“Condolences.” – Graig Nettles, to Bob Lemon as Lemon entered Yankee Stadium after once again being named Yankees manager, September 1981.
The 1980 Yankees are on the shortlist of the best Yankees teams to not win the World Series. Under general manager Gene Michael and manager Dick Howser, the team went 103-59 on their way to winning a very tough AL East (five of the best six records in the AL that season were posted by AL East teams). Although an ALCS sweep at the hands of the Kansas City Royals cost both Michael and Howser their jobs at season’s end — which may be odd but was not unusual in the Bronx in that era — the team had considerable reasons for optimism heading into the 1981 season.