The Yankees organization did not win their first pennant until 1921, the 19th season in team history. The first championship came two seasons later. Since then, they’ve become the most successful team in baseball.
While Babe Ruth’s arrival is rightfully attributed to a change in the franchise’s fortunes, they nearly won a pennant more than a decade prior to that. Just two years into their history, the the Highlanders came extremely close to making history.
The New York Highlanders started off the 1904 season slowly. Coming out of May, they found themselves already 5.5 games back of the Boston Americans in the American League.