YANKEE STADIUM
Bronx, NY
Bronx, NY
June 30th, 2012
Chicago White Sox Vs New York Yankees
"I WANT TO THANK THE GOOD LORD FOR MAKING ME A YANKEE"
Joe DiMaggio
"I WANT TO THANK THE GOOD LORD FOR MAKING ME A YANKEE"
Joe DiMaggio
When we started planning this trip, there was never any doubt where our "Opening Day" was going to be. It HAD to be at Yankee Stadium, there was no other way to properly kick off our adventure. Now, before you get any ideas, this was not my decision. After all, this odyssey was the brainchild of Ryan and when I asked him where he wanted to begin, I already knew the answer.
"How could we start anywhere else?", was his response.
Now, I am not the kind of parent that pushes his likes and dislikes onto his children...for MOST things. However, this kid never had a choice, it was pre-ordained that he be a Yankees' fan, just as it was for me. The funny thing is, were it not for Walter O'Malley, Robert Moses and Charles Stoneham, things would have turned out entirely different.
One day, at about the age of five, Ryan asked: "How did I become a Yankees' fan?"
"You never had an option" I told him.
"But there are two teams in New York" he said.
"Ah, that's nothing", I told him, "When your grandfather was a boy, there were three".
"I know two, the Yankees and the Mets".
"There were no Mets at that time. Come to think of it, there really still aren't", I told him.
"Hunh?"
"You'll understand one day. Come here, I'll tell you how we became Yankees' fans", I said as he climbed into my lap. "This is a story that dates back to 1942".
"1942? Man, Grandpa is OLD"
Then I told him OUR story.
My father grew up a huge Brooklyn Dodger's fan. He loved the Dodgers, lived, breathed, ate, drank and slept the Dodger baseball. Growing up listening to, then watching, players such as Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, Pee Wee Reese and others meant he saw baseball at its "Golden Age". Willie, Mickey or The Duke was the continuous argument of the time and he made sure his opinion was noted. He lived through the endless summer battles with the Giants and always knew each and every fall that his beloved "Bums" would beat the Yankees in the World Series. Well, always happened once, in 1955, before things went back to normal in 1956.
In 1957, my life changed and I was still twelve years from being born. That was the year that Walter O'Malley and Robert Moses finally gave up on discussing a new Ebbet's Field in Brooklyn and the Dodgers announced they were moving to Los Angeles, along with the Giants, who went to San Francisco. My father felt as if his heart was ripped out of his chest, his favorite team, the team he grew up with, cheered for, cried over, cursed at, but always LOVED, had betrayed him.
He stopped watching baseball for a few years, but the game was ingrained in him. He loved it too much to quit cold turkey, and besides he didn't want to anyway. So, he did what was unthinkable just a few years before. In 1960, he started rooting for the Yankees. The hated Yankees.
In 1962 the Mets were born and someone asked my father if he was going to switch back to the National League. His response? "The National League is dead to me. Both teams betrayed New York and all their fans. I'll never root for a National League team again".
True to his word, he didn't and I grew up a die hard Yankees' fan. I lived at Yankee Stadium as much as I could, we constantly went to "The Big Ballyard in the South Bronx", where I came of age watching Nettles, Munson, Pinella, Guidry and Gossage in the 1970's, Mattingly, Righetti, Davis, Winfield, and Henderson in the 1980's, Jeter, Cone, Bernie, Paulie, Tino and Mo in the 1990's all the way through until today.
That was how Yankees' baseball and all its tradition was passed down to me. I have seen eleven American League Pennants and seven World Series Championships and it was all because O'Malley and Moses couldn't agree. If they had been able to, the Dodgers never would have left and we would be probably Brooklyn fans today.
"I'm glad they left", Ryan says every time he hears this story, which, if you know my father, is A LOT.
"Me too, son", I always say and we share a laugh and a wink. I guess you could say that family history is exactly why our trip began in The Bronx. But first, a bit of Yankee Stadium history.
Yankee Stadium
In 1913, the New York Yankees left their Hilltop Park home, in Washington Heights, to become the tenants of the New York Giants at The Polo Grounds. Things worked out just fine as long as the Yankees were a middling team that posed no threat to the Giants' reign of New York baseball supremacy. But, all that changed on December 26, 1919 when the Boston Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees for $125,000. The landscapes of both baseball and New York would never be the same.
