Yankee Stadium Pre-Renovation

[SultanOfWhat]

Glad to see you posted that pic, Richard, as I came across it yesterday on my PC, but forgot about it. Here it is again, lightened:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SrqNtMYUj-I/AAAAAAAAKx0/4RirfIWmKcQ/s800/attachment.jpg

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SrqSlA7Ed2I/AAAAAAAAKyQ/0mvygQh7nus/s800/Fullscreen%20capture%209232009%2052551%20PM.jpg

Obviously, the RF grandstand is a work in progress, looking a lot like the April 30, 1937 photo. You can see that the roof of the RF extension is not yet on in the two assumed opening day 1937 pics (not even to the extent of the Apr 30 pic), and that is why so much sunlight is streaming into that area in the original pic.

Here's that other photo, dated August 16, 1937, which shows the RF grandstand extension complete (with what appears to be a construction company banner). So both of the 1937 bunting pics must be from opening day, 1937.

"August 16, 1937 the final touches on the right field stands with the classic copper frieze."
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sp_qRBYZb_I/AAAAAAAAJYI/tYwp94Ux3fM/s800/August%2016%2C%201937%20the%20final%20touches%20on %20the%20right%20field%20stands%20with%20the%20cla ssic%20copper%20frieze..jpg

[locke40]

Confirming that the Yankees (in the Polo Grounds and Yankee Stadium) sported bunting on opening days in the past (aside from the first opening day in 1923):

SultanOfWhat, are you saying that there was no bunting for the first Opening Day in 1923? These photographs will confirm that there was, in fact, very ornate bunting for the very first Opening Day.

I do not have the original captions to these photographs, but I believe they are both from that very first Opening Day.

76746

76747

[TJH1923]

Interesting stuff, I could have swore that the left field extension was done during the off-season. I'll have to correct that for the projects I've been working on lately.

As per the right field extension, we've discussed that picture before. The original poster (who slips my mind currently) stated it was from the '37 World Series, which sparked interested for a time to see more pictures of the extension. None were found and that was probably a few months ago.

With all of this, it now makes better sense for dates of a few other photographs as well.

Back in the early days of this thread, a picture was posted that was taken from the air, during the right field extension. Bunting was in place and a brief discussion was had about when it could be. We knew that the main dates for bunting were opening day, July 4 and the off-season.

Given what we know now, it seems to be that these are all from opening day of 1937.

Definitely some great stuff, and some great additions to this thread. Below is the aforementioned aerial photograph, which is likely from opening day as well.


Richard

Hey Rich, it was you and me discussing it on Pg. 75 of this thread. http://baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=71363&page=75

[SultanOfWhat]

SultanOfWhat, are you saying that there was no bunting for the first Opening Day in 1923? These photographs will confirm that there was, in fact, very ornate bunting for the very first Opening Day.

I do not have the original captions to these photographs, but I believe they are both from that very first Opening Day.

76746

76747

No, I'm saying that we should assume that the opening of a new stadium would feature bunting, but perhaps not other opening days. Lots of bunting in 1923, of course, but apparently not in 1925:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SrrEuzDywHI/AAAAAAAAK04/StLq411PoQQ/s800/OD25.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SrrEviUqkTI/AAAAAAAAK08/qBnQY4GbTG4/s800/OD25_2.JPG

[Lpeters199]

Does anyone know the name of this baseball field? Was it razed for the new stadium? It had a gorgeous backdrop.

[baseballman1243]

Does anyone know the name of this baseball field? Was it razed for the new stadium? It had a gorgeous backdrop.

That was Macombs Dam Park...that field wasn't there when the leveled the place to make way for the new stadium as the park was in poor condition.

[SultanOfWhat]

Two pics from Opening Day, April 7, 1970. Yankees vs. Red Sox. Sparse crowd, unthinkable today. Attendance: 21379

Thurman and Co. take the field:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SrsK1zjVPxI/AAAAAAAAK2Q/icU7RKz_cZ4/s800/Opening%20Day%20%28Boston%20vs.%20New%20York%29%2C %20Yankee%20Stadium%2C%20New%20York%2C%20April%207 %2C%201970.jpg

View 2:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SrsK2N4hMlI/AAAAAAAAK10/xfz6N8zk6qM/s800/Opening%20Day%20%28Boston%20vs.%20New%20York%29%2C %20Yankee%20Stadium%2C%20New%20York%2C%20April%207 %2C%201970%202.jpg

The boxscore:

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1970/B04070NYA1970.htm

[Maxlugar]

I'm trying to figure out in these old pics just what came after the last row of seats at the concourse. It's always so dark back there in old pics. It it end in a waist high wall or something? Anyone have a clear picture of this?

[The Monument]

I'm trying to figure out in these old pics just what came after the last row of seats at the concourse. It's always so dark back there in old pics. It it end in a waist high wall or something? Anyone have a clear picture of this?

What I remember from the early seventies was a railing after the last row of the Main Level seats. You could stand there and watch. The concessions were against the Stadium's outer wall, so you would have your back to the field while standing on line. Very similar to what is there at NYS. The open concourse is not a "new" idea.

[Paul W]

That was Macombs Dam Park...that field wasn't there when the leveled the place to make way for the new stadium as the park was in poor condition.

not by accident...

[bandit12]

SultanOfWhat, are you saying that there was no bunting for the first Opening Day in 1923? These photographs will confirm that there was, in fact, very ornate bunting for the very first Opening Day.

I do not have the original captions to these photographs, but I believe they are both from that very first Opening Day.

76746



Nice view from the rafters.

[Lpeters199]

What I remember from the early seventies was a railing after the last row of the Main Level seats. You could stand there and watch. The concessions were against the Stadium's outer wall, so you would have your back to the field while standing on line. Very similar to what is there at NYS. The open concourse is not a "new" idea.

Yes, this picture appears to show fans standing behind a railing at the back of the lower deck and leaning on a wall at the back of the mezzanine.

[jints15]

not by accident...

The name of the baseball field was called Babe Ruth Field

[RichardLillard1]

Thanks for bringing posting the link to that TJH, I knew we had discussed it at some point, but I couldn't remember where (or even much of what was said, sadly) for the life of me.

It's interesting to see the lack of bunting of any kind for certain opening days, but not for others. Maybe they played so bad in 1925 for that reason. Ha!

Great contributions everyone. I love how a small conversation can lead to some new photos being posted!


Richard


EDIT: Also, check out these photos of the renovation and various other times throughout the life of Yankee Stadium. Many thanks to Brad Turnow and Paul Doherty for these amazing pictures!

http://www.ultimateyankees.com/pauldohertyphotosgate2.htm

[CB22]

Yankee Stadium 1936 World Series

[The Monument]

Thanks for the link to those renovation photos, Rich. Once again, they are heartbreaking and fascinating at the same time. A few of Paul Doherty's pix were used in one of the recent Stadium books.

[Sean O]

I never knew they kept the running track even after the bleachers had been modernized, that's fantastic.

[JCCC]

Thanks for the 1956 Yankee Stadium seating chart, awesome stuff on this site!

Question: Section 15, Row H, seat 23 would that be a field level seat. If not where? In 1956. TIA.

[voodoochile]

The last section of the frieze that is seen before the picture is cut off appears to be slightly brighter than the rest of the frieze. Is this the separation line between the old part and the part added a few years later?

I'm not entirely certain that I understand what you are asking, but I have a good idea.

That lighter color that you saw may have just been a reflection of sunlight, or something similar, but where that short section ends and the long section begins is the beginning of the extension.

[SultanOfWhat]

Brighter to show detail in the stands:

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o164/emstc/Maris2decks.jpg

[Maxlugar]

Yes, this picture appears to show fans standing behind a railing at the back of the lower deck and leaning on a wall at the back of the mezzanine.

Thanks. So that second row of columns back by the railings, are they buried inside the concession stands now? Or are they part of the concourse? Or perhpas they were removed? This thread makes me wish I had seen it when I could still go in there and take pics. Crap.

[locke40]

Thanks. So that second row of columns back by the railings, are they buried inside the concession stands now? Or are they part of the concourse? Or perhpas they were removed? This thread makes me wish I had seen it when I could still go in there and take pics. Crap.

I know what you mean. But, I found this site in 2007, when I could still walk around the renovated Stadium and picture what the pre-renovated Stadium looked like. The hardest part was the roof with the frieze; I knew the frieze was even with the front of the upper deck, but the added rows at the top made it difficult to imagine. Looking at pictures with my iPhone while sitting in the Stadium helped so much. It's shame my kids will never experience the same magic I did.

[Yankees73]

Two pics from Opening Day, April 7, 1970. Yankees vs. Red Sox. Sparse crowd, unthinkable today. Attendance: 21379

Thurman and Co. take the field:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SrsK1zjVPxI/AAAAAAAAK2Q/icU7RKz_cZ4/s800/Opening%20Day%20%28Boston%20vs.%20New%20York%29%2C %20Yankee%20Stadium%2C%20New%20York%2C%20April%207 %2C%201970.jpg

View 2:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SrsK2N4hMlI/AAAAAAAAK10/xfz6N8zk6qM/s800/Opening%20Day%20%28Boston%20vs.%20New%20York%29%2C %20Yankee%20Stadium%2C%20New%20York%2C%20April%207 %2C%201970%202.jpg

The boxscore:

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1970/B04070NYA1970.htmDon't forget Murcer#1, White#6 and #23 John Ellis

[The Monument]

In the second photo, from the stands down the LF line,there appears to be netting on the underside of the Mezzanine. Was this where some pieces of concrete were falling from due to all the banging on Bat Day?

[YankeesFan]

Brighter to show detail in the stands:

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o164/emstc/Maris2decks.jpg

In this photo, there appears to be some type of fixture hanging from below the mezzanine level. You can see it right in the middle of the pillars between sections 15, 17 and 19. There also seems to be some type of fixture attached to each pillar itself, also right below the mezzanine. Does anyone know what these are? Maybe speakers or lights?

It can also be seen in photo #2 by "Yankees73" of opening day in '70.

[cringey]

In this photo, there appears to be some type of fixture hanging from below the mezzanine level. You can see it right in the middle of the pillars between sections 15, 17 and 19. There also seems to be some type of fixture attached to each pillar itself, also right below the mezzanine. Does anyone know what these are? Maybe speakers or lights?

It can also be seen in photo #2 by "Yankees73" of opening day in '70.

It looks like a lighted sign that says SEC 15, SEC 17, SEC 19

[elmer]

Gate 2 has its best chance yet of being saved, those interested please
write the design commission with the following phrase.

"SAVE THE GATE at Old Yankee Stadium"

write as much as you like and why you think it is worth saving
historical reasons etc.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/artcom/html/contact/contact.shtml

[YankeesFan]

It looks like a lighted sign that says SEC 15, SEC 17, SEC 19

Actually the fixture is hanging from the mezzanine level at the middle of each section. Maybe its a speaker? The other fixture is on the left side of each pillar, right in front of the mezzanine level. I'm not sure if the section signs were lit. Thanks for the help and info.

[YankeesFan]

photos taken @ oys in '71 with gene michael and ron woods...
1. woods & michael relaxing in 1st base box seats
2. woods & my dad (unknown writer) in yanks dugout
3. me w/brother and frank messer outside club office entrance
4. baseball writers softball game

Looking at the last photo, is the rare "Marlboro" sign with the white background.

[RichardLillard1]

Gate 2 has its best chance yet of being saved, those interested please
write the design commission with the following phrase.

"SAVE THE GATE at Old Yankee Stadium"

write as much as you like and why you think it is worth saving
historical reasons etc.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/artcom/html/contact/contact.shtml


Thanks for posting this, Tim. I think we need as much exposure as we can to keep the ball rolling on this.


Richard

[voodoochile]

Gate 2 has its best chance yet of being saved, those interested please
write the design commission with the following phrase.

"SAVE THE GATE at Old Yankee Stadium"

write as much as you like and why you think it is worth saving
historical reasons etc.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/artcom/html/contact/contact.shtml

Elmer, I hope you are posting this on some of the other threads, also. The Stadium has been in the process, albeit it ever so slow, of being dismantled. Under normal circumstances the deadline would have come and gone to save any portion of a project. But it appears that we have one last shot at this. It would not only be a victory for the OYS activists, but for the community as well when they successfully stop and alter the agenda of the planning commission. All it takes is for people to send at least an email, something to show that it is what we want done. Do it!

[voodoochile]

I don’t recall what thread it was, but it was on this site about a year ago that the question of whether or not the monuments that were once in center field were the same ones that reside in Monument Park today. I don’t think that was ever resolved. If they have been replaced they did a damn good job on them, I’ll say that.

Here is a photo of the monuments from a time when they were on the playing field. From left to right is Gehrig, Huggins and Ruth. You can’t see the entire depth, or thickness of Gehrig’s monument, but it appears to be that of Huggins’. Now look at the thickness of Ruth’s monument. It appears to be not nearly as thick as the others, and if you claim that it’s because of the angle you’d be wrong, because Ruth’s is closer and should appear larger.

At the bottom, where the main stone meets the base there is another telltale sign that something is amiss. The distance from the back of the stone to the edge of the base is obviously less on Huggins’ stone than Ruth’s, demonstrating that the Huggins stone is thicker. Gehrig’s stone, although impossible to see the side of the stone, does appear to be consistent with Huggins’ stone in thickness.

These were only observations, and nothing is implied since it is not actual evidence. But it does appear with reasonable certainty that Ruth’s stone is quite thinner than those on his right.. I saw the monuments in July of this year, and they appeared to be the same dimensions, but, as I like to say, what the hell do I know.

[ChineseDemocracy]

Those three monuments were all manufactured at different times.

Before Yankee Stadium closed for renovations, the monuments were put into storage, as to avoid potential looting of the monuments.

We've all seen the pictures of people making off with seats after the last game.

[YankeesFan]

Bleacher Ads....

Looking at the top of the hebrew national sign appears to be the same object that is attached to the bottom of the mezzanine level. Can I assume that this is a speaker?

[elmer]

hearing for GATE 2

[Lpeters199]

This is probably a repost, but what a great picture!

