Following the Yankees’ 1928 championship, the team went through a bit of a lull. It’s hard to call seasons where the win total only goes into the 80s and 90s bad years, but compared to the prolific seasons surrounding them it wouldn’t be entirely inaccurate either. Manager Miller Huggins passed away in 1929, and was replaced by Bob Shawkey for the 1930 season. Shawkey didn’t deliver, however, and the team pivoted to a man who would end up as one of the most iconic managers in franchise history: Joe McCarthy.
McCarthy came over after five seasons with the Chicago Cubs, where he won a pennant.