Not Your Father's Ballpark

When New Yorkers arrive at Yankee Stadium to support their team for the opening game of the 2009 baseball season, things might get a little confusing. The home of the city’s most beloved franchise (sorry Mets fans), the Yankees, will have moved across the street from its current River Avenue location in the Bronx. A new, $1.3 billion complex bearing the same name as its predecessor will serve as the new grounds for the “Bronx Bombers.” The most seasoned New York fans might experience an even greater sense of nostalgia as they enter the new Yankee Stadium next April: the exterior of the ballpark will replicate that of the old park prior to its renovation in the mid-1970s. Needless to say, as the next era of baseball in New York City begins, the sport’s latest cathedral has a long way to go before it can replace the storied history of the old version in the collective consciousness of its fans. 

The present version of Yankee Stadium has, without question, become one of the most important sports landmarks in the United States since its construction in 1923. Not only has it been home to the most successful baseball franchise in the world (to which it owes its namesake) and its 26 world championships, it for a time played host to the city’s football team, the New York Giants. In fact, what has been called “The Greatest Game Ever Played” in National Football League history took place between the Giants and the Baltimore Colts in Yankee Stadium in 1958. Although the Giants lost this NFL Championship contest, the game is considered by many to have been one of the most thrilling in New York’s history.

In addition, one of the most important boxing matches in American history also took place inside the hallowed ground of Yankee Stadium. Ignoring the combined distraction of Nazi support and Adolf Hitler’s racial prejudices, Joe Louis, an African-American, defeated the German Max Schmeling in 1938. While other famous boxers, including Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali also fought here, none of these bouts carried the same kind of cultural importance as did Louis’s victory in the pre-World War II era. 

Indeed, Yankee Stadium’s place in American culture transcends the realm of professional sports. Three different Popes have said mass within its walls, most recently Benedict XVI to a completely sold-out crowd in 2008. The stadium was even home to a memorial service in the days following the September 11^th terrorist attacks.

Still, there is little doubt that the old Yankee stadium will remain most prominently in the hearts and minds of New Yorkers as a shrine to the great American pastime of baseball. When the Yankees took the field in April, 1923, Babe Ruth christened the new stadium by hitting a home-run, an effort that help to beat the rival Boston Red Sox by a score of 4-1. The Yankees would go on to win the World Series that year, and their stadium, which has become affectionately known as “The House that Ruth Built,” has been steeped in lore and tradition ever since.

            The new incarnation of Yankee Stadium will be impressive to say the least. The most expensive stadium ever built in the United States will feature over 1 million sq. ft. of retail space, two full service restaurants, all of the most modern amenities, and seating for 53,000 people. Still, perhaps understandably, public opinion has been mixed. As with any construction project of this caliber, nearby residents and community activists are concerned about the damage the new ballpark could have on the surrounding area. However, the real objection from most fans seems to be in regards to the decision to demolish the current Yankee Stadium. Many believe that its cultural and historical significance as an American icon merits its preservation for future generations to experience its splendor. Regardless of your affinity for professional sports, the opening of the New Yankee Stadium next April will truly be a sight to behold. Who can even begin to imagine what new legends and heroes will emerge from its womb?