Take a look at these four Yankees sluggers.  Can you name them?  Is it Ruth, Gehrig, Lazzeri and Meusel of 1927? Not a chance.  How about Mantle, Maris, Berra and Howard of 1961?  Nope.  Perhaps Jackson, Munson, Nettles and Chambliss of 1977?  Hardly.

In a September 1972 issue of The Sporting News this picture appeared with the headline “Quartet of Spare Parts Give Yanks New Zip.”  I confess to looking upon this photo with great hilarity.  It features Johnny Callison, Bernie Allen, Ron Swoboda and Hal Lanier.  Ever was there a more fearsome quartet of sluggers, I think not.  They all appear grinning and happy.  Their team unity is quite evident as they throw their arms about each other. Confidence leaps from the photo.  They pose with their bats all coming together, suggesting that they collectively have more power than a nuclear power plant.

Of the feared set, Callison had displayed the most power during his career, but like the other three, the glory days (if they enjoyed any) were long gone.  In 1972 Callison was the most productive of the four players, which isn’t saying much.  Callison slugged 9 homeruns and banged in 34 runs (.691 OPS).

Allen matched his teammate Callison with 9 homeruns.  He added 21 RBIs and a .227 average (.686 OPS). Swoboda hit .400 in the 1969 World Series for the New York Mets.  For the ’72 Yankees he showed he still possessed raw ability to produce.  He took great pride in his .248 average, and he was commended by Yankee management for hitting a homerun and knocking in 12 runs (.686 OPS).  In his career Lanier socked 8 homeruns, unfortunately for the ’72 Yankees though, Lanier never reached the seats, but he did drive in 6 runs and posted a .214 average (.476 OPS).



The Yankees sought to return to their championship ways in 1973.  Without question, they saw their promising future built upon The Quartet.  This picture found its way into all the newspapers and periodicals in early 1973.  Opposing pitchers trembled during spring training games when they faced the explosive Yankees lineup featuring The Quartet. Baseball writers were regularly predicting that The Quartet would certainly shatter the record books in 1973.  The expectations for the Yankees and The Quartet were sky high for the upcoming season.  Ticket sales were unprecedented. Accolades for The Quartet flowed like the Mississippi River in the springtime.  Fans swarmed The Quartet everywhere they went.  They were in commercials, they were interviewed by Merv Griffin, and the Yankees for a while considered coming out with “The Quartet” candy bar (four separate chocolate bats under one wrapper).

As it turned out, 1973 was somewhat of a disappointment for the Yankees.  Sadly, The Quartet could not maintain the same level of productivity in ’73 as was displayed the year before.  Just as Babe Ruth could not slug 60 homeruns again in 1928, The Quartet’s 1972 productivity decreased.

In ’73, of the foursome, Allen provided most of the offensive firepower.  He slugged 2 homers and drove home 13 runs and hit .206 (.573 OPS).  Callison proved he was still a threat in the lineup by hitting .176 with 1 homerun and 10 RBIs (.425 OPS).  Swoboda added a homerun and 2 RBI while hitting .116 (.378 OPS).  Lanier matched his ’72 power clinic with zero homeruns and he managed to knock in 5 runs while maintaining a .209 average (.489 OPS).

1973 proved to be the end of an era. Not since the breakup up of the Beatles had America been so heartbroken by the break-up of four exceptionally talented individuals.  Yes, even in baseball all good things must come to an end.  The Quartet officially broke up after the 1973 season, and all decided at the same time to hang up their spikes and enter the leisurely world of retirement.  Although no longer together, The Quartet and their fans still had their scrapbooks and this photo memorializing their hey day with the Yankees, when they promised to rule the baseball diamond and rewrite the record books.

Written by Wally Westlake 2009.