[ChineseDemocracy]

This is probably a repost, but what a great picture!

Reminds me of Billy Martin's 1972 baseball card. :highfive:

[Lpeters199]

Reminds me of Billy Martin's 1972 baseball card. :highfive:

Can you post a picture of it? I haven't seen it.

[SparkyL]

I don’t recall what thread it was, but it was on this site about a year ago that the question of whether or not the monuments that were once in center field were the same ones that reside in Monument Park today. I don’t think that was ever resolved. If they have been replaced they did a damn good job on them, I’ll say that.

Here is a photo of the monuments from a time when they were on the playing field. From left to right is Gehrig, Huggins and Ruth. You can’t see the entire depth, or thickness of Gehrig’s monument, but it appears to be that of Huggins’. Now look at the thickness of Ruth’s monument. It appears to be not nearly as thick as the others, and if you claim that it’s because of the angle you’d be wrong, because Ruth’s is closer and should appear larger.

At the bottom, where the main stone meets the base there is another telltale sign that something is amiss. The distance from the back of the stone to the edge of the base is obviously less on Huggins’ stone than Ruth’s, demonstrating that the Huggins stone is thicker. Gehrig’s stone, although impossible to see the side of the stone, does appear to be consistent with Huggins’ stone in thickness.

These were only observations, and nothing is implied since it is not actual evidence. But it does appear with reasonable certainty that Ruth’s stone is quite thinner than those on his right.. I saw the monuments in July of this year, and they appeared to be the same dimensions, but, as I like to say, what the hell do I know.

Is that like asking if the Mona Lisa hanging in the Louvre the real painting?

Anyway, what happened that would cause anyone to wonder if the current monuments are the originals? And if they are not, what happened to the originals? It's not like you can slip out of OYS or RYS or a warehouse with multi-ton monuments . . .

. . . any, I visited MP last night and I can attest with 100% certainty that Huggins' monument is much thicker than the other 2.

[Gehrig27]

The trick with the monuments is you have to look at the patterns in the actual granite. There is a well known picture of Maris leaning on Ruth's monument, and when you compare it to a current photo you can see the same spots on it.

[ChineseDemocracy]

Can you post a picture of it? I haven't seen it.

Credit to M. Brown for bringing this to my attention:

http://www.bmwcards.net/72martin8.jpg

[Lpeters199]

Thanks! Billy was a popular manager--and a good one--when he was here in Detroit. I'd just sat down in the lower deck behind the plate at Tiger Stadium when one of the regulars told me he'd been fired. I couldn't believe it.

[The Monument]

How does Koufax striking out Lopez remind anyone of Martin's '72 card? Am I missing something?

[DallasGoon]

Look for the "bird".

[NYFan1stYankFan2nd]

hearing for GATE 2

Restoring and preserving Gate 2 should be nowhere NEAR as complex as defacing it to add a new upper deck concourse and rows to de-column the damn thing was!

All they have to do is some preliminary work of additional framing and restoring the top 1/4 of it before dismantling the rest of the stadium surrounding it.

But that makes too much sense. . . :banghead:

[The Monument]

Look for the "bird".

Ah, now I see.

[dabigyankeeman]

Ah, now I see.

That was obscure, i didnt know the similarity either until it was said what it was.

[SultanOfWhat]

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SsUhC9zQaOI/AAAAAAAALBs/bMGc5W-7cL0/s800/YankeeStadium1951_Bob.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SsUhDqzciZI/AAAAAAAALB0/JM4_qI6ks0c/s800/v.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SsUjcIPWiUI/AAAAAAAALCQ/CCOwPd4_JmA/s800/April%201960.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SsUhDTw7qaI/AAAAAAAALBw/4IIOL7Wljxs/s800/September%2010%2C%201961.jpg

[yankees82]

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SsUjcIPWiUI/AAAAAAAALCQ/CCOwPd4_JmA/s800/April%201960.jpg


weird to see Mantle in the road uni at the stadium

[locke40]

weird to see Mantle in the road uni at the stadium

Maybe it's an away game.

[Gary Dunaier]

weird to see Mantle in the road uni at the stadium

Maybe it was a non-game day photo session, and Mantle just happened to put on a road jersey?

[Maxlugar]

Maybe it's an away game.

Every game the Yanks play is an away game now.

[Gehrig27]

I think they used to wear the away jerseys for workout days. They didn't have alternate or bp jerseys then so they used whatever wasn't a home uniform.

[RichardLillard1]

There's a similar picture of Maris at the start of (I believe) the '62 season. He's in the dugout, looking out on the field and wearing what the caption describes as the Yanks' "spring training sweats". It is also an away uniform and it makes it quite odd to see the New York across his chest with the mezzanine in the background.

I guess they worse these road unis for training purposes to keep the costs down on constantly cleaning the home uniforms. This would make sense if the season hadn't even started yet.

There are also some images out there of Babe and Lou wearing socks from the 1921 Yankee uniforms for the 1929 World Series.


Richard

[mandrake]

There are also some images out there of Babe and Lou wearing socks from the 1921 Yankee uniforms for the 1929 World Series.
Richard

Ok, I am confused on this.

Ruth was in the 1921 WS loss to the Giants (all games at the Polo Grounds) but Gehrig was not around.
The Yankees did not play in the 1929 series. The A's had an all-time great team starting in '29...so why would Babe and Lou be waering socks in the WS?

[RichardLillard1]

Whoops, I mean 1927 Series.

A picture of Ruth in the socks is attached below.


Richard

[RichardLillard1]

Also, I have no explanation of Lou wearing the 21 socks, all I know is he wore them. Check below.

Their uniforms looks a bit wore out from the season there as well.


Richard

[Gylmar]

Also, I have no explanation of Lou wearing the 21 socks, all I know is he wore them. Check below.

Their uniforms looks a bit wore out from the season there as well.


Richard

There is an "YANKEES" road uniform on display at the NYS museum that looks like it has been worn quite a bit also. :dance

[elmer]

Webcast TODAY! 11AM

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Baseball-Digest-Live/2009/10/05/Preserving-The-Past

The show will be archived.

[The Monument]

Thanks for the link to blogradio, elmer. I could only listen to the first half of the show. Some of the guests were interesting in discussing WHY Gate 2 should be preserved, but I heard little about HOW Gate 2 could be preserved. The only way to help seems to be contacting Mayor Bloomberg, and I don't think he's interested. Maybe Ron Blomberg can help. Also, I had a hard time listening to Mark Healy's stuttering and constant "Y'knows".

[elmer]

Thanks for the link to blogradio, elmer. I could only listen to the first half of the show. Some of the guests were interesting in discussing WHY Gate 2 should be preserved, but I heard little about HOW Gate 2 could be preserved. The only way to help seems to be contacting Mayor Bloomberg, and I don't think he's interested. Maybe Ron Blomberg can help. Also, I had a hard time listening to Mark Healy's stuttering and constant "Y'knows".

the show should be archived within just a few days, Bill Jenkinson
is worth listening to.

[Lpeters199]

This is Sports Illustrated's description of Yankee Stadium in their 1957 World Series preview:

[The Monument]

Thanks for that article. CONCRETE exterior, hear that Mr Trost? I'm surprised that the ushers were rude back in the 50's, I thought it was a more civilized time. Shouldn't be surprised at the traffic jams though. There was never enough access for autos on big-crowd days.

[SultanOfWhat]

Here are a bunch of photos of OYS:


This pic of the 1923 RF line (with the yellow line laid directly over the actual foul line in the image) shows that the much closer foul pole had virtually no effect on home runs versus the 1924 dimensions, when the RF foul line and foul pole were extended to the bleachers. Until 1931, balls had to land fair to be declared home runs. So unless a player managed to directly strike the slender foul pole, which had no screen running up and down along its length (see next pic), he would have had to reach the bleachers to record a home run.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Ss4jKnkclrI/AAAAAAAALWU/Vn0qC49YMZ8/s800/April%2024%2C%201923%2C%20President%20Harding%20in %20Attendance%20line%20RF%20new.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Ss4lefqxsXI/AAAAAAAALXQ/qn-rN54ctOY/s800/%2732%20World%20Series%20with%20Ruth%20at%20the%20 plate.jpg

21 Apr 1926. --- The "Babe" Is Home Again. Well started on the road to recovery of his old time fame (by his first "homer" in Washington, Tuesday), Mr. George Herman Ruth, of the Yankees, showed encouraging "Pap" yesterday as he swung the hickory in practice before the Yanks and the Boston Red Sox clashed.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Ss4jKzSMhLI/AAAAAAAALWY/QzaSXjz4T4g/s800/April%2021%2C%201926-1.jpg

Boxing match - Ike Williams v. Jesse Flores 9-23-1948.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Ss4jLfh642I/AAAAAAAALWc/G0YjToXhKVo/s800/Ike%20Williams%20v.%20Jesse%20Flores%209-23-1948.%5D.jpg

28 Jun 1950, New York, New York, USA --- Phil Rizzuto, New York Yankees shortstop, leaps for the high throw as Eddie Yost, Washington Senators, slides into second with a stolen base in the second inning at Yankee Stadium, June 28. The umpire is Art Passarella.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Ss4jLnt7GVI/AAAAAAAALWg/WVl33eZc6aE/s800/June%2028%2C%201950%20yost%20wash%20sb.jpg

From ballparkprints.com:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Ss4jL8OJwBI/AAAAAAAALWk/5V6OGbuK0wE/s800/SBS1031.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Ss4jMASB1pI/AAAAAAAALWo/sZTeT7Xib9g/s800/57259487.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Ss4jMfTK-4I/AAAAAAAALWs/aTzS3qcmTzo/s800/71583381.jpg

1958 World Championship flag taken down after the 1959 Season ends (2 pics):
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Ss4jMkPe0EI/AAAAAAAALWw/Xe0E0VzT7Mk/s800/World%20Championship%20flag%20for%20the%201958%20s eason%20is%20removed%20from%20the%20flagpole%20and %20returned%20to%20storage%20after%20the%20final%2 0game%20of%20the%20season%20on%20September%2027%2C %201959.2.jpg

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Ss4jM2drxPI/AAAAAAAALW0/qLvvhaL3J6A/s800/World%20Championship%20flag%20for%20the%201958%20s eason%20is%20removed%20from%20the%20flagpole%20and %20returned%20to%20storage%20after%20the%20final%2 0game%20of%20the%20season%20on%20September%2027%2C %201959.jpg

[SultanOfWhat]

Oct 4, 1961. Joe D throws out first pitch:
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Ss4pJEOpvNI/AAAAAAAALXU/Jck1bZO0gWU/s800/04%20Oct%201961.jpg

1962 WS:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Ss4pJQK3a4I/AAAAAAAALXY/2MFTVKs5bS0/s800/1962%20World%20Series%20j.jpg

1956:
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Ss4pJqbR7fI/AAAAAAAALXc/Ni3SKWW90QU/s800/1956%20at%20Yankee%20Stadium%20in%20New%20York%2C. jpg

1956:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Ss4pJ1bzf-I/AAAAAAAALXg/huoMW8u2zEo/s800/1956%20at%20Yankee%20Sta%20h.jpg

28 Apr 1964 --- Close up of Bobby Richardson who was the starter and second baseman for the New York Yankees
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Ss4pKEJdJCI/AAAAAAAALXk/FXZznWA2w94/s800/April%2028%2C%201964%20bobby%20richdsn.jpg

Watching the 1952 Subway Series in a NY bar. I wonder if there were any fisticuffs.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Ss4pKbmshPI/AAAAAAAALXo/yDwGTsiZd6c/s800/1952%20subway%20series%20ny%20bar.jpg

NFL's "Greatest Game Ever Played", Dec 28, 1958.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_Championship_Game,_1958
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Ss4pKoic3oI/AAAAAAAALXs/CTlTydet0RA/s800/NFL%20Championship%20Game%20on%20December%2028%2C% 201958%20triplett.jpg

Tarkenton pilots Big Blue at YS:
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Ss4pKhnbboI/AAAAAAAALXw/DwrB5WTJpxs/s800/78179516.jpgf.jpg

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Ss4pK_ererI/AAAAAAAALX0/47LLvGt_7dc/s800/78179511.jpge.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Ss4rjyX-0zI/AAAAAAAALYQ/xmHGvMGW24A/s800/yankees_M6_img_56.jpg

[Lpeters199]

Thanks, Sultan!

[TJH1923]

10/9/09 I saw this video on the NY Times website. It is newly discovered footage of Babe Ruth in Yankee Stadium. Possibly 1928.
http://video.nytimes.com/video/playlist/sports/1194811622289/index.html#1247465063639

Be sure to watch the four minute video regarding MLB Archives and read the article.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/sports/baseball/09video.html?_r=1

[Lpeters199]

Roger, Mickey and Whitey from: http://www.posters.ws/1069/vintage_baseball

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Help needed and you guys may be able to help.
Probabably have over a hundred pics of Yankee Stadium going way back, but not the one I need.

Help in two ways.....
Anyone have any pics of the stadium during the 1928 World Series.
Or.............Any info on when the Yanks first used decorations, buntings used during World Series play.

[Lpeters199]

Nice panoramic shot:

http://www.art.com/products/p14407476-sa-i2808715/new-yorks-yankee-stadium-as-the-yankees-hosted-the-brooklyn-dodgers.htm?sorig=cat&sorigid=5882&dimvals=5882&ui=d0b1df9d83f4417383b977d3213ddf8f

[SultanOfWhat]

More on the Babe Ruth video that surfaced recently:

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showpost.php?p=1627240&postcount=936

[Lpeters199]

The Cameraman, a 1928 movie starring Buster Keaton, has a scene shot at Yankee Stadium from approximately 14:20 to 18:00. The entire movie is at this site:

http://www.archive.org/details/busterkeatonthecameraman?start=839.5

[soup]

Nice panoramic shot:

http://www.art.com/products/p14407476-sa-i2808715/new-yorks-yankee-stadium-as-the-yankees-hosted-the-brooklyn-dodgers.htm?sorig=cat&sorigid=5882&dimvals=5882&ui=d0b1df9d83f4417383b977d3213ddf8f

awesome. I think i'm going to order that

[Lpeters199]

awesome. I think i'm going to order that

Awesome indeed! It's a composite of three negatives, but I can't find a trace of a seam. A Photoshop expert could have a ball colorizing this picture.

