1981 New York Yankees

The final standing	Lost the World Series to Los Angeles Dodgers
Regular season record	59-48 (.551)
Post-season record	8-6
Divisional rank	3rd
ALDS record and opponent	Won 3-2 vs Milwaukee Brewers
AL rank	4th
ALCS record and opponent	Won 3-0 vs Oakland Athletics
World Series record and opponent	Lost 2-4 vs Los Angeles Dodgers
Manager	Gene Michael, Bob Lemon
Captain	–
Top batter	Home run: Graig Nettles, Reggie Jackson (15), Dave Winfield (13), Oscar Gamble (10) BA: Jerry Mumphrey (.307), Dave Winfield (.294), Aurelio Rodriguez (.346 in 27 games), Larry Milbourne (.313 in 61 games) Runs: Willie Randolph (59), Dave Winfield (52), Graig Nettles (46) RBI: Dave Winfield (68), Reggie Jackson (54), Graig Nettles (46)
Top pitcher/ (W-L, ERA)	Ron Guidry: 11-5, 2.76 Dave Righetti: 8-4, 2.05
Attendance record	1,614,353 (1st of 14)

1981 New York Yankees season

The 1981 New York Yankees season stands as a bittersweet chapter in the franchise’s storied history, marking both the end of a championship era and the dawn of a new one. The season unfolded against the backdrop of the infamous 1981 Major League Baseball strike, a 50-day hiatus that cast a shadow over the sport. Amidst the uncertainty, the Yankees navigated a split season, competing in the American League East. The team showcased early promise, clinching the top spot in the first half with a 34-22 record. However, their fortunes took a downturn in the second half, finishing fifth with a 25-26 record, culminating in an overall tally of 59 wins and 48 losses. The peculiar circumstances of the season dictated that playoff berths were awarded to the division winners in each half.

In a departure from the offensive prowess of previous years, the Yankees struggled at the plate, finishing 11th in the American League for runs scored. Despite the addition of outfielder Dave Winfield, who signed a groundbreaking $25 million contract, offensive challenges persisted. Notable players, including Reggie Jackson, experienced downturns in performance, contributing to a lack of run support. However, the Yankees found redemption on the mound, boasting a formidable pitching staff led by the trio of Tommy John, Ron Guidry, and Dave Righetti. The seasoned Tommy John, coupled with the youthful power of Guidry and Righetti, spearheaded the league’s premier pitching ensemble. Closer Goose Gossage emerged as a dominant force, recording 20 saves with a remarkable 0.77 ERA. The bullpen depth, featuring Ron Davis and George Frazier, further solidified the team’s pitching prowess.

The season’s narrative unfolded with early successes, including an eight-win stretch in the first twelve games. However, a hiccup in Baltimore temporarily derailed their momentum. As the players’ strike loomed and tensions escalated, the Yankees made a decisive push in June, securing a tie for first place before the hiatus. The strike-induced suspension lasted until mid-August, leading to a unique resolution by MLB. The division leaders from each half were deemed champions, setting the stage for a new playoff format—the Division Series. Despite a lackluster performance in the second half, the Yankees clinched the Division Series spot, defeating the Milwaukee Brewers. In the subsequent American League Championship Series, the Yankees faced off against an old adversary, Billy Martin’s Oakland A’s, and emerged victorious in a sweep. The World Series brought a familiar opponent, the Los Angeles Dodgers. After winning the first two games at home, the Yankees faltered in Los Angeles, succumbing to a Dodgers comeback. Game 6 in New York witnessed a reversal of fortunes as the Dodgers clinched the title.

The offseason marked a symbolic transition as the Yankees bid farewell to Reggie Jackson, signaling the end of an era. The team embraced a change of guard, with Dave Winfield embodying the new era’s promise. Although the 1981 season fell short of securing another World Series, it set the stage for the Yankees’ subsequent resurgence under new leadership, culminating in their return to glory in the mid-1990s with Joe Torre and Derek Jeter at the helm.

1981 New York Yankees: From managerial upheaval to postseason glory

The 1981 New York Yankees season unfolded against the backdrop of the infamous 1981 Major League Baseball strike, adding a layer of complexity to an already challenging season. The preceding year had seen the Yankees, under the management of Dick Howser, post an impressive 103-59 record, making them one of the best teams to not secure a World Series title. Despite the ALCS sweep by the Kansas City Royals and subsequent managerial changes, optimism was high for the 1981 season.

