In front of a crowd of 55,707, Don Mattingly’s uniform number 23 is added to the list of retired numbers on the wall at Monument Park

On August 31, 1997 — In front of a crowd of 55,707, Don Mattingly’s uniform number 23 is added to the list of retired numbers on the wall at Monument Park. The former Bronx Bomber first baseman, who served as captain of the team from 1991 to 1995, is the first Yankee to have his uniform number retired without having reached a World Series.

Nicknamed “Donnie Baseball,” he played his entire career with the Yankees and was one of the best players in the 1980s. Mattingly was a 6X All-Star, won 9 Gold Glove Awards, and won the AL MVP Award in 1985 (211 hits, 35 HR, .324 BA, .567 Slg., and a league-leading 48 doubles & 145 RBI).

In his 14-year career (1982-1995), Don had 2,153 hits, 222 HR, 1,099 RBI, .307 BA, .358 OBP, .471 Slg., & .830 OPS.