Your first Yankee game

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

When I visited my first (and only) Yankee game in 2005, I was excited like a little kid.

What do you remember of the first Yankee game that you attended? How did the team perform? How old were you?

I thought it would be nice to bring up some good memories.

Like I said, I attended my first Yankee game in 2005 in Anaheim. I was on a vacation and around Opening Day I read that the Yankees would be in Anaheim on July 21st. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity to me. I asked an acquaintance of mine to get some tickets. He was working for Farmer John. This company is having some good seats at Angels Stadium. He arranged them for me. But... two weeks before we would go on vacation, he called me that there was a problem. The director of the company wanted to go to that game too. Four games in that series, but he wanted my tickets! :grouchy All I could do was ordering the tickets by phone.

The big day arrived. We went to the stadium and I went to the will call window to pick up my tickets... Well there was something wrong with my credit card the lady said, so no tickets. In pure frustration I slammed my wallet on the counter. I explained to the lady that I had been living to this moment for 21 years. Maybe that helped. She got six tickets for me in right field.

Randy Johnson was the starter for the Yankees, Colon for the Angels.
I remember a bunch of Japanese people sitting behind me, raising a banner with Matsui's name on it every time he came at bat. They cheered for him in Japanese. It was quite funny to see.
In the first inning, A-Rod hit a solo home run. The Yankees scored some more runs and in the second half of the seventh, they were leading 5-2. But that seventh inning turned out to be a disaster. Proctor, Groom and Gordon were responsible for the four run blast that Vlad Guerrerro hit into the bleachers and the Yankees lost 6-5. Even though I am a sore loser, my joy of seeing the Yankees play prevailed. I was so happy that I have seen my heroes play that I did not care about the loss.

[soberdennis]

A few of the older members have heard me talk about my first Yankee game. But here it goes again.
It was my 10th birthday, May 14, 1967. We had just moved to New York that January from Virginia. My Dad took me to the Stadium as a birthday present.
The previous Friday, Mickey Mantle had hit his 499th homer. On Saturday, we were actually hoping he wouldn't hit a homer. He didn't.
The Series was against the defending champion Orioles. We were there Sunday.
In the 7th inning it happened. Stu Miller was on the mound for the Birds. Mantle hit the pitch into the right field stands for the game winner.
I have not seen a lot of milestones in my life in person. I saw Bud Smith's nohitter at Jack Murphy Stadium a few years ago. But I will always be able to say I saw Mick's 500th on my birthday in my first major league game.

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

A few of the older members have heard me talk about my first Yankee game. But here it goes again.
It was my 10th birthday, May 14, 1967. We had just moved to New York that January from Virginia. My Dad took me to the Stadium as a birthday present.
The previous Friday, Mickey Mantle had hit his 499th homer. On Saturday, we were actually hoping he wouldn't hit a homer. He didn't.
The Series was against the defending champion Orioles. We were there Sunday.
In the 7th inning it happened. Stu Miller was on the mound for the Birds. Mantle hit the pitch into the right field stands for the game winner.
I have not seen a lot of milestones in my life in person. I saw Bud Smith's nohitter at Jack Murphy Stadium a few years ago. But I will always be able to say I saw Mick's 500th on my birthday in my first major league game.

I must have missed that one. I am here longer than you.

But I am glad that you were willing to share it with us, once again.

[Yankeefan90]

My first Yankee game was also back in 2005, August 21st, 2005 I think. I was a little bit older at 15. But I didn't care, I felt I finally made it, I was finally watching my Yankees in the House That Ruth Built. It was a great feeling, it was a 10-3 win over the Royals, Giambi hit 2 HRs that day, and I remember the Yankees giving money to relief aid for the Hurricane Kartrina survivors. That was my first game, and for me it was really exciting.

