Yankee Stadium [I] Demolition

[CharlesM]

The original place is so ingrained in our memories and youthful fantasies. Watching it being torn down, just leaves me cold. I just feel empty and lost. When a Yankee announcer refers to the new stadium as a cathedral my blood boils. Imagine if a bomb hit St. Patricks...this is what the Yankees and the city have done to us. All of our great old ballparks are nothing but housing projects and parking lots. This place had more historic games and moments than any site in the history of sports. Nothing remains. NOTHING. Rober Moses would have loved this.

I was just having this discussion with my dad: Yankee Stadium (the elder/real) was always "The Cathedral"--the symbolic home field of all of baseball (and American sports). Now that it will be gone, what is baseball's "cathedral"? The new stadium is not it--it doesn't have the history and therefore doesn't deserve the title.

You have to conclude that Fenway is it...albeit more like "The Chapel of Baseball". I'm fine with that. I admire the tenacity of Bostonians for showing up to save their home when the wolves came.

Does baseball need a "cathedral" on principle? A home? There was no question about that when Yankee Stadium was standing. So much of baseball history coalesced in that single building. Most people couldn't fathom Yankee Stadium being disposable, but we've been proven dead wrong, obviously. Where is baseball's physical/tangible home now? And please don't say Cooperstown.

PS--Was watching a home game the other day and Michael Kay was discussing something or other about some significant games 40-50 years ago. Then he said, "That all happened right here at [hesitation] Yankee Stadium." Almost puked.

[quagmire]

Are you sure it was Gate 4 coaster? As this section went down today.....

[coasterbill]

It definitely looked like Gate 4, but I was on the Deegan going 55 mph so I'm not 100% sure. This was around 11:30 AM if that matters. From that video I guess the wind blows the mist everywhere so it may have just been blown there by the wind. Sorry... we can dream right?

[Maas_Pasqua_Pags]

Are you sure it was Gate 4 coaster? As this section went down today.....

Would it be safe to say that after this section coming down, there is very little of the original Yankee Staduim actually still standing?

[quagmire]

Would it be safe to say that after this section coming down, there is very little of the original Yankee Staduim actually still standing?

What you see there is mostly original Yankee Stadium with the exception of the Gate 6 pod and the top 1/4 of the cement in that video. The original windows of Gate 6 are still there.

[Gary Dunaier]

So, forgetting the escalator pods, what's left? One "section" or two?

[yankeefan1959]

I was just having this discussion with my dad: Yankee Stadium (the elder/real) was always "The Cathedral"--the symbolic home field of all of baseball (and American sports). Now that it will be gone, what is baseball's "cathedral"? The new stadium is not it--it doesn't have the history and therefore doesn't deserve the title.

You have to conclude that Fenway is it...albeit more like "The Chapel of Baseball". I'm fine with that. I admire the tenacity of Bostonians for showing up to save their home when the wolves came.

Does baseball need a "cathedral" on principle? A home? There was no question about that when Yankee Stadium was standing. So much of baseball history coalesced in that single building. Most people couldn't fathom Yankee Stadium being disposable, but we've been proven dead wrong, obviously. Where is baseball's physical/tangible home now? And please don't say Cooperstown.

PS--Was watching a home game the other day and Michael Kay was discussing something or other about some significant games 40-50 years ago. Then he said, "That all happened right here at [hesitation] Yankee Stadium." Almost puked.

Fenway and Wrigley are the two last great parks of 20th Century baseball. Dodger Stadium is unique because it heralded the modern era of modern stadiums. I think it belongs with these two. The Dodgers to their credit kept the place in immaculate condition and always tweaking it to make it more modern without sacrificing its design. Beyond this group..everything is really new..when you consider Camden Yards is not even 20 years old yet..that is pretty amazing.

If the Yankees feel they can pawn off their history to casual fans they are sadly mistaken. If they want to really celebrate their history at least turn Monument Cave back into Monument Park..it looks and feels like a cemetary!

[Yankeefan90]

If the Yankees feel they can pawn off their history to casual fans they are sadly mistaken. If they want to really celebrate their history at least turn Monument Cave back into Monument Park..it looks and feels like a cemetary!

Have you even been to the new Monument Park? It's really nice and not dark and dingy at all.

[YankeesFan]

Are you talking about the gate 6 windows from OYS?

[Philtration]

There is no good reason why that they could not have saved something from the original stadium.
At least there will be a park built on the site instead of another empty lot.

Every time I look at the asphalt lots where Comiskey Park and the Chicago Stadium once stood I think "You could not have saved even a small reminder?"
Come on….. one gate… a ticket window…. an outfield wall…anything?
That home plate buried in concrete does not cut it for me personally and when I stand there it usually pisses me off more than anything else.

