Having never been to Yankee Stadium before, it seemed that it was something to put on the "to-do" list before the park was demolished in favor of a newer, shinier version for the 2009 season.
Now that I've been there, I can honestly say, don't let the wrecking ball hit you on the way out. Anyone who knows me understands my appreciation for history, but there is no doubt, the Yankees deserve a better area to showcase their talent. The hallways seem more like catacombs in the Maginot Line rather than what you would expect in The House that Ruth Built, and they smell the same as they look, old and stale. Oh, and Philly fans complain about their sports arenas being in the middle of nowhere in South Philadelphia, but at the same time, at least it isn't situated in acres upon acres of urban decay.
But that's not to say the experience wasn't impressive. What strikes you most is the optimism of the fans. Having been held scoreless in the first six innings, with only two hits all night, but down only a run, the Yankees got a man on third with no outs in the seventh. The crowd cheered and cheered, celebrating as if they knew that run would score and tie the game. Knew. It. Similarly, when Mariano Rivera was brought in with just one out recorded in the top of the eighth inning, the Yankee faithful again began to celebrate, this time in unguarded anticipation of a victory.
There aren't a lot of fans with such supreme confidence in the abilities of their ball players, but then again, 26 world championships can will do that.
View pictures of our ride on the Yankee Clipper up the East River from Wall Street to Yankee Stadium and the game itself. Includes cameos of ex-Phillies Bobby Abreu and Larry F. Bowa, the Brooklyn Bridge, and a shot or two of the pipeline explosion near Grand Central Station.
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Add another pin in my map of ballparks I've been to.