Right away the Yankees started to reap the dividends of the deal as they began to outdraw the Giants and became the baseball story in New York,.As the tension continued to mount, the Giants beat the Yankees in the 1921 World Series and before the winter was over Giants' owner, Horrace Stoneham, insisted the Yankees be gone by the beginning of the 1923 season. He suggested they move to Queens to escape the Giants' shadow, but Yankees' owners Jacob Ruppert and Tillinghast Huston purchased a parcel of land across the Harlem River, in the Bronx, to build their new ballpark.
Construction started in May of 1922 and Yankee Stadium first opened on April 18, 1923, becoming the first facility in North America to have a triple deck and seat 58,000. That afternoon, in front of a crowd of 74,217, the Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox, 4-1, with Ruth smashing a three run home run, the first in his new home's history. The Stadium, on that day, was christened "The House That Ruth Built", by Frank Lieb of the New York Evening Telegram.
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| Yankee Stadium, Opening Day, 1923 |
During the 1974 and 1975 baseball seasons the Stadium underwent a complete renovation (the Yankees played across town at Shea Stadium as tenants of the Mets) which completely changed the look, both inside and out. The doors reopened in April of 1976 and stayed open, except for a brief two week period in 1998, when a support beam fell through and the Stadium had to be re-inspected for safety concerns, until November of 2008, when its doors were closed for good.
Re-Modeled Yankee Stadium, 1976
On April 16, 2009, the new Stadium was opened, right across the street from the spot of the original. Before the Yankees first official at bat, in the bottom of the first inning, the bat that Babe Ruth had used to hit his first home run in the old Stadium was ceremoniously placed over home plate. Unfortunately, the Cleveland Indians won this game 10-2, but Jorge Posada christened the new home the same way Babe had done for the old, with a home run. The Yankees even won the World Series in the Stadium's inaugural season, as they had back in the original Stadium in 1923.
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| Yankee Stadium, June 30, 2012 |
As of today, the new Stadium has upheld the tradition of the old, hosting college football, prize fights, soccer games and concerts. The more things change, the more they stay the same, the circle is truly never broken.
Starting Lineup
Jim Kulhawy
Ryan Kulhawy
Brendan Kulhawy
Brendan Kulhawy
Robert Zoch
Steve Francis
Ryan had been waiting for what seemed to be an eternity to start this trip and now the night before, he was driving me batty.
"What time is Rob going to be here? When are we leaving? Are we really going to the spot of the old Yankee Stadium? What's there, is it a really a park?"
"Breathe, kiddo", I said, seeing the excitement wash across his face. "All you guys will see it all, tomorrow".
"We?", Ryan asked, "who else is going with us besides Rob?"
"Rob's friend, Steve, and your brother", I replied.
"Brendan's going?"
"Yes, he decided he wanted to last night", I laughed.
"That's so cool. What made him want to come, he said no the other day?"
"I told him you were buying the ice cream", I laughed.
"Oh, no. The food is your responsibility", he said seriously.
"Let's worry about it tomorrow", I told him. "I just think it's great he wants to join us for "Opening Day."
The car ride to the Bronx went quickly as the four of us (we were meeting Steve there) talked about Yankee history, the players, the games and the events.
"Who was the most famous Yankee", I asked.
"Mickey Mantle", the little blond muppet, who everyone says looks like Mantle, chirped.
"No way", Ryan countered. "It was The Babe".
"Your Great Grandfather Denner loved DiMaggio" and your Grandpa was a Mantle guy, after the Dodgers left", I told the boys
"Yours was Graig Nettles, right?", Brendan asked as we pulled into the lot.
"Absolutely", I said looking at the dashboard
The car thermometer read 93 degrees, at 9:30 in the morning. I had a feeling we were in for a long day as we locked up and headed for the spot where the old Yankee Stadium once stood, but was now known as Heritage Park.
The Bat, as it is known, was a landmark that stood behind the main entrance, (Gate 4), of the old Stadium. It was really a 138-foot high exhaust stack that was turned into a Louisville Slugger Babe Ruth model bat and became a meeting place for fans before games. Today, that bat still stands outside the Metro North Station. I met many friends "at the bat" so I decided to get a picture of the boys there as well.
After looking around at markers on the ground that depict memorable moments in Yankee Stadium history, we came to a plaque the showed us where the footprint of the old Stadium was. Rob calculated that home plate used to be a little past the second base area, before the outfield grass began. As we slowly walked into the little league field, I looked around and took in what used to be a very special place from my childhood. As we came to the spot Rob had pointed out, we stopped and Ryan drew the shape of home plate in the infield dirt. We all knelt down and had our picture taken where some of the greatest players in baseball history stood, once upon a time.
"Hey guys", I said. "Let's head out where Ruth, Mantle, DiMaggio and a lot of great players played".
