New Yankee Organists - Ed Alstrom in his own words
New Yankee Stadium
Special Yankee Stadium Photo Galleries
Bronx, New York
1st American League game: April 18, 1923 (NY 4, Bos 1)
Closed: September 30, 1973
Reopened after renovation: April 15, 1976
Surface: Natural grass
Nickname: "The House That Ruth Built."
Architect: Osborn Engineering (1923); Praeger-Kavanaugh-Waterbury (1976)
Construction: White Construction Company (1923)
Owner: New York Yankees (1923 - 1971); City of New York (1971 - present)
Cost: $2.5 million (1923); renovation: Officially listed at $48 million, howwever actual cost with debt service estimated at more than $160 million (1976).
Seating Capacity: 58,000 (1923); 82,000 (1927); 67,113 (1928); 71,699 (1937); 67,205 (1958); 65,010 (1971); 54,028 (1976); 57,145 (1977); 57,545 (1980).
Outfield Dimensions:
LF foul line: 281' (1923), 301' (1928), 312' (1976), 318' (1988)
LF alley: 500' (1923), 490' (1924), 457' (1937), 430' (1976), 411' (1985), 399' (1988)
Center field: 487' (1923), 461' (1937), 463' (1967), 417' (1976), 410' (1985), 408' (1988)
RF alley: 429' (1923), 407' (1937), 385' (1976)
RF foul line: 295' (1923), 296' (1939), 310' (1976), 314' (1988)
Outfield Fences:
Left field: 3' 11" (1953), 8' (1976)
Left-center: 7' 9" (1953), 7' (1976)
Center field: 20' (1953), 7' 6" (1976)
Right-center: 14' 6" - 7' 9" (1953), 8' - 9'(1976)
Right field: 3' 9" (1953), 9' - 10' (1976)
Hosted World Series: 1923, '26, '27, '28, '32, '36, '37, '38, '39, '41, '42, '43, '47, 49, '50, '51, '52, '53, '55, '56, '57, '58, '60, '61, '62, '63, '64, '76, '77, '78, '81, '96, '98, '99, '00, '01, '03
Hosted All-Star Game: 1939, 1960, 1977
The relationship between the Giants and their tenant crumbled after the 1920 season when Yankee attendance boosted by their new slugging sensation doubled to 1,289,422. That was over 100,000 more than the Giants, who, in 1921, notified the Yankees to vacate the Polo Grounds as soon as possible. With their departure from the Polo Grounds now inevitable, Yankee ownes Jacob Ruppert set out to build a spectacular ballpark of their own, Baseball's first triple-decked structure. With an advertised capacity of 70,000, it would also be the first to be labeled a "stadium."
Original plans of the architect the Osborne Engineering Company of Cleveland, Ohio had the Stadium triple-decked and roofed all the way around (below).
The construction contract was awarded to New York's White Construction Co. on May 5, 1922 with the edict that the job must be completed "at a definite price" ($2.5-million) and by Opening Day 1923. Incredibly, it was. In only 284 working days, Yankee Stadium was ready for its inaugural game on April 18, 1923 vs. the Boston Red Sox.
More than 60,000 fans packed Yankee Stadium for their first glimpse of Baseball's grandest facility while thousands more milled around outside after the fire department finally ordered the gates closed. Before the game began, John Phillip Sousa and the Seventh Regiment Band led both clubs to the flagpole in deep center field where the American flag and the Yankees' 1922 pennant were raised. Appropriately, Babe Ruth christened his new home with a three-run homer to cap a four-run third inning as the Yankees coasted to a 4-1 win.
Except for the addition of lights in 1946, the look of Yankee Stadium would now remain relatively the same until the winter of 1966-67. Then, under the direction of its new owner, CBS, the 44-year-old facility received a $1.5-million modernization, most of which was spent on paint (90 tons of it). The brown concrete exterior was painted white as was the by-now greenish copper facade (below). And all of the grandstand seats went from green to blue, a color scheme that would be retained when the Stadium was completely remodeled after the 1973 season.
