New York Yankees - 1997

1997-Apr-10 New York

Yankees bring a 4-5 road record into the stadium for their home opener and raising the 1996 World Series Pennant

1997-Apr-11 Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

Oakland Athletics 3-1 NY Yankees

Oakland RBI: Scott Brosius, Mark McGwire (HR), Rafael Bournigal

Yankee RBI: Paul O'Neill

Pitching: Aaron Small (W) Jeff Nelson (L)

David Cone Yankees Opening Day pitcher

David Cone - Greg Maddux - Cy Young Award

1994-Oct-25, New York, NY

David Cone, Kansas City Royals and Greg Maddux, Atlanta Braves awarded the Cy Young Award as the best pitchers of their respective leagues

David Cone signed with the KC Royals as a free agent prior to the 1993, finishing with an 11-14 record, 3.33 ERA. In 1994 his record improved to 16-5, 2.94 ERA to earn the award

Greg Maddux posted a 1.56 ERA. Maddux led the National League with 16 wins and 202 innings pitched. This would be his third Cy Young Award

Celebrate the Century - the 1970s

 Hank Aaron honored on a 1970's Celebrate the Century, Smile first day cover.

Hank Aaron surpassed the major league home run record in 1974

Medical Imaging first day cover, commemorating the advances in medicine to save players careers and lives. Dave Cone was found to have an aneurysm in his pitching arm. With the help of medical imaging surgery was performed to extend his career

David Cone

July 28, 1997 Yankee Stadium Bronx, NY

The Yankees defeated the Oakland A's 4-3, with Mariano Rivera picking up the victory in relief of David Cone.  Cone had pitched 8 innings, falling behind 3-1 until the bottom of the 7th and 8th innings when the Yankees came back to tie the game. The Yankees would win with a run in the bottom of the 9th.

Cone would strikeout 4 batters in the game to earn his 2,000 career strikeout. He would eventually finish his career with 2,668 Ks playing for the Kansas City Royals, New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. 

Cone was a 5-time All-Star, 5-time World Series Champion, AL Cy Young Award winner (1994), MLB wins leader (1998), 2-time strikeout leader and pitched a perfect game on July 18, 1999 for the Yankees