Yankees: 3 Hall of Famers you forgot played for NYY

New York Yankees outfielder Rickey Henderson in 1989. (Photo by David Madison/Getty Images)
New York Yankees outfielder Rickey Henderson in 1989. (Photo by David Madison/Getty Images) /
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Enos Slaughter #17 of the New York Yankees and Gil Hodges #14 of the Brooklyn Dodgers pose for a portrait prior to World Series Game 2 on September 29, 1955 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. Tommy Byrne and the Yankees won the second game of the series 4-2, in front of 64,707 fans. (Photo by Kidwiler Collection/Diamond Images/Getty Images) /

2. Enos Slaughter

Cardinals infielder Enos Slaughter joined the Yankees in the ’50s.

No, it’s not Johnny Mize — though the Big Cat also joined the Yankees slightly after his prime to slug dingers, in a similar era.

Yes, Enos Slaughter, forever associated with the Birds on the Bat for his work as a scrappy right fielder, joined the Yanks at the age of 38 in 1954, following 10 straight All-Star seasons in St. Louis (with three years missed for military service sandwiched in between).

A National Leaguer with a big reputation joining the Yankees after most of their skills have worn away? No. You don’t say.

‘Country’ Slaughter played parts of six seasons with the Yanks, somehow boomeranging back to the Bronx despite not really being much of a standout in the junior circuit. His best season in pinstripes was 1958, at the age of 42, when he managed to hit .304 in 160 at-bats with four round-trippers.

Despite playing in only 24 games with the Yankees in 1956, after being shipped back from New York’s pseudo farm club the Kansas City A’s, Slaughter shined in the World Series that year, hitting .350 with a dinger in the six-game victory against Brooklyn.

Now, how can any Yankee fan forget that?!