The Stadium: My thoughts visiting the new one for the first time

My thoughts on the new Stadium

May 2, 2009




At around 10:00 a.m. I hopped on the R to 59th and Lex. I transferred to the 4 and got off at 161st Street. As we approached 161st, people cheered as the subway pulled into the station and looked out the subway car’s window, at the new stadium. It glittered brighter than gold.

I was looking out the other window and saw the House that Ruth Built. My eyes were teary, as I saw an empty field. Dirt was everywhere. There was no grass, no pitcher’s mound, no bases and no batter’s box.

I exited the station and immediately walked to the old stadium. I was far from the only fan doing this. We all put our hands on it and walked around it. Parts of it were boarded up. I shot many pix. I leaned against the wall and davened (prayed). Yeah, I know I broke the rules today. I am not always good. Yes, I was in Shul last night. But today I was standing in front of a different Shul.

I looked at the wall by the now closed Gate 2 and said the Shema. My mind drifted. I imagined what it must have been like when we had the temple. One day, it will be rebuilt. One day the Stadium will meet a wrecking ball. Right now it is the holiest fully standing structure on the planet.

I crossed the street and walked into the new stadium. It is overwhelming. It feels like you’re walking into Disney World or the Mall of America. The place is super clean and loaded with stores, eateries, bars and pictures of the greats, Gehrig, Ruth, Mantle, Jackson, DiMaggio, Berra, Munson and the list goes on. After all, no team has had better players than the Yanks. Cooperstown was built for them. In fact, 70 years ago today was when the greatest player in the history of baseball and well, in the history of sports took himself out of the line up.

I bought my yearbook and program. I walked over to the store and bought some stuff. Yeah, I need to exchange the shorts tomorrow. No big deal. I need a different size.

I wandered toward Monument Park. For some reason it was closed. I got on the line for the museum. It was super long. So I got off and walked around the stadium. It is beautiful. I looked out at the field and saw all the usual ads, Budweiser, Canon, MasterCard, and MetLife. Of course the MetLife ad had a picture of the greatest shortstop of all time, Snoopy in his uniform.

I went to my seat, which was in the Grandstand section. In other words, super nose bleed seats. It is even higher than the nose bleeds in the ghost across the street. The field looks nice. They played all the same music. If only they could find something different to play than Cotton Eye Joe. That song is so tired. The way the Yankees played today, they should have played Everybody Hurts, by R.E.M. or Boys Don’t Cry, by the Cure. I wanted to cry.

The stadium has a nice feel, but something is missing. I guess what’s missing is the classic feel the empty, but in many ways full structure across the street had. The new stadium is beautiful and feels nice. However, it just doesn’t have the feel of the House that Ruth Built, where I saw Hall of Famers, Reggie “Mr. October” Jackson and Rich “Goose” Gossage play and of course future Hall of Famers, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera play. Maybe one day it will have a classic feel. Jeter and Rivera will play for a few more years in the new building. Hopefully, when Torre goes into Cooperstown he goes in as a Yankee. I can’t see him going in for any other team.

I am sure we will produce more Hall of Famers in years to come. But ultimately, my heart will always be with the most historic sports stadium in the history of the world.

I exited the stadium and walked across the street and put my head against the wall of the original Stadium. The two people standing there said, “Do you miss it”? I responded,” Yes, the new stadium is nice, but this is where baseball belongs”. They agreed. I walked to the 4 and went home.

I’m sorry if I bored you. I know I will get some nasty comments. Most likely they will come from Rodney and the Douche. Of course, one of those people was the greatest scoutmaster on the planet and best camp leader ever. Of course, I understand he spends most of his time fetching honey. He did help shape my life in too many ways to count. The other, is one of the coolest people I have ever met. A great guy to talk about sports, music, politics with and well, the world we live in and life in general.



Go Yankees!