Seeing Yankee Stadium completely wiped out makes me just as pissed and I have never even been to New York.
Love the Yankees or hate them…. Yankee Stadium was America’s ballpark.

[Maas_Pasqua_Pags]

So, forgetting the escalator pods, what's left? One "section" or two?

Gary, If the video shows the most recent section being taken down, then it looks like 2 sections are still remaining........ plus "THE PODS!". I hope to make it over tomorrow.

[quagmire]

Are you talking about the gate 6 windows from OYS?

Talking to me?

Yes I am.

[Maxlugar]

What you see there is mostly original Yankee Stadium with the exception of the Gate 6 pod and the top 1/4 of the cement in that video. The original windows of Gate 6 are still there.

He's right. What's left is the expansion of the right field corner. There is nothing left of 1923 Yankee Stadium. Nothing.

[Maas_Pasqua_Pags]

He's right. What's left is the expansion of the right field corner. There is nothing left of 1923 Yankee Stadium. Nothing.

Nothing except possibly the 15+ foot wall in the left field corner and where the most recent sections were pulled down that may not have been bulldozed yet........

[giantsean]

He's right. What's left is the expansion of the right field corner. There is nothing left of 1923 Yankee Stadium. Nothing.

There's always that big pile of crap on what used to be the field...

[davewashere]

There is no good reason why that they could not have saved something from the original stadium.
At least there will be a park built on the site instead of another empty lot.

Every time I look at the asphalt lots where Comiskey Park and the Chicago Stadium once stood I think "You could not have saved even a small reminder?"
Come on….. one gate… a ticket window…. an outfield wall…anything?
That home plate buried in concrete does not cut it for me personally and when I stand there it usually pisses me off more than anything else.

Seeing Yankee Stadium completely wiped out makes me just as pissed and I have never even been to New York.
Love the Yankees or hate them…. Yankee Stadium was America’s ballpark.

You mean there was stuff from OYS that wasn't sold to fans or given away to Yankees "insiders"? I was under the impression that anything anybody could want from the old place was for sale, including little squares of grass and tiny containers of dirt.

[Paul W]

Every time I look at the asphalt lots where Comiskey Park and the Chicago Stadium once stood I think "You could not have saved even a small reminder?"
Come on….. one gate… a ticket window…. an outfield wall…anything?
That home plate buried in concrete does not cut it for me personally and when I stand there it usually pisses me off more than anything else.

revenue generating parking spaces trump gates/walls, windows or anything.

don't take it so personally, it's only business...

[Gary Dunaier]

You mean there was stuff from OYS that wasn't sold to fans or given away to Yankees "insiders"? I was under the impression that anything anybody could want from the old place was for sale, including little squares of grass and tiny containers of dirt.

I'm surprised parts of the scoreboard weren't saved. On the day it came down, I noticed what I presumed to be a batch of bulbs from the scoreboard, and I personally witnessed them being destroyed. (I've got pictures on Flickr.) Parts of the Shea Stadium scoreboard were saved and sold.

[dabigyankeeman]

I'm surprised parts of the scoreboard weren't saved. On the day it came down, I noticed what I presumed to be a batch of bulbs from the scoreboard, and I personally witnessed them being destroyed. (I've got pictures on Flickr.) Parts of the Shea Stadium scoreboard were saved and sold.

Yeah, its both incredible and pitiful that they arent saving more, even if its just to sell to collectors. I remember a picture in this thread that showed two glass doors withe the Yankees logo etched on them being destroyed, you know people would pay big bucks to have one of them. This whole thing, man, i just cant wait until its completely over.

[YankeeDean]

i would have loved a bulb from the scoreboard - burnned out or not. I was told that a couple of times Bernie Williams hit batting practice pitches off the center field video screen. Can anyone confirm that. Those would be 500 foot shots.

[Gary Dunaier]

Yeah, its both incredible and pitiful that they arent saving more, even if its just to sell to collectors. I remember a picture in this thread that showed two glass doors withe the Yankees logo etched on them being destroyed, you know people would pay big bucks to have one of them.

The funny thing is that MeiGray, who had the rights to sell items from Shea, was given a limited amount of time to retrieve whatever they could for resale, but they seem to have been able to offer a variety of items. Steiner, who I'm presuming has similar rights, did not have that time pressure, yet they seem to have chosen to limit themselves for the most part to seats, sod, and dirt.

[Maas_Pasqua_Pags]

Anyone know what "progress" was made today? Any pictures or video?

[RichieA13]

The funny thing is that MeiGray, who had the rights to sell items from Shea, was given a limited amount of time to retrieve whatever they could for resale, but they seem to have been able to offer a variety of items. Steiner, who I'm presuming has similar rights, did not have that time pressure, yet they seem to have chosen to limit themselves for the most part to seats, sod, and dirt.