[RichardLillard1]

The Cameraman, a 1928 movie starring Buster Keaton, has a scene shot at Yankee Stadium from approximately 14:20 to 18:00. The entire movie is at this site:

http://www.archive.org/details/busterkeatonthecameraman?start=839.5


This is very interesting. Is it just me, or does the foul pole look like it's at the grandstand and not at the bleachers?

There was a still shot posted from this movie some time ago, in the infancy of this thread. I'll have to see if I can dig it up as I remember it having better exposure.


Richard

[RichardLillard1]

Below is the shot I mentioned, along with a wonderful photo from 1923.

It's interesting, the foul pole definitely looks to be in its 1923 position, and I also find it interesting that the film doesn't show any of the left field stands. The closest we get is a glimpse of the corner of the field level seating, right at the edge, before the visitor's bullpen.

Very intriguing to me--I wonder if there is a possibility that this movie was filmed in 1923 and not released until 1928. It would seem odd that five years would have passed though.


Richard

[RichardLillard1]

Forgot the images.


Richard

[locke40]

Forgot the images.


Richard

It appears the advertisements are different, so these photos were not taken during the same year. Unless, they changed advertisements throughout the course of the year, which I am not sure about.

[RichardLillard1]

Didn't even dawn on me to do that, but you're right.

I still find the position of the foul pole in the "1928" shot to be interesting and confusing though.


Richard

[Lpeters199]

At the very beginning of the Yankee Stadium sequence, the foul pole seems to be at the bleacher wall, a few feet to the right of the advertisement.

[Lpeters199]

Bang The Drum Slowly--The opening credits are terrific! 1973.

http://stagevu.com/search?for=bang+the+drum+slowly&in=Videos&x=12&y=11

[cgcoyne2]

Below is the shot I mentioned, along with a wonderful photo from 1923.

It's interesting, the foul pole definitely looks to be in its 1923 position, and I also find it interesting that the film doesn't show any of the left field stands. The closest we get is a glimpse of the corner of the field level seating, right at the edge, before the visitor's bullpen.

Very intriguing to me--I wonder if there is a possibility that this movie was filmed in 1923 and not released until 1928. It would seem odd that five years would have passed though.


Richard


I think that's just the camera position.

[Lpeters199]

I haven't had time to watch this yet, but it looks promising:

http://stagevu.com/search?for=yankee+stadium&in=Videos&x=7&y=7

[Paul W]

more detailed info on Bang the Drum Slowly...

from wikipedia production info -
The non Florida baseball sequences were filmed at New York's Yankee and Shea Stadiums during the late May and June of 1972 when the Yankees and Mets were on extended roadtrips. The opening scenes of the movie show the stars running on the warning track at Yankee Stadium, in addition the visitors 3rd base clubhouse, walkway from the yankees 1st base side dugout and front of right field bullpen were used as well as the "away" game sequences baseball scenes.
The few scenes of the stadium - particularly the wide pan at the end of the rain delay sequence are some of the best clips of the stadium before the renovation. Dugout shots of "home" games were shot at Yankee Stadium.
The "home" game sequences were filmed in Shea Stadium the filmmakers also used the walkway that connected the Mets clubhouse and 1st base dugout, the TV studio that was the home of "Kiner's Korner" post-game show for the singing scene.
The Opening Day/band clips came from MLB, they were recorded before the 4th game of the 1969 World Series at Shea, wide crowd shots are from a regular season game, MLB films also provided clips of Tony Perez (from '70 World Series) and Brooks Robinson hitting. Spring Training baseball scenes were shot at the Philadelphia Phillies complex in Clearwater, which is still in use.
Rain delay footage of a grounds crew covering the infield with a tarp was from the 1969 All-Star Game in Washington's RFK Stadium, the game was postponed by rain and played the next day 7/23/69. Audio over this clip you can hear the voice of long-time NY Yankees PA announcer Bob Sheppard.
Baseball game action clips starting at 01:21 are from MLB films, they are from Yankee and Mets games 1970 and 1971 - you can see #10 Danny Cater, shortstop Gene Michaels, hitter Jerry Kenney, catcher Thurman Munson and runner Bobby Murcer.
Uniforms worn by the NY Mammoths baseball team are NY Yankees uniforms from 1971, the NY on the home pinstriped shirts was changed. Other teams providing uniforms were - Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Sox.

[CB22]

It's interesting, the foul pole definitely looks to be in its 1923 position, and I also find it interesting that the film doesn't show any of the left field stands. The closest we get is a glimpse of the corner of the field level seating, right at the edge, before the visitor's bullpen.

Very intriguing to me--I wonder if there is a possibility that this movie was filmed in 1923 and not released until 1928. It would seem odd that five years would have passed though.


Richard

Hopefully this scree capture confirms that is was filmed post 1923. After the infield was moved forward, there was little foul territory at the end of the original seating. It made for that great RF corner after the extension.

[Lpeters199]

The wide pan in Bang The Drum Slowly is indeed a beauty from her last year:

[ChineseDemocracy]

The wide pan in Bang The Drum Slowly is indeed a beauty from her last year:

Reminds me of Tiger Stadium.

[YankeeStadium1923]

Old Yankee Stadium....Renovated Yankee Stadium comparison.
OYS Photo posted by LPeteres199-Bang the Drum Slowly

[YankeeStadium1923]

Bang The Drum Slowly--The opening credits are terrific! 1973.

http://stagevu.com/search?for=bang+the+drum+slowly&in=Videos&x=12&y=11
Do you have a copy of Bang the Drum slowly?

I remember watching the movie on cable years ago and seeing Michael Moriarty and Robert De Niro walking up a ramp that looked like it could have been the Upper Deck catwalks in Old Yankee Stadium. I planned on buying or renting the movie to check the scene. Most likely the scene was filmed in Shea Stadium but with no film of the Old Yankee Stadium catwalks that would be a good find for Old Yankee Stadium enthusiasts.

Take Care

[Maxlugar]

Old Yankee Stadium....Renovated Yankee Stadium comparison.
OYS Photo posted by LPeteres199-Bang the Drum Slowly

That's pretty amazing. Thanks. So it looks like the black seats in RYS are actually to the left of where the black tarp would go up in OYS. Funny. Was the field reconfigured a little to the right?

[stadiumbuilder]

Home plate was moved up but the angle of the field was not changed in relation to the grandstand. Left field looks more chopped off because of the steeper dropoff.

[mandrake]

Old Yankee Stadium....Renovated Yankee Stadium comparison.
OYS Photo posted by LPeteres199-Bang the Drum Slowly

Looking at these pictures, IMHO they should have left the place alone in 1973. Yes, some upgrades to bathrooms, concessions, etc. Some cosmetic fixes, including those supports on the scoreboard (new scoreboard?).

Maybe some fans think OYS was run down because the team, and the surrounding neighborhood, had become run down. As soon as RYS opened, the Yanks had a mini dynasty 1976-1978. That team could have won in OYS.

Hindsight is 20-20, but I preferred the original. Just my two cents.

[locke40]

The wide pan in Bang The Drum Slowly is indeed a beauty from her last year:

Look at those damned support columns! Talk about obstructed views!! Thank God they removed them, and we never have to deal with them ever again! If they were still there, I would have never known what was going on at all on the field, and I would have never seen nothing, absolutely nothing, and I would have wasted all my money. When I go to baseball games, I make sure that I stare at the field for 100% of the game; I never blink, or turn my head in the slightest, because I want to see ever single second of action that is happening on the field. I would rather be pushed back 80+ feet so the players are ants, rather than be on top of the action and have a damned column in my face. Modern architects are SO much smarter than architects from yester-year. They had no idea what they were doing, and they were stupid. I hate support columns so much.

[RationalNYYfan]

The cantilever is a pretty fascinating topic in architecture.

I'm looking at these two photos, and I can't quite see any difference in the field's position with the stands - that is to say, it doesn't seem like they dug several feet down closer to sea level in the renovation?

[Gary Dunaier]

I never blink, or turn my head in the slightest, because I want to see ever single second of action that is happening on the field.

If you never turn your head, what happens if you're staring at the plate and the guy hits a long fly ball to right field? :hyper:

[stadiumbuilder]

Looking at these pictures, IMHO they should have left the place alone in 1973. Yes, some upgrades to bathrooms, concessions, etc. Some cosmetic fixes, including those supports on the scoreboard (new scoreboard?).

Maybe some fans think OYS was run down because the team, and the surrounding neighborhood, had become run down. As soon as RYS opened, the Yanks had a mini dynasty 1976-1978. That team could have won in OYS.

Hindsight is 20-20, but I preferred the original. Just my two cents.
Bingo! That's basically what was going on at the time. The Yankees weren't used to loosing and The Bronx was downright dangerous and any change seemed to be for the better. I was there in 1973 many times and know first hand it was not run down or falling apart, just showing it's age some. The Mets had a more modern facility and they felt they deserved one too. Some blunders are obvious immediately and others can take years to be fully evaluated, kind of like a chess move that you realize 8-10 moves on in the game was a mistake and can't be undone.

[Maxlugar]

Look at those damned support columns! Talk about obstructed views!! Thank God they removed them, and we never have to deal with them ever again! If they were still there, I would have never known what was going on at all on the field, and I would have never seen nothing, absolutely nothing, and I would have wasted all my money. When I go to baseball games, I make sure that I stare at the field for 100% of the game; I never blink, or turn my head in the slightest, because I want to see ever single second of action that is happening on the field. I would rather be pushed back 80+ feet so the players are ants, rather than be on top of the action and have a damned column in my face. Modern architects are SO much smarter than architects from yester-year. They had no idea what they were doing, and they were stupid. I hate support columns so much.

I was actually thinking the columns weren't so bad.

[mandrake]

Bingo! That's basically what was going on at the time. The Yankees weren't used to loosing and The Bronx was downright dangerous and any change seemed to be for the better. I was there in 1973 many times and know first hand it was not run down or falling apart, just showing it's age some. The Mets had a more modern facility and they felt they deserved one too. Some blunders are obvious immediately and others can take years to be fully evaluated, kind of like a chess move that you realize 8-10 moves on in the game was a mistake and can't be undone.

I had posted something on this topic in a Mets thread. The Mets killed the Yankees at the gate from 1964-1975 because of several factors, and OYS becoming old really was not one of them. Over those 12 seasons the Mets outdrew the Yanks each season, and by a culmulative total of nearly 9.5 million. If you drop 1974-75,(Yanks at Shea) the average difference at the gate from 1964-73 was huge. Was it because of a difference on the field? Not really...the '64 Yanks won the pennant and were still outdrawn by over 400K by the Mets. In fact, of those 12 seasons, the Yankees actually had a better W-L record than the Mets in 8 of those 12 years.

IMHO, the reason the Yanks suddenly became old news, and why OYS was used as a scapegoat, was because nobody wanted to admit back then that it was crime that kept people away from OYS. Look at 1972, when they failed to reach a million. The neighborhood was really BAD news. Much the same as 15 years earlier when the Polo Grounds area was deemed too dangerous, even forcing the football Giants to move to OYS.

People like to call those Yankee teams "the Horace Clarke era" yet in 1970, they won 93 games. But they only drew 1.1 million fans. The Mets won 83 games in 1970 but drew 2.7 million fans. True, some of it was due to the miracle season of '69, but IMHO it was mainly because Shea Stadium was safe to go to and OYS was not. At least it was perceived as unsafe; I know we used to joke that the safest day to go there was Bat Day since you had a weapon to protect yourself. To think that NYC had allowed that whole mentality to take over the city back then. You think anyone thinks of danger inside NYS nowadays? Heck no !

It's too late, of course, but maybe the Yanks should have played in Citi Field for 2 years while they restored OYS to its former glory....with some of the clubs and amenities etc that are deemed important in 2009 added into the mix. Oh well...........

(BTW, the first time I sat in the old bleachers in deep LF, I was told that Huggins, Gehrig and Ruth were buried in LCF and those memorials were headstones, and that's why it was called 'death valley'. ) :o

[spiderico]

The cantilever is a pretty fascinating topic in architecture.

I'm looking at these two photos, and I can't quite see any difference in the field's position with the stands - that is to say, it doesn't seem like they dug several feet down closer to sea level in the renovation?

Look at the amount of rows on the first base side between the field and the main aisle. Theres more post renovation. Also you can see it on the right field wall down the line. Not many extra rows added, but it went from being about a 4 ft wall to an 8 ft wall.

[RationalNYYfan]

Look at the amount of rows on the first base side between the field and the main aisle. Theres more post renovation. Also you can see it on the right field wall down the line. Not many extra rows added, but it went from being about a 4 ft wall to an 8 ft wall.

Ah wow, definitely see it now. Talk about a fantastic replacement of a stadium when you've got a team that INCREASES seating capacity instead of reducing it!

[mandrake]

Ah wow, definitely see it now. Talk about a fantastic replacement of a stadium when you've got a team that INCREASES seating capacity instead of reducing it!

Didn't they reduce seating from OYS 67,000 to RYS 57,000 ?

[soup]

I was actually thinking the columns weren't so bad.

uhhhh.....

[RationalNYYfan]

Didn't they reduce seating from OYS 67,000 to RYS 57,000 ?

I'm not sure, you could be right - but I think the concept of adding seats along the lines and adding rows to the grandstand is pretty cool (even though it got rid of the frieze).

[Maxlugar]

uhhhh.....

So you move your head slightly to the left or right depending on the circumstance. WTF? I guess all the fat people would have to burn an extra 7calories a game to do that... so yeah it might be a hassle.

[dabigyankeeman]

So you move your head slightly to the left or right depending on the circumstance. WTF? I guess all the fat people would have to burn an extra 7calories a game to do that... so yeah it might be a hassle.

