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The House that Ruth built in April of 1923 has now closed on September 21st, 2008. Eighty-five years of NY Yankees Legends ad History were founded within this monumental landmark. Names such as Ruth, Gehrig, Gordon, DiMaggio, Mantle, Maris, Berra, Ford, Larsen, Reynolds, Raschi, Lopat, Cone, Mussina, Reghetti, Mattingly, Wells, Jeter, Rizzuto, Rodriguez and Many more played here.
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I will miss Yankee Stadium. I was fortunate enough to see it in 1951 as a Nine year old boy when my Dad took me to my first Major League Game. I was in awe when we first entered the ball park and went to our seats. I remember it being huge and very crowded. Being a young Southern Lad I also remeber that the people there seemed to talk funny with a strong accent - very Northern.
I saw Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Gil McDougal, and a very young Rookie named Mickey Mantle. The grass seemed to be the brightest green color that I had ever seen and everytime a ball was hit into the stands someone would get to keep it. Unfortunately we were never in the right spot to catch one.
That day was one of the greatest days of my first Nine Years! It cemented my love for Yankee Stadium and the New York Yankees and certainly for my all time baseball heroe, Mickey Mantle. Since then I have been to the Stadium numerous times. My career allowed me to work in the New York City area for a while and my Company had four Season Tickets. Many Days I would arrive at my job and Four New York Yankee tickets were laying on my Desk! What a Bonus! They were always used! My company recognized my love for the Yankees and Yankee Stadium and was very gracious allowing me to use the tickets and that made me even work harder and perform stronger in my job.
In 1971 I befriended some Major League Umpires and that led to becoming fiends with most of the other Major League Umps in years that followed. This also allowed me and my wife to attend even more Yankee games and even to meet many Major League Players. While attending a Rain Delayed game one of the thrills of life took place. I had the opportunity (which would not be allowed now) to visit (very briefly) a dressing room during the delay. Just being taken thru the older halls of the Stadium made be develop a cold sweat. Here I was walking in the same halls that most of the Yankee Greats had walked - Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, Maris, DiMaggio and more. I had come a long way from being that young Southern Boy who had made his first visit to the Stadium many years earlier and even until this day I take the time to thank God for allowing this to happen.
Even now, many years later, my wife and I remain very loyal New York Yankees fans. As we sat here tonight watching the Final Game from Yankee Stadium we both had "Happy Tears" and many "Pleasant Memories" of Yankee Stadium. Ruth opened it with a Home Run in the very first game of 1923 and his 92 year old daughter closed it by throwing out the First Pitch of the last game in 2008. You could not ask for More. Thanks you - New York Yankees and Thank you Yankee Stadium for being the terrific Host that you were! God's Blessings to all - The Sports Professor.
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Posted on Sep 22, 2008 04:04am by thesportsprofessor
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