In all fairness, Gary .... that's not totally accurate. Steiner salvaged things that probably few would think to do, such as salvaging chunks of the CF "black", as well as the Monument Park pavers, for example. They salvaged all the exisiting seating (plus all the seating in storage from seating renovation of the early 1990's on the field level), the foul poles, all sections of the facade, all the signage in and around the ballpark, all the lockers from both locker rooms & locker room fixtures, both dugout benches & all dugout fixtures, all the wall pads, all the bullpen fixtures from both bullpens, all the turnstyles, bricks, furniture & fixtures from the Yankee offices, luxury boxes, broadcast booths, Stadium Club fixtures, .... plus the dirt & sod you mentioned above, too. I'm sure I'm forgetting many other items, too. They picked the place pretty clean.

I think they missed the boat in not saving at LEAST the roofs of both dugouts (ESPECIALLY the Yankees dugout) ... if not the entire dugout(s). Railings with the section numbers on them would have also been on my list if things to be saved. I would have also salvaged some/all of the oval shaped metal vents from the top sections of the Yankee Stadium arches, as well as all the cool pieces from Gate 2, including the two shield pieces that apparantly went under with the Gate. Even the square lighting fixtures that lit the concourses could have generated a few bucks EASY! Doesn't look like they were salvaged ..... wonder how far back they dated? Lastly, I would have sold ALL of the facade sections at a more reasonable price than $50G a pop, rather than just offering a few & destroying the rest. That seemed like a stupid thing to do.

Anyone know the whereabouts of the CF flagpole & the gold bat?? Wonder who got those? Salvaging some of the circuits and/or bulbs from the scoreboard should also have been done. A few years back, I was lucky enough to buy a pair of "8" POGS & three scoreboard 'letter' boxes (NYY) from one of the two old auxillery scoreboard that date back to 1976. I haven't seen any others pop up on the secondary market since. They are REALLY cool items!! Just have to get an electrician to hook them up on a very low wattage though .... as the "8" pog has ALOT of bulbs in it .... all 75 watts each!! If I hooked those bad boys up & tossed a switch, I'd probably blow a fuse!

[yankeefan1959]

In all fairness, Gary .... that's not totally accurate. Steiner salvaged things that probably few would think to do, such as salvaging chunks of the CF "black", as well as the Monument Park pavers, for example. They salvaged all the exisiting seating (plus all the seating in storage from seating renovation of the early 1990's on the field level), the foul poles, all sections of the facade, all the signage in and around the ballpark, all the lockers from both locker rooms & locker room fixtures, both dugout benches & all dugout fixtures, all the wall pads, all the bullpen fixtures from both bullpens, all the turnstyles, bricks, furniture & fixtures from the Yankee offices, luxury boxes, broadcast booths, Stadium Club fixtures, .... plus the dirt & sod you mentioned above, too. I'm sure I'm forgetting many other items, too. They picked the place pretty clean.

I think they missed the boat in not saving at LEAST the roofs of both dugouts (ESPECIALLY the Yankees dugout) ... if not the entire dugout(s). Railings with the section numbers on them would have also been on my list if things to be saved. I would have also salvaged some/all of the oval shaped metal vents from the top sections of the Yankee Stadium arches, as well as all the cool pieces from Gate 2, including the two shield pieces that apparantly went under with the Gate. Even the square lighting fixtures that lit the concourses could have generated a few bucks EASY! Doesn't look like they were salvaged ..... wonder how far back they dated? Lastly, I would have sold ALL of the facade sections at a more reasonable price than $50G a pop, rather than just offering a few & destroying the rest. That seemed like a stupid thing to do.

Anyone know the whereabouts of the CF flagpole & the gold bat?? Wonder who got those? Salvaging some of the circuits and/or bulbs from the scoreboard should also have been done. A few years back, I was lucky enough to buy a pair of "8" POGS & three scoreboard 'letter' boxes (NYY) from one of the two old auxillery scoreboard that date back to 1976. I haven't seen any others pop up on the secondary market since. They are REALLY cool items!! Just have to get an electrician to hook them up on a very low wattage though .... as the "8" pog has ALOT of bulbs in it .... all 75 watts each!! If I hooked those bad boys up & tossed a switch, I'd probably blow a fuse!

I think Mattingly got the bat..I believe Mussina has one of the foul poles and possibly the flag pole..

[NYFan1stYankFan2nd]

Inthe cool pieces from Gate 2, including the two shield pieces that apparantly went under with the Gate. Even the square lighting fixtures that lit the concourses could have generated a few bucks EASY! Doesn't look like they were salvaged ..... wonder how far back they dated?

Weren't they above the "Maginot Line" on all three gates, and hence removed during the 1970s renovations? Or am I thinking of the wrong shields? The ones I mean flanked the Stadium's name at the top of each Gate area.