The New York Yankees on Saturday retired former manager Joe Torre's No. 6 in honor of his contributions to the team, particularly their dynasty at the end of the last century. Torre' No. 6 is the 17th number in franchise history to be retired.
The 74-year old Torre was in awe of the reception given to him that he said during a press conference via ESPN: "When you know the neighborhood you are in out there, it is pretty cool. It is unbelievable. This is the Yankees."
But he deflected the praise to his players like the retiring Derek Jeter and others who were present during the ceremony, saying: "I just want to say, in closing, it is a short distance from the old stadium to here but it is a long, long way from the field to Monument Park. However, I was blessed to make that journey on the shoulders of some very special players. "
Before he came to the Yankees in 1996, Torre led three other clubs to a meager 894-1,003 record and bagged a solitary division title. Things didn't start well for him in New York, with one tabloid calling him " Clueless Joe".
But he proved them wrong as he led the Yankees to a 1,173-657 record for a. 605 winning clip and more importantly four World Series titles. His 12-year stay ended when he left for the LA Dodgers which he led to three division titles.
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