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Farewell to Yankee Stadium

Posted Tuesday, September 23, 2008, at 4:32 PM

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On Sunday, the world said goodbye to the home of the New York Yankees for the last 85 years, Yankee Stadium.

A stadium that was unlike any other, and introduced the world to greats like Ruth, Mantle and Dimaggio and home to current stars like Jeter, Rivera and Rodriguez.

A stadium that is home to a team, winners of 26 world championships, welcomed some of the all-time greats to pay their respects to the stadium like Berra, Boggs, Winfield, Gossage, etc.

Even despite, the way he was sent packing from his job with the Mets, former Yankee Willie Randolph arrived to pay his respect as well.

Yankee Stadium has been home to three perfect games pitched by Don Larsen, David Cone and David Wells, who were all in attendance for the event.

Despite their struggles this season, the Yankees playing their final game like it was the last, defeated the Baltimore Orioles 7-3, led by home runs from Johnny Damon and Jose Molina and a strong pitching performance from Andy Pettite.

And, Yankee fans wouldn't have any other way to have their closer, one of the best ever, Mariano Rivera pitch the final out to close the doors on one of baseball's landmarks.

This year, Yankee Stadium also hosted their final All-Star Game, an extra inning endeavor where the American League continued their dominance over the National League, when Texas Ranger Michael Young drove home Minnesota Twin and winner of this year's home run derby Justin Morneau.

Cooperstown will soon get memorabilia from the game. Jose Molina, who officially hit the last home run in Yankee Stadium donated the cleats he wore. Johnny Damon gave the bat he used for the three run home run, although it wasn't his bat, it was outfielder Xavier Nady's bat, that Damon used due to his constant bat breaking problem. Derek Jeter also donated to the hall a bat he used during their final home stand.

Following the game, the fans stayed in tribute and the players gathered together to relive memories, collect souvenirs, including Rivera who took dirt off the warm-up mound where he has pitched for years, and say goodbye to Yankee Stadium, but the epic moments and memories will last forever.


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I grew up in the 50's and remember watching Mickey, Yogi, Whitey,.....LIVE on black and white television...............It was really something. They weren't making millions of dollars per season either, and nobody relied on steroids.

They played for the love of the game. Millions of Americans listened to the games on these "brand new battery-powered" portable radios during their coffee and lunch breaks.

The Yankess were "my" team.............Want the lineup of the old Bronx Bombers?

Moose Skowron on 1st

Bobby Richardson at 2nd

Tony Kubek was the shortstop

Clete Boyer at 3rd

Elston Howard in left field

Mickey Mantle in center

Roger Maris in right

Yogi Berra behind the plate

Whitey Ford on the mound

The Yankee team in this era had no weak links. In the toughest of situations, the opposing teams never had the viable option of intentionally walking one guy, to "get to the weaker hitter."

No matter WHICH Yank you walked, the NEXT guy could hurt you just as bad. Even the PITCHERS (led by Ford) could swing a mean bat.

The outfield dimesions were slightly uneven, only 296 feet down the rightfield line. 301 down the left, but a staggering 467 into dead center. Mickey Mantle was one of the few players to ever clear it. In fact he hit 2 balls off the rightcenter upper level facade roof ledge which only lacked about 6 inches from clearing the facade and leaving the stadium.

Mantle could hit, and had 500-foot power from either side of the plate. There wasn't a better catcher (maybe even to this day) than Yogi, and Whitey Ford was a master on the pitching mound.

The Yanks were led by manager Casey Stengel.........a rough talking old tactician. Gave the impression of being an old "bumpkin" but he was BRILLIANT.

For a string of years, the only question around baseball, was "Who are the Yanks gonna play NEXT year in the series.

It was something.

-- Posted by bazookaman on Wed, Sep 24, 2008, at 10:01 AM


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