Key contributors from the 1980 roster, including the likes of Jerry Mumphrey, Dave Righetti, and prized free-agent acquisition Dave Winfield, were set to return. However, as the season progressed, it became evident that the off-field challenges, such as the tumultuous relationship with owner George Steinbrenner and the looming MLB strike, could prove as formidable as the on-field competition.

The Yankees played respectably through May, navigating a competitive AL East and even propelling themselves into first place with a nine-game winning streak in June. However, on June 12th, the MLBPA went on strike for the second time in history, disrupting the season. The strike stemmed from the owners’ desire for more compensation for teams losing players in free agency, leading to a two-month hiatus that concluded with the All-Star Game on August 9, 1981.

As part of the agreement to resume the season, a unique format was adopted. The season was split into two halves, with the first-place teams in the first half automatically earning postseason berths. The remaining games constituted the second half, and the winners of each division in this phase would face their first-half-winning counterparts in the inaugural League Division Series.

This setup created an intriguing scenario where first-half winners had little incentive to perform well in the second half, as their playoff spot was already secured. Despite this, the Yankees, under manager Gene Michael, maintained a 14-12 record in the second half, prompting Steinbrenner’s discontent and threats to Michael’s job. Michael’s public acknowledgment of ownership interference further strained the relationship, leading to his firing on September 6th.

Steinbrenner turned to Bob Lemon, who had previously managed the Yankees in 1978, to replace Michael. The team went 11-14 under Lemon down the stretch but secured a spot in the postseason. The Yankees faced the Milwaukee Brewers in the ALDS, triumphing with clutch bullpen performances from Rich Gossage. The ALCS saw a sweep against Billy Martin’s Oakland A’s, with Graig Nettles earning the MVP title.

The World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers became a rollercoaster, with the Yankees winning the first two games at home before losing the next four. The series included memorable moments, such as George Frazier becoming the only pitcher to take three losses in a single World Series and Dave Winfield’s struggles earning him the moniker “Mr. May” from Steinbrenner.

1981 New York Yankees in videos

1981 New York Yankees: ALDS result

ALDS vs Brewers(3-2)

 (Home: 1-2; Away: 2-0)

Game	Date	Score	Location	Time	Attendance
1	October 7	New York Yankees – 5, Milwaukee Brewers – 3	County Stadium	2:57	35,064
2	October 8	New York Yankees – 3, Milwaukee Brewers – 0	County Stadium	2:20	26,395
3	October 9	Milwaukee Brewers – 5, New York Yankees – 3	Yankee Stadium	2:39	56,411
4	October 10	Milwaukee Brewers – 2, New York Yankees – 1	Yankee Stadium	2:34	52,077
5	October 11	Milwaukee Brewers – 3, New York Yankees – 7	Yankee Stadium	2:47	47,505

1981 New York Yankees: ALCS result

ALCS vs Athletics (3-0)

 (Home: 2-0; Away: 1-0)

Game	Date	Score	Location	Time	Attendance
1	October 13	Oakland Athletics – 1, New York Yankees – 3	Yankee Stadium (I)	2:52	55,740[
2	October 14	Oakland Athletics – 3, New York Yankees – 13	Yankee Stadium (I)	3:08	48,497[2]
3	October 15	New York Yankees – 4, Oakland Athletics – 0	Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum	3:19	47,302[3]

1981 New York Yankees: World Series result

World Series vs Dodgers (2-4)

 (Home: 2-0; Away: 0-4)

Game	Date	Score	Location	Time	Attendance
1	October 20	Los Angeles Dodgers – 3, New York Yankees – 5	Yankee Stadium	2:32	56,470
2	October 21	Los Angeles Dodgers – 0, New York Yankees – 3	Yankee Stadium	2:29	56,505
3	October 23	New York Yankees – 4, Los Angeles Dodgers – 5	Dodger Stadium	3:04	56,236
4	October 24	New York Yankees – 7, Los Angeles Dodgers – 8	Dodger Stadium	3:32	56,242
5	October 25	New York Yankees – 1, Los Angeles Dodgers – 2	Dodger Stadium	2:19	56,115
6	October 28†	Los Angeles Dodgers – 9, New York Yankees – 2	Yankee Stadium	3:09	56,513

