Steven P. BarrettSEASON-LONG FAREWELL TO THE HOUSE RUTH BUILT
July 16th 2008 03:57
Steven Barrett
It's only fitting that this year's Major League All-Star Game would be held in New York's Yankee Stadium, scheduled for replacement next April by the new Yankee Stadium being built right alongside the original.
It's said to be the "House that Ruth built," after he came over from the Boston Red Sox where he achieved fame as a pitcher. This was around 1919-20. The Yanks hadn't won any championship until George Herman "Babe" Ruth arrived in New York. Boston, however, had won four World Series.
That was all to change. From 1919 to 2004, the Yankees won 26 World Series Championships whereas the Red Sox were still clawing their way to finally break the "curse of the Bambino." What turned things around was a horrible drubbing by the Yankees in the third game of the 2004 American League Championship Series. The Bronx Bombers simply unloaded on the Sox in their Fenway Park home. Although I was pleased that my guys in "Yankee Pinstripes" were ahead three games to none, I had a premonition that Boston was going to pull off the greatest upset in baseball history, and come back and win four straight games -- which they did, and went on to win the World Series in four games over St. Louis' Cardinals.
I wrote that paragraph -- and it was indeed a very skimpy and onion-skin paper thin "history": of this rivalry to give some perspective to this special place. Ironically enough, shortly before I sat down to start this post, J.D. Drew of the Red Sox, right in Yankee Stadium hit a two-run home run to tie the game. Ironiic? Perhaps not when one looks back on this storied rivalry between New York and Boston. Rivals during the regular season, the Sox and Yanks working together during the All-Star Game to make sure the American League team had the "home field advantage."
One of my biggest thrills as a kid was to visit Yankee Stadium on the last home game in 1966. Ironically enough, it was the Yanks all-time lowest ebb. The dynasty of the Fifties had sputtered out, and a rising new crop of players on the Boston Red Sox team that faced New York that day would next year win the American League championship. In 1066, the Yankees finished dead last and the Sox in 9th, with a game separating the two teams.
Well, what thrill could that be? Two losing teams! My dad and I -- along with all the remaining fans -- got to walk around the field that day, walking all he way out to the deepest depths of the old centerfield bleacher walls, almost 463' deep. And to look back and see the old facade, and the enormity of the ancient, but storied stadium. I'll never forget it so long as I live.
Sadly, the old look of Yankee Stadium was replaced by the more "modern look" with cleaner lines, no posts, etc. Oh, it sure had the new look, but it was denuded of its old glory. During the Seventies, I'd also become a Red Sox fan, having lived in Boston for four years, attended plenty of games in Fenway Park (for nearly pennies in relative costs by today's prices) -- but during the 90's I returned. There was only so much frustration I could endure. And guess what franchise is ascendant nowadays? Boston.
We'll give them another three or more Championships -- then we'll take over -- in the House that Derek Jeter (and THE BOSS - George Steinbrenner) built next door. But goodbye old house -- of beaucoup memories and class acts.
After all, in addition to the House of Champions and House that Ruth Built, it was and will always be known the only ballpark in all of baseball to be referred to as The Stadium.
Babe Ruth Hits One Out
It's only fitting that this year's Major League All-Star Game would be held in New York's Yankee Stadium, scheduled for replacement next April by the new Yankee Stadium being built right alongside the original.
It's said to be the "House that Ruth built," after he came over from the Boston Red Sox where he achieved fame as a pitcher. This was around 1919-20. The Yanks hadn't won any championship until George Herman "Babe" Ruth arrived in New York. Boston, however, had won four World Series.
Yankee Stadium c. 1930s
That was all to change. From 1919 to 2004, the Yankees won 26 World Series Championships whereas the Red Sox were still clawing their way to finally break the "curse of the Bambino." What turned things around was a horrible drubbing by the Yankees in the third game of the 2004 American League Championship Series. The Bronx Bombers simply unloaded on the Sox in their Fenway Park home. Although I was pleased that my guys in "Yankee Pinstripes" were ahead three games to none, I had a premonition that Boston was going to pull off the greatest upset in baseball history, and come back and win four straight games -- which they did, and went on to win the World Series in four games over St. Louis' Cardinals.
Old Yankee Stadium Looking to Home
I wrote that paragraph -- and it was indeed a very skimpy and onion-skin paper thin "history": of this rivalry to give some perspective to this special place. Ironically enough, shortly before I sat down to start this post, J.D. Drew of the Red Sox, right in Yankee Stadium hit a two-run home run to tie the game. Ironiic? Perhaps not when one looks back on this storied rivalry between New York and Boston. Rivals during the regular season, the Sox and Yanks working together during the All-Star Game to make sure the American League team had the "home field advantage."
Old Stadium -- Looking to CF
One of my biggest thrills as a kid was to visit Yankee Stadium on the last home game in 1966. Ironically enough, it was the Yanks all-time lowest ebb. The dynasty of the Fifties had sputtered out, and a rising new crop of players on the Boston Red Sox team that faced New York that day would next year win the American League championship. In 1066, the Yankees finished dead last and the Sox in 9th, with a game separating the two teams.
Well, what thrill could that be? Two losing teams! My dad and I -- along with all the remaining fans -- got to walk around the field that day, walking all he way out to the deepest depths of the old centerfield bleacher walls, almost 463' deep. And to look back and see the old facade, and the enormity of the ancient, but storied stadium. I'll never forget it so long as I live.
Yankee Stadium 1976-2008
Sadly, the old look of Yankee Stadium was replaced by the more "modern look" with cleaner lines, no posts, etc. Oh, it sure had the new look, but it was denuded of its old glory. During the Seventies, I'd also become a Red Sox fan, having lived in Boston for four years, attended plenty of games in Fenway Park (for nearly pennies in relative costs by today's prices) -- but during the 90's I returned. There was only so much frustration I could endure. And guess what franchise is ascendant nowadays? Boston.
Old & New Yankee Stadiums
We'll give them another three or more Championships -- then we'll take over -- in the House that Derek Jeter (and THE BOSS - George Steinbrenner) built next door. But goodbye old house -- of beaucoup memories and class acts.
After all, in addition to the House of Champions and House that Ruth Built, it was and will always be known the only ballpark in all of baseball to be referred to as The Stadium.
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