“Need a Black Armband This Year”: Distraught Fans Mourn the Tragic Death of a New York Yankees Legend Aged 82

Being one of the oldest MLB teams, the New York Yankees have seen it all. From the success that put them at the top of the world to bad years where no one could be bothered with the Pinstripes. And a small part of the team in those highly successful years was the former first baseman and center fielder, Joe Pepitone, who recently passed away. Playing a crucial role in some of their glory years, Pepitone was known for his displays on the field and off of it. With a rambunctious personality and great baseball skills, Pepitone witnessed the Mickey Mantle era. A favorite with the fans, he lived the dream – part of the Yankees in the 1960s, spending more than he earned, in trouble with the law, and still beloved.

The former Yankee was in three consecutive All-Star games but cost the Bronx Bombers a World Series win in 1963. Despite his mistakes, many still remember him fondly.

Twitter mourns the passing of New York Yankees legend Joe Pepitone

An ostentatious character and bigger-than-life personality might be the words that defined the former center fielder for all of his 82 years. When the Yankees’ Twitter page announced it, the comments were flooded with messages of love and respect.

“Always proud of the fact that he was a Yankee, fans loved him equally. When the official Yankees Twitter page announced it, the comments were flooded with messages of love and respect,” the team’s official statement read.

Some people shared their own stories and pictures from when they met the legend, either in passing or at a Yankees game.

A cornerstone of the Pinstripes’ history, people expected him to become the next big thing after Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle, and Yogi Berra retired.

Mickey Mantle saw Pepitone’s true worth

Pepitone is famous for joining the Yankees after he accidentally got shot by a classmate in high school. Or perhaps more than that, he’s known for his vanity, his toupees, and being the first player to bring a hair dryer into the clubhouse. Although extremely talented on the field, many of his fans would agree that his behavior outside the stadium kept him from realizing his true potential.

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Pepitone was perhaps more worthy of being on the diamond than he realized. According to the New York Times, even Mickey Mantle once told him, “I wish I could buy you for what you’re really worth, then sell you for what you think you’re worth.”

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Pepitone went on to play for other teams as well, but he will always be a mainstay in Yankees lore.