That stopped the argument immediately as they looked around in awe and asked for another picture.
"What's THAT?" Brendan said, looking behind him and breaking the silence.
Brendan was looking at an exact replica of the frieze that hung in the old Stadium. Now, it was placed behind the far backstop of a little league field in the northwest corner of the park. We stopped there and took pictures of the kids, Rob and the kids and the kids and me.
By this time, the boys were hot and exhausted, Rob was quiet .
After meeting up with Steve in "Babe Ruth Plaza" at the front of The Stadium, between Gates 4 and 6 (of course Brendan thought this was a great name and had to have his picture taken at the sign), we headed back to the parking garage for some much needed shade and some cold beverages. The boys cracked some root beers, while the bigger boys had a few beers and discussed the game plan, once the Stadium opened, in twenty minutes. We decided it would be Monument Park first, followed by the Yankees' Museum, then we'd walk around taking everything in and finally, grab some food and head to the seats.
We entered the Stadium at Gate 8, which is in center field, and after making a quick left you come to sign that says Monument Park. Monument Park is an open air museum, dedicated to the Yankee greats that have been so important to the franchise that they have been enshrined there. This shrine sits in center field, beyond the field of play and is protected by a netting. The doors open with the Stadium and close 45 minutes before game time. The line grows quickly, as we found out, so get there with plenty of time.
There are five monuments central to the park, (Miller Huggins, Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle) along with all the numbers the Yankees have retired over the years (1, 3,4,5,7,8 (twice), 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 32, 37, 44, 49) as well as the one retired throughout MLB (42). Along the back wall are the plaques for George Steinbrenner, Ed Barrow, Joe McCarthy, Phil Rizzutto, Bill Dickey, Thurman Munson, Jacob Ruppert, Mel Allen, Red Ruffing, Whiety Ford, Reggie Jackson, Lefty Gomez, Casey Stengel, Don Mattingly, Elstin Howard, Billy Martin, Allie Reynolds, Roger Maris, Yogi Berra, Ron Guidry, Bob Sheppard, Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II. There is also a monument commemorating the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. Leave plenty of time to take in all there is to offer in this beautiful area, you don't want to miss a thing.
As we made our way into Monument Park, the Yankees' bullpen was directly to our left and there was a Yankees' sign that simply said "Welcome To Monument Park". Brendan, who has been here before, asked a question in a very hushed voice, that he has never thought to ask before. It's one that I know I must have asked my dad at one time or another.
With Brendan's concern for Derek Jeter satisfied, we all headed up the stairs to our next place to visit. The Yankee Museum.
The Yankee Museum is located on the main level of the Stadium, just up the ramp, by Gate 6. The museum houses many artifacts of Yankee history. Right now, there are two new exhibits, entitled "Mickey Mantle: the Life and Legacy of a Baseball Hero" and "Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig: Baseball's Hardest Hitting Teammates". The Mantle exhibit is composed of artifacts on loan from the Mantle family, as well as various collectors around the world, such as: Mickey's first contract, game worn/used jerseys and gloves, his 1956 M.V.P. Award and quite a few other pieces of memorabilia. The Ruth/Gehrig exhibit, shows off the bat The Babe used to hit the first home run in Yankee Stadium, a ticket stub from the day of Gehrig's "Luckiest Man" speech as well as game worn/used memorabilia of each player.
Some of the other artifacts in the museum are: a Yankees' "ball wall", which houses autographed baseballs from hundreds of past and present Yankees (there is a virtual touch screen to show where each ball is located and the plan is to eventually get an autographed ball from every player who appeared in a game for the Yankees), a showcase of every World Series ring the Yankees have given out, the 1977, 1978, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2009 World Series trophies, artifacts from the history of the old Stadium (such as the pitching rubber and home plate and seats from the original and remodeled Stadium), an exhibit on George Steinbrenner's tenure as Yankees' owner and many other interesting items.
The two artifacts that catch everyone's attention, however, are the statues of Don Larsen and Yogi Berra, 60 feet, 6 inches apart, as they get ready for the final pitch of Larsen's 1956 World Series perfect game, and the actual locker of the late Yankee Captain, Thurman Munson. Munson's locker sat empty in the Yankees' clubhouse, from August of 1979 (when he died in a plane crash) until the Yankees moved it across the street into the museum.
As we walked around the museum, the kids took pictures with their favorite artifacts and exhibits. Brendan, of course, was consumed with the Mickey Mantle memorabilia, while Ryan read as much as he could without holding up the line. No matter how many times I visit the museum, the Munson locker always puts a lump in my throat. Thurman Munson was my second favorite player, right behind Graig Nettles, and I'll never forget the disbelief and horror when I heard the news that August evening. Ryan, always the good son, came over to me as I stood staring.
