Chumps to Champs: How the Worst Teams in Yankees History Led to the 90'S Dynasty

**The untold story of the time when the New York Yankees were a laughingstock-and how out of that abyss emerged the modern Yankees dynasty, one of the greatest in all of sports** The New York Yankees have won 27 world championships and 40 American League pennants, both world records. They have 26 members in the Hall of Fame. Their pinstripe swag is a symbol of "making it" worn across the globe. Yet some 25 years ago, from 1989 to 1992, the Yankees were a pitiful team at the bottom of the standings, sitting on a 14-year World Series drought and a 35 percent drop in attendance. To make the statistics worse, their mercurial, bombastic owner was banned from baseball. But out of these ashes emerged a modern Yankees dynasty, a juggernaut built on the sly, a brilliant mix of personalities, talent, and ambition. In *Chumps to Champs*, Pennington reveals a grand tale of revival. Readers encounter larger than life characters like George Steinbrenner and unexplored figures like Buck Showalter, three-time manager of the year, Don Mattingly, and the crafty architect of it all-general manager, Gene Michael, who assembled the team's future stars-Rivera, Jeter, Williams, O'Neill, and Pettitte. Drawing on unique access, Pennington tells a wild and raucous tale.