So Long, Yankee Stadium

New York has always been a noteworthy city in the United States, especially in regards to sports and entertainment. It’s what the legendary, Madison Square Garden calls home, with its historical moments from the University of Georgetown Hoyas, Michael Jordan, and the infamous New York Knicks. It is the home of many Super Bowl Champions of both the Giants and Jets, where legends such as Joe Namath, Brett Favre, Bill Parcells, and Lawrence Taylor pay respects on the gridiron. It is the city that, if you can make it there, then, you can make it anywhere.  It’s also home to one of the more legendary landmarks, “The House that Ruth Built”, Yankee Stadium.  This weekend was the last time that Yankee Stadium will host a game, as a new stadium will be built just feet away.

April 18, 1923 was when the first game played in the new $2.5 million stadium. George “Babe” Ruth hit the first, ever, home-run in the stadium against the Yankees’ most hated rival, the Boston Red Sox. It was the first of many that would be hit over the next 85 years. What made the stadium so unique was, in the fact, that it was built to seat around 60,000 people and no one could believe that a team could survive in New York.  It survived and thrived as legends such as Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Lou Gehrig, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Alex Rodriguez have, all, donned the pinstripes of the Yankees and played on this hallowed ground. Countless other men have played and have paid homage to this legendary place.
Besides the record number of World Series games and championships won, there have been a multitude of events that have been staged at this stadium. Just like the city itself, at Yankee Stadium, anything can happen.  June 22, 1938 saw Joe Louis fight the German boxer, Schmeling, a fight that gained fame due to Louis being disrespected by Adolf Hitler and during the time of the Nazis taking over Europe. This was one of Louis’ eight championship fights, and he won by first-round knock-out. June 25, 1952 saw Sugar Ray Robinson lose in a 104 degree weather fight to Joey Maxim, after 14 grueling rounds. After the massive renovation to the Stadium in the 1970s, there was only fight to ever be there was on September 28, 1976, when Ken Norton lost to, then heavyweight champion, Muhammad Ali.
Yankee Stadium is more than just a sporting arena, and has shown to be a more valued place for history than just sports.  It has served as a place for remembrance, as a memorial service was held there for the 9/11 attacks. A rally was held for Nelson Mandela after his release from prison on June 21, 1990. Multiple Catholic masses have been held there by several Popes, including the most recent Pope, Pope Benedict XVI.  The Isley Brothers played the first, ever, concert there on June 21, 1969. On an even lighter note, there has even been a wedding, between sportswriter of over 40 years, Ed Lucas, who is blind, and his fiancée, which took place on March 10, 2006. So just like the city, everything has happened at the stadium.
Although the new Yankee Stadium will be remarkable beyond measure, once it is completed, the original Yankee Stadium will always be THE Yankee Stadium to us all.