[DoubleX]

I recently found the ticket stub to my first game, it was 1989 against the Royals, and I had the best seats I'll ever have. The field box next to the Royals dugout. You can see into the entire dugout, and I remember Bret Saberhagen, who was an ace then, sitting at the end of the dugout and talking to us for a good portion of the game. George Brett also talked to us a little, among others. Of course, being 8 year old kids, we wanted to talk to the guy that was the biggest star athlete of the day - Bo Jackson, but he wouldn't have any of it, and Saberhagen told us we had to be quiet when Bo was batting. Bo ended up breaking his bat over his knee in that game, as I believe he struckout 3 or 4 times, after hitting several huge foul balls that just missed being homeruns. Mattingly hit a homerun for the Yankees, which was also a thrill because Mattingly was the man then.

The most unbelievable part was when I looked at the ticket stub recently and saw the price was $15 for those seats. I wonder if those could be had for under $1,000 now? Back then, the stadium was mostly empty for most games, and I remember going for years and being able to freely move seats. That changed by the late 90s though.

[Evangelion]

Just to throw it out there, while my first Yankee game was when I was too young to remember. I remember my following trips to New York, like three, all ended up with the Yankee game getting rained out. So, my three trips that I can remember, due to age, I remember all them being called once we reached New York. The most recent game I remember in New York being my first was the Melky Cabrera's catch against Ramirez. Though, I went to the Stadium during the early to middle 90's with my family. Just too young to remember and tried going their a couple of times during late 90's and early 00's, but every time the game was called due to rain.

[DaveTheYankee]

I'm going in June, the 17th and the Yankees are playing the Padres.

[nyyfan]

I rember everything like it was yesterday. For my birthday in 2006 I got tickets to a June 11th game against the A's. I live in Indiana. I left Friday, went to the game Saturday and left back home after the game. I also got a Jeter batting practice homerun ball and could of had a Posada homerun ball during the game but just a little out of reach!

[Hanksyanks]

My first game was against the Red Sox in '04. I sat in the bleachers and the awe of Yankee Stadium and watching the vicious banter between the fans, even in the rain, was just an experience I'll never forget. One of the best trips of my life.

[hellborn]

9/2/2002. A drab, rainy day, park wasn't even close to being full, despite it being a Bosox game. I stealthed it this time, didn't wear any Bosox apparel but did root out loud for my team. There was a long rain delay, and I was pretty miserable because I had forgotten to wear a jacket. Bosox took a fairly poorly played game. Hopped on the freeway and headed right back home after the game.
I was a little disappointed by the day-glo seats and plastic plants for the monument area in a grand old ballpark, but it was still pretty cool to see the place for the first time. I had no problems getting around the city because it was a holiday weekend, was actually able to drive everywhere easily with no traffic or parking issues.

[Mariano_Rivera]

At Yankees Stadium. The very highest row of the stadium. Literally.

It was beautiful out. The Yankees dominated winning like 6-0 or something. Kevin Brown pitched something like 7 shutout innings. A-Rod hit a homer

[Evangelion]

At Yankees Stadium. The very highest row of the stadium. Literally.

It was beautiful out. The Yankees dominated winning like 6-0 or something. Kevin Brown pitched something like 7 shutout innings. A-Rod hit a homer

I would have thought you went to a game much earlier than 04. I take it you're not that close to New York region or just haven't been a fan for that long?

[stejay]

1992- Yankees vs Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Will remember the day forever

[Mariano_Rivera]

I would have thought you went to a game much earlier than 04. I take it you're not that close to New York region or just haven't been a fan for that long?

That would be '05 actually. I`ve not been a fan that long.

[l3igrol3]

Reggie Jackson Day-August 14, 1993. The yanks hosted the Baltimore Orioles. I was 9 years old. I remember on the bus down to the city, my father telling me that Cal Ripken Jr. had said that he would retire before he played for the Yankees (never found out if this was true). I booed Cal mercilously throughout the game. I remember Domingo Jean started for the Yankees, and almost missed the first pitch because he decided to take a cab to the game and was caught in traffic. It was magical, hearing a packed house chant "REG-GIE! REG-GIE!" I've only been to a few games since then, but this one stands out.