How did the Yankees get the ‘Bronx Bombers’ nickname?

The New York Yankees have long been known as the Bronx Bombers. It's a nickname that has been used for the Yankees for decades. New York often has a ton of power hitters in their lineup that hit home runs, which is why the nickname makes sense. They've got hitters like Aaron Judge and Juan Soto in their lineup today, who often show off their power.

But have you ever wondered why the Yankees were called the Bronx Bombers in the first place, and where they got the nickname? The answer to this may surprise you. Here is how the nickname was coined.

How did the Yankees become the Bronx Bombers?

The term Bronx Bombers was officially coined back in 1936. A boxing match between Max Schmeling and Joe Louis was set to take place at the old Yankee Stadium. Louis had knocked out 20 of his last 24 opponents and was undefeated at the time, which earned him the nickname 'The Brown Bomber'.

Louis lost this match as he knocked out in the 12th round by Schmeling. But he would go on to win every match until 1950. He even rematched Schmeling at Yankee Stadium years later and won by a knockout.

Interestingly enough, the Yankees themselves were a powerful team in 1936. They had sluggers Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, and Bill Dickey in their lineup, so the nickname made sense. However, the nickname can also be traced back to the 1920s.

Obviously, the Yankees have played in the Bronx ever since the 1920s, so the location certainly comes into play, but they had Gehrig and Babe Ruth in their lineup, and both were obviously well known for their power.

The name ultimately stuck, and even today, the Yankees are often referred to as the Bronx Bombers. Each generation has seen more than its fair share of power hitters. Mickey Mantle, Thurmon Munson, Reggie Jackson, Alex Rodriguez, Giancarlo Stanton, Judge, and Soto have all graced the franchise and left their mark thanks in large part to the power they possessed, and the home runs they hit over the years.

Back in 2017, the Yankees were a relatively young team and got the nickname 'The Baby Bombers'. This was when Judge won his Rookie of the Year Award, and set the All-Time record for most home runs by a rookie in his first season, 52. Two years later, that was broken by New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso.