New York Yankees? I can just hear some of you saying that as you read this. Yes, I am a die-hard-bleed-Cubbie-Blue-until-I-no-longer-breathe Cubs fan. You can almost say it was beaten into me as a child. (That will be another post in the future...I promise!) However, I have to express my thoughts on the Final Game at The House That Ruth Built.
Tonight was the very last game in what is known as Yankee Stadium. This stadium has been home to the New York Yankees for the last 85 years. Many great things have happened in this stadium...the only Perfect Game pitched in the World Series was done in 1956 by Don Larsen, just to name one.
As I was watching the final game on TV, along with the pre-game ceremony, I thought "Man, I'm a part of this history!" See, in 2002 I attended a game at Yankee Stadium. It was July 2nd, and the Yankees beat the Cleveland Indians 10-5. I was in town visiting my niece, C, who was doing an internship at a museum in the city. It was a great 3 day trip. (The rest of the trip was spent in Beantown...more on that later.)
C's dad, my brother-in-law L, is a HUGE Yankee fan. Probably as big a Yankee fan as I am a Cubs fan. (This makes for a lot of fun with him and my mom!!! However, it is NEVER mean-spirited.) As much as I enjoyed my trip to the stadium, I felt guilty that he had never been there. It was very surreal. At the time, I was disappointed in the stadium. I had heard stories of all of its glory. I had such high expectations. Looking back, the stadium met those expectations...I was just too stupid to realize it!
See, I had heard stories of Tommy Lasorda hiding behind the monuments in monument park. I was expecting to see LIFE-SIZE monuments...you know, like the statues you see outside other parks. (Think Michael Jordan outside of the United Center. Ernie Banks outside of Wrigley Field. Or, Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell outside of Minute Maid Park. Or even the statues in The Forum Shoppes at Cesars Palace in Vegas.) Well, that ain't it folks! The monuments in left field are little. They are more like something you would see in Cooperstown. I saw them!! However, I thought, "No, that can't be it." What was I thinking? I should have done my homework!!!
During the game, C and I called L so he could hear the stadium by phone. M, my sister, and L were outside and didn't hear the phone. We left a message, and she called back. I remember the message as if it were yesterday. "You're not busy. You're at Yankee Stadium. You're not busy. You're at Yankee Stadium." We called back and laughed about it.
This year for Father's day, L got the surprise of his life! Two tickets to see the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees play at Yankee Stadium. He and my nephew G went this past week. I haven't talked to L yet, but I've heard he had a great time. I'm so thankful he got to visit this wonderful place. Don't get me wrong, Wrigley Field will always be first in my heart. But how can you be a baseball fan and NOT appreciate Yankee Stadium?????
3 comments:
Hey, it's your niece, C, here! As I recall from our trip to Yankee Stadium it was literally the hottest day of the summer and we got stuck on a subway train from midtown to the Bronx WITH NO AIR CONDITIONING! As anyone who's ever taken the subway to a Yankees game knows, it's awfully packed on those trains (ditto the Red Line to Wrigley on game day!), and it was absolutely sweltering. Plus, when we got to the stadium, they wouldn't let me bring in my backpack (post-911 safety precautions--understandable, yet a pain in the butt), so I had to check it at the dodgy bowling alley across the street. So between the sweaty train ride and having to hand over all of my belongings to a Bronx bowling alley, I was a little skeptical about how the evening was going to turn out. However, once we found our way inside and were looking out over the field, everything clicked in to place: I was at Yankee Stadium. Needless to say it was a great night, and as I recall the Yankees won big. I really enjoyed getting to experience a true icon of American baseball. Thanks again, Aunt M, for the memory!
How could I forget that subway trip?!?!? I have never been so hot and miserable in my life. I did have a great time--I'm glad we got to do that together...That and seeing CHICAGO on Broadway!!!!!
Michelle, This was super wonderful to read! L really got a kick out of it and I sent it along to the kids. I now think I am the only one that didn't experience Yankee Stadium!!! Maybe I'll get to the new one next year. Love ya, M
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