectacular 25-8 run, amassing 103 wins and securing the division title. Tommy John’s stellar performance, Ron Guidry‘s consistency, and Goose Gossage’s 33 saves played pivotal roles in the team’s success.

In the batter’s box, Bob Watson led the team with a .307 batting average, while Reggie Jackson delivered a powerhouse season with a .300 average, 41 home runs, and 111 RBIs. Willie Randolph and Lou Piniella contributed significantly, adding to the offensive prowess of the team.

However, the narrative took an unexpected turn in the American League Championship Series (ALCS) against the Kansas City Royals. Despite their historical dominance over the Royals in previous ALCS matchups, the Yankees faced a formidable opponent in 1980. The Royals, finishing the regular season with the third-best record in the majors, showcased their resilience.

Game one unfolded with a promising start for the Yankees, as Rick Cerone and Lou Piniella hit back-to-back home runs. Yet, the Royals staged a remarkable comeback, silencing the Yankees’ bats. The subsequent games saw tight contests, but the Royals ultimately triumphed, ending the Yankees’ dream of a World Series appearance.

Despite the disappointment, Manager Dick Howser, who had led the Yankees to their best regular-season record since 1963, faced an unexpected fate – dismissal. The Yankees would go on to secure the AL Pennant in 1981, but the sweet taste of championship glory remained elusive until 1996.

1980 New York Yankees: Dome dreams and diamond dramas at exhibition showdown in New Orleans

The year 1980 marked a pivotal moment for baseball enthusiasts in the vibrant city of New Orleans as the iconic Louisiana Superdome played host to a captivating two-game exhibition series between the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles on the weekend of March 15 and 16.

The Louisiana Superdome, a dazzling symbol of architectural prowess, had previously welcomed major league baseball in 1976 in a bid to entice prospective MLB owners and officials to consider New Orleans for a franchise. The grandeur of the domed stadium was showcased once again in 1980 as it became the stage for a fierce encounter between two baseball powerhouses.

The Yankees, no strangers to the southern city, had historical ties with New Orleans, having utilized it as a spring training site in the early 1920s and again in 1948 for a two-game exhibition series against the local minor-league affiliate, the Pelicans. Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, influenced by his connection with legendary Grambling football coach Eddie Robinson, even donated a portion of the team’s proceeds from the Superdome exhibition series to the university.

The 1980 Yankees, led by newly appointed skipper Dick Howser, entered the exhibition series looking to bounce back from a disappointing fourth-place finish in the American League East in the previous season. On the other side, the Orioles, managed by the legendary Earl Weaver, were riding high on their American League pennant win in 1979.

The first game of the series played on March 15, drew an impressive crowd of 45,152, setting a record for a baseball game in New Orleans at that time. The atmosphere was electrifying, with chants of “Reg-gie, Reg-gie” echoing through the Superdome as Yankees slugger Reggie Jackson delivered a highlight-reel moment with a line-shot home run off Orioles pitcher Jim Palmer in the second inning.

The game saw a seesaw battle, with both teams exchanging blows. The Orioles initially took the lead, but the Yankees, fueled by Jackson’s heroics and an explosive fourth inning, secured a resounding 9-3 victory. Notable contributions came from Brad Gulden, Bobby Murcer, and Jim Spencer, each leaving their mark on the scoreboard.

Reggie Jackson, reflecting on the game, expressed his admiration for the enthusiastic crowd, stating, “I thought the crowd was very appreciative. They enjoyed seeing baseball, and they enjoyed seeing the Yankees.”

The following day, the second game of the series unfolded with popular Louisiana native Ron Guidry taking the mound for the Yankees. However, Guidry faced early struggles, surrendering four runs in the first inning. The Orioles, capitalizing on their early lead, went on to dominate with a 7-1 victory in front of 43,399 fans.

