"The House that Ruth Built" to lay vacant for first time in 85 years as Yankees move into new home |
| Posted by Administrator on Apr 15 2009 |
Yankee Stadium, which has been the home stadium of the New York Yankees for 85 years, will give way to the new Yankee Stadium this season. The "House that Ruth Built" will be demolished in 2010.
By Matt Lindsay
Antelope Staff
I hate the New York Yankees. I hated it growing up, when every year it seemed they were in the World Series, and I now hate that the team's inflated payroll enables them to nab any free agent they so choose.
But although there are so many things that I dislike about the Yankees, there is one thing that I can't help but marvel at, and that is how great of a place Yankee Stadium was for not only baseball, but for the entire sporting landscape.
From the facade that sits beyond the outfield bleachers, stretching from the upper deck in left field to the upper deck in right field, to Monument Park just outside of the outfield fence, to the giant baseball bat, which greets fans in front of the stadium, Yankee Stadium is arguably the greatest sporting arena of all time.
In an area of New York City where low-income high-rise apartments dominate the neighborhood, the stadium sits like a shrine containing all the great figures and moments that have occurred during its 85 years of existence. An 85-year history that ends this week as the Yankees open up the new Yankee Stadium across the street from its predecessor.
The stadium appropriately nicknamed, "The House That Ruth Built," after Babe Ruth, who hit the first home run in Yankee Stadium on April 18, 1923, has been home to many Yankee greats: Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Roger Marris, Mickey Mantle, Joe Dimaggio, Reggie Jackson and Derek Jeter to name a few. In fact, this column probably couldn't contain the names of all the great players who, over the years, called Yankee Stadium home. In addition to all those great players, there have been two moments in Yankee Stadium history that stand out in my mind as two of the greatest in sport.
The first one occurred on July 4, 1939, when Lou Gehrig, stricken with an incurable disease, gave his farewell speech starting with the famous words: "Today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth." After giving his speech Gehrig walked off the field to a standing ovation, and left Yankee Stadium never to return again as he would pass away in 1941 of what is known today as Lou Gehrig's Disease. The other moment happened on Oct. 1, 1961, when Roger Marris coincidentally hit his 61st home run of the season, breaking the single-season home run record. What made this moment so special, in my mind? This was the last time baseball fans would not need to question afterwards whether or not the hitter was "on the juice."
Yankee Stadium has also played host to other iconic sporting moments such as the 1958 NFL Championship between the New York Giants and Baltimore Colts. A game dubbed "The Greatest Game Ever Played" because of the impact it would have on the future of professional football.
Another great gridiron moment occurred at the stadium thirty years earlier, when legendary Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne gave his team the famous "Win One for the Gipper" speech during halftime of a game against Army. An inspired Fighting Irish squad came out in the second half and proceeded to beat Army 12-8, therefore adding to Rockne's legacy as one of the greatest coaches of all time.
Joe Louis fought Max Schmelling there on June 22, 1938, in a time when boxing was relevant. Muhammad Ali fought there on Sept. 28, 1976, when he went toe-to-toe with Ken Norton.
The stadium in the Bronx has also been the venue of numerous concerts as well as two papal masses: Pope Paul VI visited Yankee Stadium on Oct. 4, 1965, followed by Pope John Paul II on Oct. 2, 1973.
Although, the amount of marquis events held at Yankee Stadium over the years is unmatched by any other venue in America, the stadium will now sit vacant until sometime in 2010 when the wreaking ball will come to knock it down.
In reference to "The House That Ruth Built," former Yankee catcher Yogi Berra once said, "It's like a shrine - all that history and tradition is unmatched anywhere. It still has that mystique. With the Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty, Yankee Stadium is what people want to see when they visit New York."
Yogi, I couldn't have said it any better myself.
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