"You OK?, he asked.
"I will be", was all I could say.
"It was terrible, wasn't it"
"Imagine it happening to Derek Jeter", I told him.
He just shuddered as I continued:
"That man was the heart and soul of this team and his death might have kept us from winning another two championships. But, more importantly, he had a wife and three very young children, your age and younger".
He just looked up at me and I can only imagine what he was thinking, because he wasn't sharing his thoughts.
"C'mon, lets go find some food and get to our seats", I said. "Game time is in 30 minutes"
While walking to the concessions stand we meandered around the lower level concourse at field level, taking pictures all the way. The new Yankee Stadium has almost the same dimensions as the old one (318 to left field, 399 to left-center, 408 to center field 385 to right-center and 314 to right field), but the look of the stands is something out of 1923. It appears canyonesque as you look up into the right and left field decks from behind home plate and one can only imagine what it would be like to stand on the pitcher's mound, staring up from the playing field.
After listening to Ryan tell me how hungry he was, I took a few shots and kept moving. He knew where we were going and he was in a hurry to get there.
As we made our way to our seats, Ryan was watching the sandwich like a ravenous wolf eyes a caribou during a winter's hunt.
"MMMMMM, prime rib", was all he kept saying, over and over.
"Knock it off, you're acting like you've never had food at a ballgame", I told him.
"I never had THAT kind of food at a ballgame", was his quick response.
"Fair enough", I told him, laughing.
By the time we got to our seats, I had to practically hold Ryan back from ripping open the box and devouring our sandwich.
"Back off, I need a picture and I have to get Brendan situated"
"But...but...but...it's PRIME RIB", was his response.
"Too bad, you'll wait", I told him.
So, I took the picture, unwrapped Brendan's lunch and Ryan and I opened up our delicacy. The first bite was pure heaven. The perfectly cooked meat, the hot au jus, all complemented by the soft roll, practically melted in my mouth. I wanted to savor every bite and make it last, after all I did just pay $15 for it. But you know who would have none of that. He inhaled 3/4 of the sandwich in two bites and was eyeing the final piece, before I wrestled it away from him.
"Mine", I said, while trying to give him a dirty look.
He attempted the "pathetic face", which usually gets him what he wants, but I wasn't going for that this time. After all, this was prime rib. I put on some horseradish dressing and finished it off.
"Well, what did you think?", Rob and Steve inquired.
It was great, but I don't think I'll be doing another one at those prices", I told them.
Ryan looked like he wanted to cry.
"But, I'm still hungry", he whimpered.
"Here", I said as I handed him half of a Lotito's hero, stuffed with more meats and cheeses than you would believe.
"I wish the prime rib sandwich was this big", he said.
"Are you complaining about Lotito's?", I asked incredulously.
"No way, they should open a stand here, they'd make a killing."
"Agreed", I said. "Now, sit back, the game is beginning."
The Yankees struck first on a Curtis Granderson first inning home run, his 23rd of the season, to take a 1-0 lead. After the Sox failed to score in the second, Nick Swisher led off with a single and was brought home on a Dewayne Wise double, to make it 2-0 Bombers.
By the top of the fifth, the boys were hungry again. It truly is amazing how much little boys can eat at a ball game and mine are no exception. Thankfully, we have a rule: we'll bring in sandwiches and chips and they can have one giant soda (to share) and one dessert each. I'll give you three guesses what time it was.
So, off we tromped to get dessert. Ryan, as usual, wanted a bucket of popcorn so big he could sit in it. Now, I would normally be annoyed about shelling out $12 for popcorn, but this bucket is HUGE and makes for a great take home souvenir. So, popcorn it was...I told you I'm a sucker. Brendan, of course wanted a mini Yankees' helmet, filled with Carvel ice cream.
"Really, ice cream?" I asked. "It's going to be soup by the time we get back to the seats".
"You got Ryan what he wanted", was his response.
Just as I started to respond, I heard a sharp "CRACK". We looked over our shoulders, the new Yankee Stadium is open air, so you never miss anything, and saw the ball fly out of the park.
"Doncha know...It's Robbie Cano", Ryan yelled, while high fiving complete strangers.
"Can I have my ice cream now", Brendan begged.
"C'mon Daddy, get him the ice cream, I don't want to miss anything", Ryan implored.
I gave in and got the ice cream and headed back to the seats.
