Winners of the "Celebrate the 1998 Season" Writing Contest Congratulations to Michael Murphy in winning the 1998 autographed World Series bat. There were so many good entries, we chose three runner-ups who each will receive a framed, autographed 8x10 of Paul. Thanks to the many who wrote in. Michael Murphy In this era of high-priced free agents, bloated egos and instant media backlash, no Yankee manager navigated the storm with more grace and poise than Joe Torre. In the climate of modern professional sport, the game itself becomes lost in the fray. No manager shielded his team from the pressures and distractions of playing on the biggest stage in the world more than Mr. Torre. As a result, his teams focused on playing the game to the best of their abilities without regard for personal gain or satisfying their egos. In summation, Joe Torre marshalled the Yankees through an unrivaled era of success, championships, and perhaps the greatest single season in the history of this grand game(1998) and did so in the most challenging of times and places. Michelle Minster Miller Huggins was quoted as saying, "Two things happen to players on a championship team. First they think they’re better than they are. Then when they begin to lose, they don’t know what to do. That’s when the manager has to step in and hold the wires. That’s when the players depend on the manager more than the manager depends on the players." However, winning never seemed to be a problem for Huggins’ teams, as he led the Yankees to 6 pennants and 3 world Series victories during his stint as manager. He gave his all to the Yankees, as only his death during the 1929 cut his tenure short. (Huggins was the first person honored in Monument Park ). Rob Cavera Of all the managers the Yankees have had to guide them over the past 100 years, Joe McCarthy was most responsible for the level of success the team would experience. McCarthy, known for his ability to teach and develop youngsters, managed in an era (1931-1946) that saw difficult times not only for baseball, but for the country as well. Joe gave the Yanks a sense of pride and a true winning identity. Ultimately, the Yankees were a welcomed distraction from the Great Depression and WWII. During his tenure the team won nine league pennants and seven World Series titles. His career winning percentages in the regular and post-season are still the highest in major league history. For a calm and quiet man, Joe McCarthy’s impact on the New York Yankees certainly resonates very loudly. Paul Cangro I believe it was Casey Stengel, for several reasons. First he was a joke as they said when he took over the Bombers in 1949, a clown and all other nonsense. The man, granted, had future Hall of Famers at several key positions. Berra, Ford , Mantle, Mize, Rizzuto. Some said Casey could take the summer off with wife Edna and come back for the World Series but he was more than that. He had instincts that other managers didn’t have. He had insightfulness that other managers wished they had. 12 years as the Bombers skipper, 10 pennants, 7 World Series titles is unsurpassed in Yankee history. Five consecutive World Series championships from 49-53. God bless you Charles Dillon Stengel and the Yankees thank you for leading them into a decade of brilliance and domination.