The Birth of a Baseball Giant

Before the New York Yankees became the most iconic franchise in sports history, they were just a struggling ball club trying to find its place in the early days of Major League Baseball. The journey began in 1901, not in the Bronx, and not even under the name “Yankees.” Here’s how the legend began.

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1901: The Baltimore Beginnings

The franchise was founded in 1901 as one of the eight original teams of the American League. But they weren’t in New York — they were in Baltimore, Maryland, and the team was called the Baltimore Orioles (no relation to the current Orioles). Led by player-manager John McGraw, the team faced significant challenges and conflict with American League president Ban Johnson. Tensions mounted quickly, and the Orioles disbanded after just two seasons.

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1903: Welcome to New York – The Highlanders Era Begins

In 1903, the American League sought to establish a presence in the nation’s largest city. They relocated the defunct Orioles franchise to New York and set up shop at Hilltop Park, located in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan.

The team was originally called the New York Highlanders, a nod to their elevated ballpark location and possibly as a response to the National League’s New York Giants. They also went by the nickname “The Americans”, distinguishing them from the Giants.

Led by manager Clark Griffith, the Highlanders experienced moderate success but never captured a pennant during their early years. Their rosters included future Hall of Famers like Jack Chesbro and Willie Keeler.

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1904: A Near Miss and Chesbro’s Record

One of the most memorable early seasons came in 1904. The Highlanders came within one game of winning the American League pennant. Pitcher Jack Chesbro had a legendary season, winning 41 games — a modern-era record that still stands today.

Unfortunately, a wild pitch by Chesbro in a crucial game against the Boston Americans (now the Red Sox) dashed the team’s hopes and handed Boston the pennant.

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1913: A New Name – The New York Yankees

By 1913, the “Highlanders” moniker had faded, and the team had moved from Hilltop Park to the Polo Grounds, where they shared a stadium with the Giants. Around this time, sportswriters began regularly referring to the team as the “Yankees”, a nickname that had floated around since 1904.

The name stuck.

The franchise officially adopted “New York Yankees” as their name that season. Though they still struggled on the field, the branding would become one of the most recognized in the world.

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1915–1919: A New Ownership Group Arrives

The turning point in the franchise’s direction came in 1915, when Jacob Ruppert, a wealthy brewery magnate, and Tillinghast L’Hommedieu Huston, a construction contractor, purchased the team.

Ruppert had grand ambitions. He wanted a championship team — and more importantly, his own stadium. But first, he needed star power.

In the final years of the 1910s, the Yankees began laying the groundwork for their transformation from league doormat to baseball royalty. They acquired key players and positioned themselves as serious contenders.

Then came the biggest move in baseball history…

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1919: A Deal That Changed Everything

At the end of the 1919 season, Ruppert made a move that would shift the balance of power in Major League Baseball for generations: he purchased Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox.

Though technically finalized in 1920, the deal was agreed upon in late 1919. With Ruth’s bat and superstar charisma, the Yankees would become the premier franchise in the sport — but that next chapter belongs to the 1920s.

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Legacy of the Early Years

While the Yankees of 1901–1919 never won a championship or even appeared in a World Series, these formative years built the foundation of a dynasty. The franchise moved from instability in Baltimore to a permanent home in New York. They adopted an iconic name, brought in ambitious ownership, and set the stage for a century of greatness.

The Yankees’ story didn’t start with glory — but it started with vision, grit, and a city ready to fall in love with its team.