By the ninth inning, the Yankees still held a 4-0 lead, but the Sox had put a man on with one out. Manager Joe Girardi summoned closer Rafael Soriano from the pen and with one pitch he ended the game on a double play, Jeter to Cano to Teixeira.
"YANKEES WIN....THEEEEEEE YANKEES WIN", we all yelled, in our best John Sterling voices. High fives were in order, as were celebratory hugs and smiles. We waited a bit for the crowd to thin out and headed downstairs for some souvenirs from our special "Opening Day".
The Yankees' Team Store is located in The Great Hall, which runs from Gate 4 to Gate 6 at field level. It is a huge concourse which is ringed with large banners of Yankee greats pre 1970 heading towards Gate 4 and, on the banner's other side, Yankee greats from 1970 to the present. The Great Hall houses a giant plasma screen TV (20 feet tall and 10 feet wide), the ticket office as well as many concessions carts and merchandise kiosks.
Inside the team store, we discussed what we were going to get from each ballpark to commemorate our visit. I had said that I would buy the scorecard, so we could score the game and staple the ticket stubs inside, and Ryan had decided, with Rob's suggestion, to get a miniature stadium as his memento, while Brendan wanted a Yankees' elephant. We quickly paid for our mementos and headed back to the garage for a celebratory drink and to wait for the traffic to abate.
As we drove home, we discussed all that had taken place during the day.
"What did you guys like best", I asked.
Brendan said it was cool that they got to stand on the spots, at Heritage Park, where Ruth, Mantle, DiMaggio and Munson once stood. Ryan couldn't decide if the best part of the day was the prime rib sandwich, the Yankees' Museum or the fact that he had officially started his "tour".
"Daddy?", Brendan asked sleepily from the back seat.
"Yeah, B"
"Can I go to more of these games with you and Ryan? I really liked it"
When we decided to do this trip I would have loved for Brendan to be a part of it, but he didn't show any interest. In fact, he asked if we could do a zoo tour instead. I was beyond thrilled that he had so much fun that he wanted to go to others.
"You can go to as many as you want, big boy", I told him.
"Cool", was all he said in return.
I smiled to myself, knowing that this was going to be a fantastic adventure and thinking ahead to the next game.
Heritage Park (Site of Original Yankee Stadium)
As we walked across Jerome Avenue to Heritage Park, the chatter and small talk we had been making quieted and a soft hush fell over the three of us.
"I can't believe this is what used to be Yankee Stadium", I said quietly.
"They did a good job", Rob said.
Heritage Park, as the land on which the old Stadium once stood is now known, is a beautiful parkland. It is the home to three natural grass baseball fields (over the footprint of the old Stadium's playing surface), an all weather soccer/football field, four basketball courts, eight handball courts, tennis courts, two children's playgrounds, a picnic area and a walking plaza. At the River Avenue entrance is a Metro North Station which still holds an iconic element from outside of the old Stadium
Heritage Park, as the land on which the old Stadium once stood is now known, is a beautiful parkland. It is the home to three natural grass baseball fields (over the footprint of the old Stadium's playing surface), an all weather soccer/football field, four basketball courts, eight handball courts, tennis courts, two children's playgrounds, a picnic area and a walking plaza. At the River Avenue entrance is a Metro North Station which still holds an iconic element from outside of the old Stadium
"Hey look, that thing looks like a bat.", Ryan said.
"That's exactly what it's supposed to look like", I said "and it's where we're going first.
The Bat, as it is known, was a landmark that stood behind the main entrance, (Gate 4), of the old Stadium. It was really a 138-foot high exhaust stack that was turned into a Louisville Slugger Babe Ruth model bat and became a meeting place for fans before games. Today, that bat still stands outside the Metro North Station. I met many friends "at the bat" so I decided to get a picture of the boys there as well.
Unfortunately, the camera wasn't working, which set me off.
"You gotta be kidding me", I said. "Our first game and the damn camera isn't working?"
"Call mommy", Brendan offered.
"She's not going to be able to fix it from home", I fumed as I tried everything from changing the batteries, to turning it on and off.
"Call mommy, she knows more than you about this stuff", he repeated.
I called mommy, just to get him to stop saying it.
"Push the button on top, by the lens", she told me. "It sounds like it's in video mode".
"Oh, thanks", I said sheepishly as the camera switched on. "Not a word", I said to a couple of laughing kids.
Rob shook his head and smiled as I took the picture.