George Steinbrenner, impressed by the turnout and the vibrant baseball culture in New Orleans, voiced his support for the city’s potential to host a major-league franchise. He remarked, “You look out and see 45,000 people coming to an exhibition game, and not just coming out, but the attitude of the people, talking baseball, wearing caps…baseball is making a big mistake if they didn’t put a franchise in here.”

Despite Steinbrenner’s optimism, the dream of a major-league team in New Orleans remained elusive. The city continued to host major-league exhibition games until 1999, but the absence of a local backer and concerns over the region’s economic viability thwarted the prospects of securing a franchise. The Louisiana Superdome, though a spectacular venue for baseball, couldn’t alone overcome the intricate challenges that stood in the way of bringing a team to the spirited city of New Orleans.

1980 New York Yankees in videos

1980 New York Yankees: ALCS Result

ALCS vs Royals(0-3)

 (Home: 0-1; Away: 0-2)

Game	Date	Score	Location	Time	Attendance
1	October 8	New York Yankees – 2, Kansas City Royals – 7	Royals Stadium	3:00	42,598
2	October 9	New York Yankees – 2, Kansas City Royals – 3	Royals Stadium	2:51	42,633
3	October 10	Kansas City Royals – 4, New York Yankees – 2	Yankee Stadium	2:59	56,588

World Series Result

(Did not play)

1980 New York Yankees: Roster

Name	Age	B	T	Ht	Wt	DoB	Yrs	G	GS	WAR	Salary
Doug Bird	30	R	R	6′ 4″	180	Mar 5, 1950	8	22	1	1.3
Paul Blair	36	R	R	6′ 0″	168	Feb 1, 1944	17	12	0	0
Marshall Brant	24	R	R	6′ 5″	185	Sep 17, 1955	1st	3	1	-0.2
Bobby Brown	26	B	R	6′ 2″	190	May 25, 1954	2	137	103	1.4
Rick Cerone	26	R	R	5′ 11″	192	May 19, 1954	6	147	146	4.2	$100,000
Ron Davis	24	R	R	6′ 4″	205	Aug 6, 1955	3	53	0	2.2
Bucky Dent	28	R	R	5′ 11″	170	Nov 25, 1951	8	141	141	4
Brian Doyle	26	L	R	5′ 10″	160	Jan 26, 1954	3	34	23	-0.7
Ed Figueroa	31	R	R	6′ 1″	190	Oct 14, 1948	7	15	9	-1
Oscar Gamble	30	L	R	5′ 11″	160	Dec 20, 1949	12	78	51	1.9	$475,000
Rich Gossage HOF	28	R	R	6′ 3″	180	Jul 5, 1951	9	64	0	3.4	$458,000
Mike Griffin	23	R	R	6′ 4″	195	Jun 26, 1957	2	13	9	-0.3
Ron Guidry	29	L	L	5′ 11″	161	Aug 28, 1950	6	37	29	3.2	$233,791
Brad Gulden	24	L	R	5′ 10″	175	Jun 10, 1956	3	2	0	0.1
Roger Holt	24	B	R	5′ 11″	165	Apr 8, 1956	1st	2	2	0.1
Reggie Jackson HOF	34	L	L	6′ 0″	195	May 18, 1946	14	143	138	4.8	$525,000
Tommy John	37	R	L	6′ 3″	180	May 22, 1943	17	36	36	4.1	$575,000
Ruppert Jones	25	L	L	5′ 10″	170	Mar 12, 1955	5	83	82	0.5
Jim Kaat HOF	41	L	L	6′ 4″	205	Nov 7, 1938	22	4	0	-0.3	$150,000
Joe Lefebvre	24	L	R	5′ 10″	170	Feb 22, 1956	1st	74	39	-0.1
Tim Lollar	24	L	L	6′ 3″	200	Mar 17, 1956	1st	14	1	0.4
Rudy May	35	L	L	6′ 2″	205	Jul 18, 1944	13	41	17	4.9	$226,667
Bobby Murcer	34	L	R	5′ 11″	160	May 20, 1946	14	100	72	0	$320,000
Graig Nettles	35	L	R	6′ 0″	180	Aug 20, 1944	14	89	85	1.4
Johnny Oates	34	L	R	5′ 11″	188	Jan 21, 1946	10	39	15	0.2
Gaylord Perry HOF	41	R	R	6′ 4″	205	Sep 15, 1938	19	10	8	-0.3
Lou Piniella	36	R	R	6′ 0″	182	Aug 28, 1943	14	116	81	-0.2
Willie Randolph	25	R	R	5′ 11″	165	Jul 6, 1954	6	138	137	6.6	$245,000
Bruce Robinson	26	L	R	6′ 2″	195	Apr 16, 1954	3	4	1	-0.1
Aurelio Rodriguez	32	R	R	5′ 10″	180	Dec 28, 1947	14	52	46	-1
Dennis Sherrill	24	R	R	6′ 0″	165	May 3, 1956	2	3	1	-0.1
Eric Soderholm	31	R	R	5′ 11″	187	Sep 24, 1948	9	95	79	1.8
Jim Spencer	32	L	L	6′ 2″	195	Jul 30, 1947	13	97	65	-0.2
Fred Stanley	32	R	R	5′ 10″	165	Aug 13, 1947	12	49	20	0
Luis Tiant	39	R	R	6′ 0″	180	Nov 23, 1940	17	25	25	0.2	$370,000
Tom Underwood	26	R	L	5′ 11″	170	Dec 22, 1953	7	38	27	2.4
Bob Watson	34	R	R	6′ 0″	201	Apr 10, 1946	15	130	112	2.4	$570,000
Dennis Werth	27	R	R	6′ 1″	200	Dec 29, 1952	2	39	17	0.7
Ted Wilborn	21	B	R	6′ 0″	165	Dec 16, 1958	2	8	1	-0.1

