Stadium: Yankee Stadium
Date Opened: April 18, 1923
Date of Visit: June 19th
Game: San Diego Padres @ New York Yankees
This visit is the whole point of the trip. It has been 85 years since Yankee Stadium has first opened, and in those 85 years, it has hosted famous boxing matches, papal visits, 26 World Series champion teams and countless Hall of Famers. And after this season, the Yankees will be moving across the street into their new stadium. So, since we have never been to Yankee Stadium, we decided to take a trip up here to see it in its final season.
The House that Ruth Built was opened in 1923, which was the first season the Yankees won the World Series. Since then, it has been renovated numerous times, to upgrade the seating, change the field dimensions and add capacity to make it the Yankee Stadium we know today. As one of the oldest parks in the league (ranking behind Wrigley and Fenway), it contains a lot of history. Monument Park is a section of the stadium dedicated to the history of the Yankees players and other members of the organization. 17 numbers have been retired and 26 people are honored with monuments or plaques. We will definitely stop by Monument Park on our way to our seats to learn more about the Yankee greats.
Another aspect of the stadium that will be fun is the fans. There is a reason that ESPN focuses a lot on the Yankees...they have a lot of passionate, die-hard fans. The "bleacher creatures" in the right-field bleachers are especially rowdy. After the first pitch in the top of the first inning, a fan in Section 39 starts the roll call, where they chant the name of each Yankee starter in order until the player acknowledges the fans. The fans are also well known for harassing members of the opposing teams as well as fans of the opposing teams. One of the schedules I had drawn up included a Rangers/Yankees game at Yankee Stadium, but I didn't feel like going there and supporting the opposing team. I figured if the Rangers won, the fans would give us crap because their team lost, and if the Rangers lost, the fans would give us crap because our team lost. So we went with a Padres/Yankees game and will be cheering whole-heartedly for the Yankees (with as much energy as a Yankee-hater as myself can muster up).
All in all, it will be a great experience and this is one of two stadiums I am really looking forward to visiting. (#2 is Fenway Park, which will be previewed next)
1 comment:
I found your blog while searching on Google. Awesome idea, I totally share the same passion for baseball road tripping as you guys.
Your reluctance to attend a Rangers/Yankees game though is an experience you missed out on. I'm a die-hard Mets fan, born & raised in New York City. Above all though I'm a baseball fan first. I've attended roughly 10 games with the Bleacher Creatures in Sec. 39. By far the most satisfying was a Subway Series matchup in 2000. The Mets routed the Yanks, Piazza took Clemens deep for a grand slam & the by the 7th inning I was sitting with my legs stretched out 2 rows in Section 39, clad in Mets gear.
Yes, Yankees fans could be hostile, but that was an awfully satisfying night in the Bronx. There's nothing like going to an away park and watching your team. I know New York fans may seem louder than most others but the trick is to go in and have a good time without being confrontational. At the end of the day we're all there to enjoy the game, as crazy as some NY fans may seem.
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