Insulting fat people, highly intelligent post.

[Lpeters199]

Do you have a copy of Bang the Drum slowly?

I remember watching the movie on cable years ago and seeing Michael Moriarty and Robert De Niro walking up a ramp that looked like it could have been the Upper Deck catwalks in Old Yankee Stadium. I planned on buying or renting the movie to check the scene. Most likely the scene was filmed in Shea Stadium but with no film of the Old Yankee Stadium catwalks that would be a good find for Old Yankee Stadium enthusiasts.

Take Care

You don't need a copy. The shot I posted is just a screen capture from the video available free on this site: http://stagevu.com/search?for=bang+the+drum+slowly&in=Videos&x=12&y=11

It loads slowly, but the quality is excellent--good enough to enjoy on full screen mode. Try it and let me know how it works for you. I had to follow the instructions for loading the DivX player; then it worked just fine. Enjoy the very moving sountrack too.

[Lpeters199]

A View From the Stoop has some color home movies of OYS, including some shots of the buildings on Gerard Ave. for Gary at around the 23 minute mark.

http://stagevu.com/search?for=yankee+stadium&in=Videos&x=7&y=7

[soup]

So you move your head slightly to the left or right depending on the circumstance. WTF? I guess all the fat people would have to burn an extra 7calories a game to do that... so yeah it might be a hassle.

the post you originally replied to was being sarcastic

[Maxlugar]

Insulting fat people, highly intelligent post.

Oh geez... lighten up. It more a comentary on society in general getting fatter these days.

[Maxlugar]

the post you originally replied to was being sarcastic

OK. It was a little hard to tell.

[dabigyankeeman]

Oh geez... lighten up. It more a comentary on society in general getting fatter these days.

Thats my problem, i need to LIGHTEN UP. I am on a diet.:sigh:
:hyper:

[locke40]

OK. It was a little hard to tell.

Well, then I guess I was pretty convincing in my "tongue-in-cheek" response. :o I've stated my weird obsession with support columns many times on this, and other, threads. I hate the idea of fans being pushed out great distances because of the "obstructions" that support columns cause. I think sitting 80+ feet farther from the field and being completely removed from the action is more of an obstruction that any column can cause. As we have experienced recently with the two new ones in New York, no stadium in history is without obstructions. At least with the older ballparks, you knew exactly what you were getting yourself into, and everyone knew where the obstructions were. With these new stadiums, there are little obstructions hidden here and there that we or anyone going to the game could never have imagined. I mean, glass staircases obstructing your view?! Really?! I will take a support column over this any day of the week, and even on weekends.

[Lpeters199]

----------------

[SultanOfWhat]

1928 World Series from Leland's Auction:

http://www.lelands.com/categories.aspx?auctionid=905

We've discussed that pic a bit on here. It's not from the WS; more likely it's from the big September 1928 series between the Yankees and Athletics. The 1928 WS had lots of bunting:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/StPXxq2aT8I/AAAAAAAALgM/7nNf69P45NA/s800/October%205%2C%201928%20w%20gm%202%209-3.jpg
05 Oct 1928, New York, USA --- New York: Yankees Beat Cards In Second Game Nine-Three. Photo shows Babe Ruth scoring while Gehrig reaches third on Meusel's two bagger in the 2nd game of the World Series which was won by the Yankees 9-3.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/StPXxdijVjI/AAAAAAAALgI/p4-1e8X5h78/s800/Stadium%20decked%20out%20for%20game%20one%20of%20t he%201928%20world%20series..JPG1928 WS

Here's a lighter version of the first pic:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/StPXwlVSdXI/AAAAAAAALgA/R8eLFeUiM9s/s800/Yankee%20Stadium%201928-1.jpg

[elmer]

OLD YANKEE STADIUM PARK

"SAVE THE GATE"
COMMEMORATIVE BRICK DRIVE

Proposed by Citizens and Groups
from Around the Country to Help
SAVE HISTORIC GATE 2
at the
"The House That Ruth Built"


For the purpose of saving historic Gate 2 at Old Yankee Stadium, baseball groups historyoftheyankees.com, the Committee to Commemorate Old Yankee Stadium & the Committee to Commemorate Babe Ruth - speaking for and acting on behalf of Baseball fans, historians, architects, historic preservationists, and other concerned citizens, groups, and relevant experts from New York and around the nation, has voluntarily researched and developed a
public fundraising campaign to the City of New York, entitled the "SAVE THE GATE" Commemorative Brick Drive.

This Commemorative Brick Drive will be similar to ones throughout Major League Ballparks and other leading sports venues throughout the world, such as the highly successful programs employed by the Mets at Citi Field (Fanwalk), the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium, the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, and the Cleveland Indians' "Heritage Park."

Based on Committee studies and expert estimates, commemorative bricks at plazas & walkways encompassing the new parkland and ball fields scheduled to replace the historic site of Old Yankee Stadium could generate well over 5 Million dollars (as other MLB "legacy" brick memorials have) - depending on exact design. This would provide the City of New York millions of dollars more than is needed to save historic Gate 2!!

Legacy brick plazas & walkways would also dramatically increase YEAR-ROUND tourism and visitation to the much-in-need Old Yankee Stadium neighborhood - where residents and businesses have lost critical revenues with the Stadium's closure and destruction. Saving Gate 2 will make the new park one of the most respected and profitable in the country. These brick plazas & walkways would also simultaneously enhance the currently poor aesthetics of the preliminary "Heritage Field" plan, exponentially improving the historic and cultural "disconnect" decried by historic design experts. (Adding extra elegance and attraction, the commemorative bricks can be made in magnificent blue, white and gray combinations, in unique tribute to the Stadium's unparalleled place in history.)

The Parks Department's preliminary plan for the historic Old Yankee Stadium is the highly controversial and criticized "Heritage Field", which retains absolutely NOTHING from Old Yankee Stadium. This as yet unapproved plan has been emphatically objected to by officials, experts, and fans, who regard it as historically, architecturally, and aesthetically "bland" and "inauthentic". It's MOST tragic failure is that it omits saving anything from original Yankee Stadium - a fatal flaw easily corrected with the saving of the 1920's era Gate 2. (The Parks Department abruptly withdrew from their October 5 appearance before the NYC Design Commission, where they were scheduled to defend against these widespread and well-informed criticisms in a Public Hearing before New York City Design Commission, which oversees the aesthetic and architectural suitability of all public projects in New York City.)

Parks Department has told the media (without providing any evidence whatsoever ) that the cost of saving Gate 2 - the original Stadium's most glorious remaining element - is too prohibitive, claiming (again without providing any evidence) it would cost "10 Million dollars". Architectural and structural engineering experts assess the cost at only 1 Million dollars, less than the cost of demolishing and removing the Gate. In other words, experts believe it will cost less to save Gate 2 than to destroy it!!!

In any case, the "SAVE THE GATE" Commemorative Brick Drive would eliminate any cost concern - providing up to 10 Million dollars - thereby saving a majestic part of America's greatest and most historically important stadium, thereby assuring that the historic site of Old Yankee Stadium be more properly preserved, protected & commemorated - making it one of the premier urban parks in America - rather than the unnecessary mediocre and uninspired architectural, aesthetic, cultural, and historical flop that's now proposed by the Parks' Department.

For further information, please call or write the contacts below - who can also put you in touch with historians, preservationists, architects, and other relevant experts, helping to save the gate.

SAVE THE GATE videos prepared by Committee to Commemorate Old Yankee Stadium members can be seen at:
http://www.ultimateyankees.com/savethegate.htm. See, for example: "TOP 9 REASONS TO SAVE THE GATE" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tyqyl1WJuJM, a musical summary of why the Gate should be saved (to Four of a Kind's "Take Me Out to the Ballgame"), which includes a brief depiction and description of the proposed SAVE THE GATE Commemorative Brick Drive (at "Reason No. 7", 1:04 - 1:14)




###


Information provided above was derived from consultation with top authorities in the fields of Baseball, architecture, New York history & historic preservation, as well as with top"legacy brick" fundraising experts.
______


For Further Information, Please contact:


Brad Turnow
historyoftheyankees.com
(516) 523-4749
(631) 874-5754
bhturnow@optonline.net

and/or

Tim Reid
Committee to Commemorate Old Yankee Stadium
(754) 368-1295
savethegate@gmail.com


_______________

The Committee to Commemorate to Old Yankee Stadium has three urgent missions:

1) To Preserve Old Yankee Stadium Gate 2 as a permanent commemorative feature at Old Yankee Stadium Park.

2) To name the new park site of Old Yankee Stadium "OLD YANKEE STADIUM PARK", a majestically unique and infinitely more appealing, accurate, and appropriate name. The currently proposed name has been widely criticized by Baseball, historical and architectural experts (as well as legions of informed fans and concerned citizens) as grossly common, bland, ambiguous, and terribly disconnected from the site's preeminent role in New York history, including its internationally unmatched history in Baseball. (Indeed, there are many dozens of Heritage Parks and Fields across the country, including the Cleveland Indians "Heritage Park" - right in the AL East!!!)

3) To name the baseball field in Old Yankee Stadium Park, "BABE RUTH MEMORIAL FIELD" in tribute to the most renowned player and icon in Baseball history, and to replace the original "BABE RUTH MEMORIAL FIELD" which was destroyed to make room for new Yankee Stadium. (BABE RUTH MEMORIAL FIELD was intended to be a "permanent" tribute to Babe Ruth's immortal and unparalleled contributions to the City of New York. It's destruction, along with the destruction of "The House That Ruth Built", leaves the City devoid of any public tribute to America's greatest and most beloved sports figure.

In the near future, we will also be applying to the U.S. Department of Interior for long-overdue National Landmark status for the site of Old Yankee Stadium, which will provide even further funds available to the City of New York for the preservation of Gate 2.

[dabigyankeeman]

I would love to see commorative bricks being available for this. Being from New York, but not living there anymore, i always wanted a brick up there to leave a legacy in New York. I actually bought a brick in the fanwalk of Citi Field to do this since there has been nothing at Yankee Stadium. Of course, i didnt mention the Mets on my brick, just a generic comment about being a New Yorker forever, but would i love to get a brick by Yankee Stadium.

I always felt the Yankees could have done something classier than the bricks at CitiField, such as take walls in the corridors of the stadium and have brass plaques for sale there with the engraving of your choice, boy would i love that. Anyway, to do this to save the Gate would really be fantastic.:clapping

[elmer]

COMMITTEE TO COMMEMORATE OLD YANKEE STADIUM

The Committee to Commemorate to Old Yankee Stadium has three urgent objectives:

1) To Preserve Old Yankee Stadium Gate 2 as a permanent commemorative feature at "Old Yankee Stadium Park". This is our most time-critical goal.

2) To name the new park site of Old Yankee Stadium "OLD YANKEE STADIUM PARK", a majestically unique and infinitely more appealing, accurate, and appropriate name. The currently proposed name has been widely criticized by Baseball, historical and architectural experts (as well as legions of informed fans and concerned citizens) as grossly common, bland, ambiguous, and terribly disconnected from the site's preeminent role in New York history, including its internationally unmatched history in Baseball. (Indeed, there are many dozens of Heritage Parks and Fields across the country, including the Cleveland Indians "Heritage Park" - right in the AL East!!!)

3) To name the baseball field(s) in Old Yankee Stadium Park, "BABE RUTH MEMORIAL FIELD" in tribute to the most renowned player and icon in Baseball history, and to replace the original "BABE RUTH MEMORIAL FIELD" which was destroyed to make room for new Yankee Stadium. (BABE RUTH MEMORIAL FIELD was intended to be a "permanent" tribute to Babe Ruth's immortal and unparalleled contributions to the City of New York. It's destruction, along with the destruction of "The House That Ruth Built", leaves the City devoid of any public tribute to America's greatest and most beloved sports figure.

In the near future, we will also be applying to the U.S. Department of Interior for long-overdue National Landmark status for the site of Old Yankee Stadium, which will provide federal funds available to landmarks in the City of New York for the preservation of Gate 2, and other much-needed improvements for the new "Old Yankee Stadium Park".

[Lpeters199]

Tragedy at the stadium:

[Lpeters199]

A feud between Babe and Lou seems evident in these clips when Lou doesn't shake Babe's hand after home runs. Does anyone know the cause of their feud and how long it lasted? Gehrig was an all time great, but these clips make him appear very small.

http://www.corbismotion.com/wicker/clip/331745_012.do

http://www.corbismotion.com/wicker/clip/3312932219_047.do

http://www.corbismotion.com/wicker/clip/524C141_085.do

Nice outfield pan here: http://www.corbismotion.com/wicker/clip/524C141_082.do

[mandrake]

A feud between Babe and Lou seems evident in these clips when Lou doesn't shake Babe's hand after home runs. Does anyone know the cause of their feud and how long it lasted? Gehrig was an all time great, but these clips make him appear very small.

http://www.corbismotion.com/wicker/clip/331745_012.do

http://www.corbismotion.com/wicker/clip/3312932219_047.do

http://www.corbismotion.com/wicker/clip/524C141_085.do

Nice outfield pan here: http://www.corbismotion.com/wicker/clip/524C141_082.do

The feud had to do with Lou Gehrig's mom telling the press what she thought of how Babe Ruth and his second wife were treating Ruth's daughter from his first wife. The girl was neglected and dressed like a street kid (I think she used the term from that time 'urchin'.) The Babe was spending money like it was water, and did not spend money on his own daughter. Ruth announced to all around that "Momma Gehrig needs to shut her mouth", to which Lou tried to shut Babe's mouth.

Miller Huggins always felt that Ruth was cowardly. One time Ruth wanted to fight him; Huggins said that because of his small size, Ruth would only challenge him out of everyone in the clubhouse...and most Yankee Players thought Huggins would have won anyway.

There are so many legends about Babe, but some of the facts are that he was not always a nice person, not the bravest person.
In a fight between the two, between Lou in his prime and an aging Ruth, most observers at that time thought Lou would have destroyed him.

