Yankee Stadium Pre-Renovation

[baseballman1243]

Get a clue:

http://www.irememberjfk.com/mt/2006/11/transistor_radios.php

OH! I apologize, you must have been born during Carter or Reagan or later. My bad! :D

Easy there big guy it was a joke.

[NYFan1stYankFan2nd]

Easy there big guy it was a joke.

Well, there ARE folks born, post-1980, who wouldn't be familiar with the items in the link I posted.

I was born in 1970, but was exposed to Edison wax cylinders & "78"s by the time I was 5. Most kids' parents today don't have a museum in their basement the way mine did(!), so how could we expect them to have any historical perspective on anything?

Therefore my logical reasoning that you were born post-1980. I take it back.

[baseballman1243]

I was. Whatever this convo never happened.:)

[soup]

My first album was an Edison Wax Cylinder. MC Hammer - Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em was a wax cylinder favorite

[NYFan1stYankFan2nd]

My first album was an Edison Wax Cylinder. MC Hammer - Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em was a wax cylinder favorite

Forgive me for being the Historian! :crazy

[soup]

I'd love to finish this conversation, but I have to go wind the Victrola

[Gary Dunaier]

Speaking of cylinder recordings and baseball, if anyone is interested in hearing the original recording of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame," as recorded by Edward Meeker in 1908 (yes, over 100 years ago!), you can find it on this CD...

http://tinfoil.com/cms/l/2mPS.jpg

...and you can get it here (http://tinfoil.com/vo-2mPS.htm) for only $15.00.

It's great stuff, and it's fascinating to hear recordings that are 100 years old, give or take a few. (The website also offers other CDs with cylinder recordings that are even older. Just imagine hearing actual recordings that were made back in the days when Babe Ruth was a baby!)

And now back to discussion of the original version of the Yankee's stadium in Bronx on 161st Street.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Speaking of cylinder recordings and baseball, if anyone is interested in hearing the original recording of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame," as recorded by Edward Meeker in 1908 (yes, over 100 years ago!), you can find it on this CD...

http://tinfoil.com/cms/l/2mPS.jpg

...and you can get it here (http://tinfoil.com/vo-2mPS.htm) for only $15.00.

It's great stuff, and it's fascinating to hear recordings that are 100 years old, give or take a few. (The website also offers other CDs with cylinder recordings that are even older. Just imagine hearing actual recordings that were made back in the days when Babe Ruth was a baby!)

And now back to discussion of the original version of the Yankee's stadium in Bronx on 161st Street.

Thanks for the tip, you can listen to that version at YOUTUBE, just type in the song title.

[tugger]

$2,500 for the ticket, but it includes a free bat!

[voodoochile]

I've been wondering about something for a long time now, and thought that maybe one of you could shed some light on it. In the photo there is a small building in the lower left corner, and it appears to have a nicely landscaped area behind it. What is it?

[The Monument]

That bldg is the public restrooms for Macombs Dam Park. It was demolished to make room for the new parking garage.

[Anubis2051]

That bldg is the public restrooms for Macombs Dam Park. It was demolished to make room for the new parking garage.

Parking Garage? That's the third base side. That building looks like it's in the middle of 161st! Does anyone know when the building was removed?

[RichardLillard1]

I don't know when it was removed exactly, but my guess is when they started tearing up the parkland for the new parking garage.

The building is still present on the most current Google Earth overhead as well as their street view whcih is from about a year and a half ago, while the great hall was still being framed and built.

Certainly looked like a nice little building, with benches all around it a small flagpole out front and all of it in the shade of some wonderful tress.

It's a shame it had to go, that building was obviously as old as, or older than Yankee Stadium. With it being walking distance from Gate 2, it would have been a great meeting place to relax with friends before a game.


Richard


EDIT: If you go back a page on this thread, several of those aerial shots from the 50's-60's show the building and it's surrounding landscaping quite nicely.

[Gary Dunaier]

That building looks like it's in the middle of 161st!

The reason it looks like it's in the middle of 161st Street is because the street curves at Ruppert Place.

[jimmyjimjimz]

The reason it looks like it's in the middle of 161st Street is because the street curves at Ruppert Place.

what street? there's a street there? It looks like it's all grass to me.


I don't know when it was removed exactly, but my guess is when they started tearing up the parkland for the new parking garage.

The building is still present on the most current Google Earth overhead as well as their street view whcih is from about a year and a half ago, while the great hall was still being framed and built.

Certainly looked like a nice little building, with benches all around it a small flagpole out front and all of it in the shade of some wonderful tress.

It's a shame it had to go, that building was obviously as old as, or older than Yankee Stadium. With it being walking distance from Gate 2, it would have been a great meeting place to relax with friends before a game.


Richard


EDIT: If you go back a page on this thread, several of those aerial shots from the 50's-60's show the building and it's surrounding landscaping quite nicely.


isn't that where the new stadium is? the parking garage is on the 1st base side of the old stadium. There's also a new parking garage by home plate of the old stadium where the player's lot was. The new stadium is on the 3rd base side. All you gotta do is follow the el.

[tdinan]

There was a restroom in that spot, but I don't think it's the same building.

[jimmyjimjimz]

There was a restroom in that spot, but I don't think it's the same building.

I was wrong then. I looked at a more modern pic of both stadiums, then I looked at your picture, and I realized I was wrong. It probably was demolished for the garage. I thought that was the building from other pics I saw where there was a building basically where the hard rock and steakhouse are now.

[Gary Dunaier]

what street? there's a street there? It looks like it's all grass to me.

Now, now... nobody here wants to know what you're smoking... :eek:

In reality, the area that looks like grass is actually Ruppert Place, or Doughty Street as it was originally known back then. It may not have been an actual paved road back then.

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m124/coinboynyc/YankeeStadium1923.jpg

In the above photo, note that only the sidewalk portion of Doughty Street is paved, the actual "street" is not. There's a statement in the 1923 Opening Day program to the effect of 'any necessary paving work that needs to be taken care of will be done at once.'

If you look at an Aerial photo from Opening Day 1923 you'll see, and you may be surprised at, just how rural the immediate area was back then. Go ahead, take a look...

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m124/coinboynyc/YankeeStadiumOpeningDay1923.jpg

isn't that where the new stadium is? the parking garage is on the 1st base side of the old stadium. There's also a new parking garage by home plate of the old stadium where the player's lot was. The new stadium is on the 3rd base side. All you gotta do is follow the el.

The new stadium is actually across from the left field bleachers. As you can see from the Aerial photo tdinan posted, 161st Street curves to the right when you're traveling from River Avenue to the Macombs Dam Bridge Approach (MDBA), or to the left if you're traveling to River Avenue from the MDBA. The only part of the original Yankee Stadium that was actually on 161st Street proper was some of the left field bleachers and whatever seating was behind Gate 2.

What you're describing as the third base side of the original Yankee Stadium was actually on Ruppert Place. If you were to stand in the very last row of the upper deck of the original Yankee Stadium and look outside, you'd be looking straight at the Macombs Dam Bridge Approach. You'd have to turn to the right to see the new (2009) stadium.

[jimmyjimjimz]

Now, now... nobody here wants to know what you're smoking... :eek:

In reality, the area that looks like grass is actually Ruppert Place, or Doughty Street as it was originally known back then. It may not have been an actual paved road back then.

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m124/coinboynyc/YankeeStadium1923.jpg

In the above photo, note that only the sidewalk portion of Doughty Street is paved, the actual "street" is not. There's a statement in the 1923 Opening Day program to the effect of 'any necessary paving work that needs to be taken care of will be done at once.'

If you look at an Aerial photo from Opening Day 1923 you'll see, and you may be surprised at, just how rural the immediate area was back then. Go ahead, take a look...

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m124/coinboynyc/YankeeStadiumOpeningDay1923.jpg



The new stadium is actually across from the left field bleachers. As you can see from the Aerial photo tdinan posted, 161st Street curves to the right when you're traveling from River Avenue to the Macombs Dam Bridge Approach (MDBA), or to the left if you're traveling to River Avenue from the MDBA. The only part of the original Yankee Stadium that was actually on 161st Street proper was some of the left field bleachers and whatever seating was behind Gate 2.

What you're describing as the third base side of the original Yankee Stadium was actually on Ruppert Place. If you were to stand in the very last row of the upper deck of the original Yankee Stadium and look outside, you'd be looking straight at the Macombs Dam Bridge Approach. You'd have to turn to the right to see the new (2009) stadium.


lol yeah I realized that. I said I made a mistake in the post above you.

[voodoochile]

Can't say that you didn't put forth the effort. In the last two aerial photos, the one just prior to opening day shows the building, however, the opening day photo cut it off, so I wonder if it was there at all when the stadium opened for business.
Also, that small section, which was very close to the stadium, appeared to be nicely landscaped while the surrounding area looked pretty barren. That suggests to me that it was built to somehow compliment the stadium in some fashion. It looks a too lavish for a restroom in the South Bronx in 1923. How about ticket sales?

[SultanOfWhat]

Does anyone know precisely when (in which months) the 1928 LF grandstand extension and the 1937 RF grandstand extension were completed?

Also, was bunting put up on every opening day?

[Anubis2051]

I think, but am not positive, that the building in questioned may have a predominant shot in the movie "The Pride of the Yankees". I'll check when I get home, I'm up at school now and don't have the DVD with me.

[alpineinc]

Renovation photos from 1936-38, photographer Albert Rothschild.

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj90/alpineinc/831a.jpg

[alpineinc]

Here's a neat one - from a recent online auction:

http://www.huntauctions.com/liveimg34/833.jpg

Description: Rare and Important Yankee Stadium terra cotta baseball architectural ornament c.1923. Substantive 14"x19" spider style catcher's mask shaped ornamental that once graced the front of the Yankee Stadium grandstand. Decorative piece was one of several baseball related ornaments affixed to the exterior of Yankee Stadium and removed in 1973 by the Invirex Demolition Co. during the stadium renovations. The mask itself remains in remarkably good condition given its exterior display and original fragility with only some minor surface crazing and a few chips to the edges from removal. Interesting architectural Yankee Stadium related artifact which is the first of its type that we have encountered: VG-EX
Sold For: $7,500.00

http://www.huntauctions.com/online/imageviewer.cfm?auction_num=34&lot_num=833&lot_qual=

[jimmyjimjimz]

Renovation photos from 1936-38, photographer Albert Rothschild.

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj90/alpineinc/831a.jpg

wow, how many times did they renovate Old Yankee Stadium?
(notice I said Old Yankee Stadium and not Real Yankee Stadium. There's currently 2 buildings called Yankee Stadium, so you can't really call it Real Yankee Stadium)

[Mattingly85MVP]

Here's a neat one - from a recent online auction:

http://www.huntauctions.com/liveimg34/833.jpg

Description: Rare and Important Yankee Stadium terra cotta baseball architectural ornament c.1923. Substantive 14"x19" spider style catcher's mask shaped ornamental that once graced the front of the Yankee Stadium grandstand. Decorative piece was one of several baseball related ornaments affixed to the exterior of Yankee Stadium and removed in 1973 by the Invirex Demolition Co. during the stadium renovations. The mask itself remains in remarkably good condition given its exterior display and original fragility with only some minor surface crazing and a few chips to the edges from removal. Interesting architectural Yankee Stadium related artifact which is the first of its type that we have encountered: VG-EX
Sold For: $7,500.00

http://www.huntauctions.com/online/imageviewer.cfm?auction_num=34&lot_num=833&lot_qual=

Just searched yankee stadium in the hunt auctions, and this piece of the seal was never sold, estimated value 7,000-9,000, back in 2001

http://www.huntauctions.com/online/imageviewer.cfm?auction_num=8&lot_num=790&lot_qual=

[voodoochile]

I have a couple of nice pieces of memorabilia from Yankee Stadium, but I'd give my left one, maybe even both, for that catchers mask.

[Mattingly85MVP]

I have a couple of nice pieces of memorabilia from Yankee Stadium, but I'd give my left one, maybe even both, for that catchers mask.

I hear ya...I'd give my right for a piece of the original frieze that sold a few months back...what kind of memorabilia do you have?

[yankees82]

Here's a comparison of OYS/RYS thoughout the years from the 157th St approach (Gate 4)
Note: photos were taken from this pre-renovation thread and the most recent photo of renovated YS was stitched together using two photos from Gary Dunaier's flicker page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14504460@N02/sets/72157617237246771/)

[voodoochile]

MATTINGLY, bear with me for a minute. I have some photos, but when I try to post them I get shut down, but I switched browsers.

[voodoochile]

The bunting is from (I hesitate to say it) the 2004 ALCS at Yankee Stadium. It's Steiner authenticated so I know it's genuine. It's 9' x 4.5' and almost took the entire wall.

The YANKEES flag is 8 feet and I was told that it once flew in Yankee Stadium. However, I have no evidence of that, but it is extremely well made using heavy duty material and stitching. I thought it may have flown along with the other A.L. flags, but that one says NEW YORK. Maybe from an earlier time perhaps?

The two ticket signs are from the old ticket booths that pulled down like a window shade. I also have a white one, but can't find it right now.

Not much, but this stuff is very expensive. You either need to be rich or lucky to get anything from that stadium, especially now.

[Mattingly85MVP]

very cool stuff there voodoo...thanks for posting

[RichardLillard1]

Here's a comparison of OYS/RYS thoughout the years from the 157th St approach (Gate 4)
Note: photos were taken from this pre-renovation thread and the most recent photo of renovated YS was stitched together using two photos from Gary Dunaier's flicker page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14504460@N02/sets/72157617237246771/)


Great idea to post that! I wonder if anyone who did their magic with the Shea demolition will see these and see it fit to do a dissolve from one to the other.

Its interesting to see how it went from (what were probably back then) electric poles in 1923, to the different light poles over the years. The ones from the late 60's-early 70's look the same as the ones from Gary's most recent picture.


Richard

[voodoochile]

I did something like that with both Yankee Stadiums with a photo editor and Windows Movie Maker. I found a photo of the two of them together, removed the NYS, had the OYS disolve, then had the NYS materialize. If I knew how to do whatever I need to do to allow you guys to see it, I'd do it.

[threeyoda]

Great pics! Here's some more

[Mattingly85MVP]

This great photo appears in the new book Yankee Colors, wish I could afford to buy a large print of it...sells on the new york times photo gallery site for $1500...probably one of the best color shots that exist

[frank72]

This great photo appears in the new book Yankee Colors, wish I could afford to buy a large print of it...sells on the new york times photo gallery site for $1500...probably one of the best color shots that exist

Great shot Mattingly! That Yankee Colors book is amazing. I like the one of the exterior of the stadium that shows the YANKEE STADIUM lit up in red!

[SultanOfWhat]

That is a very evocative color shot. Does that book list the year?

Can anyone find a color photo of Yankee Stadium before 1947? The oldest color pics I've seen are the Tommy Henrich one (posing as fielding a ball at first base,taken from a few feet away on the field) and the color pics of Babe Ruth in April 1947? Can anyone beat that?

BTW, over on the YS Frieze thread, I mentioned a 20-year project from 1909-1929 that focused on documenting daily life by taking thousands of color photos from around the world. Maybe some long-lost color photos of Yankee Stadium are just waiting to be found:

http://press.princeton.edu/titles/8718.html

"In 1909 the French banker and philanthropist Albert Kahn launched a monumentally ambitious project: to produce a color photographic record of human life on Earth. An internationalist and pacifist, Kahn believed that he could use the new autochrome--the world's first portable, true-color photographic process--to create a global photographic archive that would promote cross-cultural understanding and peace. Over the next twenty years, he sent a group of photographers to more than fifty countries around the world, amassing more than 72,000 images. Until recently his collection was all but forgotten."

