Yankees Stadium Memories

I lived through the suck that was the Yankees in the early 90's, but one of my fondest memories was going to a game with my Dad in the summer of 94' against the Angels. The Yanks were down 9-0 going into the 9th inning, but the greatness that was Danny Tartabull and Mike Gallego (forget how to spell his name, was the 3rd basemen before Boggs) helped them make an amazing comeback. Awesome game, and probably still the best one I've ever seen at any stadium.

I just wish I got to see a game there this season.

I tried my damndest to take the kiddo out there this summer but it just never worked out. I've never been to the stadium and REALLY wanted to go at least once. Kinda sad that that'll never happen.

I am a 34 year old caucasian male who grew up in northern NJ as a Yankee fan, so, to the surprise of nobody, I am a big Don Mattingly fan. I went to The Stadium to celebrate my birthday as an 11 or 12 year old, complete with my name on the scoreboard. Lo and behold, Mattingly goes yard. Probably the highlight of my life up to that point.

I try to go at least once a year. Took the wife and kids a few weeks ago and saw them shellac the Royals. It will be weird seeing them as the home team in a new stadium.

My goosebumps are already getting tired, watching the YES/ESPN coverage.

I should mention that YES is available all day to those of us that subscribe to MLB Extra Innings on DirecTV (Yankee Classics until 6:00pm when they'll start the tribute show).

We used to go once every few months when we lived in NYC from '79~'85. I remember a guy behind me spilling his beer on my head as he was reaching to grab a foul ball hit by Bucky Dent back in '82 or 83.

Oh yeah, and I saw Jack Soo from BARNEY MILLER up on the Jumbotron screen.

Also, the first time I knowingly smelled marijuana was at Yankee Stadium. A couple sparked up a row or two in front of my mother, father, brother and I. I was maybe 8 or 9. I asked my father what that smell was, and he said "never you mind what that smell is".

I don't have any specific memories other than I started college at NYU around the time that the Yankees began their Championship run in the mid-90's so I only recall good times. Once Joe Torre moved on, I stopped following the Yanks as closely as I once did.

I try to go to Yankee Stadium at least once a year. This year I've been twice. The first was against the Red Sox and the Yanks were down 8 runs in the first inning. They never came back. The second was against the Blue Jays, in which the Yanks were trailing for 9 innings and Giambi came in to win the game with a walk off home run! I just don't understand people who never stay until the very end (several of my friends left). You just never know. Unfortunately, I had to give up sweet behind-home plate seats for last Tuesday's White Sox game because of work obligations. But at least I found a friend who really appreciated them.

I guess generally I'm sad to see Yankee Stadium go, but I'm more pissed about the politics surrounding the new stadium. The whole process has been a nightmare - abuse of eminent domain, inflated cost estimates, etc. And to top it off, the stadium will be less fan friendly - the number of seats will be reduced to make way for more corporate boxes. Fuck that!

The HBO show [I]RealSports[I] had a nice piece the other day about the high price of tickets for sporting events. They mostly talked about season tix. prices for the NY Giants. but they did mention the new Yankee stadium. The price they want for Season ticket Box Seats was out of this world!

So this is your memory of Yankee stadium?

Actually, I'm sorry to say I never had the chance to go. Was just commenting on Diva's remarks about the new Yankee Stadium.

Last time I went was back in '04, I believe. The day they retired Ron Guidry's number. Great day, but I'm sorry I never made it back after. Great place, I'll always remember going there with my old man, and I'm sorry I won't be able to visit the new shindigs with him.

I want to rip off Kim Jones purple outfit and ravage her up against the 314 sign in right.

You know, for posterity.

Did the Yanks win that game? I was looking for box scores from that year but couldn't find anything like that game. I love comebacks like that and wanted to read about it.

I only went to Yankee Stadium once...in 2004, to see the Sox for my 30th bday. Naturally, the Sox got crushed 14-4 with Moose taking a no-hitter into the 7th. Once Big Papi broke-up the no-hitter with a homer, we got the hell out of dodge. If anyone cares (it was 13-0 when Papi went yard. Terrible):

BOX SCORE

Can't say I'm sad to see the stadium go. Lots of history for sure, but it was a dump.

I imagine most Sox fans won't shed a tear, lol. Only a matter of time for Fenway.

I would think that it would have been done already had they found a place to put a new stadium. Fenway ain't luxurious by any stretch of the imagination, but what John Henry & Co. have done since they took over has been incredible.

It could have been in 1993, in July. I remember it being hot as hell. I'll try to find the box score. But yea, they did wind up winning.

Edit: Found the game. Check the box score for 7/25/1993

That is awesome! Thank you for that. I can't imagine how much fun that must have been for you and everyone else that day.

I still find it strange to see Boggs' name on a Yankee box score (and to see him in a Yankee hat last night).