1980 New York Yankees: Player additions, transactions, and trades

November 1979

• Nov 1: Don Hood, Jim Kaat, Lenny Randle, George Scott, and Roy White granted Free Agency.
• Nov 1: Traded Rick Anderson, Jim Beattie, Juan Beniquez, and Jerry Narron to the Seattle Mariners. Received Ruppert Jones and Jim Lewis.
• Nov 1: Traded Chris Chambliss, Damaso Garcia, and Paul Mirabella to the Toronto Blue Jays. Received Rick Cerone, Tom Underwood, and Ted Wilborn.
• Nov 8: Signed Rudy May and Bob Watson as free agents.
• Nov 14: Released Marshall Brant.
• Nov 14: Traded players to be named later and cash to the Texas Rangers. Received Eric Soderholm. The New York Yankees sent Amos Lewis (minors) and Ricky Burdette (minors) to the Texas Rangers to complete the trade.

December 1979

• Dec 8: Purchased Andre Robertson from the Toronto Blue Jays.

January 1980

• Jan 11: Drafted Tom Dodd in the 1st round (7th pick) of the 1980 amateur draft (January Secondary).
• Jan 24: Signed Jim Nettles as a free agent.

March 1980

• Mar 10: Signed Jose Cano as an amateur free agent.

April 1980

• Apr 1: Signed Jim Kaat as a free agent.
• Apr 1: Purchased Marshall Brant from the New York Mets.
• Apr 4: Signed Johnny Oates as a free agent.
• Apr 29: Signed Doug Bird as a free agent.
• Apr 30: Jim Kaat player rights sold to the St. Louis Cardinals.

May 1980

• May 28: Signed Paul Blair as a free agent.

June 1980

• Jun 3: Signed Edwin Rodriguez as an amateur free agent.
• Jun 3: Drafted Randy Hunt in the 3rd round of the 1980 amateur draft (June Secondary), but did not sign the player.
• Jun 3: Drafted Glenn Braggs in the 6th round of the 1980 amateur draft, but did not sign the player.
• Jun 3: Drafted Clay Christiansen in the 15th round of the 1980 amateur draft.
• Jun 3: Drafted Ben Callahan in the 31st round of the 1980 amateur draft.
• Jun 3: Drafted Pat Clements in the 32nd round of the 1980 amateur draft, but did not sign the player.
• Jun 15: Signed Ed Olwine as an amateur free agent.

