Mention the team New York Yankees and you will likely find a rabid fan or a rabid enemy. Even those who minimally follow baseball will have an opinion about this team.

The Yankees have been around forever, though not always in this incarnation. They originally started out as the Baltimore Orioles, in 1901, at the inception of the American and National Leagues. The Orioles were shortly relocated to New York and, in 1903, became the New York Highlanders, playing at Hilltop Park.

While the name Yankees was used as early as 1904, the name didn’t become official until 1913. This was also the year that the Yankees moved into the Polo Grounds, owned by the New York Giants. In 1920, the Yankees purchased Babe Ruth’s contract from the Red Sox, and this proved to be a turning point for the franchise. While the team was a non-contender throughout its early history, after Ruth’s arrival, the Yankees started a winning tradition that lasts through today.

The team soon was outselling baseball tickets over its landlord, the Giants. Tensions rose and the Yankees began construction on their own ballpark, just across the river from the Giants. Yankee Stadium opened in 1923 and the first homerun hit there was by none other than Babe Ruth. This is also the year the Yankees culminated three straight American League pennant wins by finally taking the World Series.

The 1920s and 1930s saw such powerhouses as Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio become part of the team. The Yankees took home eleven AL pennants during this time as well as winning eight World Series, the last four consecutive wins in 1936-39. Lou Gehrig’s number (4) was the first in Yankee history to be retired in 1939 when he had to stop playing due to ALS, to this day called “Lou Gehrig’s Disease.”

Though the team has changed owners several times in its history, not to mention having some colorful changes of managers, the Yankees have consistently managed to field winning teams. Yankees tickets sales reflect that trend, and it’s easy to see why they sell so well when looking at the total of 39 pennants the Yankees have won and the 26 World Series titles they’ve taken, more than once doing so in consecutive years.

The Yankees can number among their dynasty a great number of the top players in baseball history, with names such as Yogi Berra, Phil Rizzuto, Whitey Ford, Mickey Mantle, Mel Stottlemyre, Thurman Munson, Catfish Hunter, Sparky Lyle, Reggie Jackson, Buckey Dent, Dave Winfield, and Bernie Williams gracing Yankee uniforms.

While the Yankees have not gone to the Series in this century, there have been droughts for the team in the past. Since history repeats itself, it will likely be only a matter of time before the Yankees once again find their magic.