The Bronx Zoo and the 1978 New York Yankees

In 1978, Yankees’ fans were still basking in the glow of the 1977 World Series victory–the team’s first since 1962. Fifteen years is a long wait for Yankees’ fans, who are spoiled by many past championships. Well, the drought was finally over, and the Yankees were back on top … where they belonged. With things back to normal, fans expected to win again in 1978 … and for many years to come, too.

Sparky Lyle and Peter Golenbock wrote a book about this topic called The Bronx Zoo: The Inside Story of the 1978 World Champion New York Yankees.  The book covers way more than in this article, so I recommend you pick it up.

This post and podcast episode recount the events of the 1978 Yankee team from the host, Mark Morthier, on Yesterday’s Sports.

 Jump to the rest of the post below.

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Mark Morthier is the host of Yesterday’s Sports, a podcast dedicated to reliving memorable sports moments from his childhood days and beyond.  He grew up in New Jersey just across from New York City, so many of his episodes revolve around the great sport’s teams of the 70s for the New York area.  He is also an author of No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training.

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But 1978 didn’t go as smoothly as planned. For one thing, there was conflict. The Yankees added relief pitcher Rich “Goose” Gossage to the roster, a move that didn’t sit well with Sparky Lyle, who had been the top relief man. The team struggled right from the start. By mid-July, the Yankees had fallen 14½ games behind the first-place Boston Red Sox. And the conflict continued.

Some said there were too many big egos on the team. Others either blamed owner George Steinbrenner for meddling or manager Billy Martin for not being able to control his temper. Things finally came to a head on July 17. With Reggie Jackson at the plate and Thurman Munson on first base, Billy Martin gave Jackson the bunt sign. But Martin changed his mind after the first pitch almost hit Jackson. Martin then gave Jackson the hit-away sign, but he ignored it and kept bunting.

Eventually, Jackson hit a pop up to the catcher for an easy out. Martin was livid and suspended Jackson for insubordination. It was not the first time Jackson and Martin had clashed. The previous year Martin had pulled Jackson out of a game for not hustling. The two almost exchanged blows in the dugout, and this time Martin wouldn’t last. Owner George Steinbrenner fired him a week later.

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    The Bronx Zoo Yankees

    Things had gotten out of control in Yankee Land, so much so that third baseman Graig Nettles was quoted as saying:

     “When I was a kid I wanted to be either a ballplayer or work in a circus. Now I get to do both!” 

    The New York media began referring to the team as “The Bronx Zoo.” The Yankees then hired Bob Lemon as their new manager. Lemon had just been inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame two years earlier for his exceptional career as a player. But he seemed an odd choice because he hadn’t done well in previous managerial stints–either with the KC Royals or with the Chicago White Sox.

    As it turned out, though, he was just what the Yankees needed. Lemon’s personality was the opposite of Martin’s. Martin was fiery and hot-tempered. Lemon was calm and rarely raised his voice. He told the team to forget about what had happened during the first half of the season:

    “Let’s put all of that turmoil behind us and just play baseball.” Under his leadership–and with outstanding pitching from Ron Guidry (25–3) and 20-game winner Ed Figueroa–the team went 48–20 the rest of the way.

    The highlight came in early September when the Yankees played Boston in a four-game series at Fenway Park. NY won by a combined score of 42–9 in a series that became known as “The Boston Massacre.” By season’s end, the Yanks had erased Boston’s 14½-game lead, and the two teams finished in a tie.

    Next up was a one-game playoff to decide who would move on to play in the AL Championship. The Sox struck first, taking a 2–0 lead after 6 innings. But Yankees’ shortstop Bucky Dent–a player who had hit only 5 home runs all season–gave NY the lead by blasting a three-run shot over Fenway’s “Big Green Monster.”

    The Yankees held on to win, 5–4. The KC Royals were up next–for the third straight year–to decide who would go on to the World Series. New York won the series 3–1 and would play the Dodgers. It was the second straight year they would meet in the series and the 10th time overall.

    After falling behind two games to zero, the Yankees took Game Three behind Ron Guidry’s complete game. But the big hero was Yankees’ third baseman, Graig Nettles. He saved at least four runs with a brilliant defensive performance. The Yankees tied the series two games apiece with a controversial Game Four win.

    In the 6th inning Dodgers’ second baseman, Bill Russell hit Reggie Jackson on the hip with a throw to first. The Dodgers claimed that Jackson interfered by turning his hip towards the ball. During the confusion, Yankees’ catcher Thurman Munson alertly ran from second base all the way home. The Yankees won the game, 4–3, and won the next two games to take their 22nd World Series. Bucky Dent was named series MVP.