After Ruth left the Yankees, he liked to disparage Lou, especially his consecutive game streak i.e. "what a load of crap that is". Ruth did not speak to him until the 1939 farewell speech by Lou. Ruth was also angry that he did not have a farewell day. It took the Yanks another 8 years before they honored him.

Sorry for the long winded rant

[stadiumbuilder]

That's not a rant, but an interesting read. Gehrig was raised to be a momma's boy. Her and Mr. Gehrig had four children, but Lou was the only one to survive and of course they were very close and protective. You say anything about the mom of a guy like Gehrig and you're permanently on the crap list. The press played it like a battle of the egos when it was going on, but that wasn't really the case. They were very different people and I'm sure Lou found The Babe's behavior, especially on road trips, to be somewhat questionable.

[stadiumbuilder]

And also, Ruth would have broken Huggins in half had they come to blows, IMO.:debate:

[Captain Cold Nose]

And also, Ruth would have broken Huggins in half had they come to blows, IMO.:debate:

Why do you think Ruth's teammates thought otherwise? Wishful thinking?

[elmer]

Presenting Evidence

[stadiumbuilder]

Or to tweak and twist Ruth's ego a little. Huggins was around 5'3" 120-130 lbs, non of them could have really expected him to best Ruth at 6'2" 200++

[Sean O]

Presenting Evidence

http://tinyurl.com/ that link. Just paste the link from the flyer into tinyurl, and it'll be far easier to deal with.

[locke40]

http://tinyurl.com/ that link. Just paste the link from the flyer into tinyurl, and it'll be far easier to deal with.

Please, please, please do NOT use tinyurl. It is a crappy website. Imgur.com (http://imgur.com) is much better, and far superior to tinyurl.

[locke40]

A feud between Babe and Lou seems evident in these clips when Lou doesn't shake Babe's hand after home runs. Does anyone know the cause of their feud and how long it lasted? Gehrig was an all time great, but these clips make him appear very small.

http://www.corbismotion.com/wicker/clip/331745_012.do

http://www.corbismotion.com/wicker/clip/3312932219_047.do

http://www.corbismotion.com/wicker/clip/524C141_085.do

Nice outfield pan here: http://www.corbismotion.com/wicker/clip/524C141_082.do

AMAZING clips, Lpeters199!! Good research!

Remember when that unseen Babe Ruth clip came out last week, and those two research guys said that no clips existed of Ruth pitching? Well yeah, there goes their credibility!

[The Monument]

Regarding the Ruth-Gehrig fued: Bill Dickey had said that on Gehrig Day in '39, while Ruth threw his arms around Gehrig, Lou did not respond accordingly. Photos clearly show Gehrig's hand on Babe's shoulder, however. I think that Mr Dickey was mistaken.

[elmer]

great film of Babe

[Gehrig27]

Here's a gem: THE opening day.

http://www.corbismotion.com/wicker/clip/515C057_033.do

[bandit12]

Didn't the feud between Gehrig/Babe involve their wives not getting along?

[Mygirljess]

Didn't the feud between Gehrig/Babe involve their wives not getting along?

No, it was because Gehrig's mother criticizied the way Ruth's daughter dressed. They did not speak for six years. That's according to Harvey Frommer in the book "Five O'Clock Lightning: Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and The Greatest Team in History, the 1927 New York Yankees" (cool book).

[SultanOfWhat]

I've read that the Ruth-Gehrig feud came about because Gehrig's mother (with whom Ruth spent a good bit of time) criticized Ruth's wife for dressing her own child (from a previous relationship) better than she did the Babe's daughter from his first marriage.

Supposedly, the feud began in 1933 or 1934, but we see evidence on these clips that there might have been frosty feelings earlier than that.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

I've read that the Ruth-Gehrig feud came about because Gehrig's mother (with whom Ruth spent a good bit of time) criticized Ruth's wife for dressing her own child (from a previous relationship) better than she did the Babe's daughter from his first marriage.

Supposedly, the feud began in 1933 or 1934, but we see evidence on these clips that there might have been frosty feelings earlier than that.

That was the case, the woman got into it and the men had to take sides.
May sound strange but some how I feel better knowing that it was an outside influence, event that cooled off the Babe/Lou relationship, the woman being the source.
This is not unusual, I have seen similar with some friends, the wives have a spat and the men feel they have to take sides, should not be but it happens.

As for when it happened obviously would have to be after 1929, the year Babe married Claire, I think that 1933 guess is close.

That one bit of footage, Lou turns his back on Babe described as 1927 must be in error. We can see the uniform numbers and Yanks first wore numbers in 1929.

Aside from all that, nice entry Lpeters.

[voodoochile]

Here's a gem: THE opening day.

http://www.corbismotion.com/wicker/clip/515C057_033.do


This clip of opening day 1923 is hot. One reason that I like it is that it shows a part of the stadium that has been overlooked since it was built, and I didn't know about until maybe 2 years ago. You can see it in some photos, but it's not really evident unless you already know about it.

That area in the outfield from the running/ bicycle track to the wall, the strip immediately in front of the bleachers which is about 15 feet in width, has a graduated incline that appears to reach 2-3 feet by the time it reaches the wall. It is very clear in the film as Ruth is rounding the bases. Obviously it was meant as a warning track. May even be the first one in baseball.

It appears that it didn't work out since it was eventually replaced by a dirt warning track before the modern day version of the crushed cinders, among other things. I guess no one has told Houston about that stuff yet..

[Gehrig27]

Here are some captures from the opening day clip, including the first home run sequence. I really wish this clip was in better condition but I suppose its better than not having it at all.:D
EDIT: You can also see that the 1922 pennant is different from the one unveiled for the final game last year.

[SultanOfWhat]

I've seen that Ruth HR before, but didn't know it was from Opening Day 1923. You can indeed see two base runners scoring ahead of Ruth on the HR, which jibes with Ruth's 3-run HR on the first opening day.

Screencaps, lighter:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SuOVV5iZ5FI/AAAAAAAAL4w/6lnga5HG4Yk/s800/YS2.jpg

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o164/emstc/YS1.jpg

[RationalNYYfan]

Sometimes I wonder if certain images are actually from certain events in baseball. There's one iconic clip of Babe Ruth swinging his bat in slow motion as the crowd of thousands stands up to watch with him the ball traveling into the air. It's a great clip, and I'm sure you've all seen it. It is often shown whenever baseball documentaries talk about his 60th homerun, but sometimes I wonder if that clip is erroneously attributed to #60, when in actuality it might just be any old home run he hit.

[Gary Dunaier]

I wouldn't doubt it.

[OllieNYY]

Sometimes I wonder if certain images are actually from certain events in baseball. There's one iconic clip of Babe Ruth swinging his bat in slow motion as the crowd of thousands stands up to watch with him the ball traveling into the air. It's a great clip, and I'm sure you've all seen it. It is often shown whenever baseball documentaries talk about his 60th homerun, but sometimes I wonder if that clip is erroneously attributed to #60, when in actuality it might just be any old home run he hit.

Almost certainly, when I briefly worked in TV before moving to movies, when asking for 'stock footage' of a certain event for a show, you would get a Digibeta tape or few with a whole series of clips, if your lucky each clip will be preceded with a description, date etc, but more often then not editors and directors will chose 'what looks good' rather then something from that event that looks inferior.

The MLB Productions have a very good archive unit, and in a recent NYTimes article they mentioned that all the Ruth footage they have can fit on one tape. We've probably seen all thats on it many times! There is one shot of babe hitting a homer that is often used when programs are dealing with his 'Called Shot' at Wrigley, I doubt (though if I'm wrong do tell me!) that footage was taken from that event.

[Gehrig27]

I know I've seen Ruth's opening day homer before, but not the actual hit. It's a short clip (right after the corbis one ends) of him walking back to the dugout and doffing his cap; the bunting and Ruth's smaller waistline always made me think it was from 1923 and now that I saw that clip I think it most certainly is. I tried getting an internship with MLB Productions once. What I wouldn't give to go through those archives, talk about a dream job...it's just about all we do on here but with a paycheck. :D

Here's a video with that famous swing footage you were talking about (:30), plus the one of him tipping his cap after the first in '23 (:46). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS7Iq_I0i6M

[OllieNYY]

I tried getting an internship with MLB Productions once. What I wouldn't give to go through those archives, talk about a dream job...it's just about all we do on here but with a paycheck. :D

Me too, heck they wouldn't even have to pay me! That or work at the Steiner Sports Warehouse, though I suspect I would end up just buying most of the game used stuff I would see!

[Gehrig27]

Hahaha don't even think about the basement storage of the Hall of Fame. I've seen one too many glimpses of what it's like down there...they'd find me wearing an old uniform and swinging Ruth's bat.

[ChineseDemocracy]

Hahaha don't even think about the basement storage of the Hall of Fame. I've seen one too many glimpses of what it's like down there...they'd find me wearing an old uniform and swinging Ruth's bat.

Or eating strawberries while wearing Gehrig's old uniform.

Maybe driving around the employee parking lot at Yankee Stadium with a World Series trophy tied to the back of your car?

[OllieNYY]

Hahaha don't even think about the basement storage of the Hall of Fame. I've seen one too many glimpses of what it's like down there...they'd find me wearing an old uniform and swinging Ruth's bat.

I have yet to go to the Hall Of Fame, must go some time! Collecting Yankee jerseys through time is a rather (boring) passion of mine. To see some of the flannel jerseys from the pre 70's would just be incredible. To hold one would be :hyper:

[dabigyankeeman]

here are some old yankee jerseys for you

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt135/dabigyankeeman/th_IMG_0104.jpg

[NYFan1stYankFan2nd]

Or eating strawberries while wearing Gehrig's old uniform.

Maybe driving around the employee parking lot at Yankee Stadium with a World Series trophy tied to the back of your car?

#1 - something John Lennon might have done.

#2 - would incite a Bronx riot unlike anything before it! :laugh

[ChineseDemocracy]

#1 - something John Lennon might have done.

#2 - would incite a Bronx riot unlike anything before it! :laugh

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x234/guitarmajic/BB--Scotty-Blues-city1.jpg

[NYFan1stYankFan2nd]

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x234/guitarmajic/BB--Scotty-Blues-city1.jpg

Who are dem guys?

[locke40]

Who are dem guys?

ChineseDemocracy was making a rather subtle attempt to suggest that his joke had gone "over your head." He/she had referenced the show "Seinfeld" when we saw George Costanza wear Babe Ruth's old jersey during a meeting, and getting it filthy with the residue of the strawberries he was eating. George Steinbrenner didn't mind one bit. He then took the 1996 trophy, tied to the back of his car, and dragged it through Yankee Stadium's parking lot. He was trying to get fired, and take a job with the Mets, but his attempts failed. It was quite humorous and very well written.

[stuarthouse]

Sometimes I wonder if certain images are actually from certain events in baseball. There's one iconic clip of Babe Ruth swinging his bat in slow motion as the crowd of thousands stands up to watch with him the ball traveling into the air. It's a great clip, and I'm sure you've all seen it. It is often shown whenever baseball documentaries talk about his 60th homerun, but sometimes I wonder if that clip is erroneously attributed to #60, when in actuality it might just be any old home run he hit.
You are undoubtedly referring to the one Ken Burns used liberally in his series "Baseball." It was probably much earlier than 1927; probably 1923-24. The :wavingBabe is relatively slim. While his weight fluctuated, he at one time in 1927 carried 251 lbs., the most he ever weighed during a season. That clip is a gem. It appears to have been filmed with a state-of-the-art field-level, high speed camera with a very deep focal length, which allowed for the sharp view of the fans in the grandstand. The ball appears to have been hit so high that it was uncertain if it would reach the bleachers; a characteristic of many a Ruthian home run. Red Smith once wrote that the ball seemed to be 100 feet in the air as it passed first base. Sometimes runners on base when Babe tagged one would sometimes stand, momentarily frozen between bases, watching the flight of the ball and wondering how any human being could hit a ball that high.

[stuarthouse]

This clip of opening day 1923 is hot. One reason that I like it is that it shows a part of the stadium that has been overlooked since it was built, and I didn't know about until maybe 2 years ago. You can see it in some photos, but it's not really evident unless you already know about it.

That area in the outfield from the running/ bicycle track to the wall, the strip immediately in front of the bleachers which is about 15 feet in width, has a graduated incline that appears to reach 2-3 feet by the time it reaches the wall. It is very clear in the film as Ruth is rounding the bases. Obviously it was meant as a warning track. May even be the first one in baseball.

It appears that it didn't work out since it was eventually replaced by a dirt warning track before the modern day version of the crushed cinders, among other things. I guess no one has told Houston about that stuff yet..
This footage gives every indication of being a opening day 1923 and showing the inaugural homer by Ruth. Wouldn't it be great to get modern digital technology to clean this up?!

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Sometimes I wonder if certain images are actually from certain events in baseball. There's one iconic clip of Babe Ruth swinging his bat in slow motion as the crowd of thousands stands up to watch with him the ball traveling into the air. It's a great clip, and I'm sure you've all seen it. It is often shown whenever baseball documentaries talk about his 60th homerun, but sometimes I wonder if that clip is erroneously attributed to #60, when in actuality it might just be any old home run he hit.

I doubt that the video, seen on Burns special and described as number 60 in 1927 is the real thing. Been researching The Babe for years, to my knowledge I know of no video that showed number 60. Now I could be wrong, just because I have never seen any video of 60, does not mean there is none, but you would think after all these years, it would have been well known. Also according to the catcher and ump that day, the pitch that he hit was low and inside.

It's obvious and it's certainly OK, Ken Burns takes two different Ruth at bats in this scene. You can see when Babe takes the first two pitches, looks like low bleachers in the background and two young boys standing on the field.
At about 30 seconds into the footage, background changes, looks like the big park, thats where he swings.
Reading his body language, looks to me like it's hit high and far,it's gone, only question.......is it fair, looks like it was.

[stadiumbuilder]

The thing that makes me question that clip's attribution is it looks like the left field extension is already built, completed in mid 1928. Check it out when he's rounding 3rd, it looks to me like those stands extend too far down. There was 1 42' straight section of stands in addition to the 5 short on the curve and 1 long on the end added to complete the post-1927 profile.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

This may be of some interest, what was that day like for the pitcher, Tom Zachary, who gave up number 60 and became a Yankee in 1928.