The most striking change of the modernization would be the removal of the numerous, obstructive steel columns which supported the second and third decks as well as the roof. By "cantilevering" the upper decks and by lowering the playing field while increasing the slope of the lower stands, sight lines for fans would be dramatically improved. Of course, with the removal of the original roof, the Stadium almost lost its most-recognizable feature: the facade. But an innovative design concept included an exact replica of the facade atop the new 560-foot-long scoreboard which stretched across the rear of the bleachers. The board would also include baseball's first "telescreen," which could provide instant replays of the action by employing a then-incredible "nine shades of gray."
Yankee Stadium's exterior changed dramatically, too, as three escalator towers were added, one at each of the Stadium's three entrances. And, with 10 additional rows of seats added to the upper deck, the already-grand Stadium would have an even bigger look. The remodeled Yankee Stadium opened on April 15, 1976 with the Yankees topping Minnesota 11-4 and, like its predecessor, would host the World Series in its inaugural season. The Stadium, in fact, hosted the Fall Classic in its first three seasons with the Yankees winning back-to-back World titles in 1977 and 1978.
In June of 2005, after several years of lobbying by the Yankees for a new ballpark to replace the "House that Ruth Built", it was announced that Yankee Stadium would be demolished folowing the 2008 season as a "New Yankee Stadium" would rise just north of 161st Street in the Bronx.
Iconic moments: November 12, 1928, with Notre Dame and Army locked in a scoreless game at halftime, the legendary Knute Rockne made his famous "win one for the Gipper" pep talk and the Fighting Irish went out and beat the Cadets, 12-6.
June 22, 1938. The rematch of Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling. In one corner was Schmeling, representing Hitler (though Schmeling wasn't a Nazi) and everything fascism stood for. In the other corner was Louis, representing the U.S. and everything democracy meant. Louis was invited to the White House, where President Franklin Roosevelt felt the champ's biceps. "Joe, we need muscles like yours to beat Germany," he said. Before some 70,000 fans at Yankee Stadium, Louis pulverized the reluctant Aryan figurehead, knocking him to the canvas three times in the 1st round. Two years of waiting ended for Louis after 124 seconds, with Schmeling lying broken on the canvas. Louis had crossed the line from champion to idol as Americans of all color and ancestry celebrated.
July 4, 1939: Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day. Less than a month after ending a streak of 2,130 games played, the baseball world was shocked to learn Lou Gehrig was stricken with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a neurological disorder for which there is no cure. In between games of a doubleheader between the Yankees and Washington, The Yankees, friends and fans honored Lou Gehrig. Gehrig was visibly moved throughout the 40 minute ceremony and when asked to speak he couldn't - he was so emotional. After chants of "We want Lou!" from the crowd, the Iron Horse courageously stepped up to the microphone and delivered one of the most memorable speeches in modern American history.
October 4, 1955. World Series Game 7. Brooklyn was leading the Yankees 2-0 in Game 7 of the 1955 World Series and trying to claim its first World Series title in eight tries. Johnny Podres had pitched well but ran into trouble in the bottom of the sixth when he walked Billy Martin to start the inning and Gil McDougald reached on a bunt single. The next hitter was Yogi Berra. Amoros, the Dodgers' left fielder, was positioned in left-center field. Berra went the opposite way and hit a fly ball toward the left field foul pole. Amoros, running all the way, made a sensational one-handed catch. He then turned around and fired a perfect relay throw to shortstop Pee Wee Reese, who fired to first for a rally-killing double play. Amoros' catch was the game's biggest play as the Dodgers won 2-0 to set off a wild day and night of partying in the streets of Brooklyn.
October 8, 1956. World Series game 5. Don Larsen became the first and only pitcher in major league history to throw a perfect game in the World Series by retiring all 27 Dodgers he faced. Larsen got a called third strike on pinch-hitter Dale Mitchell to end the game and set off a wild celebration that began with Yankees catcher Yogi Berra leaping into Larsen's arms. Larsen only went to a "ball three" count on one batter -- Pee Wee Reese in the first inning - and needed just 97 pitches to complete his masterpiece.
