matthewweaver.com | mlb ballparks

Ballpark:
Yankee Stadium is arguably the most historic ballpark in the Majors. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Reggie Jackson, Thurman Munson, Don Mattingly, Roger Clemens and Bernie Williams have given way to Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Alex Rodriguez. The ballpark has been the one constant during the dynasties and the down times, though it is not hard to understand why the place is always packed. The city has 8 million people and Yankee owner George Steinbrenner spends far more than any other owner to bring in star talent.

The park's current configuration has been around since 1976 and is large for today's standards. It is tough to hit one out to left center, center and right center fields due to the wall's configuration. However, the left and right field walls are "short porches" and sluggers - especially left handed hitters - can jack relatively easy home runs.

The exterior of the park is famous, but rather drab if you ask me. The seating plan makes it difficult to find your seat, so fans must know what level they are on, as well as the type of "box" they're sitting in. The concourses are incredibly small (though the ramps are big) and fans waiting in line for food make it nearly impossible to get around. Most fans seem to stay in their part of the park and don't wander around like at other Major League ballparks. The upper deck is VERY steep, so be prepared to break out the ice axe and crampons if you're sitting up there.

Surprisingly, I couldn't find one pizza concession in the entire stadium! There was a Famiglia Pizza stand outside the park, but nothing inside. Interesting. I was told by a fellow fan that the hot dogs in Yankee Stadium weren't very good, but I tried a couple of Nathan's dogs and they were decent. I really enjoyed the authentic italian sausage, though! You really have to venture out of your seat to get food, as the vendors mostly sell beer, peanuts and sweets - that's if the vendor will even come to your section. I saw several vendors just yell "does anyone want [fill in the name of the food or beverage]" from 50 feet away so they didn't have to walk over. Pretty funny...or sad, I'm not sure which.

Anyway, Yankee Stadium is just awash in atmosphere. From the rabid and knowledgeable fans (who weren't at all mean to fans of the other team), to the history, to the star players, to the legendary PA announcer Bob Sheppard ("now batting...Numbah 2...Derek Jetah...Jetah"), the ballpark is a great place to see a game.

The reason I don't give it an "A" grade is because of the cramped concourses, limited food selection, and difficult seating configuration. Other than that, Yankee Stadium is still one of the best in the game and it deserves an "A-" grade.

How to get there:
The park is located on 161st Street and River Avenue in the Bronx, just over the Harlem River from Manhattan Island. If you feel like sitting traffic forever, find your way to the Major Deegan Expressway (Interstate 87) that runs right by the stadium.

However, I highly suggest parking somewhere more convenient (Long Island or New Jersey) and taking the subway to the Yankee Stadium Station at 161st Street. If you can find the B Train, D Train or 4 Train, you can make it to Yankee Stadium. Just make sure that you head Uptown from Manhattan and Downtown from the Bronx. And keep an eye on the stops! Many trains do not announce the stations - or the announcements are unintelligible - and you might not like the result if you don't pay attention. At worst, just pay attention to when the majority of Yankee fans get off the train.

City:
It's kind of hard to sum up New York City in a few sentences, but it is the largest city in America and one of the world's greatest cities. People from all over the world live and visit there and many cultures seem to mesh seamlessly inside the boundaries of the city. For someone from a smaller city, the endless tall buildings in Manhattan are truly amazing. It gives you an idea of just how many people are crammed onto one island. Though many people in New York don't care about sports, the ones that do are rabid and very knowledgeable. It's difficult to meet an ignorant sports fan in New York.

Heck, several people knew that I was wearing an Oregon Ducks jersey at the game!

Stuff to do while there:
There are so many things to see and do in "The City That Never Sleeps" that I cannot do it justice here.

Story:
Yankee Stadium was the last stop in my 4-ballpark-in-5-days trip in August 2005. It took me over 6 hours to make it from Alexandria, Virginia, where I was staying after seeing the Washington Nationals the night before, to Yankee Stadium. I drove from Virginia to Trenton, New Jersey - getting stopped by a Delaware State Trooper on the way - and took the Northeast Corridor Rail Line into Penn Station in Manhattan. From there, I made my way to the Subway and took the D Train to the ballpark.

I arrived at the stadium after the game had already started, so I missed a lot of the pomp and circumstance that occurs before each game. I waited in a long line to buy some Nathan's hot dogs and finally sat in my seat in the 2nd inning (of course, I had to kick out someone that had taken my seat). I ended up sitting next to a guy who was very knowledgeable about Yankee Stadium and the game of baseball. Along with the beautiful weather, the hospitality of this fan made the day very enjoyable.

After the game, I took the subway to Rockefeller Center, hung out for a while, and went back to Penn Station to begin the long trip back to Trenton. From there, I drove back to my grandparents house in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and went to sleep in my 7th state of the day (VA, DC, MD, DE, NJ, NY and PA).

Originally, I was supposed to see a game in Yankee Stadium over the 1999 Memorial Day Weekend, but I had to cancel due to unexpected work obligations. It took me 6 years to finally make it there.

Fun facts:
The Yankees had to play in Shea Stadium for the 1974 and 1975 seasons while Yankee Stadium was being remodeled.

Yankee Stadium is known as the "House That Ruth Built" after the legendary Yankee slugger Babe Ruth.

The Yankees are currently proposing a new ballpark to be built by the 2009 season in Macombs Dam Park, just to the North of the current Yankee Stadium.
At the end of the 5th inning, the grounds crew drags the field...like every other stadium in baseball. But at Yankee Stadium, the groundskeepers perform to the Village People song YMCA, dropping their rakes to make the letters Y-M-C-A with their arms.

After the singing of Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the 7th inning stretch, the crowd is led in the singing of God Bless America.

In the middle of the 9th inning, some guy in the video control room dances - badly - on camera to the song Cotton Eyed Joe.

The Metallica song Enter Sandman blares whenever closer Mariano Rivera enters the game.

Word on the street - actually, the word on an e-mail I received from a New Yorker named Neil - is that Ballpark Lanes on River Avenue has the best hot dogs in the Yankee Stadium area. The place was so crowded after the game that I couldn't try one for myself.

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The familiar home plate
entrance of Yankee Stadium
August 25, 2005

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A 6-shot mosaic photo of from
the seats above home plate
August 25, 2005

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Matt at Yankee Stadium
August 25, 2005

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A 6-shot mosaic photo of from
the upper deck in right field
August 25, 2005

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Yankee Shawn Chacon throws to
Toronto's Frank Catalanotto
August 25, 2005

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Monument Park in left centerfield August 25, 2005

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The grounds crew drops
what they're doing and
performs to the song YMCA.
August 25, 2005