The New York Yankees are more than just a baseball team — they’re an institution. With 27 World Series championships, legendary players like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and Derek Jeter, and over a century of dominance, the Yankees represent a gold standard in sports excellence.
Throughout the years, Yankees players, coaches, managers, and even rivals have said unforgettable things about the franchise, the game of baseball, and what it means to wear the iconic pinstripes. Some of these quotes are funny, others are motivational, and many are deeply emotional — all of them, however, are part of baseball history.
Below is the most comprehensive collection of New York Yankees quotes, sorted into categories like legends, modern heroes, managers, rivals, and even movies & pop culture references.
🧢 I. Legendary Yankees Quotes
⚾️ 1. Babe Ruth
“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.”
This quote from The Bambino transcends baseball. It’s not just a sports quote — it’s a life lesson.
“Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.”
Another inspirational quote often used in sports psychology, Ruth’s mindset highlights his power of persistence.
“Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.”
While popularized by the film The Sandlot, it was inspired by the mythos of Ruth himself.
⚾️ 2. Lou Gehrig
“Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.”
Spoken during his farewell speech on July 4, 1939, after being diagnosed with ALS, this is arguably the most iconic quote in baseball history.
“I might have been given a bad break, but I’ve got an awful lot to live for.”
Gehrig’s courage and grace remain a powerful symbol of strength and humility.
⚾️ 3. Joe DiMaggio
“There is always some kid who may be seeing me for the first or last time. I owe him my best.”
This quote exemplifies professionalism and pride. DiMaggio played every game as if the whole world was watching — because to someone, it was.
⚾️ 4. Mickey Mantle
“It was all I lived for, to play baseball.”
“If I knew I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself.”
A mix of seriousness and dry humor, these quotes reflect both Mantle’s love of the game and his self-awareness.
“You don’t realize how easy this game is until you get up in that broadcasting booth.”
⚾️ 5. Yogi Berra
“It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.”
“Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical.”
“When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
Yogi Berra was a quote machine — many of his quips, called “Yogi-isms”, are legendary for their paradoxical humor and accidental wisdom.
🧢 II. Modern Yankees Icons
🧤 6. Derek Jeter
“There may be people who have more talent than you, but there’s no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do.”
“You don’t just accidentally show up in the World Series.”
“The last thing you want to do is finish playing or doing anything and wish you would have worked harder.”
Captain Clutch embodied leadership and professionalism. His quotes are often used as motivational tools for athletes of all levels.
⚾️ 7. Mariano Rivera
“I have always said that I don’t care about the numbers. If I did, I would have hung up my cleats a long time ago.”
“The Lord gave me the ability to throw a baseball and I am thankful every day.”
Rivera, the all-time saves leader, is as humble off the field as he was dominant on it.
🧢 8. Aaron Judge
“Pressure is a privilege — it means people expect something from you.”
“I’m not just trying to be a home run hitter. I want to be a complete player.”
Judge is writing his own legacy, and his quotes show a mentality focused on growth and leadership.
⚾️ 9. Alex Rodriguez
“Enjoy your sweat because hard work doesn’t guarantee success, but without it you don’t have a chance.”
While controversial, A-Rod has always emphasized work ethic as a key to greatness.
🧢 III. Yankees Managers & Coaches
👔 10. Joe Torre
“You treat people with respect. You earn respect.”
“Managing is not about winning. It’s about preparing to win.”
Torre brought a calm, thoughtful demeanor to the dugout, leading the Yankees to four championships in five years (1996–2000).
👔 11. Billy Martin
“I may not always be right, but I’m never wrong.”
“There’s nothing wrong with getting knocked down, as long as you get right back up.”
Martin was a fiery and controversial figure, and his quotes reflected his intensity.
🧢 IV. Rivals & Outsiders on the Yankees
🧡 12. Pedro Martinez (Red Sox Legend)
“I just tip my hat and call the Yankees my daddy.”
Spoken after getting beaten by the Yankees again in 2004 — a quote that became legendary and mocked endlessly by Yankees fans.
🔥 13. Curt Schilling
“You’re not a real big-league pitcher until you beat the Yankees in Yankee Stadium.”
Even rivals acknowledge the weight and symbolism of facing New York.
🤝 14. Ken Griffey Jr.
“You want to beat the Yankees, because they’re the measuring stick.”
Griffey never played for the Yankees, but he respected the brand and what it meant to compete against them.
More Yankees Quotes
From the Legends:
- Yogi Berra: Known for his unique and often humorous “Yogisms,” Berra’s quotes are some of the most famous in all of sports.
- “It ain’t over ’til it’s over.”
- “Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical.”
- “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
- “I always thought that record would stand until it was broken.”
- “You can observe a lot by just watching.”
- “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.”
- Lou Gehrig: His “Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth” speech is one of the most poignant moments in baseball history.
- “Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.”
- Babe Ruth: The “Great Bambino” was a larger-than-life figure whose quotes reflect his immense confidence and impact on the game.
- “Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.”
- “I hit big or I miss big. I like to live as big as I can.”
- Joe DiMaggio: “The Yankee Clipper” was a symbol of grace and excellence.
- “I’d like to thank the good Lord for making me a Yankee.”
- “There is always some kid who may be seeing me for the first time. I owe him the best.”
- Mickey Mantle: A powerful hitter and beloved figure, his quotes often reflect on his career and persona.
- “A team is where a boy can prove his courage on his own. A gang is where a coward goes to hide.”
- Reggie Jackson: “Mr. October” earned his nickname with his clutch postseason performances.
- “There is only one October.”
- “I didn’t come to New York to be a star. I brought my star with me.”
- Derek Jeter: The face of the Yankees dynasty in the late 1990s and 2000s, Jeter’s quotes are about leadership and winning.
- “My heroes, my dreams, and my future lay in Yankee Stadium. And they can’t take that away from me.”
- “You don’t just accidentally show up in the World Series.”
- “I love it when people doubt me. It makes me work harder.”
Other Notable Quotes:
- Billy Martin: “Everything looks nicer when you win. The girls are prettier, the cigars taste better. The trees are greener.”
- Ron Guidry: “The Yankees were the only team I ever played for. They were also the only team I wanted to play for.”
- Aaron Boone: “To put on the pinstripes – it’s extraordinary. Just being able to play one game with the Yankees is quite an honor.”
- Graig Nettles: “When I was a little boy, I wanted to be a baseball player and join a circus. With the Yankees I’ve accomplished both.”
- Ernest Hemingway: (From “The Old Man and the Sea”) “Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio.”
- Mike Royko: “Hating the Yankees is as American as pizza pie, unwed mothers, and cheating on your income tax.”