If anyone speaks French, maybe we could contact the archivist (in Paris) and see if they have any YS photos.

[Mattingly85MVP]

That is a very evocative color shot. Does that book list the year?

Can anyone find a color photo of Yankee Stadium before 1947? The oldest color pics I've seen are the Tommy Henrich one (posing as fielding a ball at first base,taken from a few feet away on the field) and the color pics of Babe Ruth in April 1947? Can anyone beat that?

BTW, over on the YS Frieze thread, I mentioned a 20-year project from 1909-1929 that focused on documenting daily life by taking thousands of color photos from around the world. Maybe some long-lost color photos of Yankee Stadium are just waiting to be found:

http://press.princeton.edu/titles/8718.html

"In 1909 the French banker and philanthropist Albert Kahn launched a monumentally ambitious project: to produce a color photographic record of human life on Earth. An internationalist and pacifist, Kahn believed that he could use the new autochrome--the world's first portable, true-color photographic process--to create a global photographic archive that would promote cross-cultural understanding and peace. Over the next twenty years, he sent a group of photographers to more than fifty countries around the world, amassing more than 72,000 images. Until recently his collection was all but forgotten."

If anyone speaks French, maybe we could contact the archivist (in Paris) and see if they have any YS photos.

The photo is from June of 1956
http://www.nytstore.com/ProdDetail.aspx?prodId=27981

That would be amazing if they captured color shots from 1920's yankee stadium, worth looking into

[frank72]

That is a very evocative color shot. Does that book list the year?

Can anyone find a color photo of Yankee Stadium before 1947? The oldest color pics I've seen are the Tommy Henrich one (posing as fielding a ball at first base,taken from a few feet away on the field) and the color pics of Babe Ruth in April 1947? Can anyone beat that?

BTW, over on the YS Frieze thread, I mentioned a 20-year project from 1909-1929 that focused on documenting daily life by taking thousands of color photos from around the world. Maybe some long-lost color photos of Yankee Stadium are just waiting to be found:

http://press.princeton.edu/titles/8718.html

"In 1909 the French banker and philanthropist Albert Kahn launched a monumentally ambitious project: to produce a color photographic record of human life on Earth. An internationalist and pacifist, Kahn believed that he could use the new autochrome--the world's first portable, true-color photographic process--to create a global photographic archive that would promote cross-cultural understanding and peace. Over the next twenty years, he sent a group of photographers to more than fifty countries around the world, amassing more than 72,000 images. Until recently his collection was all but forgotten."

If anyone speaks French, maybe we could contact the archivist (in Paris) and see if they have any YS photos.


I have that book. No shots of YS i'm afraid...

[The Monument]

$1,500 for that photo?!? Do you get a ticket [between the bases] to the game with that?:faint:

[Mattingly85MVP]

$1,500 for that photo?!? Do you get a ticket [between the bases] to the game with that?:faint:


I know, they're crazy.... in both cases

[ChineseDemocracy]

Random question, what did they do with Mantle's and DiMaggio's plaques after they got monuments of their own?

This question was inspired by Kaplanski's 3D model.

[SultanOfWhat]

I have that book. No shots of YS i'm afraid...

Well, the book has only 370 images, while Kahn's photographers took 72,000. So there are 71,630 unpublished images that might hold vintage YS gold!

Thanks for the date on the color pic of YS, Mattingly85MVP.

[YankeeStadium1923]

Random question, what did they do with Mantle's and DiMaggio's plaques after they got monuments of their own?

This question was inspired by Kaplanski's 3D model.
The plaques may be in the Yogi Berra museum located on the campus of Montclair State University in New Jersey. I visited the museum a few years ago and remember seeing the plaques and assumed they were from Yankee Stadium. If I can track down the photos I shot at the museum I'll post later today.

[mackenzie]

Random question, what did they do with Mantle's and DiMaggio's plaques after they got monuments of their own?

This question was inspired by Kaplanski's 3D model.

The plaques may be in the Yogi Berra museum located on the campus of Montclair State University in New Jersey. I visited the museum a few years ago and remember seeing the plaques and assumed they were from Yankee Stadium. If I can track down the photos I shot at the museum I'll post later today.

I'm pretty sure that I saw the two plaques (from 1969) at Yogi's museum, as well. There's also a plaque on the outside of Mickey Mantle's Restaurant on Central Park South, but I believe that this is a copy of the current Monument plaque.

[Mattingly85MVP]

I'm pretty sure that I saw the two plaques (from 1969) at Yogi's museum, as well. There's also a plaque on the outside of Mickey Mantle's Restaurant on Central Park South, but I believe that this is a copy of the current Monument plaque.

The plaques do reside at Yogi's museum...they were gifted by the Yankees....
as shown here. If they replaced these two plaques, I wonder what they did with the others, and if the Ruth, Gehrig, and Huggins plaques are original or replicas

[locke40]

This great photo appears in the new book Yankee Colors, wish I could afford to buy a large print of it...sells on the new york times photo gallery site for $1500...probably one of the best color shots that exist

It actually pains me to think what this stadium would look like on my HDTV. The NYS doesn't look good at all on TV.

[mackenzie]

The plaques do reside at Yogi's museum...they were gifted by the Yankees....
as shown here. If they replaced these two plaques, I wonder what they did with the others, and if the Ruth, Gehrig, and Huggins plaques are original or replicas

The origianl Mantle and DiMaggio plaques were replaced when they upgraded to monuments (in 1996 and 1999) upon their passing. Huggins, Gehrig, and Ruth originated as monuments (1932, 1941, 1949) so their plaque inscriptions have never been changed.

Notice that the great DiMaggio's plaque at Yogi's is "hung a little higher" than the Mick's. This has always been the case with these two plaques (first on the CF wall, then Monument Park, and now) per Mantle's suggestion of this during his 1969 retirment ceremony.

Regards,
Mark

[mets16]

The plaques do reside at Yogi's museum...they were gifted by the Yankees....
as shown here. If they replaced these two plaques, I wonder what they did with the others, and if the Ruth, Gehrig, and Huggins plaques are original or replicas

Something struck me when taking a closer look at the Huggins, Ruth, and Gehrig plaques. Notice that the Ruth one has the screws on the plaque itself. Was it always like that?
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3638/3493396614_0a6c79c655_b.jpg

[Yankeefan3783]

It actually pains me to think what this stadium would look like on my HDTV. The NYS doesn't look good at all on TV.

I have to disagree with that one. I'm sure OYS would look spectacular in HDTV, but NYS comes off very nice on TV in my opinion (minus the empty seats of course).

[RichardLillard1]

Something struck me when taking a closer look at the Huggins, Ruth, and Gehrig plaques. Notice that the Ruth one has the screws on the plaque itself. Was it always like that?

According to this picture, yes. Description and link below.

Remembering a Great Player

In anticipation of the 25th anniversary of the death of Babe Ruth (August 16, 1948), groundskeeper Carlos Cortes polishes the monument to the Babe. The monument is located in center field along with others honoring Lou Gehrig and Miller Huggins. 8/14/75

http://www.seth.com/coll_photographs_02.html


Richard

[mets16]

According to this picture, yes. Description and link below.

Remembering a Great Player

In anticipation of the 25th anniversary of the death of Babe Ruth (August 16, 1948), groundskeeper Carlos Cortes polishes the monument to the Babe. The monument is located in center field along with others honoring Lou Gehrig and Miller Huggins. 8/14/75

http://www.seth.com/coll_photographs_02.html

Yeah, but I wonder if the Gehrig and Huggins ever had the screws, like the Ruth one. Even the font is different on both.

[RichardLillard1]

Looks like a no, from Corbis.

Original caption: 7/6/1941-New York, NY: New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, Mrs. Lou Gehrig, Gehrig's former roommate Bill Dickey; and Yankees' manager Joe McCarthy are pictured beside the granite monument unveiled today at Yankee Stadium in tribute to the late Lou Gehrig, one of baseball's greatest heroes. Thousands of fans crowded the ball park today to pay their respects to their late hero.


Richard

[SultanOfWhat]

Okay, here's a new entry for the oldest color photo of Yankee Stadium (from 1944). Yes, know it doesn't show the field or players, but at least there's a pretty lady:

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o164/emstc/ca1944g.jpg

It also suggests that other color pics from earlier days are still out there.

Caption:

Woman in Bolero Suit Surrounded by Sailors
Original caption: Model wearing 'greige' bolero suit in Sanforized cotton broadcloth by Henry Rosenfeld, standing with naval convoy at Yankee Stadium

Other old color pics:

April 1947 (oldest color pic I have showing the field/structure, unless Henrich pic from 1947 is from April)

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o164/emstc/ruthcolor1947.jpg

June 1948

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o164/emstc/ruthcolor1948jun13.jpg

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o164/emstc/BabeRuthDay1948colorlg.jpg

Here are a few more color pics from the "old" YS:


May 1948, New York, New York, USA --- New York, New York: At Yankee Stadium. Pitcher Frank Shea of N.Y. Yankees.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sgd_cz2jnLI/AAAAAAAAF0Y/syBKiZbRE8E/s800/May%201948%20frank%20shea.jpg

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sgd_YxbGg2I/AAAAAAAAF0U/bgHW_gqCLaI/s800/Pee_Wee_Reese_Postcard_MID.jpg

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sgd-zWpKq0I/AAAAAAAAF0E/ySzbSGn2AIw/s800/mantle_.jpg


09 Aug 1961, Bronx, New York, New York, USA --- Pitcher Whitey Ford in Yankee Stadium

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sgd-9JVJL1I/AAAAAAAAF0M/zGBF0vvAcgo/s800/August%209%2C%201961.jpg


05 May 1966, Bronx, New York, New York, USA --- New York Yankee Roy White at Yankee Stadium

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sgd_htCefcI/AAAAAAAAF0c/BVgLObXa3-c/s800/May%205%2C%201966.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sgd_pYPhgUI/AAAAAAAAF0k/7qyL94sQX4U/s800/elston-howard.jpg

[Gehrig27]

About a year ago I found a home video on youtube that showed game action at the stadium around 1941; the video has since been made private (I think) but it was fascinating to watch. If someone wants to, they can contact the Baseball Hall of Fame Library; they'll search through their photo archives if you tell them we're searching for the oldest color photo of the stadium.

[voodoochile]

Has anyone thought about searching through older baseball cards for color shots of Yankee Stadium? I know that Topps, who had offices in New York, would take photos of A.L. players when they played the Yankees at the stadium, and you could see the frieze in the background in many of them, and sometimes the scoreboard and bleachers. I believe that some older Bowman's were shot there, also.

I found a 1994 Lou Gehrig card from the Ted Williams collection that used a photo from 1932. The image is in color, but after close inspection I think I found evidence that it had been colorized. The blue is a little too bright, especially on the stirrups, but the kicker was the blue belt.

[RichardLillard1]

An usher's uniform up for auction.

http://www.prwauctions.com/past_auctions/past_auction_results.htm


Richard

[RichardLillard1]

Forgot to post the image.


Richard

[toefer]

The origianl Mantle and DiMaggio plaques were replaced when they upgraded to monuments (in 1996 and 1999) upon their passing. Huggins, Gehrig, and Ruth originated as monuments (1932, 1941, 1949) so their plaque inscriptions have never been changed.

Notice that the great DiMaggio's plaque at Yogi's is "hung a little higher" than the Mick's. This has always been the case with these two plaques (first on the CF wall, then Monument Park, and now) per Mantle's suggestion of this during his 1969 retirment ceremony.

Regards,
Mark

That's an interesting tidbit that I never knew about. Does anyone have a picture of the Mantle/DiMaggio monuments from NYS?

I saw them when I was there, didn't know about one being higher than the other, so I didn't notice.

[SultanOfWhat]

That Gehrig pic is indeed colorized. Here's the original B&W:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SgnmcjvHsaI/AAAAAAAAF3k/mYovxnN7xxo/s800/October%205%2C%201939.jpg

Here are some more color pics from various Yankee eras:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SgelDzJk38I/AAAAAAAAF2c/2TBrwp14j48/s800/August%206%2C%201972-1.jpg
06 Aug 1972, New York, New York, USA --- New York, N.Y.: Head and shoulders of New York Yankees' infielder Bobby Murcer. [He was, of course, no longer an infielder]

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sgnnkj8KzVI/AAAAAAAAF4E/75HknBKsjgc/s800/February%2021%2C%201949.jpg
21 Feb 1949, USA --- Casey Stengel, Yankee baseball manager is shown in this close-up. ---

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SgnnL27TtDI/AAAAAAAAF4A/IqcpY_ln9mk/s800/September%201949.jpg
September 1949 --- New York Yankees' Phil Rizzuto

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SgnoXUO7q5I/AAAAAAAAF4I/DU_IrJQ3QyI/s800/September%201949%20Joe%20Page.jpg
September 1949 --- Joe Page of the New York Yankees


Not taken at OYS, but I'm sure some will find this interesting:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sgnpr7C_uYI/AAAAAAAAF4o/bjsj398xMks/s800/March%202%2C%201941%20mlb%20debut%20made%20on%20ap ril%2014%2C%201941.jpg
02 Mar 1941, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA --- Rizzuto was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1937. He played his first Philip Rizzuto poses in the Yankee Locker Room during spring training as a rookie. Rizzuto made his major-league debut a month later on April 14, 1941.

[mackenzie]

The original Mantle and DiMaggio plaques were replaced when they upgraded to monuments (in 1996 and 1999) upon their passing. Huggins, Gehrig, and Ruth originated as monuments (1932, 1941, 1949) so their plaque inscriptions have never been changed.

Notice that the great DiMaggio's plaque at Yogi's is "hung a little higher" than the Mick's. This has always been the case with these two plaques (first on the CF wall, then Monument Park, and now) per Mantle's suggestion of this during his 1969 retirement ceremony.

Regards,
Mark

That's an interesting tidbit that I never knew about. Does anyone have a picture of the Mantle/DiMaggio monuments from NYS?

I saw them when I was there, didn't know about one being higher than the other, so I didn't notice.

Toefer - The Mantle and DiMaggio monuments in both stadiums are set at the same heights, I believe. It was the pre-monument plaques, which have always been side by side, that had the height difference. I may not have been clear in my use of the word "now" in the above post. There I was referring to the two plaques which are hanging in Yogi's museum.

Regards,
Mark

[toefer]

Toefer - The Mantle and DiMaggio monuments in both stadiums are set at the same heights, I believe. It was the pre-monument plaques, which have always been side by side, that had the height difference. I may not have been clear in my use of the word "now" in the above post. There I was referring to the two plaques which are hanging in Yogi's museum.

Regards,
Mark

Ah, that clears it up. Thanks.