Here is a letter Tom wrote, not sure to who.

No need to read it all. Highlighted the important part.

Tom writes,....."I made a bad mistake, I should have thrown a fast one at his big fat head, lost game 4-2."

Join the club Tom.

[NYFan1stYankFan2nd]

ChineseDemocracy was making a rather subtle attempt to suggest that his joke had gone "over your head." He/she had referenced the show "Seinfeld" when we saw George Costanza wear Babe Ruth's old jersey during a meeting, and getting it filthy with the residue of the strawberries he was eating. George Steinbrenner didn't mind one bit. He then took the 1996 trophy, tied to the back of his car, and dragged it through Yankee Stadium's parking lot. He was trying to get fired, and take a job with the Mets, but his attempts failed. It was quite humorous and very well written.

A LOT of jokes go over my head. Read up on Asperger's syndrome and you'll understand me to a t. It's "autism lite", and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. Unlike triple-J, I don't "pretend" to have some disorder, or act dumb. I disclose it so people understand me better.

[voodoochile]

NYFan1stYankFan2nd,a word to the wise. Triple-J HATES to be referred to as Triple-J. He tore into me once for doing that. Speaking of . . . where the hell's he been?

Regarding Ruth's #60, I've seen so many different clips of him hitting something deep that was supposed to portray #60 that I don't even wonder if it was anymore. I'm sure you've seen the one or two clips that refer to his 60th while hitting one out wearing #3.

Also, about the letter that Zachary spoke of serving up #60 to Ruth, that in itself is an admission that he indeed gave up that home run, but I recall reading that he had claimed for years that the ball was foul.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

NYFan1stYankFan2nd,a word to the wise. Triple-J HATES to be referred to as Triple-J. He tore into me once for doing that. Speaking of . . . where the hell's he been?

Regarding Ruth's #60, I've seen so many different clips of him hitting something deep that was supposed to portray #60 that I don't even wonder if it was anymore. I'm sure you've seen the one or two clips that refer to his 60th while hitting one out wearing #3.

Also, about the letter that Zachary spoke of serving up #60 to Ruth, that in itself is an admission that he indeed gave up that home run, but I recall reading that he had claimed for years that the ball was foul.

For sure he gave up "60", that we know.
And he did more than once try to make the case that the ball was foul.

[RationalNYYfan]

NYFan1stYankFan2nd,a word to the wise. Triple-J HATES to be referred to as Triple-J. He tore into me once for doing that. Speaking of . . . where the hell's he been?

Regarding Ruth's #60, I've seen so many different clips of him hitting something deep that was supposed to portray #60 that I don't even wonder if it was anymore. I'm sure you've seen the one or two clips that refer to his 60th while hitting one out wearing #3.

Also, about the letter that Zachary spoke of serving up #60 to Ruth, that in itself is an admission that he indeed gave up that home run, but I recall reading that he had claimed for years that the ball was foul.

Wherever he is, I hope he stays there for a long time.

[Lpeters199]

I remember seeing a clip that was also supposed to be #60, in which the batboy jumped on Babe's back after he crossed the plate, and the Babe carried him toward the dugout seemingly unbothered. Has anyone seen that clip lately?

[SHOELESSJOE3]

I remember seeing a clip that was also supposed to be #60, in which the batboy jumped on Babe's back after he crossed the plate, and the Babe carried him toward the dugout seemingly unbothered. Has anyone seen that clip lately?

I have seen that picture, some time ago, I may even have it in one of my folders
I don't recall any description fitting that picture from Babe' 1927 season, not even number #60.

This is what you probably saw, looks rather small, like a boy if I can recall that picture, been a while since I've seen it. There was one game, don't recall who but a Yankee player not that big who told of leaping on Babe's back after he homered.

Anyway, don't know who the leaper was in this game, 1926 Word Series, but here is one account of such happening.
Famous radio broadcaster Graham McNamee going ballistic after seeing Babe's third home run of the game, monster shot into the bleachers, dead centerfield.

[Lpeters199]

Thanks, Joe. Someday that clip will turn up on the internet. Nice clipping on McNamee's call--was he excited or what?

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Not much in the way of park security in those days.

On a couple of occasions in that season, 1927, as he was rounding the bases after hitting one out a spectator leaped over the grandstand rail and tried to make off with his bat. I have no idea how the person could actually believe they could make it out of the stadium with the bat, but thats not the point.

When Babe hit number 56 he took no chances, he carried his bat with him, rounding the bases.
A young boy jumped the rail and met Babe at third base, the boy got his hands on the bat. Ruth ran the last 90 feet holding up the bat and the boy all the way to the dugout.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Thanks, Joe. Someday that clip will turn up on the internet. Nice clipping on McNamee's call--was he excited or what?

I plan on looking for that picture. I think I may have posted it on the board long ago, poor quality if I recall.

[stuarthouse]

Not much in the way of park security in those days.

On a couple of occasions in that season, 1927, as he was rounding the bases after hitting one out a spectator leaped over the grandstand rail and tried to make off with his bat. I have no idea how the person could actually believe they could make it out of the stadium with the bat, but thats not the point.

When Babe hit number 56 he took no chances, he carried his bat with him, rounding the bases.
A young boy jumped the rail and met Babe at third base, the boy got his hands on the bat. Ruth ran the last 90 feet holding up the bat and the boy all the way to the dugout.
Speaking of that; I recall seeing an old film clip on TV many years ago. Ruth homered and during his home run trot a kid jumped on his back and he carried him all the way across the plate. There was pandemonium! It may have been an exhibition game, rather than a regular league game, but who knows?:waving

[Lpeters199]

Found it--shown twice in this clip, along with some great views of him taking a step-up swing. Also a clip of home movies that includes a 1961 World Series game at the stadium. Why no batter's eye?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jnizl5TvDUU

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8967873219669990376&ei=5j_mSre_ApDArAKez-D-Dg&q=babe+ruth&hl=en#

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Found it--shown twice in this clip, along with some great views of him taking a step-up swing. Also a clip of home movies that includes a 1961 World Series game at the stadium. Why no batter's eye?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jnizl5TvDUU

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8967873219669990376&ei=5j_mSre_ApDArAKez-D-Dg&q=babe+ruth&hl=en#

Nice stuff there repeats some scenes but good to look at.
I would guess you guys noticed that video is out of proportion, squeezed down, Babe looks about 4 feet tall in that one.

That does look like it may have been an exhibition game where someone, looks like a kid jumped on his back but it also did happen in the 1926 World Series.

Story behind one scene on that video. It's shown 3 times, the first time at 2:01. We see Babe hit by a pitch. As he makes his way to first base, he makes flicking motions, brushing his forearm, as though to brush away a pesky insect and looking the pitchers way, saying something.

That was Babe's first at bat in the very next game after the "called shot" game, 1932 WS. It was no accident, The pitcher was Cub Guy Bush who was Babe's chief tormentor the day before. Bush was out of the Cub's dugout calling Babe some nasty names just before Babe hit that home run.

Babe was trying to show up Bush, brushing off his arm...... didn't hurt me at all. Lou Gehrig was on deck and said Babe yelled to Bush, " Hey lop ears, was that your fastball."

Of course it did hurt him, after the game his forearm was badly bruised and swollen.
Guy Bush and Babe met one more time, in 1935 Babe was now a Boston Brave, Bush now a Pirate.
Babe hit his last home run, number 714 off of Guy Bush, over the roof and out of Forbes Field.
The hard feelings, the grudge was over, Bush in his own words, tipped his hat as Ruth rounded third.."I've seen it all now Babe." That was the longest cockeyed ball I've ever seen, it's probably still going."

[Lpeters199]

Guy Bush's karma still haunts the Cubs. Great story!

1961 World Series newsreel at the stadium: http://ahivfree.alexanderstreet.com/View/555346

Newsreels: http://ahivfree.alexanderstreet.com/View/528109

http://ahivfree.alexanderstreet.com/View/528862

[voodoochile]

Found it--shown twice in this clip, along with some great views of him taking a step-up swing. Also a clip of home movies that includes a 1961 World Series game at the stadium. Why no batter's eye?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jnizl5TvDUU

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8967873219669990376&ei=5j_mSre_ApDArAKez-D-Dg&q=babe+ruth&hl=en#



That first video has a clip at the end showing Babe hitting one out in a packed house accompanied by George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. This is my favorite of all home run video clips of any ballplayer because it is a textbook perfect swing.
They say to shift your weight when you make contact and get your hips into it. Ruth slams his entire body into it. He looks like a coiled rattlesnake who had been waiting for his prey to get a little closer. No movement is wasted, everything went into the ball.
I also like the way he "chases" the pitch in a couple of the other segments. It's hard to believe that anyone could do that and still get the bat on the ball.

[elmer]

Committee to Commemorate
Old Yankee Stadium
______________________________

Public Design Commission Hearing
New York City Hall
October 26, 2009
______________________________


Thank you so very much for this great honor & opportunity to speak on behalf of people around the country, who so passionately want to pay tribute to the greatest Stadium in the American history….America’s Coliseum…Old Yankee Stadium.

As Mayor Bloomberg reported only last year, in the "Official Yankee Stadium Retrospective" Old Yankee Stadium is one of New York's three most asked-about New York City international icons, along with Empire State Building, and the Empire State Building. Wherever he travels around the world, he said, people always ask about [Old] Yankee Stadium.

Dozens of international luminaries, including presidents, governors, and celebrities of every type - joined the Mayor in this book - one of many hundreds written on the history of the Stadium - voicing how very highly regarded the Stadium is around the world.

Indeed, it is Old Yankee Stadium's unmatched prominence, that compelled me to fly in this morning from my home state of Virginia, to encourage and plead to the great City of New York to "properly preserve and celebrate" this national landmark and treasure.

Commissioners, the Committee to Commemorate Old Yankee Stadium
request that you please Save Gate 2,

The exciting reality is that Gate 2 IS overwhelmingly original - as the two photos of Gate 2 before you make unmistakeably clear - one from the 1930's and the other taken just this year. The City's original belief that Gate 2 was NOT original was wrong.

And, moreover, Gate 2 is PERFECTLY located between New and Old Yankee Stadiums -- providing a magnificent architectural, and even spiritual, Gateway, connecting our past to our future.

As Bronx County Historian, Dr. Lloyd Ultan, observed in Paul Goldberger's recent article in the New Yorker citing authoritative criticisms of preliminary park design:

“What’s missing from the park plan is the architecture of the Stadium itself.”

- later stating that a large, tangible part of the original stadium is needed to effectively communicate the original Stadium's majesty & size, like ruins of antiquity so powerfully do.

Architectural experts Rick Bell, Jeff Bianco, Phil Reina - along with so many others - the preliminary design as "lacking authenticity".

In fact, neither Babe, nor Lou, saw ANYTHING included in the current proposal!

BUT, they saw Gate 2!!

_____________________


Yankee Stadium historians across the country - including Bill Jenkinson and the City's own Dr. Ultan - emphatically agree, adding that a meaningful tangible memory from the Stadium's most glorious days is needed to properly record its irreplaceable preeminence.

As Paul Doherty, a leading authority on Yankee Stadium, put it:

"Gate 2 will serve as a cultural lamp post to the great eras of New York City's sporting dominance - second only to the Roman Coliseum in its importance to the overall history of world sports."

The essential point we all must remember is that:

If Gate 2 is not saved, nothing of the Stadium's most glorious era and architecture will be!


We also respectfully request, Commissioners, that the Old Yankee Stadium Site be called "Old Yankee Stadium Park", rather than the overly common and nondescript "Heritage Field", or "Park" of which there are so very many across the country - including one at the Cleveland Indians' Stadium right up the road in the Yankees' own AL East!

"Old Yankee Stadium Park" is clearly a far better name - one that truly "celebrates the site's rich history", as is the charter and goal of the Commission. Paul Goldberger, the renowned New York historic architect - and the City's Board Member for the National Trust for Historic Preservation - also disapproves of the name. Dr. Ultan emphatically joins him, along with preeminent historians and Baseball fans of the Stadium across the City, and country.

For similarly compelling reasons, we request the baseball area of the new park be called "Babe Ruth Memorial Field" - to both tribute New York's greatest and beloved sports hero, and to replace the original "Babe Ruth Memorial Baseball Filed" - recently destroyed to make way for New Yankee Stadium. Your very distinguished Art Commission predecessor, Williams Adams Delano, was a leading participant in the creation of Babe Ruth Memorial Field, created sixty years ago, as a "permanent" tribute to New York's (still) most beloved and immortal sports figure - New York's great Babe Ruth.

__________________

In closing Commissioners, I quote another New York great, Jackie Kennedy, who did so very much for preserving this great City's cultural treasures, and whose statement forty years ago so perfectly addresses why we must save Gate 2:

"Is it not cruel to let New York die by degrees, stripped of all her proudest moments, until there will be nothing left of history and beauty to inspire our children? If they are not inspired by the past of our City, where will they find the strength to fight for her future? Americans care about their past, but, for short term gain, they ignore it and tear down everything that matters. This is the time to take a stand and reverse the tide."


Please, Commissioners, save Gate 2, at "Old Yankee Stadium Park" - not only for Babe & Lou … but, most of all, for all our children and loved ones - and all those who follow us - so they can see and even touch "The House That Ruth Built" - the greatest Stadium in our nation's history- "Old Yankee Stadium.".

:crossfingers: :crossfingers:

__________________________________________________ ________________

SUPPORTING RECORDS & EVIDENCE


Books

"The Official Yankee Stadium Retrospective", Published 2008.

Articles

New Haven Register: "There Still May be Time to Save "The House That Ruth Built", September 7, 2008.
New Haven Register: "Yankee Fans Need to Move Quick to Save the Gate That Ruth Built", June 17, 2009.
New York Daily News: "Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe Confirms Plans to Level Yankee Stadium", June 23, 2009.
New Yorker: by Paul Goldberger, "The Future of Old Yankee Stadium", August 10, 2009
New York Daily News: "Old Yankee Stadium's Gate 2 Focus of Debate as Part of New Heritage Park", ["The Gate Debate"] August 17, 2009.
Daily News: "Last Pitch to Save Gate 2" September 28, 2009.