December 28, 1958. "The greatest game ever played." With the NFL championship at stake, a crowd of 64,185 watched the Baltimore Colts tie the game 17-17 on a Steve Myrha field goal with seven seconds left. Eight minutes into professional football's first-ever "sudden-death" overtime period, the Colts' Alan Ameche crashed through from the one yard line, ending a contest that would help establish pro football as a major sport.
October 1, 1961. 61*. In the fourth inning of the final day of the regular season, Roger Maris hit a 2-0 fastball off Tracy Stallard, the Red Sox starter, into the right field seats to pass the Babe and become baseball's single-season home run king.
October 18, 1977. World Series Game 6. With the Yankees up 7-3 and three outs away from clinching their first World Series title since 1962, outfielder Reggie Jackson went after a Fall Classic record. Leading off the eighth, Reggie delivered with his third home run of the game - and fourth in four official at-bats going back to the eighth inning of Game 5 - hammering the first pitch from Charlie Hough, a knuckleballer, into the center field bleachers.
July 24, 1983. The pine tar game. George Brett hit a ninth-inning, two-out, two-run homer off Goose Gossage that gave the Royals a 5-4 leadover the Yanks. Moments after crossing the plate and entering the dugout, Brett saw Yankee manager Billy Martin approach home plate umpire Tim McClelland. Soon McClelland summoned Brett's bat from the Royal dugout and conferred with his umpiring crew at home plate. Martin watched from a few feet away and Brett looked on curiously from the bench. A moment later McClelland thrust his arm in the air and signaled that Brett was out for excessive use of pine tar on his bat, nullifying the home run and ending the game. Brett stormed from the dugout in a rage and had to be restrained by teammates, coaches, and umpire crew chief Joe Brinkman. Despite the protests of Brett and Royals’ manager Dick Howser, the ruling stood. Brett was ejected and the home run had been nullified, giving the Yankees a 4-3 win.
October 16th, 2003. ALCS Game 7. On a chilly fall evening, Aaron Boone becomes on the fifth player -- and second Yankee -- to end a post season with a walk-off home run. His solo shot in the bottom of the 11th inning gave the Yankees a 6 to 5 victory over the Boston Red Sox and it also won the Yankees their 39th American League Pennant. With the Yanks down by three runs with 5 outs left, they rallied to tie up the game against Pedro Martinez in the 8th. Boone's pennant-winning home run against Tim Wakefield in the 11th sent the crowd of 56,000 into hysterics.
The good: If the game of baseball had to have one designated official shrine, this would be it - period.
The bad: You thought Fenway tickets were expensive?... and what's up with not letting the bleacher patrons into monument park?
The ugly: George Stienbrenner has had his way, and now this baseball Mecca--by the Yankees own admission, the most famous stadium in the world-- will soon be abandoned and bulldozed in favor of a newer park with more Luxury $uites.
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New York Yankees
E. 161st Street & River Avenue
Bronx, NY 10451
(718) 293-6000
Legends Suites $110
Field Championship $98-$113
Loge Championship $98
Main Championship $80
Main Box MVP $70
Field Box $60
Main Reserved MVP $55
Loge Box MVP $60
Main Box $50
Main Reserved $40
Loge Box $45
Tier Box MVP $50
Tier Box $40
Tier Reserved $19
Bleachers $12
Seating Chart
Purchase Yanks Tickets
TV: WWOR-9, WCBS-2, YES
In-park dining choices: Standard ballpark fare. Best bet - Hit up the street vendors outside the stadium before the game - including some of the best N.Y. style pizza you'll find anywhere in the city.
New York Local Dining Guide - Best Bets
Directions & Parking
Ballpark Tour & Vacation Packages
and new (right, 1976-present) Yankee Stadium.
Most modern ballparks set their upper levels back much further, worsening upper deck sightlines, giving the stadium a more "open" and less intimate feeling.
Hollywood Legend Cary Grant's repeated prodding of George Stienbrenner is reportedly responsible for the trademark frieze (facade) being kept in the design after the 1974-75 renovation.