[MarcianoNY]

[QUOTE=SultanOfWhat;1516310]

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sgd_YxbGg2I/AAAAAAAAF0U/bgHW_gqCLaI/s800/Pee_Wee_Reese_Postcard_MID.jpg

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sgd-zWpKq0I/AAAAAAAAF0E/ySzbSGn2AIw/s800/mantle_.jpg


09 Aug 1961, Bronx, New York, New York, USA --- Pitcher Whitey Ford in Yankee Stadium

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sgd-9JVJL1I/AAAAAAAAF0M/zGBF0vvAcgo/s800/August%209%2C%201961.jpg


05 May 1966, Bronx, New York, New York, USA --- New York Yankee Roy White at Yankee Stadium

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sgd_htCefcI/AAAAAAAAF0c/BVgLObXa3-c/s800/May%205%2C%201966.jpg

Is it just an illusion (or my imagination), or was there a period when the Stadium had blue seats but still had the mint-green theme, before the stadium was whitewashed, etc? In a couple of these shots the seats definitely look blue to me.

[RichardLillard1]

[Is it just an illusion (or my imagination), or was there a period when the Stadium had blue seats but still had the mint-green theme, before the stadium was whitewashed, etc? In a couple of these shots the seats definitely look blue to me.

Just an illusion. Photography back then wasn't as consistent as it is today.


Richard

[SultanOfWhat]

Somebody asked for this pic, so I figured I'd share it. LOL at Mighty Mouse.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SgvEC5cn8zI/AAAAAAAAF7k/0zaZmMKzW8s/s800/August%2028%2C%201953.jpg

28 Aug 1953, Cleveland, Ohio, USA --- Yogi Berra of the New York Yankees, a longtime enthusiast of comic magazines, seems particularly pleased with a new type of funny book given him by the Madison Square Boys Club. Yogi donned a pair of 3-D glasses and took time in the dressing room to catch up on his reading.

[RichardLillard1]

Somebody asked for this pic, so I figured I'd share it. LOL at Mighty Mouse.

28 Aug 1953, Cleveland, Ohio, USA --- Yogi Berra of the New York Yankees, a longtime enthusiast of comic magazines, seems particularly pleased with a new type of funny book given him by the Madison Square Boys Club. Yogi donned a pair of 3-D glasses and took time in the dressing room to catch up on his reading.

I don't think that was in Cleveland though, he's wearing a home jersey. Unless it was an All-Star game or something similar. Corbis isn't necessarily right all the time. haha


Richard

[mackenzie]

Somebody asked for this pic, so I figured I'd share it. LOL at Mighty Mouse.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SgvEC5cn8zI/AAAAAAAAF7k/0zaZmMKzW8s/s800/August%2028%2C%201953.jpg

28 Aug 1953, Cleveland, Ohio, USA --- Yogi Berra of the New York Yankees, a longtime enthusiast of comic magazines, seems particularly pleased with a new type of funny book given him by the Madison Square Boys Club. Yogi donned a pair of 3-D glasses and took time in the dressing room to catch up on his reading.

I don't think that was in Cleveland though, he's wearing a home jersey. Unless it was an All-Star game or something similar. Corbis isn't necessarily right all the time. haha

Richard

Yankees lost 3-2 in Cleveland that day (8/28/1953). But I agree with Richard, game must have been at home. A guess - it may have been taken exactly one month earlier. Yanks beat Cleveland 4-2 at home on 7/28.

Regards,
Mark

[SultanOfWhat]

Unfortunately, the Corbis captions are often incorrect. They not only get dates wrong, but even stadiums and players' names, too.

[The Monument]

I'm pretty sure that the Gehrig pic is from 1939, not '32. He has that patch on the sleeve that I believe was worn in '39.

[SultanOfWhat]

I'm pretty sure that the Gehrig pic is from 1939, not '32. He has that patch on the sleeve that I believe was worn in '39.

Yes, I forgot to include the caption:

05 Oct 1939, Bronx, New York City, New York, USA --- Lou Gehrig, Captain of the New York Yankees and hero of many a World Series Games, is pictured at the Yankee Stadium here on October 5th, as he watched his teammates take on the Cincinnati Reds in the second game of the World Series.

Here's a view you don't often see - right down the LF line from the plate, 1937:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SgzaJAeqwjI/AAAAAAAAGAE/PZfuVv0gWdQ/s800/1937bp.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SgzaJdXEsFI/AAAAAAAAGAI/ssIw22zSuag/s800/52214883.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SgzaJ9MIe0I/AAAAAAAAGAM/nvn3nYnokjk/s800/52214885.jpg

[mackenzie]

I'm pretty sure that the Gehrig pic is from 1939, not '32. He has that patch on the sleeve that I believe was worn in '39.

Patch was indeed worn in 1939 throughout the Major Leagues. It was the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the first baseball game in 1839; the game supposedly being invented by future Union General Abner Doubleday. This story has been pretty much debunked, of course. Game evolved from early British/American versions over a much longer period of time.

Robert Redford/Roy Hobbs and company wore the patch in The Natural. My dad picked this off while we watched the movie in the mid-1980s.

Regards,
Mark

[Chris Jones]

Mark:

Damn, and I thought I was one of the chosen few who recognized the patch in "The Natural." My very best to your dad.

I didn't really believe Joe's plaque was higher than Mickey's until I saw them.
I thought Mantle's suggestion was more of an off-the-cuff remark...a show of respect and a symbolic gesture.

Regards,

Chris

[mackenzie]

Hey Chris,

Good pick up with the 1939 patch from "The Natural". I hadn't known about the patch until my dad saw it in that movie. Still qualifies as "the chosen few."

Mantle's comment at his retirement ceremony on 6/8/1969 was off the cuff, I believe. It was consistent with his demeanor and statements throughout his life. We know that he wasn't a perfect human being, something he had in common with the rest of us mortals, but I believe that he really was, as his monument reads, "a great teammate."

With regard to the positioning of the two plaques, someone with the Yankees was apparently listening well to Mantle's speech and converted his words into reality when the plaques were placed on the CF wall later that year.

Regards,
Mark

[Chris Jones]

Mark:

I believe DiMaggio had written into his "retirement" contract, that at any Yankee function, he had to be announced last. The fact that he took the field after Mickey AND also received a plague on Mickey's big day, shows true hubris on his part.

Regards,

Chris

[David Atkatz]

DiMaggio was a poor excuse for a human being. No successful relationships with anyone--not teamates, his wives, his son, friends,.. No one.

Real class.

[locke40]

DiMaggio was a poor excuse for a human being. No successful relationships with anyone--not teamates, his wives, his son, friends,.. No one.

Real class.

David,

Do you find joy in anything?

[SultanOfWhat]

David,

Do you find joy in anything?


http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg24txvuu9I/AAAAAAAAGCA/Op9hICJtdZQ/s800/lemons.jpg

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg24souVvDI/AAAAAAAAGB8/y2jA7YtdMYA/s800/sour_puss.jpg

[mackenzie]

Mark:

I believe DiMaggio had written into his "retirement" contract, that at any Yankee function, he had to be announced last. The fact that he took the field after Mickey AND also received a plague on Mickey's big day, shows true hubris on his part.

Regards,

Chris

Chris - Whether or not the "being announced last rule" was written or not, DiMaggio did take it very seriously. There were two occasions that I know of in which he was not announced last at Oldtimers' Days and he was reportedly upset both times. First was Mantle in 1969 as a one time gesture to his recent retirement and ceremony. Second was Billy Martin 1978 barely a week after Steinbrenner had fired him for the first time. This served as the Yankee's announcement of Martin's scheduled 1980 return, which was moved up to mid-1979, by the way, and he was already gone by 1980! Anyway, I think that Joe, who definitely didn't have a sense a humor about such things, said that the '78 Martin announcement amounted to "turning Old Timers' Day into a circus" or words to that effect, and I agreed with him!


DiMaggio was a poor excuse for a human being. No successful relationships with anyone--not teamates, his wives, his son, friends,.. No one.

Real class.

David - I don't agree with the first sentence but there is a lot of truth in your second. For some people, though, being at the top can be a very lonely place. Maybe they believe that everyone they come in contact with wants something from them. So they stop trusting and build an emotional wall around themselves. As good and classy a man that Derek Jeter is, he has such a wall and lets no one breach it. Good evidence of DiMaggio being this way is that he reportedly was close and remained close to the family he grew up with; the pre-famous DiMaggio family. And with the possible exception of his son, the greatest victim of DiMaggio's lack of success in his adult relationships was probably himself.

So warts and all, I also thank the Good Lord that He made DiMaggio a Yankee, and to me, he is always, The Great DiMaggio.

Regards,
Mark

[SultanOfWhat]

Couple of dozen color photos I hadn't seen on getty. Here's one:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg3TAfIUkYI/AAAAAAAAGDM/oT2N3eNpa3E/s800/APRIL%2021%2C%201954%20vs%20bos.jpg2.jpg
April 21, 1954 vs. Bos.

[soup]

Couple of dozen color photos I hadn't seen on getty. Here's one:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg3TAfIUkYI/AAAAAAAAGDM/oT2N3eNpa3E/s800/APRIL%2021%2C%201954%20vs%20bos.jpg2.jpg
April 21, 1954 vs. Bos.

where are the rest?

[SultanOfWhat]

where are the rest?

I'll put some up in a bit, if people don't mind the Getty Images watermark.

In the meantime:

SCOOTER WAS A STRAIGHT-UP PIMP!!!:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg3iYewyrHI/AAAAAAAAGDo/JjfH3MoXvIA/s800/1952%20Shortstop%20Phil%20Rizzuto.jpg

[David Atkatz]

David - I don't agree with the first sentence but there is a lot of truth in your second. For some people, though, being at the top can be a very lonely place. Maybe they believe that everyone they come in contact with wants something from them. So they stop trusting and build an emotional wall around themselves. As good and classy a man that Derek Jeter is, he has such a wall and lets no one breach it. Good evidence of DiMaggio being this way is that he reportedly was close and remained close to the family he grew up with; the pre-famous DiMaggio family. And with the possible exception of his son, the greatest victim of DiMaggio's lack of success in his adult relationships was probably himself.

So warts and all, I also thank the Good Lord that He made DiMaggio a Yankee, and to me, he is always, The Great DiMaggio.

Regards,
Mark

You can have him. Mark--and you're completely wrong. He didn't speak to his own brothers, and Dom was banned from his funeral. At the end of his life he had no friends, no relationships with his son or his own brother.

Truly a person to admire.

He was nothing but warts.

Ruth may have been a drinker and a womanizer (his warts), but he loved people--especially children. He'd give a friend (and he had many) the shirt off his back, and go far out of his way to make a child happy.

That's class.

[SultanOfWhat]

More color pics:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg3vLMjUyFI/AAAAAAAAGDs/iof_ShXL3FI/s800/mantle%20bats%20bottom%20of%20the%20first%20inning %20a%20game%20against%20the%20Kansas%20City%20A%27 s%20on%20July%2020%2C%201956.jpg
Mantle bats bottom of the first inning a game against the Kansas City A's on July 20, 1956

Puts the frieze shot into perspective:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg3vLtGIHGI/AAAAAAAAGDw/Nmyxhr2EdQQ/s800/mantle%207-20-56%20frieze%20comparsion%20Kansas%20City%20A%27s%2 0on%20July%2020%2C%201956.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg3vLzz5vwI/AAAAAAAAGD0/My3K-oxbJOo/s800/October%207%2C%201956%20between%20the%20Brooklyn.j pg
GM 4 WS, October 7, 1956 between Brooklyn-NYY

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg3vMJ8IaWI/AAAAAAAAGD4/fkkQibM9gvI/s800/after%20game%20four%20of%20the%20World%20Series%20 on%20October%207%2C%201956%20between%20the%20Brook lyn.jpg
Same as above, but after the game.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg3vMaFSucI/AAAAAAAAGD8/F2ZryoIQ3eo/s800/SEP%2030%201961%20Billy%20Gardner%20no.12%2C%20NYY %20awaits%20pitcher%20Don%20Schwall%2037%2C%20of%2 0the%20Boston.jpg
SEP 30 1961 Billy Gardner no.12, NYY awaits pitch from Don Schwall 37, of Boston

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg3vMxeDZ6I/AAAAAAAAGEA/B7rehNZG52k/s800/77559500.jpg
GM 6 of the World Series on October 5, 1947 between Brooklyn and NYY.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg3vNZGzPdI/AAAAAAAAGEE/oK4LIFLbMNc/s800/game%206%20of%20the%20World%20Series%20on%20Octobe r%205%2C%201947%20between%20the%20Brooklyn%20Dodge rs.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg3vNltCq0I/AAAAAAAAGEI/902_X_-Cda4/s800/national%20anthem%20prior%20to%20a%20game%20agains t%20the%20Boston%20Red%20Sox%20on%20April%2020%2C% 201956%20w7-1.jpg
National anthem prior to a game against the Boston Red Sox on April 20, 1956 w 7-1

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg3vN0BxKHI/AAAAAAAAGEM/DD_wOget_f0/s800/83216954.jpg
This man needs a monument! Best ERA+ (133) of any starting pitcher who has been voted into the HOF who played most (or all) of his career after WWII.

[Robbyb26]

Those pictures are breathtaking. Thank you so much for posting them.

[SultanOfWhat]

Thanks, Robbyb26. But could you re-do your post to remove the code for the pics? Re-posting them in their entirety makes people have to scroll through them unnecessarily.

Some Bobby Murcer color pics coming up...

[Robbyb26]

Awesome...My dad is gonna flip when he sees these.

[YankeeStadium1923]

Great Pics....I edited the Yogi Photo.....

Original photo posted by Sultanofwhat

[NYFan1stYankFan2nd]

I'll put some up in a bit, if people don't mind the Getty Images watermark.

In the meantime:

SCOOTER WAS A STRAIGHT-UP PIMP!!!:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg3iYewyrHI/AAAAAAAAGDo/JjfH3MoXvIA/s800/1952%20Shortstop%20Phil%20Rizzuto.jpg

"...Paradise by the grand-stand lights!!.."

[NYFan1stYankFan2nd]

Great Pics....I edited the Yogi Photo.....

Original photo posted by Sultanofwhat

Don't forget he would've been standing about 5 feet lower in the RYS field. ;)

[YankeeStadium1923]

Don't forget he would've been standing about 5 feet lower in the RYS field. ;)
And standing where the NY was behind homeplate at Renovated Yankee Stadium.

[SultanOfWhat]

OK, some Bobby Murcer pics (including some with him manning third):

against frieze
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg4Gku2VxhI/AAAAAAAAGFE/7_YHIlHRAzI/s800/50812293.jpg2.jpg

kneeling
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg4GmBDdeyI/AAAAAAAAGFM/NRIGHDFp3dA/s800/50812294.jpg

arms crossed
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg4GsdXtjLI/AAAAAAAAGFQ/dM8J8E2lwfk/s800/4-17-69%20Murcer%202.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg4Gs5YCMMI/AAAAAAAAGFU/qHUR60coLKQ/s800/84230617.jpg

swinging (this and the next 5 pics are from April 15-17, 1969 vs. Washington Senators)
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg4GyNPZPOI/AAAAAAAAGF0/BDwH8yyE5Bc/s800/April%2015-17%201969.jpg

looking up to rf
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg4GuxbRC_I/AAAAAAAAGFc/AH8Abm9dz5I/s800/Murcer%20vs%20Wash%204-17-69.jpg

stomping plate
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg4Gts_ydYI/AAAAAAAAGFY/BohwodDQnV4/s800/4-17-69%20Murcer.jpg

felding
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg4GxVE20XI/AAAAAAAAGFs/7tvDCu-ZjtY/s800/4-15-69%20Murcer%20at%203rd.jpg

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg4GwlbWvfI/AAAAAAAAGFk/mLOv0Ty9bX4/s800/4-15-69%20Murcer%20at%20short.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg4GzQZmSSI/AAAAAAAAGF8/YWP8d-6entE/s800/50812290.jpgf.jpg

[SHOELESSJOE3]

DiMaggio was a poor excuse for a human being. No successful relationships with anyone--not teamates, his wives, his son, friends,.. No one.

