Like millions of other baseball fans across the globe, I didn’t want to see the old Yankee Stadium go. In a sport that constantly seems to push tradition aside nowadays, who would want to knock down The House That Ruth Built? I’m not a Yankees fan but even I have some great memories from that stadium, including attending Game 1 of the 1996 World Series—the only Series game I have ever attended—as a teenager with my dad and best friend Brian. As someone who loves the game and romanticizes its history, I figured nothing about a new stadium could make me excited.
Then I found out I would have a chance to attend the Opening Day game against the Cleveland Indians on April 16, 2009 – with my dad and best friend Brian. Well, that changed my mind (at least a little bit).
My dad and I flew to New York on Wednesday just in time to catch the Yankees beating Tampa Bay on television, which I assumed would add some extra momentum for the following day’s festivities. On Thursday, we met up with Brian and figured it’d be smart to get there early to at least somewhat avoid the chaos. After getting off the D-train to the Bronx at 10:45 a.m. (two and a half hours before gametime), there were already tens of thousands of people there. Some took photos of Babe Ruth’s flag, a few screamed about how they weren’t drunk enough yet, and a large number simply begged anyone they could for tickets. (We found out someone supposedly paid $20,000 for four tickets behind home plate. What was that about a “rough economy”?)
It was an eerie feeling seeing thousands of enthusiastic fans standing at the new stadium hours before the first pitch, while the old stadium stood across the street resembling a ghost town. Flashbacks of that aforementioned Game 1 hit me at first, but they vanished quickly as I stared at the new $1.5 billion cathedral.
As you would probably expect, there’s no comparison to any other ballpark; the constructors thought of everything. Colossal … massive … unreal … these were the adjectives we heard coming out of everyone’s mouths. The concrete structure and elongated windows seem to rise forever, with bright Hard Rock Café and team store signs at Gate 6 providing the only distractions. And when you scan your ticket to enter the stadium, a recording plays the voice of 98-year-old Bob Sheppard—the former PA announcer’s voice that Reggie Jackson immortalized by calling “The Voice of God”—welcoming you to Yankee Stadium.
Inside, my dad attempted to stock up on any memorabilia he could (programs, pins, t-shirts) while Brian and I admired the larger-than-life banners featuring several Hall of Famers in Legends Hall before grabbing some 11 a.m. beers. Now, if I remember correctly, the beers taste exactly the same as they did in the old stadium, so I can’t really explain why a souvenir cup costs $10 now. Yep, $10. If you’re wondering if I actually kept the cup as a souvenir, you’re damn right I did after that price. The rest of the food court is equally as expensive but you’ll never see a bigger variety in your life. Sure, there are the typical hot dogs, sausages and pizzas, but you also have options of sushi, Thai noodles and Boar’s Head subs, among other things. Hey, if you’re going to spend the money, might as well be well-fed.
There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and New York experienced unseasonably warm weather; in other words, it couldn’t have been a more perfect day to see a baseball game. The seats had more width and leg room, along with—get this—padded seats. This was, without a doubt, the only time I have ever been legitimately comfortable at a baseball game. (But let’s see how long these pads last before the fans tear them up.)
The field was gorgeous, and any catcher will be relieved that the backstop is no longer miles away, as it was in the older stadium. One fantastic addition was a replica of the original frieze atop the upper deck, which was one of the most recognizable traits of the 1923 version but had been removed when renovations took place in 1974-75.
The pre-game ceremonies embraced the history and tradition while also celebrating what was to come. The West Point Marching Band kicked things off by playing John Philip Sousa’s “Washington Post March” and “Stars and Stripes Forever” (Sousa led the Seventh Regiment Band before the old stadium’s opener), and the original American Idol Kelly Clarkson sang the national anthem. Dozens of former Yankees were honored, ranging from global stars like Reggie Jackson and Yogi Berra to faithful favorites like Bobby Richardson and Bucky Dent. And after John Fogerty played “Centerfield” on his baseball bat-shaped guitar, former Yankee Bernie Williams received the loudest pop of the ceremonies, strumming an acoustic version of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” as highlights of his career played on the enormous screen above centerfield.
After Berra threw out the ceremonial first pitch, fans were informed that home plate was the same one used for the final game in the old stadium. The fun didn’t end when the game started, however. C.C. Sabathia retired the stadium’s first batter, Cleveland’s Grady Sizemore, forcing a groundout to first base. It only took two batters before the notorious Bleacher Creatures started their first hilarious chant: “WE GOT BEER!” (Beer was not served to fans in the bleachers at the old stadium; now it is.) We couldn’t help but laugh, and Brian said he was “just happy he wasn’t sitting with those rats.” And Sabathia ignited a huge roar from the crowd when he recorded the stadium’s first strikeout against Victor Martinez.
When the Yankees stepped up to the plate for the first time, Derek Jeter came with two bats: one was his own, and the other was the bat Ruth used to hit the first home run in the 1923 opener. Jeter jokingly tried to hand his own bat back to the batboy and use the Babe’s, before flying out with his own wood. Instead, it was the next batter, Johnny Damon, who recorded a single for the stadium’s first hit.
Heading into the bottom of the fifth, Cleveland led 1-0 and fans were still wondering who would hit the stadium’s first home run. In ’23, you couldn’t have scripted it any better: Ruth blasted a three-run shot to lead the Yanks to a 4-1 win over the Boston Red Sox. Naturally, the fans wanted to see Jeter go yard first in 2009. Unfortunately, it wasn’t Jeter – but no one was disappointed to see 15-year veteran Jorge Posada smash a screamer into Monument Park in center field, tying the game at 1-1.
The action was fairly slow before the seventh inning, but that’s when everything fell apart. In addition to the first fight between Yankees and Red Sox fans in the stands, New York’s bullpen collapsed to allow a total of nine runs—including the stadium’s first grand slam by Sizemore—to fall behind 10-1. The only good news was that the ‘pen’s repulsiveness caused the fans to deliver the second great chant of the day: “WE WANT SWISHER!” (Outfielder Nick Swisher had pitched one inning in a loss to Tampa Bay after the Yankees had run out of relievers three days earlier.)
The Yankees earned a sarcastic ovation from the crowd in the bottom of the inning when Robinson Cano singled in Melky Cabrera, but that was it for the scoring, as the Indians won 10-2.
We left the stadium with our shoulders slumped a bit more than when we had entered, especially my dad, who grew up in Manhattan and has always been a die-hard Yankees fan (he was also at the final game of the old stadium). But although most hoped for a different outcome, Yankees manager Joe Girardi put it best when he said afterwards, “It’s not how you want to start a new stadium, but one game is not going to make the history of this Yankee Stadium.” If you can afford the prices, the new version has to rank pretty high up there as one of the most accommodating, fan-friendly places to watch a game. New home or not, they’re still the Yankees – in fact, just 24 hours later Jeter hit the stadium’s first game-winning home run in the bottom of the eighth to beat the Indians 6-5. And there are sure to be many more great memories at this park down the road.
Unless, of course, Babe Ruth’s ghost has decided to move a little south from Boston.
Arapoglou can be reached at tarapoglou@scoreatl.com.
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