Written Expert Endorsements:

Paul Doherty, Yankee Stadium Historian, September 28, 2009 [Attached]
Brad Turnow, New York Yankees Historian, September 28, 2009 [Attached]
Jeff Wattrick, Historic Preservationist, September 28, 2009 [Attached]
Peter Comstock Riley, Historic Preservationist, September 30, 2009 [Attached]
George Mole', Captain NYPD, Bronx Urban Affairs Commentator, October 1, 2009 [Attached]
Phillip J. Reina, Architect, October 1, 2009 [Attached]
Jeffrey Dale Bianco, Historic Architect, Past President of Connecticut AIA,
October 2, 2009 [Attached]


Expert Endorsements on Archived Radio Shows:

Baseball Digest LIVE, with Mark Healy: "SAVE THE GATE" June 30, 2009
[Expert Opinions of Baseball Historians Bill Jenkinson, Linda Ruth Tosetti, Mark Healy & Tim Reid. Historic Preservation Architect Jeff Bianco]
http://www.baseballdigest.com/2009/06/29/baseball-digest-live-save-the-gate/
Baseball Digest LIVE, with Mark Healy: "Preserving the Past" October 5, 2009
[Expert Opinions of Baseball Historians Bill Jenkinson, Paul Doherty, Mark Healy & Tim Reid. Historic Preservation Architect Jeff Bianco. Historical Preservationists Jeff Wattrick & Peter Comstock Riley]

Visual Evidence

Side-by-Side Photographic Comparison of 1930's Gate, and Spring 2009 Gate: Produced by Joe Staluppi, Graphic Designer
Model of Proposed Gate 2 Monument at Old Yankee Stadium Site, Yankee Stadium Modeler, Mike Hagan

[Gary Dunaier]

Found some renovation photos on Flickr, and here they are...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2492/4053930841_8d123f03a5_o.jpg
(Uploaded to Flickr.com by user mklw2009 on 10/28/09. Link to original Flickr.com upload: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42393351@N05/4053930841/in/photostream).)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2463/4053932721_3a6a09ab3e_o.jpg
(Uploaded to Flickr.com by user mklw2009 on 10/28/09. Link to original Flickr.com upload: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42393351@N05/4053932721/in/photostream).)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3500/4054680340_14654e55a2_o.jpg
(Uploaded to Flickr.com by user mklw2009 on 10/28/09. Link to original Flickr.com upload: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42393351@N05/4054680340/in/photostream).)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2682/4054676628_14375118c8_o.jpg
(Uploaded to Flickr.com by user mklw2009 on 10/28/09. Link to original Flickr.com upload: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42393351@N05/4054676628/in/photostream).)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2749/4054682106_34378fd7ef_o.jpg
(Uploaded to Flickr.com by user mklw2009 on 10/28/09. Link to original Flickr.com upload: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42393351@N05/4054682106/in/photostream).)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2796/4054684532_f4644dd1a2_o.jpg
(Uploaded to Flickr.com by user mklw2009 on 10/28/09. Link to original Flickr.com upload: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42393351@N05/4054684532/in/photostream).)

[Astros]

Great photos. I know it has been debated til people will puke, but I think those photos do show there was a substantial amount of the original stadium still intact.

[NYaDiO]

Found some renovation photos on Flickr, and here they are...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2492/4053930841_8d123f03a5_o.jpg
(Uploaded to Flickr.com by user mklw2009 on 10/28/09. Link to original Flickr.com upload: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42393351@N05/4053930841/in/photostream).)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2463/4053932721_3a6a09ab3e_o.jpg
(Uploaded to Flickr.com by user mklw2009 on 10/28/09. Link to original Flickr.com upload: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42393351@N05/4053932721/in/photostream).)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3500/4054680340_14654e55a2_o.jpg
(Uploaded to Flickr.com by user mklw2009 on 10/28/09. Link to original Flickr.com upload: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42393351@N05/4054680340/in/photostream).)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2682/4054676628_14375118c8_o.jpg
(Uploaded to Flickr.com by user mklw2009 on 10/28/09. Link to original Flickr.com upload: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42393351@N05/4054676628/in/photostream).)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2749/4054682106_34378fd7ef_o.jpg
(Uploaded to Flickr.com by user mklw2009 on 10/28/09. Link to original Flickr.com upload: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42393351@N05/4054682106/in/photostream).)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2796/4054684532_f4644dd1a2_o.jpg
(Uploaded to Flickr.com by user mklw2009 on 10/28/09. Link to original Flickr.com upload: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42393351@N05/4054684532/in/photostream).)

Great pics never seen these before.

[Lpeters199]

From LIFE Magazine July 1, 1940--Oct. 18, 1937--July 24, 1939--May 1, 1964--May 27, 1957

[Maxlugar]

Found some renovation photos on Flickr, and here they are...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2492/4053930841_8d123f03a5_o.jpg
(Uploaded to Flickr.com by user mklw2009 on 10/28/09. Link to original Flickr.com upload: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42393351@N05/4053930841/in/photostream).)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2463/4053932721_3a6a09ab3e_o.jpg
(Uploaded to Flickr.com by user mklw2009 on 10/28/09. Link to original Flickr.com upload: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42393351@N05/4053932721/in/photostream).)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3500/4054680340_14654e55a2_o.jpg
(Uploaded to Flickr.com by user mklw2009 on 10/28/09. Link to original Flickr.com upload: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42393351@N05/4054680340/in/photostream).)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2682/4054676628_14375118c8_o.jpg
(Uploaded to Flickr.com by user mklw2009 on 10/28/09. Link to original Flickr.com upload: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42393351@N05/4054676628/in/photostream).)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2749/4054682106_34378fd7ef_o.jpg
(Uploaded to Flickr.com by user mklw2009 on 10/28/09. Link to original Flickr.com upload: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42393351@N05/4054682106/in/photostream).)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2796/4054684532_f4644dd1a2_o.jpg
(Uploaded to Flickr.com by user mklw2009 on 10/28/09. Link to original Flickr.com upload: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42393351@N05/4054684532/in/photostream).)

Do I see cat walks above in that 2nd pic. THese are great shots by they way.

[Maxlugar]

I notice something else too. The left side looks to have 15 fews left from the original stadium at field level. The right side has 25 plus original rows. Weird no?

[Maxlugar]

Actually you can't see where the left side ends in that pic. It probably goes up much further than 15 rows.. Nevermind.

[The Monument]

Thanks for posting those renovation pics. Weird how they look similar to the current demo pix we've seen.

[Lpeters199]

This article from Baseball Digest is very critical of OYS:

http://books.google.com/books?id=ay8DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA39&dq=yankee+stadium&as_pt=MAGAZINES#v=onepage&q=yankee%20stadium&f=false

[Gary Dunaier]

A couple of interesting images currently offered on Ebay...

"1938 Vintage Photo NY Yankee Stadium Army Vs Notre Dame"

http://www.tiquphoto.com/Todd/D1154a.jpg

Auction ends November 8. Starting bid is $14.99 and there are currently no bids. Ebay item number is 200400779822 in case anyone is interested.


"Vintage 35mm Photo Slide, Yankee Stadium Bronx, 1973"

http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz42/embitt1/img1142b.jpg

Auction ends November 8. Starting bid is $5.00 and there are currently no bids. Ebay item number is 400082707838 in case anyone is interested.


Don't know what the rules are regarding direct links to auctions, but these aren't my auctions, I don't know the sellers, and I mainly just wanted to share the photos.

[Lpeters199]

Mickey should have had one more.

[Gylmar]

Mickey should have had one more.

What a GREAT backhanded catch by the Tigers legend! :bowdown:

[Yankees73]

Great photos. I know it has been debated til people will puke, but I think those photos do show there was a substantial amount of the original stadium still intact.

Looking at the subway (The muggers express) reminds me of how disgusting and dreary NYC was in the mid 70s. Absolutely horrid:bowdown:

[rx2003]

A couple of interesting images currently offered on Ebay...

"1938 Vintage Photo NY Yankee Stadium Army Vs Notre Dame"

http://www.tiquphoto.com/Todd/D1154a.jpg

Auction ends November 8. Starting bid is $14.99 and there are currently no bids. Ebay item number is 200400779822 in case anyone is interested.


"Vintage 35mm Photo Slide, Yankee Stadium Bronx, 1973"

http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz42/embitt1/img1142b.jpg

Auction ends November 8. Starting bid is $5.00 and there are currently no bids. Ebay item number is 400082707838 in case anyone is interested.


Don't know what the rules are regarding direct links to auctions, but these aren't my auctions, I don't know the sellers, and I mainly just wanted to share the photos.

did they still have the clock on the front in 73? I don't remember it being there at that time?

[YankeesFan]

did they still have the clock on the front in 73? I don't remember it being there at that time?

Yes, the clock was there until the end of the '73 season. The message board under the clock was installed in the '66-'67 winter renovation.

[Aviator_Frank]

Has that gotta be one of the worst defacements of the old park you've ever seen? I mean, who the hell in the Bronx cares what Official Time is. Or anyone flying overhead at 10,000 feet or less for that matter.

[Maxlugar]

did they still have the clock on the front in 73? I don't remember it being there at that time?

That pick was probably taken on a Circle Line trip. I bet there must be millions of these in people's photo albums. There's not much else to take a picture of once you get up there. I'd love to see one from this angle during the renovation.

[Gary Dunaier]

I mean, who the hell in the Bronx cares what Official Time is. Or anyone flying overhead at 10,000 feet or less for that matter.

The clock was probably intended for the people driving along the Major Deegan Expressway.

[spiderico]

The clock was probably intended for the people driving along the Major Deegan Expressway.

The first intention was an ad. I'm sure the Yankees didn't decide that they wanted to put up a huge clock and then found Longines as a sponsor. It's a little more "useful" then your standard ad, but thats all it really is...a giant piece of ad space on the outside of the stadium.

[johnfre]

http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz42/embitt1/img1142b.jpg

That rivers edge is not a place you'd want to be hanging around after dark.

[NYFan1stYankFan2nd]

Do I see cat walks above in that 2nd pic. THese are great shots by they way.

And in the sixth(bottom) pic you can see the infamous turnbuckles used to pull the grandstand cantilever back to spec after the column was removed!

[johnfre]

And in the sixth(bottom) pic you can see the infamous turnbuckles used to pull the grandstand cantilever back to spec after the column was removed!

Is the main reason for adding the extra rows in the upper deck for engineering purposes, to enable the cable support of the upper deck?
Or could they have done it without the added rows?

[NYFan1stYankFan2nd]

Is the main reason for adding the extra rows in the upper deck for engineering purposes, to enable the cable support of the upper deck?
Or could they have done it without the added rows?

Primarily engineering, yes. The additional rows balanced everything forward of the new columns added in 1974. That is, the original rows of the upper deck. The cables & counter-weight steel in the new upper concourse prevented it all from tipping inward, toward the field when it filled up with spectators. You could actually remove the cables now, and the grandstand would still remain up, just verrrry unstable. It would be in a state of equilibrium, but add just a couple thousand folks, and it's over she'd go! So you see why columns or jackposts might have to go back in the 1920s positions during dismantling of that upper grandstand in the months to come. To attempt it without temporary columns would make no sense to this armchair engineer. ;)

As a bonus, the expanded upper deck *partially* made up for seats lost in the mezzanine(behind the new columns installed as described above), and rows lost in the bleachers when monument park occupied the area behind the left-center fences in 1976.

[NYFan1stYankFan2nd]

http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz42/embitt1/img1142b.jpg

That rivers edge is not a place you'd want to be hanging around after dark.

Yeah, might end up going for a swim - with concrete shoes. ;)

[ericlc129]

Has that gotta be one of the worst defacements of the old park you've ever seen? I mean, who the hell in the Bronx cares what Official Time is. Or anyone flying overhead at 10,000 feet or less for that matter.
That would be for those that are NEAR the stadium!
Now take your opinions and go home!:banghead:

[NYFan1stYankFan2nd]

A couple of interesting images currently offered on Ebay...

"1938 Vintage Photo NY Yankee Stadium Army Vs Notre Dame"

http://www.tiquphoto.com/Todd/D1154a.jpg

Auction ends November 8. Starting bid is $14.99 and there are currently no bids. Ebay item number is 200400779822 in case anyone is interested.

Auction ends November 8. Starting bid is $5.00 and there are currently no bids. Ebay item number is 400082707838 in case anyone is interested.


Don't know what the rules are regarding direct links to auctions, but these aren't my auctions, I don't know the sellers, and I mainly just wanted to share the photos.

Ever notice, in that aerial that Gates 2 & 6(added later) are more "evolved" than Gate 2(first gate finished)? That is, they wrap around on the sides, into the roof they are adjacent to.

I wonder if those side wings of Gate 2 were supported by internal columns that might still be standing inside RYS today. That might speak for the feasibility of saving that gate. :)

[yankies4life]

http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz42/embitt1/img1142b.jpg


really so beautiful, what were they thinking when they renovated the place?

[Mario Mendoza...HOF Lock]

really so beautiful, what were they thinking when they renovated the place?

The same mindset that replaced this.....
http://www.moynihanstation.org/newsite/general%20waiting%20room.jpg

with this.......

http://blogs.redding.com/mbeauchamp/archives/new-york-penn-station-address-2.jpg

While the 60's & '70's saw music, television & the arts at it's creative peak (Gilligan's Island & My Mother The Car notwithstanding) it also saw architecture and fashion in the crapper.

[RichardLillard1]

Ever notice, in that aerial that Gates 2 & 6(added later) are more "evolved" than Gate 2(first gate finished)? That is, they wrap around on the sides, into the roof they are adjacent to.

