Hundreds of players have worn Yan kee pinstripes over the decades, but few have personified the spirit of the Bronx Bombers – or captured the imagination and affection of New Yorkers – as did Phil Rizzuto, who died Monday night.

The Yankees were Scooter’s life: He was with the organization, as a player and broadcaster, from 1937 to his final retirement at the end of the 1996 season.

Because he was such a distinctive broadcaster – two generations of Yankee fans grew up on his “Holy cow!” play-by-play calls – many forget just how fine a ballplayer Phil Rizzuto was.

All of 5-foot-6 and 150 pounds, he dazzled at shortstop, the defensive anchor of the golden era of Yankee baseball on teams that included the likes of Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Billy Martin and Whitey Ford.

Pitcher Vic Raschi once said that his best pitch was whichever one made the batter hit the ball to Rizzuto. And no less than Ted Williams – whose lobbying was instrumental in Rizzuto’s selection to the Hall of Fame in 1994 – said that if the Scooter had played for the Red Sox, “we’d have won all those pennants, instead of New York.”

Indeed, Rizzuto was a perfect example of how career stats – he hit .273 with just 38 home runs and 562 RBIs – don’t give the full measure of a player’s worth. Despite the numbers, he was a five-time All-Star and the 1950 A.L. MVP.

Behind the microphone, he was like no other baseball announcer. At times, Rizzuto seemed focused on everything except the action on the field. (Sometimes, he even had to mark a play on his scorecard WW – for “wasn’t watching.”)

But Yankee fans adored him and his authentic New York persona – no surprise there: He was born in Brooklyn, raised in Glendale and graduated Richmond Hill HS – which stood in contrast to the more polished southern tones of his original partners, Mel Allen and Red Barber.

So what if he was more interested in sending birthday greetings than in calling a double play? Rizzuto was the real thing, like a favorite story-telling uncle. He helped make the Yankees special.

In so many ways, Phil Rizzuto was the real pride of the Yankees. Certainly, few people ever felt such delight in being part of the Yankee family.