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| "Now batting, for the Yankees..." |
After looking around at markers on the ground that depict memorable moments in Yankee Stadium history, we came to a plaque the showed us where the footprint of the old Stadium was. Rob calculated that home plate used to be a little past the second base area, before the outfield grass began. As we slowly walked into the little league field, I looked around and took in what used to be a very special place from my childhood. As we came to the spot Rob had pointed out, we stopped and Ryan drew the shape of home plate in the infield dirt. We all knelt down and had our picture taken where some of the greatest players in baseball history stood, once upon a time.
Brendan took off towards center field, with Ryan on his heels.
"Can you guys name some famous Yankee center fielders", I asked?
"Mantle", Brendan said immediately.
"DiMaggio... Ruth", Ryan responded.
"Bernie and The Grandy Man", Brendan countered with.
It brought a smile to my face to hear my kids reciting Yankees' history, as I did at their age. Unfortunately, it ended too soon as the latest brotherly argument started.
"Mantle was the best", Brendan said.
"Nah, it was DiMaggio" Ryan countered.
"NO", insisted Brendan.
"Mantle could have been better if had taken care of himself", Ryan said.
While I couldn't argue with him, I didn't want this to escalate.
"Stop here guys. THIS was center field, you are standing on the spot where they all once played."
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| "Look at me, I can be, in center field |
By this time, the boys were hot and exhausted, Rob was quiet .
"I want to do one more thing, but alone", I said "Find some shade and take a breather.
"Where are you going?", Ryan asked.
"Out here for a moment", I said walking into what used to be the most famous piece of real estate in baseball.
As I stood there, with a hot breeze blowing at my back, the sites and the sounds of the city around me faded into the distance. I was lost in the memories of my youth, spent on these very grounds and was positive I could hear the roar of the crowds that once screamed for a victory.
"OK, guys, let's go find Steve and head back to the car to toast our trip with something cold", I said tearing myself away from my revelry.
After meeting up with Steve in "Babe Ruth Plaza" at the front of The Stadium, between Gates 4 and 6 (of course Brendan thought this was a great name and had to have his picture taken at the sign), we headed back to the parking garage for some much needed shade and some cold beverages. The boys cracked some root beers, while the bigger boys had a few beers and discussed the game plan, once the Stadium opened, in twenty minutes. We decided it would be Monument Park first, followed by the Yankees' Museum, then we'd walk around taking everything in and finally, grab some food and head to the seats.
"I haven't done Monument Park in the new Stadium", Steve said. "I can't wait"
"Me either", said Rob.
"I want the prime rib sandwich", Ryan said emphatically.
"All you think about is food", Brendan told him.
"Let's go", I said. "Time to go inside."
Monument Park
We entered the Stadium at Gate 8, which is in center field, and after making a quick left you come to sign that says Monument Park. Monument Park is an open air museum, dedicated to the Yankee greats that have been so important to the franchise that they have been enshrined there. This shrine sits in center field, beyond the field of play and is protected by a netting. The doors open with the Stadium and close 45 minutes before game time. The line grows quickly, as we found out, so get there with plenty of time.
"Daddy, did they move the dead guys from the old Stadium?".
"What dead guys", I asked.
"The ones they have all the monuments for", he said.
Ryan laughed.
"Hush", I said. "You thought that as well when you were younger. So did I"
"No one's buried here, Bren", I told him. "Those monuments were to celebrate all the great Yankees players through the years, they used to be in the playing field in the old, old, Stadium. They were moved across the street when this one opened. You know that."
"I know the monuments moved, but I wasn't sure about the dead guys.
"There were no dead guys", Ryan said.
I just rolled my eyes and laughed.
The five of us made our way through Monument Park, taking pictures of everything along the way. The boys had to have a picture with Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth, along with a few of the retired numbers.
"Daddy?", Brendan asked again.
"Yes, B."
"Will Derek Jeter be here some day?", he asked.
"I guarantee it", I told him.
"I hope they do it before he dies", was his response.
"Again with the dead guys?", Ryan asked.
"I just want to make sure he gets to see it", Brendan said.
"He will, Brenny. I'm positive of that", I reassured him.
"Good, he should be able to."
The Yankee Museum
The two artifacts that catch everyone's attention, however, are the statues of Don Larsen and Yogi Berra, 60 feet, 6 inches apart, as they get ready for the final pitch of Larsen's 1956 World Series perfect game, and the actual locker of the late Yankee Captain, Thurman Munson. Munson's locker sat empty in the Yankees' clubhouse, from August of 1979 (when he died in a plane crash) until the Yankees moved it across the street into the museum.
