GABE PAUL (Administrative Partner)
"Fortunately for the Yankees, in the new group of owners is a man whose name is synonymous with baseball. He is Gabe Paul, for the last dozen years the front office chief of the Cleveland Indians. Gabe will serve as the Administrative Partner in the new alignment.
Mr. Paul served his apprenticeship in his native Rochester, New York and later moved on to the general manager's post in Cincinnati, Houston and Cleveland. He was brought into baseball by his long-time friend and associate, Warren Giles, President Emeritus of the National League.
Gabe is well versed in all phases of baseball's operations, He served the Rochester Red Wings, and later the Reds, in a variety of roles including publicity director, traveling secretary, in concessions and throughout the front office.
As the Yankees plan to move to Shea Stadium for the 1974 and '75 seasons while Yankee Stadium is being completely remodeled, a man of Gabe Paul's experience and stature should prove mighty beneficial to the Yankees and Yankee fans."
-The New York Yankees Official 1973 Yearbook
LEE MACPHAIL (General Manager)
"Lee MacPhail has earned his reputation as a builder of champions by years of patient, intelligent work.
After World War II he helped mold many of the Yankee championship clubs as Yankee Farm Director. In the late 1950's he moved to Baltimore where he developed the Oriole championship teams. In 1966, the year he spent in the Commissioner's office as Administrator, Lee was named Baseball's Executive of the Year. Then, in 1967, he returned to the Yankees, joining Michael Burke and Ralph Houk in rebuilding the Yankees.
The Yankees are now back in pennant contention largely because of Lee MacPhail's revitalization of the farm system and his astute player trades. His constant aim has been to reward with another pennant the fans who have themselves been so patient during the rebuilding period."
-The New York Yankees Official 1973 Yearbook
RALPH HOUK (Manager)
"The Major ... the ballplayer's manager ... Houk can blow smoke a mile high. Outrageously optimistic, he can always see the light at the end of the longest, darkest tunnel.
Ralph never lets a benchwarmer feel forgotten. He inspires tremendous loyalty from his troops. He has an explosive temper which can light up a field.
Born in Lawrence, Kansas, Houk advanced to the rank of Major while serving as a Ranger in the European Theater during World War II. A bullpen catcher with some of the great Yankee teams, Ralph began his managerial career at Denver, later replacing Casey Stengel at the Yankee job. He won three pennants and two world championships in three years before moving up to be general manager. Ralph returned to managing in 1966 and has been there ever since. He did a consummate job in handling Sparky Lyle last season and making a less-than-inspiring team into a pennant contender. He has twice been selected Manager of the Year.
An avid fisherman, Ralph is operating on the first year of a new three-year contract."
-Joe Gergen, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1973 Edition
"The Manager of the Year in both 1961 and 1970, he served as general manager for a while, before returning as field manager. He has great patience with youngsters but also has a fierce temper. He gives everyone a chance to play, and his players like him. Previously accused of platooning too heavily, he acquired Graig Nettles and Matty Alou in off-season trades and his team figures well in '73. Other managers think he can do it."
-Dan Schlossberg, Sports Quarterly Presents Baseball, Spring 1973
"Ralph Houk has been a Yankee all his baseball life, since 1939. Now in his eleventh year as Yankee skipper, he is the dean of American League managers.
Ralph has traveled the full baseball route: minor league player, major league player, minor league manager, major league coach, major league manager and general manager - all with the Yankees. He has managed three Yankee pennant winners, two world championship teams and twice been named Manager of the Year.
No manager handles players better than Ralph Houk. No one understands better than he that a successful manager must be a very effective psychologist. He instills confidence and inspires trust in his players and they, in turn, have total confidence in him. In a sport where a psychological factor is significantly important, the Yankees are specially advantaged having Ralph Houk.
He has indeed taken his place alongside the great managers in the Yankee tradition - Huggins, McCarthy and Stengel."
-The New York Yankees Official 1973 Yearbook
"Once again in 1972, The Major lived up to his reputation as one of the best managers in baseball. He had his Yanks in the midst of the AL East pennant race right into the last week of the season, when all of the pre-season analysts said it couldn't be done. This despite the fact that the Yankees got off to a rather poor start and were just 8-14 after the first month of the season.
Ralph, who has been named Manager of the Year twice, in 1970 and 1961, has spent his entire baseball career in the New York Yankee organization. He was signed to a Class D contract in 1939 after spurning a football scholarship to the U. of Kansas and has been here ever since in the role of a player, coach, minor league manager, manager, general manager and manager again. He ended his playing career after the 1954 season to take over as pilot of the Yanks' AAA club at Denver in 1955. He returned to the parent team in 1958 as first base coach where he remained until he was named Casey Stengel's successor in 1961.
He led the Yanks to pennants and World Series victories in 1961 and 1962, and to the pennant again in 1963. Ralph became general manager in 1964 and returned to managing in May 1966.
Known as a great leader of men, Ralph advanced to the rank of Major during World War II while a Ranger in the 9th Armored Division in the European Theatre.
His main avocation outside of baseball is fishing. He owns a new pleasure and fishing boat - christened Thanks Yanks."
-1973 New York Yankees Press/TV/Radio Guide
JIM TURNER (Coach)
"Jim Turner celebrated 50 consecutive years in uniform in 1972, and begins his second half-century this season. As Yankee pitching coach he has served two stints, 1949-59 and 1966 to the present. As a player, Jim pitched for the Braves, Reds and Yankees from 1937-45, appearing in two World Series."
-The New York Yankees Official 1973 Yearbook
"The Colonel has spent more consecutive years in uniform than anyone in the history of baseball, entering his 51st season. Others have been in baseball for that many consecutive years, but not in uniform.