I've been to Yankee Stadium something like twenty times. I won't miss the terrible parking, the gross seats, etc., but I will miss the fans and the atmosphere. As a Mets fan, I especially loved going to the Subway Series games wearing my Mets stuff. I would sit in a crowded area and wear a button-down Yankees jersey, and when everyone was seated, I'd tear it off and reveal my bright orange Mets shirts, screaming, "Let's go, NY!" Many peanuts and some beer thrown my way, and deservedly so. The last time I was going to do this, someone flung a blow-up doll dressed as Jose Reyes over the ledge above me, hanging it by its neck. I decided to quietly keep my Yankees jersey on that day.

The first time I went was this year for the Home Run Derby...I've been a fan since the early 90's...it was insane to see Hamilton hit those homers...

The stadium was insane...my mind was blown...I'm only sad that I couldn't see a regular season game there.

Best Yankee memory so far...sitting right next to Reggie in the LES having a slice of pie and not realizing it was him until he said hi on his way out...I failed.

Me: "Hot dog and a beer, please."

*holding $10 bill*

Concession stand worker: "Oh it gonna cost more than that."

(Slightly more relevant memory: I was at the epic Clemens/Pedro showdown in 2000 when they struck out 22 batters between them. Heartbreaking loss, but as a baseball fan I'll probably never see anything like it again.)

Was able to go twice in recent years, making the trip up from SC to do so. Saw them play the A's in 2006. It was a rainy night, with the Yanks falling way behind early and then a long rain delay.
During the delay many fans left, so me and my buddies went down to seats right behind home plate. Giambi hit a home run right after the game resumed and NY mounted a mini-comeback before finally losing.

Then, this past July, same group of guys went up for a Sunday night game against the Red Sox. That was AMAZING. That was the game where Rivera struck Manny out on three pitches in the ninth. Of course, Manny later admitted he "tanked" the at bat.

Loved the stadium. They shouldn't close it.

No one has any fond memories of Shea? I went there for the first time this year. What a shit hole...

It reminded me of the Vet, so I loved it.

I hate these Camden Yards clones that have been popping up for the last 15 years. Give me a shithole with really high nosebleed seats ANY DAY.

It's pretty bizarre to drive by both stadiums and see the new ones right next door, just waiting to take over.

I was in the upper deck the day McGuire hit his 69th and 70th homers. The crowd went crazy.

It may be blasphemy, but I prefer Shea stadium to Yankee stadium. Shea is more intimate so you always feel like you're part of the action, they have better music (not once did I have to endure Cotton Eyed Joe), and the beer and food is cheaper. Of course I had to endure Mets fans...

However, can't say I have fond memories. The last game I attended at Shea was that awful soul crushing defeat of the Mets' last chance to remain in playoff contention last season. The sound of a million Mets fans' hopes crushed by the first inning when the Mets were down like 8 runs... ugh, one of the worst games I've ever had to sit through. I'm not a Mets fan, per se, but no one wants to witness play that horrible in real life. You just felt embarrassed for them.

Certainly more intimate when your in the nosebleeds and can almost touch the planes. As for the food, is it really cheaper? I went this year and it was $8 bucks for a can of Budweiser.

I could be misremembering prices. All I know is I generally don't bitch about food/drink when I'm at Shea, but I'm always livid leaving Yankee stadium. One hot dog and a beer costs $17! There was one vender on the loge level at Yankee Stadium all the way at the end that sold 16 oz. cups of really shitty beer for $9. So I would spend the extra 15 minutes to walk to the complete opposite side of the stadium just to get it.

So you're asking for a circa 70s donut shit pile? May I suggest the Hubert Humphrey Metrodome?


And with all due respect, why the fuck would you want to drink at the baseball stadium?

I don't understand the question.

Okay, why spend so much cash on such shitty booze?

Oh, okay. Yes, the prices are obscene. It is one of the few places you can witness a single person buy and consume $80 worth of Budweiser by themselves. I simply can't afford to get drunk at a ballgame. Which is why I like to instead watch little league and shoot speedballs.

Getting a hot dog and beer is a quintessential baseball experience. I worked it out so that we meet at a bar before hand (pre-game warm up if you will), and at the stadium, I buy a beer every three innings (which is usually two) because they stop serving beer after the 7th.

Also, you don't want to be the only sober person at a baseball game. It's just no fun with all the obnoxious fans screaming in your face. You want to be the obnoxious one annoying others.

If you can't get bootleg hooch into a ball game you just ain't trying hard enough.

Shit man, they practically give you a strip search in NYC.

Like I said......

This reminds me of a great scene of the Simpsons in which Homer gives up drinking and is the only sober one at the game.

"I never realized how boring this game was."

Seriously, ain't nothing getting in. No bags of any kind. You have to check backpacks, shopping bags, anything larger than a wallet or a small purse at local stores along 161st St. You get frisked before you even get near the ticket gate so you can't have someone go in first and try and sneak them stuff through the fence. They have that stadium on lock down.

Excuses, excuses. I thought you New Yorkers were full of the ol' can-do.