1981 New York Yankees: Roster

Name	Age	B	T	Ht	Wt	DoB	Yrs	G	GS	WAR	Salary
Tucker Ashford	26	R	R	6′ 1″	195	Dec 4, 1954	5	3	0	0
Steve Balboni	24	R	R	6′ 3″	225	Jan 16, 1957	1st	4	2	0.1
Doug Bird	31	R	R	6′ 4″	180	Mar 5, 1950	9	17	4	0.8
Bobby Brown	27	B	R	6′ 2″	190	May 25, 1954	3	31	15	0
Bill Castro	29	R	R	5′ 11″	170	Mar 29, 1952	8	11	0	-0.4
Rick Cerone	27	R	R	5′ 11″	192	May 19, 1954	7	71	64	-0.1	$440,000
Ron Davis	25	R	R	6′ 4″	205	Aug 6, 1955	4	43	0	1.6	$200,000
Bucky Dent	29	R	R	5′ 11″	170	Nov 25, 1951	9	73	73	1.7
Barry Foote	29	R	R	6′ 3″	205	Feb 16, 1952	9	40	37	0.2
George Frazier	26	R	R	6′ 5″	205	Oct 13, 1954	4	16	0	0.7
Oscar Gamble	31	L	R	5′ 11″	160	Dec 20, 1949	13	80	51	1.3	$475,000
Rich Gossage HOF	29	R	R	6′ 3″	180	Jul 5, 1951	10	32	0	2.3	$458,000
Mike Griffin	24	R	R	6′ 4″	195	Jun 26, 1957	3	2	0	0.1
Ron Guidry	30	L	L	5′ 11″	161	Aug 28, 1950	7	23	21	3.1	$233,791
Reggie Jackson HOF	35	L	L	6′ 0″	195	May 18, 1946	15	94	92	1	$588,000
Tommy John	38	R	L	6′ 3″	180	May 22, 1943	18	20	20	2.5	$575,000
Dave LaRoche	33	L	L	6′ 2″	200	May 14, 1948	12	26	1	0.7
Rudy May	36	L	L	6′ 2″	205	Jul 18, 1944	14	27	22	0.4	$386,667
Andy McGaffigan	24	R	R	6′ 3″	185	Oct 25, 1956	1st	2	0	0
Larry Milbourne	30	B	R	6′ 0″	161	Feb 14, 1951	8	61	41	1.2
Jerry Mumphrey	28	B	R	6′ 2″	185	Sep 9, 1952	8	80	79	3.2
Bobby Murcer	35	L	R	5′ 11″	160	May 20, 1946	15	50	25	0.4	$320,000
Gene Nelson	20	R	R	6′ 0″	172	Dec 3, 1960	1st	8	7	-0.4
Graig Nettles	36	L	R	6′ 0″	180	Aug 20, 1944	15	103	100	2.7
Johnny Oates	35	L	R	5′ 11″	188	Jan 21, 1946	11	10	9	-0.2
Mike Patterson	23	L	R	5′ 10″	170	Jan 26, 1958	1st	4	1	0
Lou Piniella	37	R	R	6′ 0″	182	Aug 28, 1943	15	60	45	0.7
Willie Randolph	26	R	R	5′ 11″	165	Jul 6, 1954	7	93	93	2.4	$245,000
Rick Reuschel	32	R	R	6′ 3″	215	May 16, 1949	10	12	11	1.6
Dave Revering	28	L	R	6′ 4″	210	Feb 12, 1953	4	45	31	0.1
Dave Righetti	22	L	L	6′ 4″	195	Nov 28, 1958	2	15	15	3.5
Andre Robertson	23	R	R	5′ 10″	155	Oct 2, 1957	1st	10	7	0.1
Aurelio Rodriguez	33	R	R	5′ 10″	180	Dec 28, 1947	15	27	14	0.7
Jim Spencer	33	L	L	6′ 2″	195	Jul 30, 1947	14	25	20	-0.3
Tom Underwood	27	R	L	5′ 11″	170	Dec 22, 1953	8	9	6	-0.1
Bob Watson	35	R	R	6′ 0″	201	Apr 10, 1946	16	59	44	-0.1	$570,000
Dave Wehrmeister	28	R	R	6′ 4″	195	Nov 9, 1952	4	5	0	-0.1
Dennis Werth	28	R	R	6′ 1″	200	Dec 29, 1952	3	34	19	-0.8
Dave Winfield HOF	29	R	R	6′ 6″	220	Oct 3, 1951	9	105	101	2.5	$1,300,000