As we walked around the museum, the kids took pictures with their favorite artifacts and exhibits. Brendan, of course, was consumed with the Mickey Mantle memorabilia, while Ryan read as much as he could without holding up the line. No matter how many times I visit the museum, the Munson locker always puts a lump in my throat. Thurman Munson was my second favorite player, right behind Graig Nettles, and I'll never forget the disbelief and horror when I heard the news that August evening. Ryan, always the good son, came over to me as I stood staring."You OK?, he asked.
"I will be", was all I could say.
"It was terrible, wasn't it"
"Imagine it happening to Derek Jeter", I told him.
He just shuddered as I continued:
"That man was the heart and soul of this team and his death might have kept us from winning another two championships. But, more importantly, he had a wife and three very young children, your age and younger".
He just looked up at me and I can only imagine what he was thinking, because he wasn't sharing his thoughts.
"C'mon, lets go find some food and get to our seats", I said. "Game time is in 30 minutes"
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| Left Field Line |
While walking to the concessions stand we meandered around the lower level concourse at field level, taking pictures all the way. The new Yankee Stadium has almost the same dimensions as the old one (318 to left field, 399 to left-center, 408 to center field 385 to right-center and 314 to right field), but the look of the stands is something out of 1923. It appears canyonesque as you look up into the right and left field decks from behind home plate and one can only imagine what it would be like to stand on the pitcher's mound, staring up from the playing field.
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| Right Field Line |
After listening to Ryan tell me how hungry he was, I took a few shots and kept moving. He knew where we were going and he was in a hurry to get there.
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| Home Plate View |
Yankee Stadium Concessions
The Yankees have spared no expense when it comes to eating at the ballpark. They have restaurants, such as NYY Steak, which is a premier steakhouse inside the Stadium and a Hard Rock Cafe (which you can enter and leave from the inside or the outside during a game). There is traditional ballpark fare, such as hot dogs, peanuts, popcorn, burgers, chicken fingers, ice cream and pizza, as well as "ethnic cuisine" which includes sushi, cuban sandwiches, Carolina pulled pork, Mexican fare and Asian foods. We had brought sandwiches from Lotito's Deli in Ramsey (best Italian deli in Bergen County as far as I am concerned), you can do that as long as it is wrapped in see through cellophane. But Ryan and I had been doing our research about what was the signature dish at each ballpark and Yankee Stadium was going to be Lobel's Prime Rib sandwich.
Lobels has been one of New York's premier steakhouses since 1840 and is famous for its flavorful meats. You can find it in the left field section of the Stadium, in section 134, just by following the smell down the concourse. While waiting for your sandwich you can watch the butcher cutting slabs of meat in the window, so you know it's fresh, and cooked right before your eyes. The sandwich itself is piled with prime rib on a roll that is bigger than a hamburger bun, yet smaller than a Kaiser roll. The meat is given in generous portions, stacked high and covered in hot au jus. There is no cheese, no tomatoes, or any other condiments, just a small container of dijon horseradish dressing on the side. I will admit, I was a bit shocked at the price, $15, but we HAD decided to try the signature dish at each stop and this was it for Yankee Stadium.
Lobels has been one of New York's premier steakhouses since 1840 and is famous for its flavorful meats. You can find it in the left field section of the Stadium, in section 134, just by following the smell down the concourse. While waiting for your sandwich you can watch the butcher cutting slabs of meat in the window, so you know it's fresh, and cooked right before your eyes. The sandwich itself is piled with prime rib on a roll that is bigger than a hamburger bun, yet smaller than a Kaiser roll. The meat is given in generous portions, stacked high and covered in hot au jus. There is no cheese, no tomatoes, or any other condiments, just a small container of dijon horseradish dressing on the side. I will admit, I was a bit shocked at the price, $15, but we HAD decided to try the signature dish at each stop and this was it for Yankee Stadium.
As we made our way to our seats, Ryan was watching the sandwich like a ravenous wolf eyes a caribou during a winter's hunt.
"MMMMMM, prime rib", was all he kept saying, over and over.
"Knock it off, you're acting like you've never had food at a ballgame", I told him.
"I never had THAT kind of food at a ballgame", was his quick response.
"Fair enough", I told him, laughing.
By the time we got to our seats, I had to practically hold Ryan back from ripping open the box and devouring our sandwich.
"Back off, I need a picture and I have to get Brendan situated"
"But...but...but...it's PRIME RIB", was his response.
"Too bad, you'll wait", I told him.