Real class.

No successful relationships......... twice divorced, is that so unusual.

Teammates, some he got along with, some others not, out of the ordinary.

His son, that does happen, I look on that as his greatest blemish but don't know the whole story.

Last, you say his friends, who were they, don't we all have some friends we did not see eye to eye with.

Sounds like Joe is like lots of other people only in this case he's under the microscope, every flaw is magnified.

He certainly could be aloof at times, had a giant ego, thrived on being the center of attention, many flaws but far from a poor excuse for a human being.

[David Atkatz]

Read a biography or two.

He had no friends on his teams. He palled with no one. He ate with no one.
Completely aloof. No friends at all. Just ass-kissing sycophants, whom he'd turn on for any perceived slight.

Two divorces? Not too unusual. How about the fact that he needed to be in total control of his wives? Tried to force them to give up their careers? Well-documented physical abuse? Now that's a bit screwed up.

Estranged from his brothers. Treated his sister like dirt.

Wouldn't show at an event unless he was introduced as "the greatest living ballplayer."

Good ballplayer.

Complete failure as a human being.

[Gary Dunaier]

More color pics:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sg3vMaFSucI/AAAAAAAAGD8/F2ZryoIQ3eo/s800/SEP%2030%201961%20Billy%20Gardner%20no.12%2C%20NYY %20awaits%20pitcher%20Don%20Schwall%2037%2C%20of%2 0the%20Boston.jpg

I've always wondered if they designed the "new" scoreboard (the one that lasted until 1973) to deliberately block the view of home plate from 831 Gerard Avenue, the taller of the buildings along Gerard that face the Stadium. That property still had small farmhouses until 1937-1938, when the 8-story building was built (and I wonder if that building was built taller than its 6-story neighbors because of the scoreboard then in use).

[Astros]

Has anyone ever seen or known about the "YANKEE STADIUM" sign above Gate 4 being RED??? I saw a night photo in a new book tonight at a local store and the lights were red. It was quite different. The photos was taken after the Longines clock had been added. It was years before the renovation.

[mackenzie]

You can have him. Mark--and you're completely wrong. He didn't speak to his own brothers, and Dom was banned from his funeral. At the end of his life he had no friends, no relationships with his son or his own brother.

Truly a person to admire.

He was nothing but warts.

Ruth may have been a drinker and a womanizer (his warts), but he loved people--especially children. He'd give a friend (and he had many) the shirt off his back, and go far out of his way to make a child happy.

That's class.

David - Completely wrong? Moi?! Nah. Can't be; I agreed with much of your assessment of Joe's failures with relationships as an adult. :)

I have read some recent biographies. Most of my baseball books are still in boxes due to a move but one was Ben Cramer's, I think. A tough but credible book in my opinion. DiMaggio was definitely a loner but he had some friends; Lefty Gomez, for example. All sycophants? We can’t really know this for sure. Besides, Gomez was a very good player in his own right. Also, the isolation from Dom and other family members in his later years was not a reflection of his whole life. He did live to be 84, after all. Lot's of life and years happened before the estrangements. And Dom did give a eulogy for Joe when he died.

Moving on to his profession, DiMaggio was more than a good player. He was great. One of the greatest of all time. We all know about the stats, streak, MVPs, 9 rings, etc, etc, etc. While his teammates didn't love him, they always respected him as the keystone of their great teams. Without his explosive return from the foot injury in the last half of 1949, the Yanks don't win the first of their 5 straight championships. Opposing players almost never failed to pay him their highest complements. It was the sportswriters that voted him the greatest living player for the 1969 centennial of professional baseball. I know that times were different then, but if he was such a horrible person, he never would have received such respect from his peers and contemporaries.

Regards,
Mark

PS - I'm on board with your comments on the Babe.

[Gary Dunaier]

I saw that photo too.

This is the book Astros is talking about...

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51RYAwhMuwL._SL500_AA240_.jpg

"Yankee Colors: The Glory Years of the Mantle Era" by Al Silverman.

Not specifically a ballpark book, but an interesting collection of photos nonetheless, including a chapter devoted to night games at YS. Worth thumbing through in the bookstore to see if it appeals to you.

[Mygirljess]

DiMaggio was a poor excuse for a human being. No successful relationships with anyone--not teamates, his wives, his son, friends,.. No one.

Real class.

Wow. I think your second sentence is correct, it's just that the first sentence is such a powerful slam.

One "successful relationship" he did have was with Yankee fans like my father, who saw him play and told me, there was no better player. I said but what about Willie Mays or others who seemed to have better lifetime stats? He told me Son, when Joe was up at bat with a man on base in the ninth inning and the Yankees needed a hit, there was not the slightest doubt that he would drive that runner home.

True, MY boyhood hero Seaver was always what you might call egotistical and aloof, but still managed human relationships much better than DiMaggio. But to call DiMaggio a poor excuse for a human being, that's taking it a bit too far. He might not have been the type of guy anyone wants to have a beer with, and maybe looked down on others, but he always conducted himself with class as a gentleman on and off the field.

[Mygirljess]

Great shot of Whitey. I was just telling my mother tonight, about how some long time Yankee fans are so upset about the imminent demolition of Yankee Stadium, and how much more it's hurting them than Met fans were with the destruction of Shea. She said, "Whitey Ford is still alive. He wouldn't let that happen." I said, well I think it's too late for anyone, even Whitey, to stop it from happening now.

[YankeesFan]

Has anyone ever seen or known about the "YANKEE STADIUM" sign above Gate 4 being RED??? I saw a night photo in a new book tonight at a local store and the lights were red. It was quite different. The photos was taken after the Longines clock had been added. It was years before the renovation.

Are you talking about the "YANKEE STADIUM" letters that lit up blue for so many years? I always assumed that before the '66-'67 facelift, the letters lit up white. I always wondered what color the Longines sign was lit up at night above gate 4?

[David Atkatz]

David,

Do you find joy in anything?

Of course I do, locke.

My wife, my children, my friends, my profession, my hobbies...

All bring me great joy.

Too bad Joe D missed out on all that.

[Astros]

Are you talking about the "YANKEE STADIUM" letters that lit up blue for so many years? I always assumed that before the '66-'67 facelift, the letters lit up white. I always wondered what color the Longines sign was lit up at night above gate 4?

Yes, that is the sign that is red in this book. I've never seen any hint that these letters were red at night at any point. Does anyone around here remember seeing this? Here is a very crude photo I took of the book picture with my phone tonight.

[mackenzie]

Of course I do, locke.

My wife, my children, my friends, my profession, my hobbies...

All bring me great joy.

Too bad Joe D missed out on all that.

It is a shame. One of the best examples of someone who had so much and enjoyed it so little.

Regards,
Mark

[The Monument]

Thanks for posting those great Stadium pix. Soon, that's all we'll have--photos and memories. I remember Murcer playing 3B in '69, and Jerry Kenney was in CF.

[Yankees12]

I've always wondered if they designed the "new" scoreboard (the one that lasted until 1973) to deliberately block the view of home plate from 831 Gerard Avenue, the taller of the buildings along Gerard that face the Stadium. That property still had small farmhouses until 1937-1938, when the 8-story building was built (and I wonder if that building was built taller than its 6-story neighbors because of the scoreboard then in use).

I wouldn't be surprised if that factored into the scoreboard's design.

Either way, there's little doubt in my mind that the post-renovation scoreboard - and the NYS scoreboard, for that matter - wrapped all the way around the outfield precisely to block any outside views into the stadium. It was the modern version of a spite fence, most likely.

(It's not like they did it for the increased ad space in 1976, given the fact that they couldn't sell much of the space on that scoreboard, so that's the only reason I can find for the long scoreboard. As for NYS, I'm sure the increased ad space combined with the blocking of views is why they wrapped the scoreboard around.)

[soup]

maybe some of these have been posted, but what the heck

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2008-04/37514720.jpg

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2008/0708/travel_1950s_800.jpg

[NYFan1stYankFan2nd]

It is a shame. One of the best examples of someone who had so much and enjoyed it so little.

Regards,
Mark

We all know what consumed his mid-life and ultimately broke his heart.

In another sport, Dale Earnhardt Sr. had married thrice, but never let that aspect of his life clash with his love of driving and the support of his community.

Now, about that other #3... ;)

[NYFan1stYankFan2nd]

No successful relationships......... twice divorced, is that so unusual.
Nope! That's the American way!
Teammates, some he got along with, some others not, out of the ordinary.

His son, that does happen, I look on that as his greatest blemish but don't know the whole story.

Last, you say his friends, who were they, don't we all have some friends we did not see eye to eye with.

Sounds like Joe is like lots of other people only in this case he's under the microscope, every flaw is magnified.

He certainly could be aloof at times, had a giant ego, thrived on being the center of attention, many flaws but far from a poor excuse for a human being.

And he didn't use steroids, unlike certain wannabe-Yankees. ;)

[voodoochile]

I also believe Joe D. to be one of the greats along with being an introvert, a loner, not very friendly and a bit upity at times. Of course, this is what I've read about him.

I know that even though he and Mantle appeared to be friends when they were in public together, such as Old-Timers Day, they could've cared less about each other. I've heard stories of how Joe refused, or just didn't feel like helping Mantle adjust to playing the Yankee Stadium outfield during the one year that they played together, at Casey Stengel's request, and Mick wasn't real thrilled about that.

I wonder if any of you saw an autographed baseball signed by Mantle that was on ebay a few years ago. It was inscribed either "**** Joe D." or "Joe D. Sucks - Mickey Mantle."

[soup]

I'm not trying to start stuff, but let's get away from talking about Joe D's personality, and focus on talking about Pre-Renovated Yankee Stadium

[brooklyndodger14]

Deleted response to off-topic sidetrack.

[SparkyL]

I wouldn't be surprised if that factored into the scoreboard's design.

Either way, there's little doubt in my mind that the post-renovation scoreboard - and the NYS scoreboard, for that matter - wrapped all the way around the outfield precisely to block any outside views into the stadium. It was the modern version of a spite fence, most likely.

(It's not like they did it for the increased ad space in 1976, given the fact that they couldn't sell much of the space on that scoreboard, so that's the only reason I can find for the long scoreboard. As for NYS, I'm sure the increased ad space combined with the blocking of views is why they wrapped the scoreboard around.)

I remember an article written in late 1975, early 1976, saying the scoreboard wall was built to block from inside views to the outside - remember this was the "Bronx is Burning" neighborhood.

I'm not trying to start stuff, but let's get away from talking about Joe D's personality, and focus on talking about Pre-Renovated Yankee Stadium

Agreed.

Don't you just love it when the next post (pr two or three) ignores your plea and goes right back off-topic?

[mackenzie]

69812
back back back back back!


69814
oh doctor!

[SultanOfWhat]

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwcZiqB3I/AAAAAAAAGHI/vgXcosJzB3A/s800/2669894488_db910cf5af_o.jpg

Lightened that FBI Story pic:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwc3UBOuI/AAAAAAAAGHM/8sPguonInrI/s800/con1.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwdlGVxvI/AAAAAAAAGHU/ZrEoAoMQbjA/s800/fourth%20inning%20of%20the%204th%20gm%20snider%20c atches%20berra%27s%20shot%20reynolds%20w%202-0.jpg
04 Oct 1952, New York, New York, USA --- Duke Snider of the Dodgers is shown as he made a sensational, leaping backhand catch of Yogi Berra's long drive to the auxiliary scoreboard at the Yankee Stadium in the fourth inning of the 4th World Series game today. A few moments before, Johnny Mize had slapped the ball into the lower right field deck for a homer to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead. Allie Reynolds did a masterful pitching job to shut out the Brooks and win the game 2-0.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwe-RcSgI/AAAAAAAAGHc/xv-T4roe71g/s800/1955%20gw.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwfrpr3hI/AAAAAAAAGHg/YuV3c4e1bTk/s800/1955%20gggg.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwgpSDo_I/AAAAAAAAGHk/KEXqA7glZyQ/s800/c.jpg
Amazing to think that Mantle put one 14 rows deep over that screen above the 461 mark.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShDVatjg8FI/AAAAAAAAGJw/sYIIvuLm3iQ/s800/stephensatwall.jpg
Gene Stephens goes to the wall in center field at Yankee Stadium and watches a 502-foot home run off the bat of Mickey Mantle sail into the wild blue yonder in August 1964.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwg-5mXmI/AAAAAAAAGHo/LjbFakVmJ6U/s800/83216811.jpg

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwjAn-bRI/AAAAAAAAGIE/PjvLRoYOIdQ/s800/December%2C%201966.jpg

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwhlhm0GI/AAAAAAAAGHw/yTIrmwiIls4/s800/Fritz%20Peterson%20with%20his%20wife%2C%20Marilyn. jpg
How many remember this charming little story? [Fritz Peterson with his wife Marilyn]

[yankees650B]

I've always wondered, could the fans see through the screen? or is the new center field restaurant a tribute to the pre renovated blind spot

[Gylmar]

Hey Sultan, I remember the Fritz Peterson and Mike Kekich SWAP! The FBI photo looks great lightened up, I always watch that film just for the OYS scenes. :reporter:

[ChineseDemocracy]

I heard about that SWAP story for the first time today when I took the Dodger Stadium tour!!!!

:happy:

[SultanOfWhat]

I heard about that SWAP story for the first time today when I took the Dodger Stadium tour!!!!

:happy:

http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/1973/topstory_Two_Yankee_Pitchers_Trade_Wife_Kids.html

[locke40]

Do you think the Yankees are just blissfully unaware that the top-hat logo they use nowadays is the wrong one? Or do they just not care about the details of their own history?

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwc3UBOuI/AAAAAAAAGHM/8sPguonInrI/s800/con1.jpg

[Tino24]

Do you think the Yankees are just blissfully unaware that the top-hat logo they use nowadays is the wrong one? Or do they just not care about the details of their own history?

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwc3UBOuI/AAAAAAAAGHM/8sPguonInrI/s800/con1.jpg

I'm sure they just wanted a more updated one.

[SparkyL]

Notice that the screen is different - as well as the outfield wall numbers:



http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwgpSDo_I/AAAAAAAAGHk/KEXqA7glZyQ/s800/c.jpg
Amazing to think that Mantle put one 14 rows deep over that screen above the 461 mark.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShDVatjg8FI/AAAAAAAAGJw/sYIIvuLm3iQ/s800/stephensatwall.jpg
Gene Stephens goes to the wall in center field at Yankee Stadium and watches a 502-foot home run off the bat of Mickey Mantle sail into the wild blue yonder in August 1964.

