1977 New York Yankees season

Last updated

1977  New York Yankees
World Series champions
American League champions
American League East champions
League American League
Division East
Ballpark Yankee Stadium
CityNew York City
Owners George Steinbrenner
General managers Gabe Paul
Managers Billy Martin
Television WPIX–TV 11
(Phil Rizzuto, Frank Messer, Bill White)
Radio WMCA–AM 570
(Frank Messer, Phil Rizzuto, Bill White, Pam Boucher)
←  1976
1978  →

The 1977 New York Yankees season was the 75th season for the Yankees. The team finished with a record of 100–62 and won the World Series. The series victory was the 21st title in franchise history and the first under the ownership of George Steinbrenner. New York was managed by Billy Martin and played at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx. The season was brought to life years later in the book and drama-documentary The Bronx is Burning. The Yankees also hosted the 1977 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. To date, this is the most recent time the All-Star Game host team has won the World Series the same year.

Contents

Offseason

The Yankees signed Reggie Jackson to a five-year contract, totaling $2.96 million, on November 29, 1976. Upon arriving in New York, Jackson asked for uniform number 9, which he had worn in Oakland and Baltimore. However, that number was being worn by third baseman Graig Nettles. So, noting that then-all-time home run leader Hank Aaron had just retired, Jackson asked for and received number 44, Aaron's number.

Notable transactions

Regular season

The team finished in first place in the American League East with a record of 100–62 (.617), 2½ games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles to successfully defend their division title. In the best-of-five League Championship Series (ALCS), they beat the Kansas City Royals in five games. In the World Series, New York defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games.

Season standings

AL East
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
New York Yankees 10062.617—55‍–‍2645‍–‍36
Baltimore Orioles 9764.6022½54‍–‍2743‍–‍37
Boston Red Sox 9764.6022½51‍–‍2946‍–‍35
Detroit Tigers 7488.4572639‍–‍4235‍–‍46
Cleveland Indians 7190.44128½37‍–‍4434‍–‍46
Milwaukee Brewers 6795.4143337‍–‍4430‍–‍51
Toronto Blue Jays 54107.33545½25‍–‍5529‍–‍52

Record vs. opponents

1977 American League record

Sources:
TeamBALBOSCALCWSCLEDETKCMILMINNYYOAKSEATEXTOR
Baltimore —6–85–65–511–412–34–711–46–48–78–27–34–610–5
Boston 8–6—7–33–78–79–65–59–64–68–78–310–16–412–3
California 6–53–7—8–76–44–66–95–57–84–75–109–65–106–4
Chicago 5–57–37–8—6–44–68–76–510–53–710–510–56–98–3
Cleveland 4–117–84–64–6—8–73–711–42–93–127–37–32–99–5
Detroit 3–126–96–46–47–8—3–810–55–56–95–55–62–810–5
Kansas City 7–45–59–67–87–38–3—8–210–55–59–611–48–78–2
Milwaukee 4–116–95–55–64–115–102–8—3–88–75–57–35–58–7
Minnesota 4–66–48–75–109–25–55–108–3—2–88–67–88–79–1
New York 7–87–87–47–312–39–65–57–88–2—9–26–47–39–6
Oakland 2–83–810–55–103–75–56–95–56–82–9—7–82–137–3
Seattle 3–71–106–95–103–76–54–113–78–74–68–7—9–64–6
Texas 6–44–610–59–69–28–27–85–57–83–713–26–9—7–4
Toronto 5–103–124–63–85–95–102–87–81–96–93–76–44–7—

Notable transactions

Draft picks

All-Star game

Yankee Stadium hosted the All-Star Game on July 19, less than a week after the blackout. Four Yankees were in the game: Willie Randolph and Reggie Jackson were in the starting lineup at second base and right field, while relief pitcher Sparky Lyle and third baseman Graig Nettles were part of the roster as reserves. The National League defeated the American League 7–5.

Roster

1977 New York Yankees
Roster
PitchersCatchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Other batters

Manager

Coaches

Characters

Reggie Jackson

Jackson's first season with the Yankees was a difficult one. Although team owner George Steinbrenner and several players, most notably catcher and team captain Thurman Munson and outfielder Lou Piniella, were excited about his arrival, Martin was not. He had managed the Detroit Tigers in 1972 when Jackson's A's beat them in the league playoffs. Jackson was once quoted as saying of Martin, "I hate him, but if I played for him, I'd probably love him."

