HELLO & GOODBYE TO YANKEE STADIUM

I know it may be hard to believe, but this past Saturday was my first time at the new Yankee Stadium. I used to live at the old stadium, going to several games a month. But working two jobs, being a wife, and mother left me with little time or money to go as often as I did.

There was also a part of me that didn’t agree with the building of the new stadium at all. I could not fathom why the Steinbrenners and the Yankees organization would ever think of playing anywhere but the on the hallowed ground where Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, and Mickey Mantle once stood.

But, when the opportunity presented itself, I went to see my Yankees play at their new house. As the train pulled up into the station nearby, I had some reservations. The last time I was there, the old Stadium was still intact and still functioning as the home of the New York Yankees, and the new stadium was being built. I prepared myself for the view as we walked away and toward the grand intersection where history was made.The first view I had was of the old field. Still intact and looking ready for play, it was amazing. The walkway literally goes through the old stadium, and I looked around, trying to envision exactly where I was walking as if the stadium were still there. I heard echoes of the noises that made the Stadium come alive- the sound of cheering crowds, the sound of Bob Shepperd’s voice, the sound of Scooter’s famous “Holy Cow, it’s a hit!”

As I continued to walk, the irony of seeing the grand new house with the original field in the foreground was breathtaking. The paved stone walkway is beautifully lined with new trees, bringing signs of new life and renewal. I walked slowly to absorb all of the pride, power, and passion for baseball that is the true history of the New York Yankees.

Although bittersweet, it wasn’t as painful as I thought it would be, walking by the now named “Heritage Field” and seeing that the sacred grounds were still there, and I was closer to it than I had ever been before. I was actually pleased to see the way that it was preserved and the way the integrity of the site, giving it the historical credit that it deserves. The walls of the stadium may be gone, but the rich history and heritage will always remain.


--Christy Lee, BYB Staff Writer

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