yankee stadium memories

[thesightless]

for me i have a few great ones.
- as a kid, i got to stand by the dougout b4 a game and my childhood hero, Donald Aurthur Mattingly, walked past me and i got a baseball card autographed. i have it to this day.

- i got to see two historical games.- the Mr. November game where Jeter hit ihs first walk off home run in the game 4 of the 2001 world series. and i was there for the Aaron Boone walkoff homer off tim wakefeild in game 7 of the 2003 ALCS. the stadium literally was shaking beneath our feet.

- watching bernie williams surpass babe ruth for 2nd place at the time for most hits in yankee stadium

- as a baseball die hard- being there for the redsox upset and win over us to go to the series. it was history indeed.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4msaZTJrTA[/YOUTUBE]

Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth. I have been in ballparks for seventeen years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans.

"Look at these grand men. Which of you wouldn't consider it the highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day? Sure, I'm lucky. Who wouldn't consider it an honor to have known Jacob Ruppert? Also, the builder of baseball's greatest empire, Ed Barrow? To have spent six years with that wonderful little fellow, Miller Huggins? Then to have spent the next nine years with that outstanding leader, that smart student of psychology, the best manager in baseball today, Joe McCarthy? Sure, I'm lucky.

"When the New York Giants, a team you would give your right arm to beat, and vice versa, sends you a gift - that's something. When everybody down to the groundskeepers and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies - that's something. When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles with her own daughter - that's something. When you have a father and a mother who work all their lives so you can have an education and build your body - it's a blessing. When you have a wife who has been a tower of strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed - that's the finest I know.

"So I close in saying that I may have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for."

I thank for making me a yankee -- joe dimaggio.

watching this years home run contest from the first base line foul pole seats, what a show hamilton put on. i have never seen baseballs hit like that.

getting to watch manny ramirez hit year after year.

[thesightless]

Re: yankee stadium memories

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q0pBBcs1RQ&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]

[thesightless]

Re: yankee stadium memories

America's 100 most important sports venues

By Jim Caple
Page 2


Before you fire off your angry e-mails, let me explain what this list is. And the best way to do that is to begin with what this list isn't.
It isn't a list of the best sports venues. If it were, Pittsburgh's PNC Park would rank No. 1, not No. 78.
And it isn't a list of my favorite venues. If it were, Fenway Park would top the rankings.
Nor is it a list of the most beautiful venues. If it were, the Astrodome wouldn't make the list at all, let alone the top 10.

Rather, this is a list of America's 100 most important sports venues. And by that I mean the venues that have had a profound influence on the way American sports are played or have enjoyed multiple historic moments or, better yet, have had both. The criteria are a little open to interpretation, but one of the basics is that the venue must still be physically in existence (no Shibe Park or Ebbets Field). And preferably (but not necessarily), it still should be in use by someone, if not the team with which it is most associated. Oh, and another thing -- as you'll see, the venues need not be actual arenas of competition.
In short, these are 100 venues that best exemplify Winston Churchill's quote regarding the bombed House of Commons: "We shape our buildings. And afterwards, our buildings shape us."
Will you agree with most of my picks? Probably not. I'll make an argument for each one, and like the Baseball Hall of Fame (No. 6), that's where all the fun begins.
So which is the most important venue in American sports? Well, let's let the place speak for itself …
1. Yankee Stadium


Mike Stobe/Getty Images


Location: The Bronx. Opened: 1923. Capacity: 57,545.


Are you whacked? Of course I'm America's most important sports venue. Like you thought it might be Tropicana Field? (You don't know how angry I am right now that that domed abomination will host a postseason game this fall and I won't. And to think Tampa Bay pays its salaries with revenue earned right here but the Yankees have to "share'' with cheapskate clubs that can't make it on their own. Aww, don't get me started …)
Hey, I know I'm not the prettiest stadium out there, but what do you expect? I have been sitting in the Bronx for 85 friggin' years and haven't had so much as a facelift in more than three decades. So if you want some architectural diva built for the snooty, wine-sipping crowd, go to Pac-Bell Park or SBC Stadium or VH1 or whatever the heck they call their "darling" park in San Francisco these days. Just be sure to count how many world championship banners you see while you're there.
But if you want a stadium where they won't look at you funny for ordering a hot dog and a Budweiser, if you care more about what's on the field than in the food court, if you want to sit and talk baseball with real fans who know what they're talking about, if you demand champions in exchange for your hard-earned dough and, most importantly, if you want HISTORY -- this is the place.
They say I'm the House That Ruth Built, but that's not true. American sports history built me, one championship at a time.
I know the trendy thing now is to build cute "retro" ballparks that seat 38,000 yuppies, but I'm a testament to the golden era of sports when teams built their own stadiums and built them to hold as many fans as possible. What has always distinguished me is that I'm a stadium, a massive structure -- nobody, not the Babe, the Mick or Mr. October has hit a ball out of me -- and I was designed for appropriately monumental events, like Yankees games. I was the first three-tiered sports facility in the country and baseball's first lasting "stadium," and by God, they needed every seat I had.
Sure, everyone knows about my most famous tenants, who happen to be only the greatest sports franchise on the planet, with 26 world championships (hey, only 19 more to go, Boston!). But I'm about so much more than that. What really separates me from the field is the wealth of sports champions I've had. Everyone, and by that, of course, I mean anyone who matters, has played here. Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali and Billy Martin all fought here. Back when men were men and played both ways without helmets, Army and Notre Dame played some of the biggest games in college football history. The modern NFL was born on my field in the 1958 NFL championship game, the best pro football game ever played. All the greats have competed here. Unitas. Pele. Some baseball players you might have heard of by the names of Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle and Jeter. Good God, I've had so many Hall of Famers call my locker rooms and clubhouses home that they had to build Monument Park to honor them all.
Ruth's blasts, DiMaggio's catches, Don Larsen's perfect game, Mantle's tape-measure shots, Roger Maris' 61st home run, Reggie's three-homer game in the World Series, Jeet's Mr. November walkoff -- they all happened here, pal. You would have to be blind to not see the history here, and even if you were, you still would be able to hear it, as loud and clear as Paulie O'Neill complaining about a called third strike. The most famous words in American sports -- "Win one for the Gipper" and "I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth" -- were delivered here. Holier words were never spoken, although I suppose you would have to consider the sermons given here by Pope John VI, Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict, along with the voice of God himself, Bob Sheppard.
How much of a worldwide draw am I? Right after he was released from prison, Nelson Mandela came here and declared to a sellout crowd, "I am a Yankee."
And when it comes to a red, white and blue place in American history, no one comes close to me. Everyone knows about Kate Smith and Ronan Tynan and "God Bless America," but I'm such a proud part of Americana that John Philip Sousa once led a marching band on my field. The president pitched from my mound after Sept. 11, 2001. (And in proud Yankees tradition, he fired a strike.)
But to think, my run is over. The Yankees are moving next door and taking the wrecking ball to me. My replacement cost is an estimated $1.3 billion. I don't care how long the "new" Yankee Stadium lasts, it will never come close to matching the sports history and thrills I've provided. No matter if it hosts so many World Series that it seems, as Yogi once said, "like deja vu all over again," the new place will never be able to say Ruth trotted around its bases or Louis clobbered Max Schmeling on its infield or Mantle slammed a home run off its facade.
Yeah, it's depressing to leave. But you won't get any tears from me like you're sure to get from that dame over in Queens. Just roll out the tarp, turn out my lights and play "New York, New York" (Frank's version, not Liza's) one last time and always remember that I'm "top of the list, king of the hill, A NUMBER ONE."