The relationship between Jackson and his new teammates was strained due to an interview with SPORT magazine writer Robert Ward. During spring training at the Yankees' camp in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Jackson and Ward were having drinks at a nearby bar. Jackson's version of the story is that he noted that the Yankees had won the pennant the year before, but lost the World Series to the Reds, and suggested that they needed one thing more to win it all, and pointed out the various ingredients in his drink. Ward suggested that Jackson might be "the straw that stirs the drink." But when the story appeared in the May 1977 issue of SPORT, Ward quoted Jackson as saying, "This team, it all flows from me. I'm the straw that stirs the drink. Maybe I should say me and Munson, but he can only stir it bad."

Thurman Munson

Thurman Munson was "uncharacteristically happy" about the team getting Jackson in large part because he believed he had received "a verbal agreement from Steinbrenner that, with the exception of Catfish Hunter (who'd signed a five-year, $3.75 million contract with the Yankees before the 1975 season), he [Munson] would always be the highest-paid player on the team." But, Steinbrenner did not follow through and adjust Munson's contract upward. As the baseball book Stars and Strikes: Baseball and America in the Bicentennial Summer of ‘76 puts it, "But the Yankee captain wouldn't be smiling for long, once he realized that Steinbrenner had no intention of making good on their agreement." [12]

An article in The New York Times in January 1977 reported, "Munson, however, has continued to be disturbed with Steinbrenner because of what he said first was the owner's denial of any verbal agreement and secand [second] was Steinbrenner's misleading him on Jackson's salary." [13]

Billy Martin

Martin feuded publicly with both Yankee owner Steinbrenner and star outfielder Jackson. In one especially infamous incident on Saturday, June 18, in the second game of a three-game sweep by the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, Martin pulled Jackson off the field in mid-inning for failing to hustle on a check-swing pop double by Boston's Jim Rice. Replaced in right field by Paul Blair, Jackson confronted Martin when he returned to the dugout, and Martin had to be restrained by his coaches (Elston Howard and Yogi Berra) from fighting with Jackson during the nationally televised Game of the Week . [14] [15] [16]

Jonathan Mahler wrote a bestselling book entitled Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bronx Is Burning about the turmoil in New York City in 1977, including the Son of Sam, the blackout, and how Yankees season rallied the people of New York. The book was adapted for an ESPN miniseries, The Bronx Is Burning

The 1977 Yankees season provides a backdrop in the Spike Lee film Summer of Sam .