[SultanOfWhat]

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwh2GrIiI/AAAAAAAAGH0/h64B26j7Ekk/s800/SEPTEMBER%2017%2C%201966%20bobby%20richdsn%20honor ed.jpg
SEPTEMBER 17, 1966 Bobby Richardson honored

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwicHCv3I/AAAAAAAAGH4/jCI4z_FWHg0/s800/prior%20to%20game%20five%20of%20the%20World%20Seri es%20on%20October%2012%2C%201964.jpg
Prior to game five of the World Series on October 12, 1964

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwij-Y5HI/AAAAAAAAGH8/MwOtbYDdL5U/s800/50372533.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShI4hXN2SUI/AAAAAAAAGNE/xf7Y1jUo9_U/s800/August%2014%2C%201954%20hornsby.jpg
14 Aug 1954, Bronx, New York, New York, USA --- Rogers Hornsby, right, gives a few pointers to Yankee's Hank Bauer before Hall of Fame game at Yankee Stadium.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShI4iHDFNcI/AAAAAAAAGNI/4Ajz3Y1RIWw/s800/July%2027%2C%201953.jpg
Interesting yellow numbers on walls.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShI4jJhCPSI/AAAAAAAAGNQ/7y6YurA5nVs/s800/World%20Series%20game%20one%20between%20the%20Broo klyn%20Dodgers%20and%20the%20New%20York%20Yankees% 20on%20September%2030%2C%201947.jpg
World Series game one between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Yankees on September 30, 1947

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShI4iU6Lm0I/AAAAAAAAGNM/_59RdmITjmo/s800/December%201966.jpg
December 1966

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwjww9n_I/AAAAAAAAGIM/QdmHGDOZn8k/s800/December%2016%2C%201966.jpg
December 16, 1966

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwkHm8wkI/AAAAAAAAGIQ/lKeeO2U51hU/s800/New%20York%2C%20December%2016%2C%201966.jpg
December 16, 1966

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwlQnb6-I/AAAAAAAAGIg/yMhTa-UKqFo/s800/gm%201%201955%20World%20Series.jpg
gm 1 1955 World Series. Interesting low angle shot of frieze and light tower. That's actress Debbie Reynolds with her husband Eddie Fisher.

[locke40]

This is probably the first photograph I have ever seen (and I've seen countless) that shows the Stadium with blue AND green seats. I guess we can pinpoint 1966 as the beginning of the famous "facelift" that CBS did on the Stadium: whitewash the exterior and frieze, blue seats, etc. I also attribute this "facelift" as the beginning of the end of Yankee Stadium, with the culmination being the 1974-75 renovation.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwh2GrIiI/AAAAAAAAGH0/h64B26j7Ekk/s800/SEPTEMBER%2017%2C%201966%20bobby%20richdsn%20honor ed.jpg

[RationalNYYfan]

So was the facelift essentially a 'clean-up' of the stadium? Nothing was structurally changed?

I also wonder if Yankee fans thought the facelift was necessary. Perhaps the fans of that era liked the frieze's green, weathered look?

[yankees650B]

i would take that stadium any day over the new one, support beams and all, why couldn't they make the new place look at all like that. they missed the opportunity and now were stuck with that monstrosity.

[Yankees12]

Do you think the Yankees are just blissfully unaware that the top-hat logo they use nowadays is the wrong one? Or do they just not care about the details of their own history?

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwc3UBOuI/AAAAAAAAGHM/8sPguonInrI/s800/con1.jpg

No, they just use a modernized one. Just like the NY Rangers use a modernized version of their classic logo, the Bruins use a modernized version of theirs, the Canadiens use a modernized version of theirs, the Red Sox use a modernized version of theirs, the Cubs use a modernized version of theirs, the Red Wings use a modernized version of theirs, etc. Teams often will make minor changes to a logo based on increased graphics capabilities to make them looks better.

And the top hat logo hasn't changed since the late 70's - I believe the current top hat logo - without the light blue - actually has been in use slightly longer than the original top hat logo, now.

[threeyoda]

Do you think the Yankees are just blissfully unaware that the top-hat logo they use nowadays is the wrong one? Or do they just not care about the details of their own history?

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwc3UBOuI/AAAAAAAAGHM/8sPguonInrI/s800/con1.jpg

You do relize the one the Yankees use is the right one? They changed from light blue to white brim in the mid to late 70's.

[NYFan1stYankFan2nd]

[QUOTE=RationalNYYfan;1523408]So was the facelift essentially a 'clean-up' of the stadium? Nothing was structurally changed?

[\QUOTE]

Not in 1967. The whitening of the superstructure and Frieze and the painting of the seats "Yankee" blue was just a harbinger of what was to come in the '70s.

It was already known by the powers that be what the facility would look like in another 8 years. From '68 - '72 the engineering and other planning would take place to produce what became RYS.

[SultanOfWhat]

Painting the frieze white didn't look too bad, but painting the facing of the upper deck white looked lousy.

This pic shows all mint-green seats in the upper deck.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShNkDED_1hI/AAAAAAAAGPA/vTzNRQXb6QM/s800/June%2021%2C%201966%20flipped%20right%20way.jpg
21 Jun 1966, Bronx, New York, USA --- Portrait of Frank Robinson


As locke40 pointed out, this pic (made brighter) appears to show darker blue seats in the front rows of the upper deck. I'll look for more decisive pics.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwh2GrIiI/AAAAAAAAGOw/Y5SrKmpxwZc/s800/SEPTEMBER%2017%2C%201966%20bobby%20richardson%20ho nored.jpg
Sept 17, 1966

The captions on corbis and getty images pics are often wrong. This one says March 28, 1967. The pic might well be from the same day as the one of Frank above:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sgd-8pxdjBI/AAAAAAAAF0I/caBq7mDdCYQ/s800/March%2028%2C%201967.jpg

This one also says June 21, 1966:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShNgovZluYI/AAAAAAAAGO4/tdm13E2Wijg/s800/June%2021%2C%201966%20brooks%20frank.jpg

[Gehrig27]

You can also see dark green padding (what would later be grey) on the outfield walls in front of the grandstand.

[Gylmar]

The first Corbis Frank Robby pic is flipped around backwards, so that we are looking at left field.

[SultanOfWhat]

The first Corbis Frank Robby pic is flipped around backwards, so that we are looking at left field.

Thanks, I flipped it to correct it.

More pics:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShNjAkRUI4I/AAAAAAAAGO8/dgO6tm-ytEo/s800/1957%20at%20Yankee%20Stadium%20in%20New%20York.jpg
1957
(L to R) Infielders Bill 'Moose' Skowron (firstbaseman), Tony Kubek (shortstop), Bobby Richardson (secondbaseman), Jerry Coleman (secondbaseman), Joe Collins (firstbaseman), Jerry Lumpe (utility), Andy Carey (thirdbaseman) and Gil McDougald (thirdbaseman) pose for a portrait prior to a game in 1957 at Yankee Stadium in New York, New York. 57N0390 (Photo by: Olen Collection/Diamond Images/Getty Images)

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShNmKZGd1DI/AAAAAAAAGPE/62K8E_N6NcQ/s800/Bobby%20Richardson%20in%20action%2C%20hitting%20gr and%20slam%20HR%20during%20game%20vs%20Pittsburgh% 20Pirates%2010-8-60.jpg
Bobby Richardson in action, hitting grand slam HR during game vs Pittsburgh Pirates 10-8-60


http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShI-WCFZnHI/AAAAAAAAGNw/zgvd46Belrc/s800/E10289.jpg
1940s. I'd guess 1946-7.


http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShI-Vjst9hI/AAAAAAAAGNo/fkOg2wASaPI/s800/U000479ACME.jpg
With brother Dom. Maybe 1947.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShNoYljF4MI/AAAAAAAAGPI/FLNxj65uv58/s800/st%20NEW%20YORK%20YANKEES%20ENOS%20SLAUGHTER%20AND %20JOE%20COLLINS%20HOP%20OUT%20O.jpg

[jimmyjimjimz]

Painting the frieze white didn't look too bad, but painting the facing of the upper deck white looked lousy.

This pic shows all mint-green seats in the upper deck.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShNkDED_1hI/AAAAAAAAGPA/vTzNRQXb6QM/s800/June%2021%2C%201966%20flipped%20right%20way.jpg
21 Jun 1966, Bronx, New York, USA --- Portrait of Frank Robinson


As locke40 pointed out, this pic (made brighter) appears to show darker blue seats in the front rows of the upper deck. I'll look for more decisive pics.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwh2GrIiI/AAAAAAAAGOw/Y5SrKmpxwZc/s800/SEPTEMBER%2017%2C%201966%20bobby%20richardson%20ho nored.jpg
Sept 17, 1966

The captions on corbis and getty images pics are often wrong. This one says March 28, 1967. The pic might well be from the same day as the one of Frank above:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sgd-8pxdjBI/AAAAAAAAF0I/caBq7mDdCYQ/s800/March%2028%2C%201967.jpg

This one also says June 21, 1966:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShNgovZluYI/AAAAAAAAGO4/tdm13E2Wijg/s800/June%2021%2C%201966%20brooks%20frank.jpg


ok, the 2nd pic here................
is that a house in the upper deck? There's something in front of where the seats start that looks like a house. Or is that what luxury boxes looked like back then?

[soup]

ok, the 2nd pic here................
is that a house in the upper deck? There's something in front of where the seats start that looks like a house. Or is that what luxury boxes looked like back then?

Football pressbox

[Lpeters199]

Does anyone know why the black curtain was used most of the time, but not always? Bobby Richardson's grand slam pic in the 1960 World Series shows the bleachers full and no curtain. Wasn't that dangerous for the hitters?

[Sean O]

Does anyone know why the black curtain was used most of the time, but not always? Bobby Richardson's grand slam pic in the 1960 World Series shows the bleachers full and no curtain. Wasn't that dangerous for the hitters?

It's the world series, they wanted to jam in as many people as they could. And yes, all those white shirts certainly wouldn't have helped a hitter pick up the ball all that easily.

[Lpeters199]

Who are the players? I can ID Skowron first, Kubek second, and McDougald last. Who are the others? Nice shot of the right field stands.

[mackenzie]

Who are the players? I can ID Skowron first, Kubek second, and McDougald last. Who are the others? Nice shot of the right field stands.

Richardson is third.

[SultanOfWhat]

Who are the players? I can ID Skowron first, Kubek second, and McDougald last. Who are the others? Nice shot of the right field stands.

Edited post 2383, adding caption with players' names.

[Paul W]

this photo taken when players were shuttled from huggins field to al lang field on the bayfront in st. petersburg. mets did the same when they were there...

[jimmyjimjimz]

Football pressbox

why couldnt they use the baseball pressbox? was it too far back or something?

[Tino24]

does anyone have pictures of the concourses in the old stadium? I looks like its all open behind the seats

[RichardLillard1]

With the football pressbox put in that location, it sat closer to the 50 yard line. This gave the the press and announcers a better vantage point.

If you go back quite a few pages on this thread, you'll see a picture of Marv Albert in the Right Field one and some pictures of the one that was located along the left field grandstand as well.


Richard

[Anubis2051]

why couldnt they use the baseball pressbox? was it too far back or something?

The baseball press box would have been in the end zone. The football one rotated around so that it was on the 50yd line. Simple really, it gave a better view to the reporters so they could tell what was going on.

[RichardLillard1]

this photo taken when players were shuttled from huggins field to al lang field on the bayfront in st. petersburg. mets did the same when they were there...

Whew, I thought I was losing my mind if their were palm trees in the Bronx. :rolleyes:


Richard

[soup]

The baseball press box would have been in the end zone. The football one rotated around so that it was on the 50yd line. Simple really, it gave a better view to the reporters so they could tell what was going on.

Correct

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2170/2464382477_19da92018f_o.jpg

[Gehrig27]

I just picked up that Yankee Colors book, it has some really great shots of the old stadium; clubhouse shots and onfield World Series action, but the real gems are the pictures taken during night games. I'll see if I can put some scans up later.

[SultanOfWhat]

Any photoshop-type people on this thread? Could someone see if these two pics might be joined for a good panoramic?:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SgvPy1V7SwI/AAAAAAAAF8c/U2YXlnowI-c/s800/Yankees%20Old%204.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SgvP1VvKVoI/AAAAAAAAF8k/gQuDYXStnrU/s800/Yankees%20Old%203-1.JPG

[Mygirljess]

Great shots, was this before they extended the granstands and closed off the bleachers? Imagine how cool these bleachers must have been, with the wind circulation. I remember "Con Ed Kids Day" in 1971, right in those same bleachers, it looked exactly the same. Jake Gibbs and Earl Battey.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SgvP1VvKVoI/AAAAAAAAF8k/gQuDYXStnrU/s800/Yankees%20Old%203-1.JPG[/QUOTE]

[Gehrig27]

I found these great photos on Getty. They're all from 1966 except for the exterior shot of gate 4, which also shows work being done on the light-up YANKEE STADIUM letters; it appears that only the Y, A, and part of N have their covering on (perhaps when they switched from red to blue?)

[Gehrig27]

Some more, plus Babe and the big train under the grandstand before their charity tournament, 1942.

[YankeeStadium1923]

Any photoshop-type people on this thread? Could someone see if these two pics might be joined for a good panoramic?:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SgvPy1V7SwI/AAAAAAAAF8c/U2YXlnowI-c/s800/Yankees%20Old%204.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SgvP1VvKVoI/AAAAAAAAF8k/gQuDYXStnrU/s800/Yankees%20Old%203-1.JPG

I did a quick edit of the photos you supplied....

[frank72]

I found these great photos on Getty. They're all from 1966 except for the exterior shot of gate 4, which also shows work being done on the light-up YANKEE STADIUM letters; it appears that only the Y, A, and part of N have their covering on (perhaps when they switched from red to blue?)

Great pictures Gehrig! Thanks for posting these - shots of the inetrior of YS seem to be very hard to find and I have not seen these before.

[frank72]

Its interesting to note that the turnstile in the picture posted above looks very much like the turnstiles in renovated YS. I had always assumed the turnstiles had been removed and replaced durring the renovation....

[kobathecat]

Thank-you!:bowdown::applaud:

[stadiumbuilder]

Gehrig27 comes through again! That exterior shot of gate 4 must have been taken during the '67 facelift. Fresh old photos of OYS is always a good thing.

[Tino24]

Thanks alot!!!

[Yankeefan3783]

Great pics.

[Gylmar]

Wonderful pics Gehrig27!!!! :bowdown:

I went to Tiger Stadium in Detroit during the same time as your photos of OYS interior and the concessions stands with all of the Yankee photos and was quite suprised because at Tiger Stadium they did not have any Tiger photos on display. :mad:

It goes to show that the people at Yankee Stadium go the extra mile to make your visit to the ballpark more special than at the other stadiums, even back in the 1960's! :rolleyes:

[SultanOfWhat]

Thanks to YankeeStadium1923 for that photo merge.

