2008 July 16 « doug – off the record

Goodbye to the House …

July 16, 2008 — dougpete

… that Ruth built.

Despite my best efforts, I was unable to stay up to the bitter end of the All Star game last night. I tried; I really did. I do recall a couple of tweets that I through out like New York fans cheering for a Red Sox player and also asking if Al Kaline was available to suit up if needed. After all, the Detroit Tigers were under-represented.

I just finished watching the highlights on SportsCentre and I’m so sorry for my drowsiness.

Someone has already updated the Wikipedia entry for Yankee Stadium to reflect the last All Star Game to be played there.

Yankee Stadium

One interesting statistic that aired last night was that there were 41 players who will make more money this year than what it cost to build Yankee Stadium. Like many things, time marches on. The Yankees are notorious for a huge payroll and it has to be paid somehow.

The classic ball parks of the past just don’t have the features needed to generate the revenue and defray maintenance expenses for the owners. What you see for the game is a beautiful playing surface but it’s also telling when you see interviews with the players in the tunnels after the game. You see the old wiring; the plaster falling and so on. You need to consider the full experience.

Those of us who love the Tigers loved the old Tiger Stadium, formerly Briggs Stadium among other names. But, no matter where you sat, you were always behind a supporting beam. The newer Comerica Park, on the other hand, is wide open and the aisles for walking are bright and wide open. Such are the benefits of a newer stadium. What is really nice to see with the construction of the newer fields is a drop with the fascination of artificial turf in favour of good old grass like you’d find in your local playgrounds.

At the same time of the construction of the new Yankee Stadium, we’ll see a new home for the New York Mets who have outgrown Shea Stadium. Like so many of the new stadiums, Citi Field will seat fewer fans but will surely have better seats for more people.

One of my pre-game activities is to use Google Earth to locate the stadium before the game. New York is a big place but Yankee Stadium is so easy to spot given its irregular shape. Wedged in the middle city streets, it is the most uniquely shaped field and has always been a great place for left handed batters. 314 feet versus Shea’s 338.

For last night though, it was like the old stadium wanted to play forever. It just wouldn’t let the game finish. Fortunately, the spirits won’t have far to move with the new stadium just next door. The plans are for the memorials in left field to move to the new facility.

Rumours abound that construction workers have buried Red Sox artifacts in the construction site.

These are the things that make the Yankees such a storied franchise. At the All Star break, they are only 6 games behind Boston. Don’t be surprised if somehow the Stadium won’t allow an early exit and that the Yankees go well into the playoffs.

It’s only fair and the Babe would approve.

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