NOTES, FACTS AND FEATURES
Yankee Stadium's five monuments include Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Miller James Huggins, Mickey Mantle, and Joe DiMaggio. Huggins, Gehrig and Ruth's monuments were in play in centerfield before 1973. Ed Barrow, Jacob Ruppert, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Casey Stengel, Joe McCarthy, Pope Paul VI, Thurman Munson, Pope John Paul II, Billy Martin, Whitey Ford, Lefty Gomez, Roger Maris, Allie Reynolds, Elston Howard, Phil Rizzuto, Bill Dickey, Yogi Berra, Reggie Jackson and Don Mattingly have plaques in Monument Park beyond the left field fence.
The Stadium was also an important stop for religious conventions with the conventions of the Jehovah's Witnesses the major outside activity each year. Beginning in 1950, the convention attracted as many as 123,707 people in a single day far more than any other Stadium event.
On October 4, 1965 with the Yankees out of the World Series for only the third time in 17 years the Stadium hosted an event of worldwide significance. During the first visit to North America by a Pope, Paul VI celebrated mass before a crowd in excess of 80,000. Fourteen years later, John Paul II also made Yankee Stadium a stop on his tour of the United States.
A 120-foot high boiler stack is located outside Yankee Stadium adjacent to Gate 4. This monolith was painted with the Louisville Slugger logo and Babe Ruth's signature to give the appearance of an inverted baseball bat. The "Bat" is a popular meeting place for many Guests prior to a game.
More memorable moments:
September 30, 1927 -Babe Ruth breaks his own home run record hitting his 60th homer on the final day of the season.
May 30, 1938 - The all-time Yankee record crowd of 81,841 attend a Yankee doubleheader with the Boston Red Sox.
July 4, 1939 -"Lou Gehrig's number "4" is the first major league and Yankee baseball number ever to be retired.
June 13, 1948 - Babe Ruth's number "3" is retired on the 25th Anniversary of Yankee Stadium, and it was the last appearance of Ruth at Yankee Stadium.
May 14, 1967 - Mickey Mantle's 500th homerun.
June 8, 1969 - "Mickey Mantle Day" at Yankee Stadium. Mantle's number "7" is retired.
May 14, 1996 - Dwight Gooden throws a no-hitter against the Seattle Mariners.
July 4, 1983 - Dave Righetti pitches a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox. It was the sixth regular season no-hitter in team history and first since 1951.
August 27, 1938 - Monte Pearson throws the first no-hitter at Yankee Stadium against the Cleveland Indians.
May 17, 1998 - David Wells throws a perfect game against the Twins
April 25, 1999 - A monument in honor of Joe DiMaggio is unveiled at Yankee Stadium.
July 18, 1999 - David Cone throws a perfect game against the Montreal Expos. It was the 15th regular season perfect game. Cone did it on "Yogi Berra Day". Don Larsen (who pitched a perfect game in the world series) threw out the first ball.
June 13, 2003 - Roger Clemens wins his 300th game and collects his 4,000th strikeout.
When Yankee Stadium was remodeled in 1974-75, an extended cantilever design was used to keep the upper deck supported in exactly the same position as it was with supporting posts.
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Click titles for more information
A Lifetime of Yankee Octobers
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Yankee Stadium in Your Pocket: The Fan's Guide to Yankee Stadium
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Yankee Stadium: Drama, Glamor and Glory
by Ray Robinson
The Yankee Encyclopedia: Includes Panoramic Foldout of Yankee Stadium
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Summer in the City : New York Baseball 1947-1957
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Babe Ruth : Launching the Legend
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The New York Yankees Illustrated History
by Dave Anderson
Iron Horse: Lou Gehrig in His Time
Ray Robinson
Take Me Out to the Ballpark: An Illustrated Guide to Baseball Parks Past & Present
by Josh Leventhal, Jessica M. Macmurray
The Ultimate Baseball Road-Trip
by Joshua Pahigian, Kevin O'Connell
Fodor's Baseball Vacations: Great Family Trips to Minor League and Classic Major League Ballparks Across America
by Bruce Adams
Ballparks of North America: A Comprehensive Historical Reference to Baseball Grounds, Yards and Stadiums, 1845 to Present
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Storied Stadiums: Baseball's History Through Its Ballparks
by Curt Smith
Summary courtesy of Major league Baseball and the New York Yankees.
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