[Weizy]

Re: yankee stadium memories

AMEN to all this about Yankee Stadium. I had the pleasure of attending 2 Yanks games when my beloved Twins were in town for a road series this past July. AMAZING PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[thesightless]

Re: yankee stadium memories

it is the vatican of the religion of baseball, the greatest game. where you watch boys become men, and men become legends. there is somethign about baseball that parrallels life. the love and respect you have for those who try to do it right, people like paul o neill, cal ripken, jeter, etc. learning that consistency and trial are so much more than the occasional greatness. the loss of friends like cory lidell, phil rizzuto, mickey mantel, and the welcoming of new faces into the fold, those people who stop by for flashes of reliance, like aaron small and shawn chacon who saved our lives in 2005. watching those who game like what el duque did for us year and year out. the ghosts of the past who seemed to show up every time they were needed for a long time. realizing that nothing has been moved from thurman munson's locker since 1978. and what bobby murcer did that fatefull night only hours after giving the eulogy for his dear friend. learning from yogi and scooter that the old guys realy do know what they are talking about. from reggie's enormous but lovable ego to the guys like derek who dont say a word. people liek donnie baseball, who you wouldnt mind marrying your sister. in my 29 years of life, outside my family and loved ones, i doubt anyone or anything has influenced me more.

god. im gonna cry my eyes out sunday.

[Steve Graham]

Re: yankee stadium memories

I'm always sad to see stuff like this.. I'm not a Yankee fan, but I completely understand the importance of the Stadium in regards to the history of this country, and not just in sports.. its unfortunate that the new stadium is going to be too expensive for the average fan to even be able to enjoy

[thesightless]

Re: yankee stadium memories

I'm not a Yankee fan, but I completely understand the importance of the Stadium in regards to the history of this country, and not just in sports..

ali- frazier
westpoint notre dame
schmelling fights
the Papal visits
rally for mandela
the wake of George Herman Ruth
numerous concerts of benifit.
the early NFL

[buckman]

Re: yankee stadium memories

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOIJHh3mKcQ[/youtube]

[thesightless]

Re: yankee stadium memories

that was one of the highlights of my life last night

definetly emotional, people were crying everywhere during that pre-game. we hung out for about an hour afterwards as well.

at one point, when they were going through all the historical players at each postion, Yogi was standing behind the plate and everything else just stopped. it was surrreal to think that he played with the like joe D, mick and the rest. the stadium just roared for him. like nothing i have ever witnessed.

and then, a little later, bernie came back and for what seemed like 10 minutes, they just let him know what he meant, the PA guys stepped away from the mic and the BER-NIE chants just took over.

and to see the daughter of Babe Ruth himself come out to throw the first pitch..... history indeed.

and ghosts made one more appearance last night when you factor that Jose Molina's # is 26, the number of championships they earned while playing there...wow.

thank god i taped the whole on the dvr, tonight after the jets, i will be watching.

[NewYorkLA]

Re: yankee stadium memories

I will never forget all the great memories from Yankee Stadium. I used to go to a Yankee game every year on my birthday! I'm excited to check out the new stadium.. but its a little difficult no that I live in Los Angeles. I did get a chance to catch a Yankee/Angels game about a month ago! Amazing

[Jenks]

Re: yankee stadium memories

I got to see a playoff game at Yankee Stadium: Griffey's Mariners VS. the Yanks. I was 18, my mom and dad took me for my high school graduation present before heading off to college. the experience was awesome, i'll never forget it. It was yankee sock day, and as the yanks started to lose, the fans rolled up the socks in to balls and launched them onto the field. Fking Yankee fans.