July 1980

• Jul 1: Released Paul Blair.
• Jul 28: Ed Figueroa player rights sold to the Texas Rangers.

August 1980

• Aug 1: Signed Jose Rijo as an amateur free agent.
• Aug 4: Purchased Aurelio Rodriguez from the San Diego Padres.
• Aug 6: Released Jose Cano.
• Aug 14: Traded a player to be named later and Ken Clay to the Texas Rangers. Received Gaylord Perry. The New York Yankees sent Marv Thompson (minors) to the Texas Rangers to complete the trade.

October 1980

• Oct 23: Gaylord Perry granted Free Agency.
• Oct 24: Released Don Gullett.
• Oct 24: Traded Roger Holt to the Texas Rangers. Received Tucker Ashford and cash.
• Oct 27: Luis Tiant granted Free Agency.

1980 New York Yankees: Player debuts

• Marshall Brant – 10-01-1980 – 25 years old
• Roger Holt – 10-04-1980 – 24 years old
• Joe Lefebvre – 05-22-1980 – 24 years old
• Tim Lollar – 06-28-1980 – 24 years old

1980 New York Yankees stats (batting)

Pos	Name	Age	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA
C	Rick Cerone	26	147	575	519	70	144	30	4	14	85	1	3	32	56	0.277
1B	Bob Watson	34	130	525	469	62	144	25	3	13	68	2	1	48	56	0.307
2B	Willie Randolph	25	138	642	513	99	151	23	7	7	46	30	5	119	45	0.294
SS	Bucky Dent	28	141	553	489	57	128	26	2	5	52	0	3	48	37	0.262
3B	Graig Nettles	35	89	369	324	52	79	14	0	16	45	0	0	42	42	0.244
LF	Lou Piniella	36	116	355	321	39	92	18	0	2	27	0	2	29	20	0.287
CF	Ruppert Jones	25	83	373	328	38	73	11	3	9	42	18	8	34	50	0.223
RF	Reggie Jackson	34	143	601	514	94	154	22	4	41	111	1	2	83	122	0.3
DH	Eric Soderholm	31	95	304	275	38	79	13	1	11	35	0	0	27	25	0.287
OF	Bobby Brown	26	137	446	412	65	107	12	5	14	47	27	8	29	82	0.26
DH	Bobby Murcer	34	100	345	297	41	80	9	1	13	57	2	0	34	28	0.269
1B	Jim Spencer	32	97	295	259	38	61	9	0	13	43	1	0	30	44	0.236
LF	Oscar Gamble	30	78	229	194	40	54	10	2	14	50	2	0	28	21	0.278
3B	Aurelio Rodriguez	32	52	182	164	14	36	6	1	3	14	0	0	7	35	0.22
RF	Joe Lefebvre	24	74	178	150	26	34	1	1	8	21	0	0	27	30	0.227
IF	Fred Stanley	32	49	95	86	13	18	3	0	0	5	0	0	5	5	0.209
MI	Brian Doyle	26	34	81	75	8	13	1	0	1	5	1	1	6	7	0.173
UT	Dennis Werth	27	39	78	65	15	20	3	0	3	12	0	1	12	19	0.308
C	Johnny Oates	34	39	67	64	6	12	3	0	1	3	1	2	2	3	0.188
OF	Ted Wilborn	21	8	8	8	2	2	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0.25
2B	Roger Holt	24	2	7	6	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	2	0.167
1B	Marshall Brant	24	3	6	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
C	Bruce Robinson	26	4	5	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
MI	Dennis Sherrill	24	3	4	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0.25
C	Brad Gulden	24	2	3	3	1	1	0	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	0.333
OF	Paul Blair	36	12	2	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Team Totals	30	162	6329	5553	820	1484	239	34	189	772	86	36	643	739	0.267
	Rank in 14 AL teams				8	2	8	9	11	2		9	1	2	8	8

