From The Sports Desk...Above you'll see opening day at Yankee Stadium. April 18, 1923. This weekend she closes her doors for the final time. It's terrible.
I am not a Yankees fan. Not by any stretch. However, Yankee Stadium is a sports cathedral. Living history. That the Steinbrenner's are tearing her down is shameful. For a few more luxury boxes. That's what history and tradition is worth. They really are going to knock the joint down. Sickening.
Earlier in the season I made sure I took the 4 train up to the Stadium one last time. The ticket stub was carefully taped into one of the Mead Composition Notebooks I obsessively carry around with me. So I'll always have it.
Long before humans had a real understanding of how important historical buildings would be, the Romans had enough sense not to knock down The Colosseum. She was built between 70 and 80 AD and had fallen into ruin by the 16th Century. Pope Sixtus V proposed in the 1580's to knock down The Colosseum and turn the grounds into a wool factory in the hopes of getting the cities prostitutes off the street. Luckily Pope Sixtus died before that could happen. In 1749 The Colosseum was declared a sacred site by Pope Benedict XIV. And thus protected from ruin. It's a shame that the Yankee organization doesn't have similar respect for a modern day coliseum. Yes, the feats in those arenas were quite different. However in historical context they are equal. Both stadiums showed what was, at the time, heroes of sport.
Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio? Across the street to a new ballpark with luxury boxes for Wall Street yuppies? To a stadium devoid of charm and character? Sadly, yes.
Gone will be the stomping grounds of Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle and Jeter. Gone will be that amazing smell as you walk through her gates. Gone will be baseball history. American history.
Fortunately what will survive is the memories of millions.
The Babe hits his 60th home run. Fueled by hot dogs and beer, not steroids.
The grace and power of Joltin' Joe DiMaggio.
How do you not love The Mick?
A Farewell to Babe Ruth.
The immortal Lou Gehrig says goodbye.
So do we...
Goodnight and good luck.
Stumble This
Reddit!
They're tearing down my church. Friday nights will never be the same.
I'll be there tonight, with Kleenex.
Farewell to aura and mystique as well as the ghosts of 26 championships past.
The stadium is a death trap though, they had to do something new. I just wish they could have kept the old place for something? A yankee museum? Cooperstown South?
Sadly, what they'll leave in its place is a plaque, like what's outside Ebbets Field.
Hey, it could be worse. The Yankees could be moving to Oklahoma.
Dammit Dave.
Bah. I remember when I used to go see them at the Polo Grounds. That was when baseball meant something.
I'm sorry buddy, I don't mean to twist the knife so much, ok, I do, but if I didn't know you were so forgiving I'd probably stop.
Truth of the matter is I'm wearing a Ken Griffey Jr. Jersey as we speak. Just to support Seattle.
Oh wait, he left Seattle too. Nevermind.
Dammit Dave!
I love ya buddy. You know I smile every time I get a "Dammit Dave".
I got on my Craig Nettles jersey. Long live #9.
Having never been to new york, and never being anything remotely resembling a yankees fan, the only way i can put this in context is that it's the same way they raped and plundered tiger stadium in detroit.
They replaced it with the usual multi gajillion dollar joint. Only now it's owned by comerica bank.
the great venues of our youth are being destroyed one by one. Nobody has any sense of history or honor in this country anymore.
I think it's similar, pal. If I'm not mistaken, Tiger Stadium opened in 1912. It was sad to see her go with so much disregard. It's more about history and sport itself than the specific team.
When will Wrigley and Fenway get knocked down? Eventually it will happen.
I was bummed when they tore down Boston Garden. Corporations taking over sports has certainly done more harm than good.
JW
I wonder if there is a cam pointed at Yankee stadium to document the demolition.
Oops, sorry. YES has been documenting that for the past 2 years!
Here here.
I hate the Yankees. They exemplify the concept of pure capitalist sports, and they buy off all the smaller budget teams good players.
But, the stadium is a testament to what sports were, and to history and American culture.
Exactly, matey.
I am not a baseball fan myself, but my good 'ol dad loved it. He even had the Charlie Brown glove. BEST frickin glove - ever!
WHY can't NY reuse, recycle, or sell/give away seats, memoribilia, bricks, etc.....?
It just goes to show what a "throw away" society we've become. Sooooo SAD.
Baseball has become as filthy as professional American football. Blech!
You can bet that pieces will be sold off. There's probably a company that Steinbrenner hired years ago to handle demolition memorabilia alone.
Tim, you're right--here is an article about it...
http://nymag.com/news/sports/48329/
I hate the Yankees--but even I have respect for their history--too bad they don't...
I got a chance to go and see Yankee Stadium this year in June, and because of all of the famous people and events that have occurred in the stadium, it was worth it.
As for mourning the actual physical building being torn down? I'm kind of glad to see it go. The REAL Yankee Stadium was destroyed back in the 70's. The massive renovation that sent the Bronx Bombers to play at Shea Stadium for a couple of years took a lot of the beauty from the structure when it re-opened and made the outside of the structure look like another bland sports park.
I think the NEW Yankee Stadium will end up looking more like the old Yankee Stadium that people fell in love with BEFORE the renovation that destroyed its charm.
I couldn't agree more ... with both of you. I would love to have been able to see the Yankees lose to someone in Yankee stadium. For the history of it all.
Still, I was at World Series Games 1 and 2 Diamonbacks versus Yankees in Phoenix in 2001. Simply awesome. Johnson and Schilling shut them down hard. Then we went to Yankee stadium for the next three ...
I was talking to my brother Ted and he said the new Yankee Stadium has a "martini bar." I checked it out and it's true. Who in the world wants a martini bar at a ballpark?
I'm on the record right now. If you go to the martini bar at the new stadium, especially if you are a guy, you are a douchebag.
So let it be written, so let it be done.
Bloody martini bar...
Maybe i'm just getting old but i've lost my taste for just about every pro sport in America. Reading these posts have helped me confirm the reason why. The common denominator in all modern pro sports is money. Not just money but gobs and gobs of money. Back when i was growing up pro athletes got payed but was it enough to raise and support a family? The answer is no. Almost every player had to work a normal job in the off season to survive. They played the game out of passion and competition.
Is it really cheaper to push history into a pile and set ablaze, (or sell it piece by piece) rather than renovate?
That's some real history there. Still, I dont' go to games there. If the people who do can swallow it then thats just how it goes I reckon.
BTW, check out the wikipedia article on the Yankees. Niftiness. I would love to go back in time and check out a Highlanders game at HillTop.
So, they played sports or something in that building? How interesting. Were they any good?