Yankees Facts

February 25, 2010: The first MLB All-Star Game was played in 1933 and six Yankees players were selected to the squad: Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Bill Dickey, Lefty Gomez, Tony Lazzeri, and Ben Chapman.

February 27-28, 2010: The Yankees, as a team, scored 968 runs in the 2008 season, the highest total for the franchise since 1937 when they scored 979 times.

March 2, 2010: Twice in franchise history have the Yankees pounded out as many as eight homers in a game: June 28, 1939 and July 31, 2007.

March 4, 2010: Ten players have homered in their first at-bat as Yankees players, the most recent, Wilson Betemit, did so in 2007.

March 6-7, 2010: In 2005, ex-Yankees outfielder Melky Cabrera was selected to the World Team for the 2005 MLB Futures Game but was unable to compete because he was promoted to the Major Leagues before the game.

March 9, 2010: Robinson Cano’s dad, Jose Cano, was originally signed by the Yankees in 1980 and later made the Major Leagues with the Houston Astros, pitching in six games.

March 11, 2010: Robinson Cano wears the number 24 in honor of Jackie Robinson, who wore numbers 42, for whom he was named.

March 13-14, 2010: From 1998 through 2008, Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon has the most home runs from the leadoff position than any other batter in the Major Leagues except for former Yankees player Alfonso Soriano.

March 16, 2010: In 1929, the Yankees became the first team to permanently wear uniform numbers on the backs of jerseys.

March 18, 2010: In 1929, the Yankees wore a black armband on the left jersey sleeve in honor of the late manager Miller Huggins. It was the first time the Yankees did this to honor the passing of one of their own.

March 20-21, 2010: When Babe Ruth passed away in 1948, the Yankees added a black armband to the jersey sleeve for the remainder of the season in his honor.

March 23, 2010: In 1990, to honor the passing of former Yankees player and manager Billy Martin, the Yankees wore a black number 1 on the left jersey sleeve.

March 27-28, 2010: In 1999, two Yankees legends passed away: Joe DiMaggio and Catfish Hunter. To honor them, the Yankees added a number 5 patch and a black armband to the left jersey sleeve.

March 30, 2010: When longtime player and broadcaster  Bobby Murcer passed in 2008, the Yankees added a black armband to the left jersey sleeve for the season.

April 7, 2010: Today, Jorge Posada tied Mickey Mantle for most career doubles as a Yankee with 344!