Those are some very interesting interior pics Gehrig found. Here are some more old YS pics:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShXIN2724OI/AAAAAAAAGT8/jADcwX2ng94/s800/c.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShXIOlXuN8I/AAAAAAAAGUA/YYLTORgWUac/s800/Opening%20Game%20-%20Yankee%20Stadium.jpg

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShXIPG29W1I/AAAAAAAAGUE/FDzBOBVa0OY/s800/1955%20uuu.jpg
Yogi and Campy 1955 WS


No wonder they lowered the field during the 1973-76 renovations:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShXIQFdN2ZI/AAAAAAAAGUI/LIMvHNs-0-s/s800/1955%20tgtg.jpg

Ruth's last game pitching. Complete game victory over the Red Sox, Oct. 1, 1933:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShXIQTHB9tI/AAAAAAAAGUM/oaMA4KdLhgU/s800/Oct.1%2C%201933%20vs.%20his%20former%20team%2C%20t he%20Boston%20Red%20Sox.jpg

Joe D's debut May 3, 1936 in OYS:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShXPlciJlMI/AAAAAAAAGVY/ZH3bEOk09eg/s800/May%203%2C%201936%201st%20game.jpg

Mantle April 1951 vs. Bos, wearing his original number 6:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShXLiRQoKpI/AAAAAAAAGUo/5KVl5SkFlM0/s800/April%201951%20New%20York%20Yankees%20outfielder%2 0Mickey%20Mantle%20vs%20bos.jpg

Larsen 's perfect game:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShXNC1H3RAI/AAAAAAAAGUs/EW8b9qnwI7k/s800/on%20October%208%2C%201956%20b.jpg

After a bottom of the ninth inning home run from Tommy Henrich ends game 1, 10-5-49. Cool lighting effect from sunlight up by the frieze:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShXNU_ZUl8I/AAAAAAAAGUw/Ij9O04VoaeM/s800/bottom%20of%20the%20ninth%20inning%20home%20run%20 from%20Tommy%20Henrich%2010-5-49%20gm%201.jpg

An obscure one:

1926, USA --- With a record crowd attending the second game of the 1926 World Series, the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Yankees, score 6 to 2. Here is Tony Lazzeri of the Yankees attempting to steal home and is trapped between third and home. Although caught, he managed to steal home, making a spectacular play.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShXSABNPhaI/AAAAAAAAGVc/LRlLkEIRUy0/s800/Tony%20Lazzeri%20Trying%20to%20Steal%20Home%20%20g m%202%206-2%20loss%20safe%20at%20home.jpg

[Lpeters199]

Getty football shots.

[Lpeters199]

Getty Giants pics at Yankee Stadium.

[YankeesFan]

I found these great photos on Getty. They're all from 1966 except for the exterior shot of gate 4, which also shows work being done on the light-up YANKEE STADIUM letters; it appears that only the Y, A, and part of N have their covering on (perhaps when they switched from red to blue?)

Great photos!!!

I have a question regarding the sign leading down the ramp:

"Exit To Street - After Game Only"

Does anyone know why you could not exit down this ramp during the game?

Was anything down on this concourse level besides restrooms apparently?


I guess tickets were color coded in the old stadium too, like the first 10 years or so in the renovated stadium. I wonder if this was a CBS thing started in '67.

[Anubis2051]

http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=70027&stc=1&d=1242892563

I love how the signage looks so similar to that of the renovated stadium. I wonder if any of it was held over?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3148/2881776530_3a5f80ed3a_b.jpg


http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=70028&stc=1&d=1242892598
http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=70030&stc=1&d=1242892673
http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=70031&stc=1&d=1242892790
http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=70032&stc=1&d=1242892818

LOVING these interiors. I feel like pictures from the inside of OYS are so rare. I would love to see a comparison of those areas as they look now at RYS. Love the pictures on top of the concession stands, I wonder if the Yankees did that in NYS as an homage to the old place? That would be some really impressive thought on their part if they did. The one concession stand looks like the DMV though haha. Whats up with that combination of the NY and top hat logos? Interesting, don't think I've seen that before.

[brooklyndodger14]

Deleted Deleted Deleted

[jimmyjimjimz]

http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=70027&stc=1&d=1242892563

I love how the signage looks so similar to that of the renovated stadium. I wonder if any of it was held over?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3148/2881776530_3a5f80ed3a_b.jpg


http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=70028&stc=1&d=1242892598
http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=70030&stc=1&d=1242892673
http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=70031&stc=1&d=1242892790
http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=70032&stc=1&d=1242892818

LOVING these interiors. I feel like pictures from the inside of OYS are so rare. I would love to see a comparison of those areas as they look now at RYS. Love the pictures on top of the concession stands, I wonder if the Yankees did that in NYS as an homage to the old place? That would be some really impressive thought on their part if they did. The one concession stand looks like the DMV though haha. Whats up with that combination of the NY and top hat logos? Interesting, don't think I've seen that before.


Most of those pics are comming up as red X's.

[Mygirljess]

I have some great shots I took at Yankee Stadium in 1972 or 1973, closeups of players like Vida Blue, Munson, Petrocelli, Norm Cash etc. Unfortunately, they are in storage, so I'd have to dig them up and scan them in order to post them here. If I can find the time and the energy, I'll do it this week.

[Gehrig27]

A quick question to anybody that went to OYS; was the main concourse off limits with the exceptions being the gate lobbies/ramps? I feel like I read that somewhere. With these new pictures, I'm trying to piece together what the experience was like outside of the seating areas. Also, here's some more: 1961 (notice the removed RF mezzanine siding), 1955, 1959.

[YankeeStadium1923]

[IMG]
LOVING these interiors. I feel like pictures from the inside of OYS are so rare. I would love to see a comparison of those areas as they look now at RYS. Love the pictures on top of the concession stands, I wonder if the Yankees did that in NYS as an homage to the old place? That would be some really impressive thought on their part if they did. The one concession stand looks like the DMV though haha. Whats up with that combination of the NY and top hat logos? Interesting, don't think I've seen that before.[/B]
I shot some interior ramp photos during the last homestand at Yankee Stadium 2008.
I found this pic for comparison.

[yankees82]

comparison of the view from the LF bleachers of both stadiums:

[Aviator_Frank]

With those open slats between the top deck and the roof overhang, you can't see the forest for the frieze.

[Lpeters199]

Two Getty photos.

[locke40]

I just can't understand how anyone could look at these photographs, and still say support columns are bad for baseball stadium architecture.

[YankeeStadium1923]

comparison of the view from the LF bleachers of both stadiums:
Thats a pretty good comparison except one was the real deal and another a Las Vegas Replica....Kind of like the photos posted below:

[NYFan1stYankFan2nd]

Thats a pretty good comparison except one was the real deal and another a Las Vegas Replica....Kind of like the photos posted below:

On the Vegas version you can really see the seams. Or so it would seem... :ughh

[tomato]

Maybe that first photo they were removing the letters for the renovation, looking at the cars it looks like that time. Also note they medalions seem to be gone.

[Lpeters199]

#61 catch and boxing setup at Yankee Stadium.

[RichardLillard1]

The medallions are there, just painted white. They always have been there and you would see a big dark circle if they were removed.


Richard

[threeyoda]

On that first photo of page 97, the message board says:

"Things are happening at Yankee Stadium"

[Anubis2051]

#61 catch and boxing setup at Yankee Stadium.


Are you sure thats boxing? looks more like the pope's visit to me.

[brooklyndodger14]

Are you sure thats boxing? looks more like the pope's visit to me.


Nope, it definitely ain't the Pope.... Those are the original 1923 bleachers out there and the Pope didn't visit until 1965.

It is quite understandable, however to think it was a Papal set-up as they are almost identical in configuration.

Dennis
BrooklynDodger14

[Lpeters199]

1930 Schmeling-Sharkey match. Also a link to Leland's Auction site for many Yankee Stadium photos.

http://www.lelands.com/searchlist.aspx?auction=all&type=Both&keyword=yankee%20stadium

[SultanOfWhat]

I posted this one over on the Babe Ruth thread:

07 Jun 1933, Bronx, New York, New York, USA --- Step Right This Way Folks...And See the Big Fight. New York: This is Yankee Stadium the day before the fight between Max Baer of California and Max Schmeling of Germany. Jack Dempsey the promoter, is pushing the sale for these seats. The prices are from $1.15 up. A crowd of 70,000 and a $250,000 gate are in prospect.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Shi1soyJb2I/AAAAAAAAGaY/jaJJPdWQXdU/s800/RuthbarrelJune71933baer-schmeling3.jpg

Yellow arrow points to a fire barrel supposedly struck by a Ruth home run in 1930.

Clean version:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShnyZDlHEgI/AAAAAAAAGcs/ZmYD9CSEPDg/s800/Ruth%20barrel%20June%207%2C%201933%20baer-schmeling2.jpg

[Yankees12]

I just can't understand how anyone could look at these photographs, and still say support columns are bad for baseball stadium architecture.

Easy.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/west/obstructedview.JPG

http://stevestewart.mlblogs.com/View-thumb-300x225.jpg

http://bleacherreport.com/images_root/image_pictures/0287/9972/pole_feature.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Ell7mSdqEf0/SDIca9ogmYI/AAAAAAAADVQ/Xtuxf_g9MDA/Brewers+at+Red+Sox+May+16+&+17+2008+002.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3123/2507788564_3ae2efe2c6.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1168/1383910800_1b3960be64.jpg?v=0

http://chicagoist.com/attachments/chicago_benjy/2008_05_sports_wrigley_seat.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/201/453326708_a0973ff5c2_m.jpg

The second the cantilever was applied to ballparks, the beam became obsolete and unnecessary to bring stands closer to the field and to support upper decks/roofs. To add in obstructed views by putting something totally structurally unnecessary and outdated would be awful.

For one, I don't want to have a beam cutting off my view of home plate/the mound/any of the bases/anywhere else on the field.

[DrLev]

The second the cantilever was applied to ballparks, the beam became obsolete and unnecessary to bring stands closer to the field and to support upper decks/roofs. To add in obstructed views by putting something totally structurally unnecessary and outdated would be awful.


Agreed. The problem is that stadiums are not being built with aggressive cantilevers a la RFK or RYS. The trend with the plethora of HOK/Populous ballparks since New Comiskey is that they do not cantilever, preferring to terrace the decks with very slight overhangs that couldn't reasonably be called cantilevers. This pushes the upper decks far back from the field. Add in split upper decks and you've got fans up in the stratosphere.

[soup]

Agreed. The problem is that stadiums are not being built with aggressive cantilevers a la RFK or RYS. The trend with the plethora of HOK/Populous ballparks since New Comiskey is that they do not cantilever, preferring to terrace the decks with very slight overhangs that couldn't reasonably be called cantilevers. This pushes the upper decks far back from the field. Add in split upper decks and you've got fans up in the stratosphere.

Exactly. The cantilevers aren't used hardly at all....one of the coolest things about OYS (and subsequently RYS) was the fact that the upper deck was right on top of the field. I'm really surprised that there haven't been at least a few stadiums built with aggressive cantilevers

[Rob R]

comparison of the view from the LF bleachers of both stadiums:
I'm actually surprised by the similarities between OYS and NYS. It's safe to say and almost ironic that NYS captures the look and feel of OYS more than RYS.

[yankees650B]

I'm actually surprised by the similarities between OYS and NYS. It's safe to say and almost ironic that NYS captures the look and feel of OYS more than RYS.
your kidding right?
besides that pathetic frieze what sets nys apart from any other new stadium? nothing.

[Rob R]

your kidding right?
besides that pathetic frieze what sets nys apart from any other new stadium? nothing.
No, I'm not kidding.

[YankeesFan]

Actually they ARE a set of speakers installed around 1959 with the construction of the 1959 changeable message board. Previously, the PA speakers were placed atop the scoreboard to the left and right of the analog Longines clock.

As far as tomato plants actually growing there, I cannot conclusively say. The Mets, however, were known to grow tomatos by the plexiglass wall of their bullpen at Shea.

Dennis
BrooklynDodgers14

I've love how the Ballantine sign was lit up on the pre-1959 scoreboard. With the blue "Stadium Favorite" and three rings logo lit in blue. Along with "Ballantine" and "Ale Beer" in red.

I've never seen the 1959-1973 scoreboard in a color photo at night. Does anyone remember how the Ballantine sign lit up on that scoreboard? I believe the "Ballantine" still lit up red, but I don't know about the "It's A Hit" or the three rings logo.

Then I began to think, does anyone remember if and/or how the (1968-1969) American Airlines or the (1970-1973) Marlboro sign lit up?

[brooklyndodger14]

I'm actually surprised by the similarities between OYS and NYS. It's safe to say and almost ironic that NYS captures the look and feel of OYS more than RYS.


Are you sure??


Let's for a moment forget about the frieze and examine other elements comparing OYS and NYS:

What look and feel of OYS is captured by the overkill-sized TV screen in dead CF surrounded by GIGANTIC ads that also block out the view of the surrounding neighborhood that it is set in? Look at any pre-renovation wide view of the OYS bleachers and then a similar view of the NYS bleachers.

And what about the Mohegan Sun bar plunked down in the middle of the bleachers like a hi-rise condo built smack in the middle of a blue-collar neighborhood?

Or Monument Park (a NYS feature), which evolved from being completely outdoors to now being shoved halfway under the bar and is being referred to as "Monument Cave"?

The field dimensions? Until NYS actually gets a "Death Valley" like configuration in the LF power alley (457ft in OYS, 430ft in 1976 RYS), there is nothing that recalls OYS in NYS. In fact, before RYS started building that second wall from LF to CF cutting the power alley down to 399ft and reducing dead Center from 417ft to 408ft, RYS dimensions DID have more of the OYS feel than NYS, which merely "quotes" the most recent dimensions of RYS.

Finally, OYS' Upper Deck front row was about 50' above the playing field, and overhung about 12 or so rows behind front row of the Field Level . I do not know what the NYS forward Upper Deck front row height above the field is, but it is definitely not 50 feet high, and you can just forget about a comparable front row overhang distance from the Field Level front row.


Dennis
BrooklynDodger14

[brooklyndodger14]

I've love how the Ballantine sign was lit up on the pre-1959 scoreboard. With the blue "Stadium Favorite" and three rings logo lit in blue. Along with "Ballantine" and "Ale Beer" in red.

I've never seen the 1959-1973 scoreboard in a color photo at night. Does anyone remember how the Ballantine sign lit up on that scoreboard? I believe the "Ballantine" still lit up red, but I don't know about the "It's A Hit" or the three rings logo.

Then I began to think, does anyone remember if and/or how the (1968-1969) American Airlines or the (1970-1973) Marlboro sign lit up?

From its installation in 1959 until 1966, the "Its a HIT" version of the Ballantine Beer and Ale sign dominated the scoreboard. My brother had seen the words "HIT" light up whenever there was a Yankee hit, but I actually never saw that myself.

http://baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=70503&stc=1&d=1243568290

There were slight changes in the Ballantine graphics and logo after 1962. The original "Ballantine" ad had a longer crossed "t" with a tiny 3-ring logo dotting the "i", and a larger 3-ring logo against the white background. The letters were lit in red neon and the large logo was lit in blue.

http://www.baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=24865&stc=1&d=1181021164

In 1963, "Its a HIT" remained while the rest of the wording was replaced by a cleaner looking font and a white 3-ring logo set against a green/gold shield-like trim. Both letters and logo were now backlit by flourescent lighting with the "Ballantine beer and ale" still in red. (For all of you sharp-eyed baseball movie fans, an interesting bit of historical inaccuracy is depicted in Billy Crystal's 61* where the 1963 Ballantine ad is seen instead of the 1959 ad.)

After Ballantine withdrew sponsorship following the 1966 season, the iconic sign was taken down and the space remained a black expanse throughout the first "refurbished" season in 1967.

In 1968, American Airlines took over the space with their ad, "Fly the American Way.. American Airlines."

That remained until, I believe, 1970 when Marlboro took over. It was originally a red against white sign for the first year and then the familiar white against red until 1973.

Both of those signs were not lit in any fashion during night games throughout their lifespan.