I wonder if those side wings of Gate 2 were supported by internal columns that might still be standing inside RYS today. That might speak for the feasibility of saving that gate. :)


Trust me, it's something we've looked at. :)

In terms of a Western return wall on Gate 2, there isn't one--only the impression that there was from aerial shots like that one. The ramps run right along that part of the structure and the closest we've been able to come is that the corner of the ramps had a pillar that might suit well as a framing to a return wall.

Our fight is still very much alive.


Richard

[StadiumGraveyard]

from a leland auction

[RationalNYYfan]

I know I am not in the majority here, but there's something about the white walls of Old Yankee Stadium that I really like. The blue seats and the white frieze really looks great, I think it's just been given a bad rap because of the crappy product that CBS put on the field at the time.

[SultanOfWhat]

The white frieze looked fine, but I hated the white front to the upper deck and mezzanine. They should have left the deck fronts a darker color.

[SultanOfWhat]

Lookee what I found:

1947 World Series - Yankees and Dodgers:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Svc7mO2F6JI/AAAAAAAAMQE/xecpSYQ5_Bg/s800/1947%20ws%20sm.jpg

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o164/emstc/1947ws.jpg

Original link:
http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/75a272f1b044ca3e_large

Lighter version. Could that be DiMaggio swinging in the shadows?

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Svc2OQA6_pI/AAAAAAAAMPI/trS9PugGuWI/s800/1947%20World%20Series%20-%20Yanks%20And%20Dodgers.jpg

[yankies4life]

Lookee what I found:

1947 World Series - Yankees and Dodgers:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Svc2OQA6_pI/AAAAAAAAMOs/O32cvIu13P0/s800/1947%20World%20Series%20-%20Yanks%20And%20Dodgers.jpg

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o164/emstc/1947ws.jpg

Original link:
http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/75a272f1b044ca3e_large

jeez its so weird to only see 2 monuments

[SultanOfWhat]

Yep, the Babe was still alive.

[frank72]

Nice picture Sultan. The flagpole appears orange in color? I didnt expect that.

[Lpeters199]

I love the crowd watching from the subway platform in the latest picture. Did DiMaggio really catch a fly behind the monuments? It looks impossible.

[TJH1923]

Nice find of the 1947 WS........No warning track and if the view was wider, you would see no auxiliary scoreboards....I wonder why the flag was half staff?

[Lpeters199]

Maybe this is the answer to the flag question.

[TJH1923]

That is what is so special about this forum.

[YankeesFan]

Nice picture Sultan. The flagpole appears orange in color? I didnt expect that.

Hi-

Does anyone know when field dimension distance markers were changed from gold to white? My guess would be mid 50's?

-Thanks.

[locke40]

That is what is so special about this forum.

100% agreed. This site has been an endless resource of information, and especially old photographs. I'm coming up on my 2-year anniversary, and I have to say my knowledge and general understanding of everything baseball and ballpark related has increased 1000-fold.

[SultanOfWhat]

Hi-

Does anyone know when field dimension distance markers were changed from gold to white? My guess would be mid 50's?

-Thanks.

They were still gold as of this pic (July 27, 1953):

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SvhZlitbmbI/AAAAAAAAMS8/zIQlBUFaF8I/s800/July%2027%2C%201953-1.jpg

The markers were white in the 4-23-1955 color pics with the ushers in the red jackets:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SvhbgrNXspI/AAAAAAAAMTY/-52wT-igkxU/s800/spo%20Yankees%20Yankee-Stadium%20color%201955%203.jpg

[SHOELESSJOE3]

As long as we're on the stadium subject. The man behind the scoreboard.
Jeff Ingenito, 1949.

[peterrod16]

http://www.life.com/image/55720614/in-gallery/23147
Jerry Coleman stands by home plate in Yankee Stadium, April, 1952, announcing he'll be heading to the Korean War as a pilot.
Nicknamed "the Colonel," Coleman missed most of the 1952 and 1953 seasons while overseas.

[bandit12]

They were still gold as of this pic (July 27, 1953):

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SvhZlitbmbI/AAAAAAAAMS8/zIQlBUFaF8I/s800/July%2027%2C%201953-1.jpg


Do those signs behind shortstop and 2nd base positions not say "1950"?

[Lpeters199]

Good eye, bandit12. This clip offers a couple brief color views. The photo is from Sports Illustrated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap1omvlBMP4&feature=fvw

[SultanOfWhat]

I found this pic along with the other one above. Both were dated July 27, 1953:

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o164/emstc/July271953.jpg

The Phillip Morris ad is different between the two pics, though, so the years must be different after all. Maybe 1950 is indeed the year of the one with the gold markers.

ETA: This looks like 1953 (see numbers on each side of pitcher's mound), so the "1950" pic probably was from that year:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Svkm_930_RI/AAAAAAAAMVE/SYj0of3UKZ0/s800/1572173562_83ae13359c_o.jpg

This one is dated July 26, 1953:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SvkoHo5rD9I/AAAAAAAAMVg/mCcjBikcygU/s800/1582499633_e39cbae027_o.jpg

Another view of the "1950" gathering:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SvkqUyCeyLI/AAAAAAAAMV8/0N6Guv545RA/s800/1593225339_4856b9a072_o.jpg

[SultanOfWhat]

Bill Burgess has posted some excellent scans of the original White Construction Co. brochure of OYS. Of particular interest are one view of Gate 4 exterior, and a large version of the cross-section pic of the RF grandstand:

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showpost.php?p=1643529&postcount=5

Also wanted to share this:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Svm7oKtpn0I/AAAAAAAAMWY/be0nmDP9wvE/s800/Yankee_stadium_kids.jpg

[Lpeters199]

From Sports Illustrated November 12, 1973, an article with prices on OYS artifacts that were being sold by the demolition company:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1088004/1/index.htm

[SultanOfWhat]

Cool article. It will be interesting to see how the current sales/auctions go.

Here's a pic I don't recall seeing before. It says 1923, but the LF grandstand and Gate 2 are in place, so it's 1928 or later, but pre-1937:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/Sv8hziwbQmI/AAAAAAAAMbY/nfiYQJTKlt4/s800/Photograph%20from%20a%20train%20pulling%20up%20to% 20Yankee%20Stadium%20in%201923%20from%20NYC%20Tran sit.jpg

[RichardLillard1]

What an incredible shot! I hope Gary sees this as I think he knows what year those apartment buildings on Gerard were built.


Richard

[The Monument]

Good find Sultan. That is one rare pic.

[Gary Dunaier]

What an incredible shot! I hope Gary sees this as I think he knows what year those apartment buildings on Gerard were built.

The building closest to the viewer in that photo appears to be 845 Gerard Avenue, shown here as it appeared after the very last day game ever played at the Stadium...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3187/2876307500_3dbb8a904e_b.jpg
(Photo taken September 20, 2008. © Gary Dunaier. Link to upload on Flickr.com: here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14504460@N02/2876307500/in/set-72157607401545368/).)

According to this City of New York website (http://gis.nyc.gov/doitt/nycitymap/?borough=bronx&searchType=AddressSearch&addressNumber=845&street=Gerard%20Avenue), 845 Gerard Avenue was built in 1930.

[Lpeters199]

1963 World Series highlights in four parts narrated by Vin Scully. I haven't been able to locate part 3. If anyone can, please post it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjmkVNG1_-M

[Paul W]

previous post shows tv cam positioned in upper deck behind home in the early 50's. right after the war the press box for writers/photogs was added on the mezzanine level with no accomidation for radio/tv. here's what the radio/tv area looked like for a few years, wabd-tv was the dumont station which is now wnyw-tv. talk about "high home"! yikes!

btw - it's vin scully...

[Lpeters199]

From Leland's Auction: http://www.lelands.com/Auction.aspx/AuctionDetailed/51707/November-2009-Catalog/Photo-Collection/Yankees/Lot911~Yankee-Stadium-at-Night-%281948%29/page1

[RichardLillard1]

That is probably one of the most impressive and incredible shots I've ever seen of the Stadium.

Wow.


Richard

[SHOELESSJOE3]

1948, Rizzuto reacts to fan on field.

[SultanOfWhat]

Looks like he just slid into 2nd and is waiting for the ump to make the call. Check out the cop laughing.

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Mantle leaps high, ball eludes him. Solo homer, White Sox Eddie Robinson, Sept.30.

[SultanOfWhat]

ebay offerings:

1937 OD:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SwRm9HWSpfI/AAAAAAAAMh4/dp596X3Bwf0/s800/Mayor%20LaGuardia%20Opening%20Yankee%20Stadium%201 937.jpg

9-20-22
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SwRm9dD0AbI/AAAAAAAAMh8/t1ujB2X-QjM/s800/9-20-22.JPG

Lou G's locker on left:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SwRm9qDOuYI/AAAAAAAAMiA/u60wbnLJLmg/s800/gehrig%20locker.JPG

Satchel:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SwRm95-xq8I/AAAAAAAAMiI/jPo8HU7b-gY/s800/d691_12.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SwRm-FHV5KI/AAAAAAAAMiM/IqFIWEePtQs/s800/5840_1.JPG

Subway light:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SwRm-GUQVyI/AAAAAAAAMiQ/B_S5-_Bo1Hk/s800/AUTHENTIC%20YANKEE%20STADIUM%20SUBWAY%20STATION%20 SIGNAL%20LIGHT%21%21%21%21%21%20IT%20HAS%20IT%27S% 20ORIGINAL%20PAINT.%20IT%20CAME%20FROM%20THE%20161 ST%20SUBWAY%20STATION..JPG

Vince L and Frank G:
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SwRm-UDukXI/AAAAAAAAMiU/Cg9Pt7tQZR0/s800/1958.JPG

Weird pic (says YS but I can't understand why the structure looks all jumbled):
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SwRm-k61xII/AAAAAAAAMiY/RahVxB6mgvE/s800/82622741_tp.jpg

[soup]

Weird pic (says YS but I can't understand why the structure looks all jumbled):
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Q_Zerpnj63I/SwRm-k61xII/AAAAAAAAMiY/RahVxB6mgvE/s800/82622741_tp.jpg

it's upside down :rofl:

[Lpeters199]

Mantle leaps high, ball eludes him. Solo homer, White Sox Eddie Robinson, Sept.30.

That low right field wall was dangerous for players, but great fun for fans.

[Aviator_Frank]

it's upside down :rofl:

Oh man . . . I sense a new thread coming: "Name that Upside Down Ballpark"

[SHOELESSJOE3]

That low right field wall was dangerous for players, but great fun for fans.

That it was, better for the fielder to go back to a high fence or wall. I can recall seeing a couple of pics of Roger Maris leaping high and coming down on top or even over that low wall.

Found one here, high leap and one where he either falls into the bleacher seats or the runway.

Fist one he robs Andy Etchebarren and the other Ken Hunt.

[Gylmar]

That it was, better for the fielder to go back to a high fence or wall. I can recall seeing a couple of pics of Roger Maris leaping high and coming down on top or even over that low wall.

Found one here, high leap and one where he either falls into the bleacher seats or the runway.

Fist one he robs Andy Etchebarren and the other Ken Hunt.

You would think that the Yankee relief pitcher might help break Roger's fall instead of just sitting there! :eek:

[Lpeters199]

Some short clips of the 1932 World Series--pretty fair quality:

http://www.efootage.com/play_clip.php?clip_id=55722

[MJP]

The old Yankee Stadium had a grandeur never to be rivaled in sports arenas.
The NYS interior (especially that hideous upper-deck) is a disgrace.

How can the Yankee management and HOK look themselves in the mirror for what the did?

They could have replicated the design of the old stadium?

They just didn't care enough.

[BSmile]

Modernization Of Yankee Stadium - June 1972
Sorry, this is all I found of it.

[RationalNYYfan]

Great find, this must have been a reeeally early design for the renovation. Same field dimensions, no monument park!

[SHOELESSJOE3]

Some short clips of the 1932 World Series--pretty fair quality:

http://www.efootage.com/play_clip.php?clip_id=55722


Great stuff there. Small but as sharp and sharper than most video's from that long ago.

[mets16]

Great find, this must have been a reeeally early design for the renovation. Same field dimensions, no monument park!

Well, yes it's dated 1972. What I noticed was the escalator towers were diamond shape. The field dimensions plays a trick with you. It also looks like they wanted to keep the frieze looking like the original one.

[LDYanks16]

Well, yes it's dated 1972. What I noticed was the escalator towers were diamond shape. The field dimensions plays a trick with you. It also looks like they wanted to keep the frieze looking like the original one.

I'm not sure, but I think I can make out from this picture the frieze up behind the bleachers like it ended up in RYS. Maybe they knew that in the interest of being "modern" the new lights would be replacing the frieze around the top of the 3rd deck? Also, looks like they wanted to keep the Yankee bullpen in right field between the grandstand and bleachers - that gap looks to be wider than how it ended up in real life.

[locke40]

Is that a picture of an actual model, or just a drawing? If the former, I wonder if it's still in someone's attic somewhere, just waiting to be discovered. Also, go to hell to whomever approved this plan; you ruined my life.

[BSmile]

Is that a picture of an actual model, or just a drawing? If the former, I wonder if it's still in someone's attic somewhere, just waiting to be discovered. Also, go to hell to whomever approved this plan; you ruined my life.

It seems to be a picture of a model to me. I would assume that this marked the first realistic effort for the renovation...and yeah, it would be cool to find that origial model. I wonder what happened to it...that and the cool dome concept model for Ebbets Field that was made in the mid-1950's.

[Mario Mendoza...HOF Lock]

Is that a picture of an actual model, or just a drawing? If the former, I wonder if it's still in someone's attic somewhere, just waiting to be discovered. Also, go to hell to whomever approved this plan; you ruined my life.

All 1970's architecture was tacky & tasteless. Including the YS "modernization". But I'd still take the renovated stadium over the shiny new mass of excess across the street. When it comes to baseball, I'll take grit over gloss any day. But it's too late to bitch now.

[cgcoyne2]

In the 1932 World Series clip did anyone else notice the slope in right field going to the wall?

Also here's that Yankee Stadium picture turned right side up.

[ChineseDemocracy]

The picture above is right side up, but now it's flipped!