MLB Memorabilia Original MLB Art and Prints – In the long history of baseball, there have been many tandems that would define a lineup. Sluggers imbedded in the middle of a batting order that would dominate a game and pound opposing pitchers into submission. The two names almost synonymous with one another: Mays and McCovey, Aaron and Mathews, Mantle and Maris. However, the standard bearer for such a combination is clearly the first such duet, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. The tandem that gave the Yankees their nickname, the Bronx Bombers, would attach pitching staffs like no other. They hit more home runs than entire teams and led the Yankees and baseball into an era of long ball that exists to this day. Here we see them relaxing at the bat rack in the home dugout at Yankee Stadium, studying the opposing pitcher like a tiger studies their prey..

MLB Memorabilia Original MLB Art and Prints – Once the darlings of New York City, the Mets had completely collapsed during the late 1970?ÇÖs. Their home park, Shea Stadium had come to be known as ?Ç£Grant?ÇÖs Tomb?Ç¥ which reflected the complete disdain of the man running the team, the quality of the players on the field and the total lack of fan support. However, new ownership took over in 1980, and under the direction of general manager Frank Cashen, the team started to rebuild. Buoyed by back to back Rookie of the Year winners, Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry, the team rose to second in 1984, and then followed that in 1985 with a 98 win season. Unfortunately, that was only good for second place in the NL East. The team was poised to dominate in 1986, and boy did they. They rolled to the NL east pennant, piling up 108 wins and finishing 21 ?? games ahead of second place Philadelphia. In the national league playoffs against Houston, they won two gut-wrenching extra inning games, including a 16 inning marathon in the clinching game six. In the fall classic, against Boston, the team lost the first two games at home, but then staged a miraculous climb to the championship. They took two of the three games at Fenway Park, and then won improbable game six in New York, rallying for three runs with two out in the bottom of the tenth inning to secure a 6-5 victory. In the seventh and decisive game, the Mets rallied from a 3-0 deficit to post an 8-5 victory and win their second world championship..

MLB Memorabilia Original MLB Art and Prints – The Bronx Bombers were in a position that would become all too familiar at the start of the 1929 season. They were anxious to take the field as defending World Champions, having swept St. Louis in the previous year?ÇÖs World Series. It was the second consecutive Series sweep for the mighty New Yorkers, as they had also swept Pittsburgh in the 1927 series. This team, already being hailed as the greatest ever, was itching to defend their back to back titles. However, bad weather had forced a two day delay in opening the season, but finally on April 18, 1929 the weather broke enough to allow the raising of the championship banner and the first game of the new campaign. Playing under cold, graying skies and to a near capacity crowd, which included heavy weight champion Jack Dempsey, these New Yorkers set the tone for what they thought would be another great march through the American League. Batting third for the Bombers in the bottom of the first is the mighty Bambino, who has just launched a pitch from Boston hurler Charlie Ruffing deep into the right field stands for his first round tripper of the season. On deck, waiting for his licks was the Iron Horse himself. Larrupin’ Lou must have taken excellent notes because five innings later he also cranked one deep into the right field stands. These two shots propelled New York to an opening day 7-3 victory. The numbers on the backs of the Babe and Lou were assigned to them because of their spots in the batting order, as this became the first game ever where players had numbers on their uniforms. While numbers on the uniforms soon became a staple of teams at all levels of baseball, they did not bring much luck to New York, as the Philadelphia Athletics won three consecutive pennants in 1929, 1930, and 1931. It would take until 1932 for the Bombers to re-visit the series, when they swept the Cubs behind Ruth?ÇÖs ?Ç£called shot?Ç¥ in Wrigley Field..

MLB Memorabilia Original MLB Art and Prints – We’re in the 4th game of the playoffs to decide the 2004 AL Pennant, when “”The Big Papi”” steps to the plate in the bottom of the twelfth inning. Boston had staved off elimination three innings earlier, rallying for the tying run in the bottom of the ninth. Now it was “”Papi?ÇÖs”” turn to reverse the pendulum in this famed rivalry. Driving this 2-1 pitch for a game winning two run homer, the tides of this series and the rivalry had suddenly swung like never before. The Sox were on their way to an historic comeback, winning the final four games of a playoff series, after losing the first three. Finally, after 86 years, the Bosox would win it all, and deliver the greatest hurt possible on their hated rival..