Game log

Regular season

Legend
 Yankees win
 Yankees loss
 Postponement
 Clinched division
BoldYankees team member
1977 regular season game log: 100–62 (Home: 55–26; Away: 45–36) [17]
April: 11–9 (Home: 5–4; Away: 6–5)
#DateTime (ET)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceRecordBox/
Streak
4 April 118:40 p.m. EST @ Royals L 4–5(13) Littell (1–0) Tidrow (0–1)—3:34 39,460 1–3 L3
5 April 138:30 p.m. EST @ Royals W 5–3 Guidry (1–0) Hassler (1–1)—2:58 20,089 2–3 W1
16 April 258:40 p.m. EDT @ Orioles W 9–6 Tidrow (2–1) D Martínez (0–1) Lyle (4)3:06 17,624 8–8 W6
17 April 267:31 p.m. EDT @ Orioles L 2–6 May (2–2) Holtzman (1–1)—2:15 12,884 8–9 L1
18 April 277:32 p.m. EDT @ Orioles W 4–3 Lyle (1–1) D Martínez (0–2)—2:51 15,647 9–9 W1
May: 15–12 (Home: 8–7; Away: 4–8)
#DateTime (ET)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceRecordBox/
Streak
34 May 198:00 p.m. EDT Orioles W 9–1 Figueroa (5–2) Flanagan (1–2)—2:09 15,909 20–14 W2
35 May 208:00 p.m. EDT Orioles L 5–6 D Martínez (2–2) Tidrow (2–2)—3:01 25,872 20–15 L1
36 May 212:00 p.m. EDT Orioles L 3–4(12) T Martinez (1–0) Lyle (2–2)—3:12 19,968 20–16 L2
37 (1)May 221:00 p.m. EDT Orioles L 1–5 May (5–4) Hunter (1–3)—2:23 — 20–17 L3
38 (2)May 223:48 p.m. EDT Orioles W 8–2 Guidry (3–0) McGregor (1–1)—2:19 43,285 21–17 W1
39 May 23 Red Sox
40 May 24 Red Sox
41 (1)May 255:30 p.m. EDT Rangers W 3–2 Patterson (1–1) Blyleven (4–5) Lyle (7)2:35 — 23–18 W2
42 (2)May 258:30 p.m. EDT Rangers L 0–1 Perry (4–4) Torrez (5–3)—2:23 19,693 23–19 L1
43 May 27 White Sox
44 May 28 White Sox
45 May 29 White Sox
46 May 30@ Red Sox
47 May 31@ Red Sox
June: 16–12 (Home: 7–2; Away: 9–10)
#DateTime (ET)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceRecordBox/
Streak
50 June 3@ White Sox
51 June 4@ White Sox
52 June 5@ White Sox
53 June 68:40 p.m. EDT @ Rangers W 9–2 Hunter (2–3) Alexander (6–3)—2:24 21,978 30–23 W3
54 June 78:35 p.m. EDT @ Rangers L 3–7 Lindblad (2–3) Figueroa (7–4)—2:40 18,075 30–24 L1
60 June 138:00 p.m. EDT Royals L 3–8 Splittorff (5–4) Torrez (7–5) Mingori (2)2:25 22,420 34–26 L2
61 June 148:00 p.m. EDT Royals W 4–2 Gullett (6–2) Hassler (3–2)—2:19 19,559 35–26 W1
62 June 168:00 p.m. EDT Royals W 7–0 Guidry (5–2) Leonard (4–7)—2:02 26,391 36–26 W2
63 June 17@ Red Sox
64 June 18@ Red Sox
65 June 19@ Red Sox
69 June 24 Red Sox
70 June 25 Red Sox
71 June 26 Red Sox
July: 16–12 (Home: 10–5; Away: 6–7)
#DateTime (ET)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceRecordBox/
Streak
83 July 87:37 p.m. EDT @ Orioles W 7–5 Gullett (7–3) May (10–8) Lyle (14)2:52 33,738 48–35 W4
84 July 97:38 p.m. EDT @ Orioles L 5–6 T Martinez (2–0) Lyle (7–3) Drago (4)2:34 44,193 48–36 L1
85 July 102:11 p.m. EDT @ Orioles L 0–6 Grimsley (8–4) Figueroa (8–7)—2:12 34,299 48–37 L2
86 July 118:39 p.m. EDT @ Orioles L 3–4 Flanagan (6–8) Torrez (8–8)—2:56 42,603 48–38 L3
90 July 158:30 p.m. EDT @ Royals L 4–7 Splittorff (7–5) Guidry (6–5) Mingori (3)2:26 36,743 50–40 L1
91 July 168:30 p.m. EDT @ Royals L 1–5 Leonard (9–9) Torrez (8–9)—2:20 40,054 50–41 L2
92 July 172:30 p.m. EDT @ Royals L 4–8 Hassler (6–2) Clay (0–1)—2:51 38,699 50–42 L3
—July 198:15 p.m. EDT 48th All-Star Game in Bronx, NY
97 July 242:00 p.m. EDT Royals W 3–1 Gullett (9–3) Hassler (6–3) Tidrow (4)2:30 41,060 53–44 W2
—July 258:00 p.m. EDT Royals Postponed (Rain)(Makeup date: August 29)
98 July 268:00 p.m. EDT Orioles W 5–4(10) Lyle (8–3) McGregor (1–2)—2:48 32,097 54–44 W3
99 July 278:00 p.m. EDT Orioles L 4–6 Palmer (12–8) Hunter (6–5) T Martinez (5)3:15 47,271 54–45 L1
100 July 282:00 p.m. EDT Orioles W 14–2 Torrez (9–10) May (11–9)—2:40 40,818 55–45 W1
August: 22–9 (Home: 12–2; Away: 10–7)
#DateTime (ET)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceRecordBox/
Streak
116 August 15 White Sox
117 August 16 White Sox
120 August 198:35 p.m. EDT @ Rangers W 8–1 Torrez (14–10) Moret (2–1)—2:15 31,159 70–50 W6
121 August 208:35 p.m. EDT @ Rangers W 6–2 Tidrow (8–4) Perry (10–10) Lyle (19)2:35 34,004 71–50 W7
122 August 218:35 p.m. EDT @ Rangers W 2–1 Guidry (10–6) Alexander (13–8) Lyle (20)2:26 27,004 72–50 W8
123 August 22@ White Sox
124 August 23@ White Sox
127 August 268:00 p.m. EDT Rangers W 6–5 Clay (2–3) Moret (2–2) Lyle (21)2:38 29,000 76–51 W4
128 August 272:00 p.m. EDT Rangers L 2–8 Blyleven (12–11) Torrez (15–11)—2:37 33,179 76–51 L1
129 August 282:00 p.m. EDT Rangers W 1–0 Guidry (11–6) Ellis (7–11)—2:37 37,714 77–51 W1
130 August 292:00 p.m. EDT Royals W 5–3 Lyle (10–4) Mingori (1–4)—2:29 31,269 78–52 W2
September: 19–9 (Home: 7–4; Away: 12–5)
#DateTime (ET)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceRecordBox/
Streak
145 September 13 Red Sox
146 September 14 Red Sox
147 September 15 Red Sox
151 September 19@ Red Sox
—September 207:30 p.m. EDT @ Red Sox Postponed (Rain)(Makeup date: September 21)
152 September 21@ Red Sox
October: 1–1 (Home: 1–1; Away: 0–0)
#DateTime (ET)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceRecordBox/
Streak