Dennis
BrooklynDodger14

[Rob R]

Are you sure??
Let's for a moment forget about the frieze and examine other elements comparing OYS and NYS:

What look and feel OYS is captured by the overkill-sized TV screen in dead CF surrounded by GIGANTIC ads that also block out the view of the surrounding neighborhood that it is set in? Look at any pre-renovation wide view of the OYS bleachers and then a similar view of the NYS bleachers.

And what about the Mohegan Sun bar plunked down in the middle of the bleachers like a hi-rise condo built smack in the middle of a blue-collar neighborhood?

Or Monument Park (a NYS feature), which evolved from being completely outdoors to now being shoved halfway under the bar and is being referred to as "Monument Cave"?

The field dimensions? Until NYS actually gets a "Death Valley" like configuration in the LF power alley (457ft in OYS, 430ft in 1976 RYS), there is nothing that recalls OYS in NYS. In fact, before RYS started building that second wall from LF to CF cuttiing the power alley down to 399ft and reducing dead Center from 417ft to 408ft, RYS dimensions DID have more of the OYS feel then NYS which merely "quotes" the most recent dimensions of RYS.

Finally, OYS' Upper Deck front row was about 50' above the playing field, and overhung about 12 or so rows behind front row of the Field Level . I do not know what the NYS forward Upper Deck front row height above the field is, but it is definitely not 50 feet high, and you can just forget about a comparable front row overhang distance from the Field Level front row.


Dennis
BrooklynDodger14



I was talking about and was responding to the post that showed comparison photos of the view from the bleachers at OYS and NYS.

[stadiumbuilder]

I'm actually surprised by the similarities between OYS and NYS. It's safe to say and almost ironic that NYS captures the look and feel of OYS more than RYS.Yes, they're both in the Bronx, and they have a ballfield in the middle.

[applenut]

No, I'm not kidding.

Well than you have issues... the funny thing about your statement is that outside of the frieze, HOK and the Yankees didn't even try to make the interior seating bowl mimic or remotely look like OYS they tried to make it look like a "modernize RYS"..... in other words, they failed all around and it sure as hell doesn't look like OYS. The exterior on the other hand is a disney/vegas reinterpretation of OYS's exterior.

[shaneslatts]

Well than you have issues... the funny thing about your statement is that outside of the frieze, HOK and the Yankees didn't even try to make the interior seating bowl mimic or remotely look like OYS they tried to make it look like a "modernize RYS"..... in other words, they failed all around and it sure as hell doesn't look like OYS. The exterior on the other hand is a disney/vegas reinterpretation of OYS's exterior.

Exactly correct

When Trost and company was selling the new park, he said ' we are bringing back the 1923 limestone facade, just as Babe Ruth saw it in 1923". Whats amazing is people believed him. First off, Yankee Stadiums facade is concrete, not prefab limestone(one can prove this, since they havent destroyed the historical Stadiums facade--- yet), second, its another "interpetation" of the real Yankee Stadiums facade. Anyone can see it looks like the 1923 facade only in that it has arched windows.
How anyone can think that a 2009 INTERPETATION of Yankee Stadium looks more like Yankee Stadium then Yankee Stadium itself is well...kind of shocking

[Gylmar]

From its installation in 1959 until 1966, the "Its a HIT" version of the Ballantine Beer and Ale sign dominated the scoreboard. My brother had seen the words "HIT" light up whenever there was a Yankee hit, but I actually never saw that myself.

There were slight changes in the Ballantine graphics and logo after 1962. The original "Ballantine" ad had a longer crossed "t" with a tiny 3-ring logo dotting the "i", and a larger 3-ring logo against the white background. The letters were lit with red neon but I'm not sure what color the large logo was lit in.

In 1963, "Its a HIT" remained while the rest of the wording was replaced by a cleaner looking font and a white 3-ring logo set against a green/gold shield-like trim. Both letters and logo were now backlit by flourescent lighting with the "Ballantine beer and ale" still in red.

After Ballantine withdrew sponsorship following the 1966 season, the iconic sign was taken down and the space remained a black expanse throughout the first "refurbished" season in 1967.

In 1968, American Airlines took over the space with their ad, "Fly the American Way.. American Airlines."

That remained until, I believe, 1970 when Marlboro took over. It was originally a red against white sign for the first year and then the familiar white against red until 1973.

Both of those signs were not lit in any fashion during night games throughout their lifespan.

Dennis
BrooklynDodger14

Wonderful information on the advertising signage on the OYS scoreboard.

I believe that the same main scoreboard (1959-1973) along with the auxiliary scoreboards had the Yankees team name in red when they were and bat and the visitors name in white.

Then the boards would switch over to the visitors name in red and the Yankees name in white when they came up to bat.

I believe this is the case, however I'm not 100% certain.

[David Atkatz]

I'm actually surprised by the similarities between OYS and NYS. It's safe to say and almost ironic that NYS captures the look and feel of OYS more than RYS.

Does Trost pay you to spout this stuff?

[Rob R]

Well than you have issues... the funny thing about your statement is that outside of the frieze, HOK and the Yankees didn't even try to make the interior seating bowl mimic or remotely look like OYS they tried to make it look like a "modernize RYS"..... in other words, they failed all around and it sure as hell doesn't look like OYS. The exterior on the other hand is a disney/vegas reinterpretation of OYS's exterior.
Thanks for the lecture/rant but I was referring to that particular photo. :waving

[Rob R]

Does Trost pay you to spout this stuff?

You're in agony, aren't you.

[Rob R]

Yes, they're both in the Bronx, and they have a ballfield in the middle.

All I am saying is that in this particular photo (and yes, the frieze is instrumental), this photo gives you more of a feel of OYS

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w241/fafafooey69/OYS-NYS-LFbleachers.jpg

than this

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w241/fafafooey69/rysblea.jpg

[David Atkatz]

It's amazing how easily an imitation frieze can fool those who've never seen the real thing.

[Robbyb26]

If you take away the fake frieze, it just looks like any sports arena.

[YankeesFan]

Wonderful information on the advertising signage on the OYS scoreboard.

I believe that the same main scoreboard (1959-1973) along with the auxiliary scoreboards had the Yankees team name in red when they were and bat and the visitors name in white.

Then the boards would switch over to the visitors name in red and the Yankees name in white when they came up to bat.

I believe this is the case, however I'm not 100% certain.

I know the NY Giants also used the red team name plates. Although I think by the late 60's, at least the NY Giants stopped using the red team names. The Yankees may have too.

[stadiumbuilder]

Rob R, I can fully see the point with the comparison pictures. Of course at some point they would replace RYS. When that day came and we were told it would be patterned more after the old stadium, I was excited. I had been hoping for 35 years that a new YS more like the old one would be built by people who understood OYS's strong points. I'm sure everybody will get used to the new place and this discussion won't be necessary, but you've got to understand, for those of us that spent a lot of time at the old one, this new one doesn't have key features that made the original so special. Love it, hate it or somewhere in the middle, they are two entirely different structures. Sell the new park to people on it's own merits but they can't tell those of us that were there that the two parks compare. OYS was large and imposing, yet at the same time, a very intimate setting with tremendous atomosphere. The acustics were incredible. You think Bob Shepard sounded good in RYS, you should have heard him in OYS! The crowd noise, the shadows and from mosty everywhere I ever sat, you always felt right on top of the action. The close, low walls, the distant high walls, monuments, flagpole and PA system right on the field, they'll just never be anything like it ever again, and that's too bad. Imagine a park nowadays where 50% of the outfield walls were so far from homeplate most players in the league could just forget about hitting it into the seats. It made for some very interesting action, sometimes thrilling and sometimes very frustrating, but always an adventure. This is an opportunity lost, the new stadium, but probably just for a relative few of us. The new stadium is very large, but for a large building with such deversity, there's an awful lot that's not there.

[Rob R]

Rob R, I can fully see the point with the comparison pictures. Of course at some point they would replace RYS. When that day came and we were told it would be patterned more after the old stadium, I was excited. I had been hoping for 35 years that a new YS more like the old one would be built by people who understood OYS's strong points. I'm sure everybody will get used to the new place and this discussion won't be necessary, but you've got to understand, for those of us that spent a lot of time at the old one, this new one doesn't have key features that made the original so special. Love it, hate it or somewhere in the middle, they are two entirely different structures. Sell the new park to people on it's own merits but they can't tell those of us that were there that the two parks compare. OYS was large and imposing, yet at the same time, a very intimate setting with tremendous atomosphere. The acustics were incredible. You think Bob Shepard sounded good in RYS, you should have heard him in OYS! The crowd noise, the shadows and from mosty everywhere I ever sat, you always felt right on top of the action. The close, low walls, the distant high walls, monuments, flagpole and PA system right on the field, they'll just never be anything like it ever again, and that's too bad. Imagine a park nowadays where 50% of the outfield walls were so far from homeplate most players in the league could just forget about hitting it into the seats. It made for some very interesting action, sometimes thrilling and sometimes very frustrating, but always an adventure. This is an opportunity lost, the new stadium, but probably just for a relative few of us. The new stadium is very large, but for a large building with such deversity, there's an awful lot that's not there.

stadiumbuilder, I don't disagree with much of what you're saying, at least in theory. I guess I'm in the camp that wish we had OYS back, that RYS never happened. OYS will never be replaceable, but in my opinion, I'd much rather what we have now than RYS, which only served to be a constant reminder of how they 1. Neglected OYS and 2. Destroyed OYS's look, heart and soul. It doesn't matter to me that 70%, or 30% of RYS was the original structure, OYS was forever ruined; a 1970's architectural eyesore. As a fan of stadiums, especially Yankee Stadium, looking at the unsightly concrete spiral structure that replaced the front of OYS, and the reomval of the ornate frieze was heartbreaking. It was like putting a mini-dress on the Statue of Liberty and having her hold a lit disco ball.

Why not just start from scratch with NYS which will carry it's own identity in the coming years? It might have been preferable to build it on the same lot, but it is what it is. No, it's not an exact replica of OYS, but a modern interpretation of it, which is OK in its own right, even if we were mislead. Call me more pro OYS and anti RYS than anything else.

As an aside, I, and a few others who said likewise in the NYS thread, have been to games at NYS where the crowd noise level equaled and probably surpassed that of RYS. It was juts a matter of time before the crowd settled in AND the Yanks played good baseball, but NYS can certainly rock. As for the PA and sound system at NYS, I'm somewhat disappointed.

[Robbyb26]

stadiumbuilder, I don't disagree with much of what you're saying, at least in theory. I guess I'm in the camp that wish we had OYS back, that RYS never happened. OYS will never be replaceable, but in my opinion, I'd much rather what we have now than RYS, which only served to be a constant reminder of how they 1. Neglected OYS and 2. Destroyed OYS's look, heart and soul. It doesn't matter to me that 70%, or 30% of RYS was the original structure, OYS was forever ruined; a 1970's architectural eyesore. As a fan of stadiums, especially Yankee Stadium, looking at the unsightly concrete spiral structure that replaced the front of OYS, and the reomval of the ornate frieze was heartbreaking. It was like putting a mini-dress on the Statue of Liberty and having her hold a lit disco ball.

Why not just start from scratch with NYS which will carry it's own identity in the coming years? It might have been preferable to build it on the same lot, but it is what it is. No, it's not an exact replica of OYS, but a modern interpretation of it, which is OK in its own right, even if we were mislead. Call me more pro OYS and anti RYS than anything else.

As an aside, I, and a few others who said likewise in the NYS thread, have been to games at NYS where the crowd noise level equaled and probably surpassed that of RYS. It was juts a matter of time before the crowd settled in AND the Yanks played good baseball, but NYS can certainly rock. As for the PA and sound system at NYS, I'm somewhat disappointed.

I have been to 6 games so far at NYS...There is no way that place is as loud and electric as the semi old place. Even when Boston was in town. It was sad. Oh well it was nice while it lasted. At least we have more luxury suites than Fenway or Wrigley. They'll never get us there!!

[Rob R]

I have been to 6 games so far at NYS...There is no way that place is as loud and electric as the semi old place. Even when Boston was in town. It was sad. Oh well it was nice while it lasted. At least we have more luxury suites than Fenway or Wrigley. They'll never get us there!!
And I say yes way, the place is as loud and electric. Just because you didn't hear it as loud, doesn't makes it so; nor does your unsubstantiated claim that it will never be as loud. Why does every discussion about NYS elicit a negative response from you?

If you don't want to take my word, go to the NYS thread and see other member's responses. It started against Minny, the first of the walk-off wins, when Gardner hit the inside the park homer and Melky's hit won it. That night and since, the place has been rocking...and yes, as loud as I've heard RYS, and I've been there hundreds of times. Maybe all it took was exciting baseball and the newness of NYS to wear off?

Even the Yankees broadcasters and YES crew commented on this - that the fans have finally settled into NYS; that they aren't acting like tourists looking all around the place much. They commented on how loud the crowd was. But you say it isn't so, so we'll take your word. Or maybe you should visit it again.

[tugger]

It was like putting a mini-dress on the Statue of Liberty and having her hold a lit disco ball.

Put me in charge of the next refurbishing.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3336/3565682616_35b0aee534_o.jpg

[Rob R]

Put me in charge of the next refurbishing.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3336/3565682616_35b0aee534_o.jpg

HOLY CRAP! That is effin great! :rofl::applaud: I am literally cracking up!

[tugger]

HOLY CRAP! That is effin great! :rofl::applaud: I am literally cracking up!

Thanks!------

[SultanOfWhat]

Let's all unite and make fun of Papelbon, who keeps grabbing his privates in public when he gives up bombs:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShtluFlANXI/AAAAAAAAGd8/JiqliNVX6tM/s800/papelgrab.jpg

Wait...must legitimize this post:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShCwlOlmJyI/AAAAAAAAGIc/1OF4w11gbqg/s800/San%20Francisco%20Giants%20Willie%20Mays%20%2824%2 9%20in%20action%2062%20ws.jpg

Willie Mays throwing from the boonies...

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Shtspa_ttaI/AAAAAAAAGeY/zlGMF3fsDTw/s800/1957.jpg
1957

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShtswmP8b0I/AAAAAAAAGec/29zzCIWVw2M/s800/May%2025%2C%201962.jpg
May 25, 1962

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sht0ujnJt2I/AAAAAAAAGfk/108vQyqMfpU/s800/October%206%2C%201949.jpg
Oct 6, 1949 bleachers entrance

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShtwDQfD1dI/AAAAAAAAGfc/hFlYMftF5oc/s800/April%2015%2C%201973.jpg
Not too many pics of Graig Nettles in OYS (arrived in 1973).

[Tino24]

Does anyone have a picture of the proposed idea for original yankee stadium, where it is completely enclosed

[Tino24]

I found it in an earlier post. thanks.

[BMF]

Let's all unite and make fun of Papelbon, who keeps grabbing his privates in public when he gives up bombs:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/ShtluFlANXI/AAAAAAAAGd8/JiqliNVX6tM/s800/papelgrab.jpg


against the mets it was more of

[The Monument]

Exactly correct

When Trost and company was selling the new park, he said ' we are bringing back the 1923 limestone facade, just as Babe Ruth saw it in 1923". Whats amazing is people believed him. First off, Yankee Stadiums facade is concrete, not prefab limestone(one can prove this, since they havent destroyed the historical Stadiums facade--- yet), second, its another "interpetation" of the real Yankee Stadiums facade. Anyone can see it looks like the 1923 facade only in that it has arched windows.
How anyone can think that a 2009 INTERPETATION of Yankee Stadium looks more like Yankee Stadium then Yankee Stadium itself is well...kind of shocking

Well put, applenut and shaneslatts.

