The New York Yankees entered the 1977 season on a mission to win the World Series. The team had failed to accomplish this goal in each of the previous 12 seasons. At the time, it was the longest such drought for the storied franchise since Babe Ruth led the Bombers to their first World Series title in 1923.
The team had ended another franchise-record drought the previous season. A Chris Chambliss home run in the bottom of the ninth in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series had catapulted the Yankees past the Royals and into the World Series for the first time since 1964.