Plenty has been said about the 1927 New York Yankees classifying them as the greatest offensive team in the history of Major League Baseball. Whenever a team is putting up all time numbers over the course of a season, they are always compared to the 1927 Yankees. When the Pittsburgh Pirates started trading away players in their prime in the late 2000s, General Manager Neal Huntington say something along the line of "It is not like we are breaking up the '27 Yankees." The seasons had by the two greatest players to ever wear a Yankees uniform, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig will never be equaled in the history of MLB. However, the Yankees team of 1936 had a deadlier everyday lineup and in my opinion, outperformed the 1927 version.
Ruth hit .356, 60, 164 with 158 RS and 192 hits that season. Gehrig may have topped it with his .373, 47, 175 with 149 RS, 218 hits, 52 2Bs and 18 3Bs. Ruth OPSed 1.258 and Gehrig 1.240. Bob Meusel (.337, 8, 103) and Tony Lazzeri (.302, 18, 102) also had 100 RBI that season. Ernie Combs (.356, 6, 64) was their other standout, scoring 136 runs, finishing with 231 hits, 36 2Bs and 23 3Bs. No question this was one of the greatest single season performance from one team.
The 1936 team still had Gehrig (.352, 49, 152) with 167 RS and 205 hits as well as Lazzeri (.309, 14, 109). They also had a rookie named Joe DiMaggio, who hit .323, 29, 105 with 132 RS, 215 hits, 44 2Bs and 15 3Bs. They also had catcher Bill Dickey, who hit .362, 22, 107 and outfielder George Selkirk finishing at .308, 18, 107. Shortstop Frankie Crosseti drove in 78 runs, while 3B Red Rolfe drove in 70 to go with his 15 3Bs.
While two teammates will never have equivalent to the seasons Ruth and Gehrig did in 1927, the 1936 team had more individual solid seasons. After the four players who drove in 100+, nobody else had more than 64. Only three players on the 1927 team scored more than 100. The 1936 Yankees had four players who scored more than 100 and five players who drove in more than 100. Dickey (99) and Selkirk (93) approached 100 RS for the 1936 team while Mark Koenig (99) and Lazzeri (92) did so for the 1927 version.
In my opinion, the performances are very even, with perhaps an edge belonging to the 1936 team. However, the 1936 New York Yankees do not get the credit the 1927 team gets. Both teams won the World Series, with the 1927 team sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates while the 1936 team beating the New York Giants in six games. The 1927 team won 110 games, while the 1936 team won 102. Maybe not having Ruth allowed the 1936 team to be more balanced, as a Ruth in his prime may have diluted some of the other players in the 1936 lineup. Among the eight regular position players on the 1936 team, six hit over .300 while the other two hit .287 and .288, respectively. The 1927 set of regulars had five players who hit over .300, while the other three all hit under .287. The 1936 team gets the edge.
Ruth hit .356, 60, 164 with 158 RS and 192 hits that season. Gehrig may have topped it with his .373, 47, 175 with 149 RS, 218 hits, 52 2Bs and 18 3Bs. Ruth OPSed 1.258 and Gehrig 1.240. Bob Meusel (.337, 8, 103) and Tony Lazzeri (.302, 18, 102) also had 100 RBI that season. Ernie Combs (.356, 6, 64) was their other standout, scoring 136 runs, finishing with 231 hits, 36 2Bs and 23 3Bs. No question this was one of the greatest single season performance from one team.
The 1936 team still had Gehrig (.352, 49, 152) with 167 RS and 205 hits as well as Lazzeri (.309, 14, 109). They also had a rookie named Joe DiMaggio, who hit .323, 29, 105 with 132 RS, 215 hits, 44 2Bs and 15 3Bs. They also had catcher Bill Dickey, who hit .362, 22, 107 and outfielder George Selkirk finishing at .308, 18, 107. Shortstop Frankie Crosseti drove in 78 runs, while 3B Red Rolfe drove in 70 to go with his 15 3Bs.
While two teammates will never have equivalent to the seasons Ruth and Gehrig did in 1927, the 1936 team had more individual solid seasons. After the four players who drove in 100+, nobody else had more than 64. Only three players on the 1927 team scored more than 100. The 1936 Yankees had four players who scored more than 100 and five players who drove in more than 100. Dickey (99) and Selkirk (93) approached 100 RS for the 1936 team while Mark Koenig (99) and Lazzeri (92) did so for the 1927 version.
In my opinion, the performances are very even, with perhaps an edge belonging to the 1936 team. However, the 1936 New York Yankees do not get the credit the 1927 team gets. Both teams won the World Series, with the 1927 team sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates while the 1936 team beating the New York Giants in six games. The 1927 team won 110 games, while the 1936 team won 102. Maybe not having Ruth allowed the 1936 team to be more balanced, as a Ruth in his prime may have diluted some of the other players in the 1936 lineup. Among the eight regular position players on the 1936 team, six hit over .300 while the other two hit .287 and .288, respectively. The 1927 set of regulars had five players who hit over .300, while the other three all hit under .287. The 1936 team gets the edge.
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