So, I took the picture, unwrapped Brendan's lunch and Ryan and I opened up our delicacy. The first bite was pure heaven. The perfectly cooked meat, the hot au jus, all complemented by the soft roll, practically melted in my mouth. I wanted to savor every bite and make it last, after all I did just pay $15 for it. But you know who would have none of that. He inhaled 3/4 of the sandwich in two bites and was eyeing the final piece, before I wrestled it away from him.
"Mine", I said, while trying to give him a dirty look.
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| Lobel's Prime Rib Sand |
"Well, what did you think?", Rob and Steve inquired.
It was great, but I don't think I'll be doing another one at those prices", I told them.
Ryan looked like he wanted to cry.
"But, I'm still hungry", he whimpered.
"Here", I said as I handed him half of a Lotito's hero, stuffed with more meats and cheeses than you would believe.
"I wish the prime rib sandwich was this big", he said.
"Are you complaining about Lotito's?", I asked incredulously.
"No way, they should open a stand here, they'd make a killing."
The Game
The White Sox threatened in the first, when the lead off hitter singled. But, he was erased by Russell Martin, trying to steal second.After a strike out, a walk and another single the Sox had men on first and third, but Alex Rios struck out to end the inning.
The score held up until the bottom of the fifth, when Wise hit a solo home run to make it 3-0, NY. The five of us were having a great time, high fiving, screaming and doing a bit of "bonding", made all the better by Hiroki Kuroda making the ChiSox hitters look like little leaguers.
By the top of the fifth, the boys were hungry again. It truly is amazing how much little boys can eat at a ball game and mine are no exception. Thankfully, we have a rule: we'll bring in sandwiches and chips and they can have one giant soda (to share) and one dessert each. I'll give you three guesses what time it was.
So, off we tromped to get dessert. Ryan, as usual, wanted a bucket of popcorn so big he could sit in it. Now, I would normally be annoyed about shelling out $12 for popcorn, but this bucket is HUGE and makes for a great take home souvenir. So, popcorn it was...I told you I'm a sucker. Brendan, of course wanted a mini Yankees' helmet, filled with Carvel ice cream.
"Really, ice cream?" I asked. "It's going to be soup by the time we get back to the seats".
"You got Ryan what he wanted", was his response.
Just as I started to respond, I heard a sharp "CRACK". We looked over our shoulders, the new Yankee Stadium is open air, so you never miss anything, and saw the ball fly out of the park.
"Doncha know...It's Robbie Cano", Ryan yelled, while high fiving complete strangers.
"Can I have my ice cream now", Brendan begged.
"C'mon Daddy, get him the ice cream, I don't want to miss anything", Ryan implored.
I gave in and got the ice cream and headed back to the seats.
By the ninth inning, the Yankees still held a 4-0 lead, but the Sox had put a man on with one out. Manager Joe Girardi summoned closer Rafael Soriano from the pen and with one pitch he ended the game on a double play, Jeter to Cano to Teixeira.
"YANKEES WIN....THEEEEEEE YANKEES WIN", we all yelled, in our best John Sterling voices. High fives were in order, as were celebratory hugs and smiles. We waited a bit for the crowd to thin out and headed downstairs for some souvenirs from our special "Opening Day".
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| (L-R) Steve, Jim, Rob, Ryan and Brendan) |
Final Score:
Yankees 4, White Sox 0
Kuroda (W) 8-7
Peavy (L) 6-5
Post Game Wrap-Up
"What did you guys like best", I asked.
Brendan said it was cool that they got to stand on the spots, at Heritage Park, where Ruth, Mantle, DiMaggio and Munson once stood. Ryan couldn't decide if the best part of the day was the prime rib sandwich, the Yankees' Museum or the fact that he had officially started his "tour".
"Daddy?", Brendan asked sleepily from the back seat.
"Yeah, B"
"Can I go to more of these games with you and Ryan? I really liked it"
When we decided to do this trip I would have loved for Brendan to be a part of it, but he didn't show any interest. In fact, he asked if we could do a zoo tour instead. I was beyond thrilled that he had so much fun that he wanted to go to others.
"You can go to as many as you want, big boy", I told him.
"Cool", was all he said in return.
I smiled to myself, knowing that this was going to be a fantastic adventure and thinking ahead to the next game.
Next Stop
July 7, 2012
Fenway Park
Boston, Massachusetts
New York Yankees Vs Boston Red Sox
July 7, 2012
Fenway Park
Boston, Massachusetts
New York Yankees Vs Boston Red Sox
Jim, this is such a great idea!! I'm really enjoying reading about your adventure and your trip to the cemetery was very touching. I'm looking forward to the next posting!!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy this trip and hope for it to go on even when the trip is "over"
ReplyDelete