I heard the New York Yankees won a championship in the late 1800s as the original Baltimore Orioles.?

Question

So, why does everyone say that the Yankees' first world championship was in 1923?

Answer 1

Just to add to the above answer, the Baltimore Orioles you heard about were a National League powerhouse in the 1890s, capturing 3 consecutive pennants and finishing second two other times. However, after the 1899 season, the National League contracted from 12 teams to 8. Baltimore, along with Cleveland, Louisville, and Washington, was eliminated.

When the American League declared itself a major league in 1901, it purposely placed franchises in three of the cities abandoned by the NL (Baltimore, Cleveland and Washington).

Answer 2

The Baltimore Orioles were a minor league team when purchased in 1901 or so and moved to New York. The existing Baltimore Orioles were never affiliated with the team that first became the Hilltop Highlanders and eventually the New York Yankees. That team did not in a championship of any kind at a major league level in the late 1800's.

Answer 3

The Yankees were originally known as the Baltimore Orioles, but played only two seasons there - 1901 and 1902. During those years, they finished fifth and eighth. They then moved to New York, where they won their first pennant in 1921 and their first Series in 1923.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYY/