The New York Yankees dominated the game of baseball from 1923 to 1962. Unfortunately, the Bombers began to slip during the second half of the ’60s. After suffering World Series losses in both 1963 and 1964, the Yanks would fail to return to the Fall Classic for the remainder of the decade. When Mantle retired prior to the 1969 season, the book officially closed on the team’s golden era.
While the Yankees didn’t return to the postseason until 1976, fans had reasons to be optimistic as the ’70s began. In 1970, Thurman Munson was named the American League’s Rookie of the Year.