Yankees to Honor 1996 World Series Team’s 20th Anniversary

The New York Yankees will reunite the beloved 1996 World Series championship squad on August 13 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their victorious season.

The 1996 New York Yankees World Series championship team is special to fans for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it was the group that ended the organization’s longest title drought since they took home their first in 1923.

Before that season, the good guys had not won a championship for almost two decades, dating back to the Bronx Zoo era in 1978. They hadn’t even made a series appearance since losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1981.

The Yankees are not supposed to be perennial losers. This was the team that restored New York to its rightful place as the baseball capital of the world.

Another reason the 1996 season was so memorable for Yankees fans is that it was the start of one of the most dominant dynasties in modern sports. Many of the key contributors from this team would be instrumental in the Yankees winning three straight World Series titles from 1998-2000, and appearing in two more in 2001 and 2003.

The 1996 season is perhaps best remembered for being the breakout year  for the hallowed Core Four.

Derek Jeter won the American League Rookie of the Year award after hitting .314/.370/.430 with 10 homers and 14 steals. Jorge Posada earned his first big league hit and prepared to take over a larger role the following year. Andy Pettitte finished second in the AL Cy Young race and won 21 games for the Bombers. All Mariano Rivera did was turn in possibly the greatest season by a reliever in history.

On Saturday August 13th, the Yankees will reunite 32 players and coaches from the 1996 World Series championship team for a ceremony celebrating the 20th anniversary of their achievement. Here is a full list of those that will attend:

Brian Boehringer, Wade Boggs, Jose Cardenal, Tony Cloninger, David Cone, Mariano Duncan, Cecil Fielder, Andy Fox, Joe Girardi, Dwight Gooden, Charlie Hayes, Matt Howard, Derek Jeter, Pat Kelly, Jimmy Key, Jim Leyritz, Graeme Lloyd, Tino Martinez, Ramiro Mendoza, Gene Monahan, Jeff Nelson, Paul O’Neill, Dave Pavlas, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada, Tim Raines, Willie Randolph, Mariano Rivera, Darryl Strawberry, Joe Torre, John Wetteland, and Bernie Williams.

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In addition, on Friday the Yankees will be giving away replica 1996 World Series trophies to the first 15,000 fans at the ballpark. Finally, the weekend will end with the greatest reliever in history and Major League Baseball’s all-time leader in saves, Mariano Rivera, receiving his plaque in Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park.