1981 New York Yankees: Player additions, transactions, and trades

November 1980

• November 3, 1980: Traded Fred Stanley to the Oakland Athletics. Received Mike Morgan.
• November 4, 1980: Released Marshall Brant.
• November 13, 1980: Johnny Oates granted Free Agency.
• November 18, 1980: Traded Brad Gulden and $150,000 to the Seattle Mariners. Received a player to be named later and Larry Milbourne. The Seattle Mariners sent Brad Gulden (May 18, 1981) to the New York Yankees to complete the trade.

December 1980

• December 8, 1980: Don Cooper drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1980 rule 5 draft. Brian Doyle drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 1980 rule 5 draft. Tom Filer drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 1980 rule 5 draft. Dave Wehrmeister drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 1980 rule 5 draft.
• December 15, 1980: Signed Dave Winfield as a free agent.

January 1981

• January 5, 1981: Released Jim Nettles.

February 1981

• February 3, 1981: Signed Marshall Brant as a free agent.
• February 16, 1981: Traded Rafael Santana to the St. Louis Cardinals. Received a player to be named later. The St. Louis Cardinals sent George Frazier (June 7, 1981) to the New York Yankees to complete the trade.
• February 17, 1981: Signed Bill Castro as a free agent.

March 1981

• March 31, 1981: Traded Ruppert Jones, Joe Lefebvre, Tim Lollar, and Chris Welsh to the San Diego Padres. Received Jerry Mumphrey and John Pacella.

April 1981

• April 3, 1981: The Kansas City Royals returned Dave Wehrmeister (earlier draft pick).
• April 6, 1981: Signed Johnny Oates as a free agent. Traded Byron Ballard (minors) to the San Diego Padres. Received a player to be named later. The San Diego Padres sent Dave Stegman (April 30, 1981) to the New York Yankees to complete the trade.
• April 9, 1981: The Oakland Athletics returned Tom Filer (earlier draft pick).
• April 17, 1981: Signed Dave LaRoche as a free agent.
• April 27, 1981: Signed Bill Lindsey as an amateur free agent. Traded Tom Filer and cash to the Chicago Cubs. Received Barry Foote.

May 1981

• May 17, 1981: Signed Orestes Destrade as an amateur free agent.
• May 20, 1981: Traded Jim Spencer and Tom Underwood to the Oakland Athletics. Received Chuck Dougherty (minors), Mike Patterson, and Dave Revering.

June 1981

• June 8, 1981: Drafted Scott Bradley in the 3rd round, Phil Lombardi in the 3rd round, Eric Plunk in the 4th round, Mike Pagliarulo in the 6th round, John Fishel in the 8th round, Fred McGriff in the 9th round, Dick Scott in the 17th round, Bob Tewksbury in the 19th round, Logan Easley in the 20th round, Les Lancaster in the 24th round.
• June 12, 1981: Traded a player to be named later, Doug Bird, and $400,000 to the Chicago Cubs. Received Rick Reuschel. The New York Yankees sent Mike Griffin (August 5, 1981) to the Chicago Cubs to complete the trade.

August 1981

• August 19, 1981: Traded Pat Tabler to the Chicago Cubs. Received players to be named later. The Chicago Cubs sent Bill Caudill (April 1, 1982) and Jay Howell (August 2, 1982) to the New York Yankees to complete the trade.

October 1981

• October 13, 1981: Released Eric Soderholm.
• October 21, 1981: Traded Willie McGee to the St. Louis Cardinals. Received Bob Sykes.

