The red-letter day -

2009: Back at the Stadium, the Yankees ride 6 RBI from Series MVP Hideki Matsui to Championship No. 27. Homering, singling and doubling for two runs each his first three times to the plate, the first two off Pedro Martinez, Matsui gives Andy Pettite a big lead that held up despite a two-run homer by strikeout-prone Ryan Howard in the 6th. The bullpen will hold it from there in impressive fashion, with consecutive strike outs of Chase Utley, Howard, and Jason Werth, the first two by Damaso Marte. The Werth whiff comes courtesy of Mariano Rivera, who wraps things up by getting the last five outs of the 7-3 Yankee win.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2009/B11040NYA2009.htm

On other 4ths of November…

2001: The Yankees suffer one of the most heartbreaking postseason defeats in their history in game 7 of the World Series.  Roger Clemens throws another strong game, and Alfonso Soriano reaches Curt Schilling for an 8th-inning tie-breaking home run. But the game slips away when normally rock-solid Mariano Rivera muffs a throw on a bunt in the bottom of the 9th. Randy Johnson gets the win in relief and Luis Gonzalez pokes a broken-bat flare over Derek Jeter to knock in the winning run in the 3-2 victory. Johnson and Curt Schilling share the Series MVP award.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2001/B11040ARI2001.htm

1948: Former Yankee outfielder Jake Powell, 39‚ shoots and kills himself in a Washington‚ D.C.‚ police station.
Powell, who had been arrested for writing checks on a false account, was the start of the 1936 World Series, going 4-for-4 in game 1 against Carl Hubbell, and finishing the series with a .455 average and 8 runs.

2004: Willie Randolph resigns as a Yankee coach in order to become manager of the Mets.

2001: The Diamondbacks even the World Series at 3 games apiece with a 15-2 thrashing of the Yankees in Game 6. Randy Johnson gets the win for Arizona while Danny Bautista drives in 5 runs. Arizona deliver a WS-record barrage of 22 hits‚ and score 8 runs in the 3rd inning, chasing starter Andy Pettitte in the process.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2001/B11030ARI2001.htm

1992; One of the most important trades in recent Yankee history goes through, as Paul O’Neill arrives from Cincinnati in exchange for Roberto Kelly and minor league prospect Joe DeBerry.

1982: Early Yankee workhorse pitcher Ray Fisher dies at the age of 95.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/fishera01.shtml

1954: The Yankees’ tour of Japan opens in Osaka. The first game against the All-Japan Stars draws a record crowd of 64‚000. Andy Carey belts 13 HRs‚ and Elston Howard bats .468 on the 25-game tour.

1942: Yankee second baseman Joe Gordon is voted American League MVP by a margin of 21 votes, even though Ted Williams won the Triple Crown. Moreover, Gordon led the league in  strikeouts‚ GDPs, and errors at his position.

1911: Johnny Keane, Yankee manager who presided over the initial phase of the club’s ’60s decline, is born.