Detailed records

Postseason Game log

Legend
 Yankees win
 Yankees loss
BoldYankees team member
1977 Postseason game log: 7–4 (Home: 3–2; Away: 4–2)
AL Championship Series vs. Kansas City Royals 3–2 (Home: 1–1; Away: 2–1) [18]
#DateTime (ET)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceSeriesBox/
Streak
1 October 53:20 p.m. EDT Royals L 2–7 Splittorff (1–0) Gullett (0–1)—2:40 54,930 KC 1–0 L1
2 October 68:19 p.m. EDT Royals W 6–2 Guidry (1–0) Hassler (0–1)—2:58 56,230 Tied 1–1 W1
3 October 78:15 p.m. EDT @ Royals L 2–6 Leonard (1–0) Torrez (0–1)—2:19 41,285 KC 2–1 L1
4 October 81:15 p.m. EDT @ Royals W 6–4 Lyle (1–0) Gura (0–1)—3:08 41,135 Tied 2–2 W1
5 October 98:15 p.m. EDT @ Royals W 5–3 Lyle (2–0) Leonard (1–1)—3:04 41,133 NYY 3–2 W2
World Series: vs. Los Angeles Dodgers 4–2 (Home: 2–1; Away: 2–1) [19]
#DateTime (ET)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceSeriesBox/
Streak
1 October 118:15 p.m. EDT Dodgers W 4–3(12) Lyle (1–0) Rhoden (0–1)— 56,668 3:24NYA 1–0 W1
2 October 128:15 p.m. EDT Dodgers L 1–6 Hooton (1–0) Hunter (0–1)— 56,691 2:27Tied 1–1 L1
3 October 148:15 p.m. EDT @ Dodgers W 5–3 Torrez (1–0) John (0–1)— 55,992 2:31NYA 2–1 W1
4 October 154:15 p.m. EDT @ Dodgers W 4–2 Guidry (1–0) Rau (0–1)— 55,995 2:07NYA 3–1 W2
5 October 164:15 p.m. EDT @ Dodgers L 4–10 Sutton (1–0) Gullett (0–1)— 55,995 2:29NYA 3–2 L1
6 October 188:15 p.m. EDT Dodgers W 8–4 Torrez (2–0) Hooton (1–1)— 56,407 2:18NYA 4–2 W1

Player stats

= Indicates team leader

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

PosPlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
C Thurman Munson 149595183.30818100
1B Chris Chambliss 157600172.2871790
2B Willie Randolph 147551151.274540
3B Graig Nettles 158589150.25537107
SS Bucky Dent 158477118.247849
LF Roy White 143519139.2681452
CF Mickey Rivers 138565184.3261269
RF Reggie Jackson 146525150.28632110
DH Carlos May 6518141.227216

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

PlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
Lou Piniella 103339112.3301245
Paul Blair 8316443.262425
Cliff Johnson 5614242.2961231
Jimmy Wynn 307711.14313
Fran Healy 286715.22407
George Zeber 256521.323310
Fred Stanley 484612.26117
Dell Alston 224013.32514
Dave Kingman 8246.25047
Mickey Klutts 5154.26714
Elrod Hendricks 10113.27315
Gene Locklear 153.60002
Dave Bergman 541.25001
Marty Perez 142.50000

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

PlayerGIPWLERASO
Ed Figueroa 32239.116113.57104
Mike Torrez 31217.014123.8290
Ron Guidry 31210.21672.82176
Don Gullett 22158.11443.58116
Catfish Hunter 22143.1994.7152
Dock Ellis 319.2111.835