1981 New York Yankees: Player debuts

• Steve Balboni – 04-22-1981 – 24 years old
• Andy McGaffigan – 09-22-1981 – 24 years old
• Gene Nelson – 05-04-1981 – 20 years old
• Andre Robertson – 09-03-1981 – 23 years old

1981 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	27	71	254	234	23	57	13	2	2	21	0	2	12	24	0.244
1B	Bob Watson	35	59	180	156	15	33	3	3	6	12	0	0	24	17	0.212
2B	Willie Randolph	26	93	422	357	59	83	14	3	2	24	14	5	57	24	0.232
SS	Bucky Dent	29	73	258	227	20	54	11	0	7	27	0	1	19	17	0.238
3B	Graig Nettles	36	103	402	349	46	85	7	1	15	46	0	2	47	49	0.244
LF	Dave Winfield	29	105	440	388	52	114	25	1	13	68	11	1	43	41	0.294
CF	Jerry Mumphrey	28	80	350	319	44	98	11	5	6	32	14	9	24	27	0.307
RF	Reggie Jackson	35	94	382	334	33	79	17	1	15	54	0	3	46	82	0.237
DH	Bobby Murcer	35	50	130	117	14	31	6	0	6	24	0	0	12	15	0.265
DH	Oscar Gamble	31	80	227	189	24	45	8	0	10	27	0	2	35	23	0.238
SS	Larry Milbourne	30	61	177	163	24	51	7	2	1	12	2	0	9	14	0.313
RF	Lou Piniella	37	60	174	159	16	44	9	0	5	18	0	1	13	9	0.277
C	Barry Foote	29	40	137	125	12	26	4	0	6	10	0	0	8	21	0.208
1B	Dave Revering	28	45	130	119	8	28	4	1	2	7	0	1	11	20	0.235
1B	Jim Spencer	33	25	72	63	6	9	2	0	2	4	0	0	9	7	0.143
UT	Dennis Werth	28	34	71	55	7	6	1	0	0	1	1	0	12	12	0.109
OF	Bobby Brown	27	31	69	62	5	14	1	0	0	6	4	2	5	15	0.226
3B	Aurelio Rodriguez	33	27	55	52	4	18	2	0	2	8	0	0	2	10	0.346
C	Johnny Oates	35	10	28	26	4	5	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0.192
MI	Andre Robertson	23	10	19	19	1	5	1	0	0	0	1	1	0	3	0.263
OF	Mike Patterson	23	4	9	9	2	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.222
1B	Steve Balboni	24	4	8	7	2	2	1	1	0	2	0	0	1	4	0.286
2B	Tucker Ashford	26	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Team Totals	30.8	107	3994	3529	421	889	148	22	100	403	47	30	391	434	0.252
	Rank in 14 AL teams				11	11	11	7	7	2		8	2	4	4	9

1981 New York Yankees stats (pitching)

Pos	Name	Age	W	L	W-L%	ERA	G	GS	GF	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	R	ER
SP	Rudy May	36	6	11	0.353	4.14	27	22	1	4	0	1	147.2	137	71	68
SP	Tommy John	38	9	8	0.529	2.63	20	20	0	7	0	0	140.1	135	50	41
SP	Ron Guidry	30	11	5	0.688	2.76	23	21	1	0	0	0	127	100	41	39
SP	Dave Righetti	22	8	4	0.667	2.05	15	15	0	2	0	0	105.1	75	25	24
SP	Rick Reuschel	32	4	4	0.5	2.67	12	11	1	3	0	0	70.2	75	24	21
SP	Gene Nelson	20	3	1	0.75	4.81	8	7	0	0	0	0	39.1	40	24	21
CL	Rich Gossage	29	3	2	0.6	0.77	32	0	30	0	0	20	46.2	22	6	4
RP	Ron Davis	25	4	5	0.444	2.71	43	0	22	0	0	6	73	47	22	22
RP	Doug Bird	31	5	1	0.833	2.7	17	4	3	0	0	0	53.1	58	19	16
RP	Dave LaRoche	33	4	1	0.8	2.49	26	1	14	0	0	0	47	38	16	13
RP	George Frazier	26	0	1	0	1.63	16	0	9	0	0	3	27.2	26	7	5
	Tom Underwood	27	1	4	0.2	4.41	9	6	1	0	0	0	32.2	32	17	16
	Bill Castro	29	1	1	0.5	3.79	11	0	6	0	0	0	19	26	13	8
	Dave Wehrmeister	28	0	0		5.14	5	0	2	0	0	0	7	6	4	4
	Andy McGaffigan	24	0	0		2.57	2	0	0	0	0	0	7	5	3	2
	Mike Griffin	24	0	0		2.08	2	0	1	0	0	0	4.1	5	1	1
	Team Totals	30.4	59	48	0.551	2.9	107	107	91	16	0	30	948	827	343	305
	Rank in 14 AL teams		4	10		1				11	1	2	9	1	1	1