    All was well in Yankee land…at least for the moment…. Sixty-five games into the 1979 season, Billy Martin was back as Yankees’ manager. There wasn’t any World Series this time, though. NY finished 89–71 and didn’t make the postseason. And team captain, Thurman Munson, was killed in a plane crash in August.

    The Yankee’s stalwart, who had been with the team for 11 years, was just 32 years old. The Yankees came back strong in 1980 with a 103–59 record–the team’s best since 1963–but lost to the KC Royals 3–0 in the ALCS. Then, in 1981–Reggie’s last year as a Yankee–they made it back to the World Series but lost in six to LA.

    It would be 15 more years before the Yankees would play in another World Series. But that’s a story for another time.

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    10 thoughts on “The Bronx Zoo and the 1978 New York Yankees”

    1. Just like it’s a shame that we never got to see Madden/Stabler’s Raiders & Landry/Staubach’s Cowboys meet in a Super Bowl (as well as a no-go in ’67, ’70, and ’80 for that matter), it’s also a shame we didn’t see the Yankees & Phillies in a World Series from ’76-thru-’80 (same with ’64 and 2010 as well)!

      Despite the exciting 14.5 game comeback – and Bucky Dent, 10/2 (AND coming back from 0-2 to Dodgers), 1978 doesn’t seem to get the same notoriety as ’77. Of course Billy is only on for half a season, not as much going on in the Apple as the summer prior, and no 3HRs-off-3-pitches from #44 are key explanations. Still, I wish ESPN would have followed up ‘The Bronx is Burning’ with a second season chronicling the ’78 campaign. Sure enough there would have still been enough BM written in for Turturro to retain a starring role.

      Your Yankees AND Cowboys winning it in ’77, huh? Well, for yours truly, ’78 was MY year (although I, unfortunately, wasn’t following sports yet) with Yankees and STEELERS winning-it-all (sorry to rub in the latter part). “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” was a big hit for Meatloaf that year! Quite fitting for my #1 unbeaten Nittany Lions came up just short to ‘Bama!

      I’m surprised that there’s no “what-if” posts online in regards to a possible ’80 Yankees/Phillies WS! NYY had the very best record in baseball that year! But, I guess, the Royals were due in the American as the Phils were in the National. So what we got was a perennial bridesmaid vs perennial bridesmaid World Series (SOMEONE had to win)!

      Just the same, a while back I went onto Whatifsports.com and actually played the Series! Playing the likely starting pitching lineups per game as well as starting the Series at the Vet in a 2-3-2 format. Upon returning to Philly down 3-2, the Yanks pull off back-to-back lopsided affairs to WIN IT in seven!!

      Reply
      • I love your comments. You know your history! You should really consider joining sportshistorynetwork.com It really is odd that with all the great teams the Raiders and Cowboys had that they never met in a Super Bowl. You bring up a good point about the Yankees and Phillies not meeting in the World Series until 2009. I never really thought about that before.

        Reply
        • Of course they did meet in 1950! Four-game sweep over the ‘Whiz Kids’! Would have loved to have seen them clash in that era I suggested, however! Carlton pitching against Reggie, Guidry against Schmidt, Munson at the plate preparing for a charging Pete Rose, etc! It should have happened!

          Thanks for the compliment! It’s already been suggested. If the wind blows in a different direction one day, maybe I’ll hop onboard. But it’s just casual for now. Just for fun. Now Pro Football Researchers Association…(one of them writing here, I see – yes, still got to get that NFL ’70s book)…I couldn’t carry their water! You all here quite very knowledgeable as well! Also can’t carry yours!

          Great site! This and PFRA!

          Reply
    2. Yes, what perfect timing for this, here, 4th-grade Steeler/Yankee-fan to start following sports in the 1980 NFL season. The Dynasty of all Dynasties was now at an end (although some at the time, #75 in-particular, said it was just an interruption – “One for the Thumb in ’81”). And my first MLB season was STRIKE-shortened, a strange playoff format to boot, and finally…(I’m about to cry)…FERNANDO!

      But 1996 and 2005 would end up being worth the long, respective 15 and 25 year waits!!

      Reply
      • So I’m guessing you were born around 1970 or 1971? I was born in 62. I always enjoy hearing from fans like you who know their history. Sorry, my responses are so late. I never received an email that someone commented on my articles.

        Reply
    3. Yeah, a mid-GenXer I am; you, a late-Boomer. The first Super Bowl of my life being V – Colts over Cowboys. Perhaps I was in a crib in a living room with it on the tube. First WS? Pirates over O’s. Perhaps I ‘watched’ a game or two as well!

      Reply

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