Baseball's New York Yankee Debate - Babe Ruth's 1927 Team Or Derek Jeter's 1998 Team?

The 1927 New York Yankees are baseballs"Bronx Bombers" pitching staff had dominating
greatest team ever produced. This is true,numbers too. The likes of Bob Shawkey, Urban
despite the efforts of the so-called experts toShocker, Waite Hoyt, Wiley Moore, Herb Pennock,
prove otherwise. Could "The Duke of Flatbush's"and others dominated their opposition. They
1955 Brooklyn Dodgers beat them? What aboutposted a team ERA of 3.20, won 110 games, 20
the 1961 Yankees or the 1975 "Big Red Machine?"saves, 11 shutouts, 431 strikeouts and 82
What about the experts pick of New York's owncomplete games.
1998 Yankees? None of these teams would haveThe 1927 World Series pitted the favorite
defeated Ruth, Gehrig and "Murderer's Row."Yankees against a formidable foe...the Pittsburgh
Up until 1920 baseball was considered to be aPirates. The Pirates hit .305 as a team, with four
game played by vagrants and ex-cons. The sportstarting players hitting .325 or better. Paul Waner
paid the players next to nothing, and a big crowdhit .380, while brother Paul hit .355. Pie Traynor
was considered any attendance over 50 people.followed with a.342 batting average. The Buc's led
Around 1921 the sport began to take hold of thethe National League in hits (1,648), and runs
fans. Because of figures like Babe Ruth and Louscored (817). Their pitching staff was led by Ray
Gehrig the sport was viewed as a battle ofKremer (2.47 ERA) and Carmen Hill (22 wins).
gladiators in breathtaking coliseums. This was theEven with solid offense and pitching, Ruth's
beginning of "The golden age of sports." PeopleYankees sent the team from Pittsburgh packing
began embracing baseball as the sport of titans,in a four game sweep. This was the first time
placing players on pedestals like Greek gods.that an American League team swept a National
Other athletes emerged like tennis star Bill Tilden,League team in the "Fall Classic." The 1927
football player Red Grange, and golfer BobbyYankees had earned the title of, The Greatest
Jones. But, baseball became "Americas pastime."Team Ever.
Colonel Jacob Ruppert bought the New YorkBaseball teams of today have many advantages
Yankees in 1915 and began building the clubover teams of the past. Equipment advances
through a series of trades and purchases. In 1920have allowed for maple wood bats creating
he purchased a young slugger from the Bostonquicker bat speed. Livelier baseballs jump out of
Red Sox, George Herman "Babe" Ruth. Ruththe park. Better-made gloves are position and
revolutionized baseball with his prodigious homeplayer specific. Lighter rayon jerseys allow players
run blasts. He re--wrote the record books and ledto be faster and more comfortable. Batting
the Yankees to American League pennants inhelmets prevent injuries and keep players healthy.
1921 and 1922.Batting gloves provide for better grip. Arm and
In 1923 the Yanks reached the pinnacle of sportsleg guards prevent injury. Better fitting and
by winning the World Series in their newgripping cleats create speed and cutting ability.
battlefield, Yankee Stadium. In 1927 Ruth wasThese and a host of other technological
rewarded with a never before seen, $70,000,innovations give today's players the advantage.
three year contract. The second highest contractNutritional information has increased player physical
on the Yankees was $17,500 per year. The 1927and emotional wellness. The advent of artificial
version of the Yankees were very young, withturf surfaces have allowed for more ball speed,
inexperienced pitching. Most experts saw them asleading to an increase in hits. Drugs and
a long shot to win the title. The Philadelphiasupplements (legal and illegal) have allowed players
Athletics under Connie Mack's tutelage wereto fine tune their bodies into lean, muscle bound,
considered the favorite. From the first pitch toquick machines. Advanced medical technology has
the last, the Yankees were absolutely dominating.kept players on the field more by avoiding injuries.
They remained in first place for every single dayThe greatest advantage is the watered down
of the 155 game season!pitching of today compared to the past. The
Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig played home run derbyrosters are larger (40) compared to yesterday's
with each other all season long. Ruth ended up(23), and the amount of teams in the league has
with a record 60, while Gehrig tallied 54. Thegrown. Here is your comparative analysis
Yankees won 110 games with a .714 winningbetween the 1927 Yankees and the 1998
percentage (an ominous number if there wereYankeesyou can plainly see, the '27 team had the
ever one), and a winning margin of 19 gamesadvantage in most categories. Home runs were
over their closest rival. They hit 158 home runshigher for the 1998 Yanks because of the
and scored 908 runs in 155 games! They werewatered down pitching. In 1998 there were six
simply, an offensive nightmare for opposingmore teams in the league with 36 more pitchers.
teams. Ruth and Gehrig literally broke everyDespite playing seven less games than the 1998
Yankee record in the book. They combined forteam, the 1927 Yankees were better in eight of
107 home runs, 339 runs batted in, 214 extrathe 11 categories listed above. Although they had
base hits, 397 runs scored, 867 total bases and aall of the technological, medicinal, and nutritional
.769 slugging percentage. They were the greatestadvantages, the 1998 Yankees pale in comparison
two combined hitters in baseball history. Theto the 1927 Yankees.