1980 New York Yankees stats (pitching)

Pos	Name	Age	W	L	W-L%	ERA	G	GS	GF	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	R	ER
SP	Tommy John	37	22	9	0.71	3.43	36	36	0	16	6	0	265.1	270	115	101
SP	Ron Guidry	29	17	10	0.63	3.56	37	29	4	5	3	1	219.2	215	97	87
SP	Tom Underwood	26	13	9	0.591	3.66	38	27	5	2	2	2	187	163	85	76
SP	Luis Tiant	39	8	9	0.471	4.89	25	25	0	3	0	0	136.1	139	79	74
CL	Rich Gossage	28	6	2	0.75	2.27	64	0	58	0	0	33	99	74	29	25
RP	Rudy May	35	15	5	0.75	2.46	41	17	13	3	1	3	175.1	144	56	48
RP	Ron Davis	24	9	3	0.75	2.95	53	0	29	0	0	7	131	121	50	43
RP	Ed Figueroa	31	3	3	0.5	6.98	15	9	4	0	0	1	58	90	47	45
RP	Doug Bird	30	3	0	1	2.66	22	1	7	0	0	1	50.2	47	16	15
	Mike Griffin	23	2	4	0.333	4.83	13	9	3	0	0	0	54	64	36	29
	Gaylord Perry	41	4	4	0.5	4.44	10	8	2	0	0	0	50.2	65	33	25
	Tim Lollar	24	1	0	1	3.34	14	1	5	0	0	2	32.1	33	14	12
	Jim Kaat	41	0	1	0	7.2	4	0	3	0	0	0	5	8	5	4
	Team Totals	31.4	103	59	0.636	3.58	162	162	133	29	12	50	1464.1	1433	662	583
	Rank in 14 AL teams		1	14		2				13	1	1	4	2	3	2

1980 New York Yankees: Record vs. opponents/ Team splits

Opponent (Games)	Won	Lost	WP
Baltimore Orioles (13)	6	7	0.462
Boston Red Sox (13)	10	3	0.769
California Angels (12)	10	2	0.833
Chicago White Sox (12)	7	5	0.583
Cleveland Indians (13)	8	5	0.615
Detroit Tigers (13)	8	5	0.615
Kansas City Royals (12)	4	8	0.333
Milwaukee Brewers (13)	8	5	0.615
Minnesota Twins (12)	8	4	0.667
Oakland Athletics (12)	8	4	0.667
Seattle Mariners (12)	9	3	0.750
Texas Rangers (12)	7	5	0.583
Toronto Blue Jays (13)	10	3	0.769

1980 New York Yankees: Monthly record

Month (Games)	Won	Lost	WP
April (18)	9	9	0.500
May (26)	19	7	0.731
June (28)	19	9	0.679
July (28)	16	12	0.571
August (29)	15	14	0.517
September (28)	21	7	0.750
October (5)	4	1	0.800

1980 New York Yankees All-Stars

• Willie Randolph
• Buckey Dent
• Reggie Jackson
• Graig Nettles
• Rich Gossage
• Tommy John

1980 New York Yankees: Awards and honors

Silver Slugger Awards (Inaugural award)

• Reggie Jackson
• Willie Randolph

All-Star Appearances

• Willie Randolph
• Bucky Dent
• Reggie Jackson
• Graig Nettles
• Rich Gossage
• Tommy John

Other Achievements

• Reggie Jackson finished 2nd in AL MVP Voting.
• Rich Gossage finished 3rd in AL MVP Voting.
• Rick Cerone finished 7th in AL MVP Voting.
• Rich Gossage finished 3rd in AL Cy Young Voting.
• Tommy John finished 4th in AL Cy Young Voting.

How do you rate the 1980 New York Yankees?