1981 New York Yankees: Record vs. opponents/ Team splits

Opponent (Games)	Won	Lost	WP
Baltimore Orioles (13)	6	7	0.462
Boston Red Sox (6)	3	3	0.500
California Angels (4)	2	2	0.500
Chicago White Sox (12)	7	5	0.583
Cleveland Indians (12)	5	7	0.417
Detroit Tigers (10)	7	3	0.700
Kansas City Royals (12)	10	2	0.833
Milwaukee Brewers (6)	3	3	0.500
Minnesota Twins (6)	3	3	0.500
Oakland Athletics (7)	4	3	0.571
Seattle Mariners (5)	2	3	0.400
Texas Rangers (9)	5	4	0.556
Toronto Blue Jays (5)	2	3	0.400

1981 New York Yankees: Monthly record

Month (Games)	Won	Lost	WP
April (17)	11	6	0.647
May (28)	14	14	0.500
June (11)	9	2	0.818
August (21)	11	10	0.524
September (27)	13	14	0.481
October (3)	1	2	0.333

1981 New York Yankees All-Stars

• Willie Randolph
• Buckey Dent
• Reggie Jackson
• Dave Winfield
• Ron Davis
• Rich Gossage

1981 New York Yankees: Awards and honors

AL Rookie of the Year

Dave Righetti

Silver Slugger Award

Dave Winfield

ALCS MVP

Graig Nettles

Lou Gehrig Memorial Award

Tommy John

All-Star Appearances

• Willie Randolph
• Bucky Dent
• Reggie Jackson
• Dave Winfield
• Ron Davis
• Rich Gossage

Other Achievements

• Dave Winfield finished 7th in AL MVP Voting.
• Rich Gossage finished 9th in AL MVP Voting.
• Rich Gossage finished 5th in AL Cy Young Voting.
• Ron Guidry finished 7th in AL Cy Young Voting.

The End of an Era: Reggie Jackson’s Departure from 1981 New York Yankees

Reggie Jackson, a flamboyant and controversial figure, concluded his five-year stint with the New York Yankees in 1981, marking the end of an era for the team. The departure came as Jackson agreed to a four-year contract with the California Angels, a deal valued at close to $1 million per season.

The Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, and Atlanta Braves had pursued Jackson for weeks, but the Angels emerged victorious in securing the slugger’s services. Although the Yankees had pursued their former star from a distance without presenting a firm offer, they expressed regret at his departure and praised Jackson for his significant contributions to the team’s success. The Yankees acknowledged Jackson’s role in their two World Championships in 1977 and 1978 and hailed him as a potential future Hall of Famer.

Jackson, who had joined the Yankees as one of the first free agents in 1976, completed a colorful career in New York, marked by World Series heroics, public critiques of managers like Billy Martin, and even clashes with owner George Steinbrenner. The conclusion of his contract with the Yankees in the previous season made him a free agent once again in November.

The decision to join the Angels stemmed from Jackson’s desire for a guaranteed role as a regular outfielder, something the Yankees could not assure him. The four-year contract with the Angels, reportedly all guaranteed, solidified Jackson’s move to California. Despite the Yankees’ potential willingness to make a firm offer, Jackson’s determination to play the outfield regularly influenced his decision.

The Yankees’ statement acknowledged Jackson’s wish to finish his career on the West Coast, his home, and expressed best wishes for his future endeavors, except when facing the Yankees. Despite occasional differences and magnified controversies, the statement emphasized the positive aspects of Jackson’s relationship with the Yankees and recognized his significant contributions to the team’s success.

As Jackson embarked on this new chapter with the Angels, the baseball world bid farewell to a player who had left an indelible mark on the Yankees’ history, making his mark both on and off the field during his memorable tenure in New York.

How do you rate the 1981 New York Yankees?