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

PlayerGIPWLERASO
Ken Holtzman 1871.2235.7814
Gil Patterson 1033.1125.4029

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

PlayerGIPWLSVERASO
Sparky Lyle 72137.0135262.1768
Dick Tidrow 49151.011453.1683
Ken Clay 2155.22314.3720
Stan Thomas 36.11007.111
Larry McCall 26.00107.500

ALCS

Game 1

October 5: Yankee Stadium, New York City

Team123456789RHE
Kansas City222000010790
New York002000000290
W: Paul Splittorff (1–0)  L: Don Gullett (0–1)  
HRs: KC – Hal McRae (1), John Mayberry (1), Al Cowens (1) NYY – Thurman Munson (1)

Game 2

October 6: Yankee Stadium, New York City

Team123456789RHE
Kansas City001001000231
New York00002301-6100
W: Ron Guidry (1–0)  L: Andy Hassler (0–1)  
HRs: KC – none; NYY – Cliff Johnson (1)

Game 3

October 7: Royals Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Team123456789RHE
New York000010001241
Kansas City01101201-6121
W: Dennis Leonard (1–0)  L: Mike Torrez (0–1)  
HRs: NYY – none; KC – none

Game 4

October 8: Royals Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Team123456789RHE
New York1211000016130
Kansas City002200000482
W: Sparky Lyle (1–0)  L: Larry Gura (0–1)  
HRs: Yanks – none; KC – none

Game 5

October 9: Royals Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Team123456789RHE
New York0010000135100
Kansas City2010000003101
W: Sparky Lyle (2–0)  L: Dennis Leonard (1–1)  
HRs: NYY – none; KC – none

World Series

AL New York Yankees (4) vs. NL Los Angeles Dodgers (2)
GameScoreDateLocationAttendanceTime of Game
1Dodgers – 3, Yankees – 4 (12 inns)October 11 Yankee Stadium 56,6683:24
2Dodgers – 6, Yankees – 1October 12 Yankee Stadium 56,6912:27
3Yankees – 5, Dodgers – 3October 14 Dodger Stadium 55,9922:31
4Yankees – 4, Dodgers – 2October 15 Dodger Stadium 55,9952:07
5Yankees – 4, Dodgers – 10October 16 Dodger Stadium 55,9952:29
6Dodgers – 4, Yankees – 8October 18 Yankee Stadium 56,4072:18

Awards and honors

All-Stars

All-Star Game

Farm system

LevelTeamLeagueManager
AAA Syracuse Chiefs International League Pete Ward
AA West Haven Yankees Eastern League Mike Ferraro
A Fort Lauderdale Yankees Florida State League Ed Napoleon
A-Short Season Oneonta Yankees New York–Penn League Art Mazmanian

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: West Haven, Oneonta [20]

Notes

  1. ↑ Jim Mason at Baseball Reference
  2. ↑ Willie McGee at Baseball Reference
  3. ↑ Paul Blair at Baseball Reference
  4. ↑ Brian Doyle at Baseball Reference
  5. ↑ Kerry Dineen at Baseball Reference
  6. ↑ Oscar Gamble at Baseball Reference
  7. ↑ Dock Ellis at Baseball Reference
  8. ↑ Stan Thomas at Baseball Reference
  9. ↑ Joe Lefebvre at Baseball Reference
  10. ↑ Chuck Hensley at Baseball Reference
  11. ↑ Chris Welsh at Baseball Reference
  12. ↑ Stars and Strikes: Baseball and America in the Bicentennial Summer of ‘76, Dan Epstein, St. Martin's Press, 2014, pages 365-66.
  13. ↑ Chass, Murray (January 19, 1977). "Verbal Agreements Cited by Catcher". The New York Times. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Martin, Jackson clash as Yanks lose, 10-4". Pittsburgh Press. UPI. June 20, 1977. p. D5.
  15. ↑ "Martin might be fighting to save his job". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. wire service reports. June 20, 1977. p. 1D.
  16. ↑ "Shouting match!". Reading Eagle. Pennsylvania. Associated Press. June 19, 1977. p. 69.
  17. ↑ "1977 New York Yankees Schedule & Results". Baseball Reference . Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  18. ↑ "1977 American League Championship Series". Baseball Reference . Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  19. ↑ "1977 World Series". Baseball Reference . Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  20. ↑ Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 2nd and 3rd editions. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 1997 and 2007

References

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