[SparkyL]

. . .

Why not just start from scratch with NYS which will carry it's own identity in the coming years? It might have been preferable to build it on the same lot, but it is what it is. No, it's not an exact replica of OYS, but a modern interpretation of it, which is OK in its own right, even if we were mislead. Call me more pro OYS and anti RYS than anything else.

. . .

I get all that you are saying. I have a question for you. If you had to choose between RYS and a completely new 70's stadium in the Meadowlands (which also means that NYS is not in the Bronx), which would you have picked?

[Robbyb26]

And I say yes way, the place is as loud and electric. Just because you didn't hear it as loud, doesn't makes it so; nor does your unsubstantiated claim that it will never be as loud. Why does every discussion about NYS elicit a negative response from you?

If you don't want to take my word, go to the NYS thread and see other member's responses. It started against Minny, the first of the walk-off wins, when Gardner hit the inside the park homer and Melky's hit won it. That night and since, the place has been rocking...and yes, as loud as I've heard RYS, and I've been there hundreds of times. Maybe all it took was exciting baseball and the newness of NYS to wear off?

Even the Yankees broadcasters and YES crew commented on this - that the fans have finally settled into NYS; that they aren't acting like tourists looking all around the place much. They commented on how loud the crowd was. But you say it isn't so, so we'll take your word. Or maybe you should visit it again.

My bad. The YES crew must be right. I don't know what I was thinking.

[threeyoda]

My bad. The YES crew must be right. I don't know what I was thinking.

ON Sunday night, the place was rocking, electric, bouncing, roaring, and bursting. Louder than I ever heard RYS.

[YankeeStadium1923]

ON Sunday night, the place was rocking, electric, bouncing, roaring, and bursting. Louder than I ever heard RYS.
The loudest crowd I have ever witnessed in person was the 1995 Playoffs at Yankee Stadium.....The first playoff game in the Bronx since 1981....And that includes numerous playoff and World Series games played at Yankee Stadium.

Think NYS was louder?

[LizrdKng67]

HOLY CRAP! That is effin great! :rofl::applaud: I am literally cracking up!

Don't forget, Lady Liberty is French - I doubt her legs look that good!

[SparkyL]

Can we try and keep this conversation to just the pre-renovation YS? :pray:

[threeyoda]

The loudest crowd I have ever witnessed in person was the 1995 Playoffs at Yankee Stadium.....The first playoff game in the Bronx since 1981....And that includes numerous playoff and World Series games played at Yankee Stadium.

Think NYS was louder?

I never went to a world series or important playoff at RYS.

[Rob R]

I get all that you are saying. I have a question for you. If you had to choose between RYS and a completely new 70's stadium in the Meadowlands (which also means that NYS is not in the Bronx), which would you have picked?

I'd have to say I'd keep RYS. I think a move to NJ would have been more sacrilegious than what they did to OYS in the 70's. At least the Bronx and RYS are/were readily identified with the Yankees. The Yanks in NJ? To me that's as bad as the Giants to SF and Dodgers to LA, no matter the proximity. The difference is that I'd still be a Yanks fan though it just would never sit right to me.

I'm a football Giants fan but somehow it still bothers me to know that they went from NY to NJ, though not nearly as devastating if the Yanks were to follow suit.

[Rob R]

My bad. The YES crew must be right. I don't know what I was thinking.

No, my bad. You were there and said it wasn't so, so how could it possibly be?

Or, how about I and many others (including threeyoda, as you can see) were there to witness it firsthand and the YES crew, who only happen to cover every game, said likewise?

[Rob R]

The loudest crowd I have ever witnessed in person was the 1995 Playoffs at Yankee Stadium.....The first playoff game in the Bronx since 1981....And that includes numerous playoff and World Series games played at Yankee Stadium.

Think NYS was louder?

I've been to playoff and WS games too, where RYS literally shook and bounced, and I'm sure you experienced the same. It was both thrilling and somewhat scary.

Maybe it's a little stretch if I implied that the Minny series was as loud as those playoff games (only because of the significance of those games), and I'm judging by memory so it's hard to gauge, but I will tell you this: Judging by the noise level of that Minny series at NYS - games in May, mind you - there is no doubt that NYS can come pretty close to equaling or maybe even surpassing it. So close that I don't think humans could measure it with any certainty, only "It felt the same."

Look, I was very concerned at the noise level at the beginning of the season, and up to the Minny series, and expressed it. But almost magically it came together - exciting baseball and the newness wearing off, hence less roaming around like tourists and/or kicking tires.

[toefer]

I found it in an earlier post. thanks.

Can you link to the post? I don't know what you're talking about, or how to find it, but it sounds interesting.

[Rob R]

Don't forget, Lady Liberty is French - I doubt her legs look that good!

Yes, they do look a little too shaved and smooth, don't they...lol

[Rob R]

Can you link to the post? I don't know what you're talking about, or how to find it, but it sounds interesting.

I believe that this is what he's talking about - a rendering of OYS prior to it being built. It does look very similar to NYS, even though it's completely enclosed. Seems like HOK was influenced by it.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/Yank-111.jpg

[toefer]

I believe that this is what he's talking about - a rendering of OYS prior to it being built. It does look very similar to NYS, even though it's completely enclosed. Seems like HOK was influenced by it.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/RichardLillard1/Yank-111.jpg

Ah, thanks. It looks a little weird (the CF part) but I like it. I wonder what the capacity of that thing would be.

[SultanOfWhat]

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Shy2sZIhOuI/AAAAAAAAGgw/l_0vma2H1gI/s800/U132906INP.jpg

February 7, 1921, New York, New York, USA --- How the purposed grounds of the New York American League Baseball Club will look when completed in 1923 is shown here. The Yankee stadium is planned to seat 75,000 fans and will be the first ball park in the country. The site is just across the Harlem River from the Polo Grounds, and is convenient to subway, including elevated subways, and street cars. The site embraces more than 10 acres and was purchased from the Estate of William Waldorf Astor. Since 1913, the Yankees have alternated with the Giants in the use of the Polo Grounds. The lease on the Polo Grounds will expire in 1923, and the owners of the Yankees plan to have their new house in shape for the opening that season.

Cool pic of the banners:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Shy3ya75-BI/AAAAAAAAGhM/Qpnbl9CMaI8/s800/August%2011%2C%201973.jpg

11 Aug 1973, New York, USA --- Former New York Yankee greats, Mickey Mantle, (L) and Joe DiMaggio doff their caps to the crowd of 46,293 on hand for the annual Old-Timers' Game at Yankee Stadium here. Mantle, true to form, later belted a homer in the left field seats. Present day Yanks were beaten by the Oakland A's.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Shy6L2AtI9I/AAAAAAAAGhQ/YseT4D69yVE/s800/1938%20ws.jpg
1938 WS

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Shy7frj96uI/AAAAAAAAGhY/ks-0n6j_TQI/s800/September%2028%2C%201951%202nd%20no%20hitter%20for %20allie%20reynolds%20pops%20Ted%20W%20up%20w%208-0.jpg
28 Sep 1951, New York, USA --- Here's the very last pick by Yankee hurler Allie Reynolds at the stadium today in which he made baseball history by pitching his second no hit, no run game of the year, against the Boston Red Sox. It's the last pitch to slugger Ted Williams whose foul pop up was caught by catcher Yogi Berra for the final out, in the first game of a double header. Williams can be seen in the middle of his swing with the ball visible just above the bat handle. The plate umpire is Cal Hubbard. One pitch before this, Williams also popped up, but Yogi Berra muffed. the catch for an error. The Yankees defeated the Red Sox 8 to 0, bringing them within one victory of the pennant.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Shy9ILk72eI/AAAAAAAAGhg/NzIrwLIsaWY/s800/NEW%20YORK%20-%201957.jpg
1957

[donut726]

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Shy2sZIhOuI/AAAAAAAAGgw/l_0vma2H1gI/s800/U132906INP.jpg

February 7, 1921, New York, New York, USA --- How the purposed grounds of the New York American League Baseball Club will look when completed in 1923 is shown here. The Yankee stadium is planned to seat 75,000 fans and will be the first ball park in the country. The site is just across the Harlem River from the Polo Grounds, and is convenient to subway, including elevated subways, and street cars. The site embraces more than 10 acres and was purchased from the Estate of William Waldorf Astor. Since 1913, the Yankees have alternated with the Giants in the use of the Polo Grounds. The lease on the Polo Grounds will expire in 1923, and the owners of the Yankees plan to have their new house in shape for the opening that season.

the original NYS design with the straight facade was based on this design

http://www.stadiumpage.com/future/yankee1.jpg

[Mygirljess]

Wow, can you imagine how far the top row in centerfield would have been from home plate?

[Lpeters199]

Run a search for Yankee Stadium on this site for more great pictures like this:

[SultanOfWhat]

Run a search for Yankee Stadium on this site for more great pictures like this:

Which site?

That's a cool pic.

[Robbyb26]

The loudest crowd I have ever witnessed in person was the 1995 Playoffs at Yankee Stadium.....The first playoff game in the Bronx since 1981....And that includes numerous playoff and World Series games played at Yankee Stadium.

Think NYS was louder?

Mattinglys HR was it. I never heard the place like that.

[Lpeters199]

Which site?

That's a cool pic.

The New York Daily News site that I stupidly failed to upload.

http://www.dailynewspix.com/

[jimmyjimjimz]

Run a search for Yankee Stadium on this site for more great pictures like this:

was that when they were renovating the stadium or building it?

[brooklyndodger14]

was that when they were renovating the stadium or building it?


It would be the 1973-1976 renovation because the pillars are black and both the mezzanine and upper deck facings are painted white.

http://www.baseball-fever.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=70386&stc=1&d=1243423815

Dennis
BrooklynDodger14

[Gehrig27]

Mickey Mantle with the fan that got his famous "facade ball" in 1963. Ticket stub from Mickey's first facade homer. Yankee Stadium being prepaired on April 3, 1923. Packed house for the 1928 World Series.

[spiderico]

Mattinglys HR was it. I never heard the place like that.

Game 1 was loud. Game 2 was out of control. I've been to every postseason game including and since these and can safely say that its never been louder than right after the Sierra/Mattingly back to back HR's. 17 years of frustration came out all at once on Mattingly's HR. For many reasons, this kind of moment will never happen again, at least in our lifetimes. Don't want to start a whole thing about this, but yankee fans who grew up following them in the 80's know exactly what I mean.

One of the most underrated games of all time. Do yourself a favor and rent it:

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/baseballs_best/mlb_bb_gamepage.jsp?story_page=bb_95alds_gm2_seany y

[SultanOfWhat]

Lighter version of that 1928 WS pic:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sh4PRxTRkXI/AAAAAAAAGlE/dX0dzDaY2ss/s800/1928%20World%20Series.JPG

Has anyone seen a major league ballpark with a weird configuration like the LF area in the old YS?

As the photo below shows, if a player hit a ball into the seats near the red arrow, he would have a home run. But if he hit the ball farther (yellow arrow), it would re-enter the field of play, and he would have to run for his (likely) triple or home run. Wild set-up.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sh4SewhFFcI/AAAAAAAAGlk/tXjLMIC2gB8/s800/ys%20lf%20seats2.jpg

[jimmyjimjimz]

Lighter version of that 1928 WS pic:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sh4PRxTRkXI/AAAAAAAAGlE/dX0dzDaY2ss/s800/1928%20World%20Series.JPG

Has anyone seen a major league ballpark with a weird configuration like the LF area in the old YS?

As the photo below shows, if a player hit a ball into the seats near the red arrow, he would have a home run. But if he hit the ball farther (yellow arrow), it would re-enter the field of play, and he would have to run for his (likely) triple or home run. Wild set-up.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sh4SewhFFcI/AAAAAAAAGlk/tXjLMIC2gB8/s800/ys%20lf%20seats2.jpg



Isn't that the bullpen?

[Gehrig27]

Isn't that the bullpen?

In this original configuration of the stadium the bullpen is behind that, between the bleachers and the grandstand. After 1936 yes, that would be the bullpen.

Also, now that I'm looking at it, the 1928 picture can't be from the World Series because there is no bunting anywhere. While it could definitely be from 1928 (or any year from 28-36), the description on lelands must be wrong.

[SultanOfWhat]

Pics showing the bullpen was not in that area behind the point of the LF grandstand (which was about 400 feet from the plate) from 1923-1936. That light area was just dirt, and in play:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sh4ULNv61GI/AAAAAAAAGnM/iE93-1L1Koc/s800/2976951072_060d47055a_o.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sh41zGAh13I/AAAAAAAAGnI/79I7-_-7u1M/s800/April%2018%2C%201923%20-%20the%20very%20first%20Opening%20Day-1.jpg

The pic below shows the Stadium after the 1928 extension of the LF grandstand. There's a red dot on the bullpen fence. The area in front of the fence is still in play.

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o164/emstc/ysafter1928-1.jpg

[YankeeStadium1923]

Mattinglys HR was it. I never heard the place like that.
I went to both games and sat in the rightfield upper deck.....Rained both days but I could care less when the beers started raining down from further up!

Yankee Stadium was fun back then....You knew the real fans who waited for years for Playoff baseball to return to Yankee Stadium was in attendance . The atmospher was overwhelming to say the least. Chaulk up another great Yankee Stadium moment!.

[YankeeStadium1923]

Game 1 was loud. Game 2 was out of control. I've been to every postseason game including and since these and can safely say that its never been louder than right after the Sierra/Mattingly back to back HR's. 17 years of frustration came out all at once on Mattingly's HR. For many reasons, this kind of moment will never happen again, at least in our lifetimes. Don't want to start a whole thing about this, but yankee fans who grew up following them in the 80's know exactly what I mean.

One of the most underrated games of all time. Do yourself a favor and rent it:

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/baseballs_best/mlb_bb_gamepage.jsp?story_page=bb_95alds_gm2_seany y


I know EXACTLY what you mean. I think back and miss those days.
In the 1980's there was Don Mattingly and Yankee Stadium...and ofcourse the Old Timers day.

[SultanOfWhat]

Here's an old postcard that shows the original design:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sh76MlzSzsI/AAAAAAAAGpM/qINaRmSoWqs/s800/73632692.jpg

I always liked the watertower looming over OYS. I wish they had incorporated one in the new place. They could have sold soft drink ads on it, as we see here:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sh7410Pt-gI/AAAAAAAAGpI/QVH7GeB--q0/s800/May%2025%2C%201962%20%20j.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sh78e98OOtI/AAAAAAAAGqA/egnkEb6r4Eg/s800/SEPTEMBER%2030%2C%201961%20Outfielder%20Yogi%20Ber ra.jpg

The Moose is loose!:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sh78SrQvUGI/AAAAAAAAGp0/3RYWfdZhtkw/s800/Bill%20Skowron%201956.jpg
1956

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sh78S_XTXnI/AAAAAAAAGp4/AYAERUaL-5M/s800/Bill%20Skowron%20oct%2056.jpg

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sh78TEDywfI/AAAAAAAAGp8/afHRvHaUcL4/s800/Bill%20Skowron%20h.jpg

[bdhact1]

Wow, can you imagine how far the top row in centerfield would have been from home plate?

Where's the frieze ?