His first 14 years were spent in the minor leagues and he was 33 by the time he finally reached the major leagues with the Boston Braves. He won 20 games that year and lasted nine years overall as a player, concluding his major league career with the Yankees in 1945.
He first became pitching coach for the Yanks in 1949 under Casey Stengel, and remained until 1959, during the era of five consecutive World Championships (1949-53). Jim went to Cincinnati to serve as pitching coach in 1961, and returned to the Yanks in 1966."
-1973 New York Yankees Press/TV/Radio Guide
ELSTON HOWARD (Coach)
"Elston Howard, the last Yankee to win an MVP award (1963), is in his fifth season as Yankee first base coach. The first black Yankee and the first black coach in the league, Ellie batted as high as .348 during his 14-year career, playing in nine All-Star Games and ten World Series."
-The New York Yankees Official 1973 Yearbook
"Elston, on the list of great Yankee players, is one of the most recognized and popular Yankees among baseball fans everywhere. Now in his fifth year as a coach, he was an outstanding Yankee player for 13 seasons, being named the AL's MVP in 1963, and also winning the Babe Ruth Award (top World Series player) in 1958.
Originally an outfielder when the Yankees acquired him from the Kansas City Monarchs, Ellie was converted to a catcher and led that position in fielding in 1962, 1963 and 1964. An All-Star nine times, he also played in ten World Series - nine with the Yanks and one with the Red Sox, who acquired him in August 1967.
He was the first black player with the Yankees and also the first black coach in the American League."
-1973 New York Yankees Press/TV/Radio Guide
DICK HOWSER (Coach)
"Dick Howser, the Sporting News Rookie of the Year in 1961, spent eight years as a top grade infielder with Kansas City, Cleveland and the Yankees as preparation for the third base coaching assignment on the Yanks, which he has held since 1969. Dick managed the Yankee club in the Instructional League last winter."
-The New York Yankees Official 1973 Yearbook
"Dick returns to his third base coaching duties for the fifth straight year after serving as manager of the Yankees' Florida Instructional League club during this past off-season. He joined the staff in 1969 after spending two seasons with the Yanks as a utility infielder and pinch-hitter.
He reached the major leagues with Kansas City in 1961 and was named Rookie of the Year by the Sporting News as well as being selected to the All-Star team. A heady and flashy player who stole more than 50 bases one year with the Kansas City club, Dick was reported to be in strong contention for the managing job with the Texas Rangers last winter."
-1973 New York Yankees Press/TV/Radio Guide
JIM HEGAN (Coach)
"Jim Hegan is in his 14th season as Yankee bullpen coach, following an 18-year catching career where he was a two-time All-Star and the receiver for such Cleveland stars as Bob Feller, Early Wynn and Bob Lemon. Jim's son Mike, a former Yankee, is with the Oakland A's."
-The New York Yankees Official 1973 Yearbook
"Jim enters his 14th season as a Yankee coach, making him dean of the Yankee staff. A classic receiver who played for 18 seasons in the major leagues, he handled one of the greatest pitching staffs ever assembled - Feller, Lemon, Garcia and Wynn while at Cleveland in the late 40s and early 50s - valuable experience for his present assignment of bullpen coach.
Jim, who was an All-Star twice, in 1950 and 1951 with the Cleveland Indians, has a son, Mike, who originally signed with the Yankees and is currently playing with the World Champion Oakland A's."
-1973 New York Yankees Press/TV/Radio Guide
MICKEY MANTLE (Special Instructor)
"The Magnificent Yankee, retired since 1969, each year returns to spring training as a special instructor. He remains one of the most popular figures in the game, receiving an ovation wherever he is introduced.
His 18 years with the Yankees produced one of the greatest careers in baseball history, taking his place among Yankee immortals Ruth, Gehrig and DiMaggio. His place as a Yankee immortal was established when Mick's famous number 7 was retired on Mickey Mantle Day - June 8, 1969.
He ranks high among all-time Yankees in many offensive categories: third in runs scored (1,677), third in hits (2,415), fourth in doubles (344), second in homers (536), and fourth in RBIs (1,509). He also played in more games (2,401) and had more at-bats (8,102) than any Yankee ever. Undoubtedly the most powerful switch-hitter the game has ever produced, Mickey hit home runs from both sides of the plate in one game ten times, a major league record. He hit 18 homers in World Series play, another record. He was MVP in the American League in 1956,1957 and 1962. Mickey won the Triple Crown in 1956, and also the Hickok Belt as the Top Professional Athlete in 1956.
Acclaimed by fans and players as one of the most courageous and competitive players ever to set foot on the diamond, Mickey accomplished these feats despite being plagued by injuries throughout his career."
-1973 New York Yankees Press/TV/Radio Guide
WHITEY FORD (Special Instructor)
"Whitey, who just missed entering the Hall of Fame by 29 votes this past election, is the winningest pitcher in Yankee history with 236. His winning percentage of .690 is topped only by Spud Chandler on the all-time Yankee list. His 1,956 strikeouts is also a Yankee record, and Whitey also holds World Series records for total Series, games pitched, innings, victories, strikeouts, and consecutive shutout innings (33 2/3).
He was the Cy Young Award winner in 1961 and the American League's Pitcher of the Year in 1955, 1961 and 1963. He hurled two consecutive one-hitters in 1955. He was always considered one of the top pitchers in clutch situations in baseball.
Since elbow problems halted his career in 1967, Whitey has served the Yankees as a minor league instructor, spring training instructor, major league coach and broadcaster, in addition to private business ventures. His son Eddie plays the infield for coach Bobby Richardson at the University of South Carolina."
-1973 New York Yankees Press/TV/Radio Guide
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