Yankee Stadium [I] Demolition

[JoeDOYS]

My point is, people that say Ruth or Gehrig never played there simply don't understand, or are casual fans that couldn't really care less anyway. Here on baseball-fever, we know better and understand what is at stake.

Look back a few pages, there are a few people here that feel this way.

Someone will bring up the fact that Yogi himself said he never played at the RYS. With all due respect to Yogi, he is completely mistaken and probably speaking from his heart.

Yogi displaced himself from Yankee Stadium for how many years because of a silly feud with Mr. Steinbrenner? Sure, maybe it was unjust for him to be fired in '85 but cmon now.

[Rob R]

Yea and people say this isnt the same stadium that ruth and gehrig played in....ugh.

Who are these people and where did they say this? Certainly not here. What I've said in these forums is that RYS would probably be unrecognizable to Ruth, Gehrig, et al, if they stepped out of a cab to enter it from Gate 4 and once inside, took a look at stands and field.

I've also said that when they renovated the original, that they dug deep enough into the soil that to say that Ruth roamed the same exact RF would be sentimentality speaking and not fact.

But, is RYS the same stadium that Ruth and the gang played in? Of course it is! The same stadium with a monstrosity of a face lift that was more criminal than NYS will ever be. In one (OYS) a classic, breath-taking building was defaced, graffiti-sized, disgraced and had it's heart and soul ripped out of it. In the other (NYS) it stands on it's own, whether you love it or hate it.

I am going to once again bring up the perfect analogy to the hideous RYS; one of another specimen ruined at the hands of hack plastic surgeons. This woman has the same heart, brain, lung, kidney, bones and guts. In fact, the "newer" version probably has more of her original parts than RYS did.

[Mastermind]

My point is, people that say Ruth or Gehrig never played there simply don't understand, or are casual fans that couldn't really care less anyway. Here on baseball-fever, we know better and understand what is at stake. I don't pay much attention to the casual fan and don't bother to convince them otherwise. Hell, I would never have known the extent of all the details of the RYS if it weren't for hours upon hours of discussion and discourse on baseball-fever.

Someone will bring up the fact that Yogi himself said he never played at the RYS. With all due respect to Yogi, he is completely mistaken and probably speaking from his heart. The fans on the mezzanine level, and the first sections of the upper deck are the exact same distance from the players (okay, maybe not EXACT, but pretty darn close), because they remained unchanged! The shape of the upper deck also remained the same, but with extra rows added to the top. When I sat in the upper deck and looked DOWN on the field (rather than OUT to the field in NYS), I could picture Babe Ruth walking up to the plate, and the feeling I got from that was one of old-school baseball because I was hanging over the field as many old ballparks did. What a shame they couldn't cantilever (or gasp!!!! use support columns) at the NYS to get a nice old-school feel.[/QUOTE]


Im not a casual fan- went to the old place many time- rys more- the game experience and look of rys was not the same- did Ruth and the rest play within those confines yes- but I could not for one imagine Ruth or Gehrig at rys - as the place just looked way to different to me- I did that imagining while at the old place. The rys was Chambliss, thurman, reggie, Guidry, Tino, Oneill, Cone, wells memories

What yogi says shouldnt be dismissed - he couldnt imagine jumping into Larsons arms at rys im sure - and if ruth walked in do you really think he would have said anything different

[Rob R]

Yogi displaced himself from Yankee Stadium for how many years because of a silly feud with Mr. Steinbrenner? Sure, maybe it was unjust for him to be fired in '85 but cmon now.

Yogi actually said it in 1976, right after the renovation. Not sure how his beliefs make him "completely mistaken" as someone said. If anything, I'd put more weight on what Yogi says than what Rob R or TommyBagOfDonuts69 says on a baseball forum.

[locke40]

Yogi actually said it in 1976, right after the renovation. Not sure how his beliefs make him "completely mistaken" as someone said. If anything, I'd put more weight on what Yogi says than what Rob R or TommyBagOfDonuts69 says on a baseball forum.

Maybe "completely mistaken" was a bit much, but still not too far off.

Do you think Yogi can name the years they extended the leftfield and rightfield grandstand? Do you think he can name the engineering firm that designed the Stadium, and where they came from? Do you think he knows the exact number of frieze sections down the lines, and around the curved sections?

I'm not saying the RYS was exactly like the OYS, far from that. Speaking with your heart, they were nothing alike. Speaking logically (which I don't think Yogi was doing when he said those words), they are essentially the same Stadium. And I think you aren't giving us enough credit. We know FAR FAR FAR more about Yankee Stadium (and a lot of other stadiums as well) then the average or above-average fan. I will take that a step further and say we know more than a lot of current players as well. If you aren't a baseball historian (or baseball-fever member), there is little chance you have access to the correct information.

[Maxlugar]

It's the same damn Stadium no matter what changes were made. Those changes could have been reversed if needed. Poor ol' Jocelyn couldn't do that. The fact of the matter is OYS is still there for the most part. I'll even say the upper deck became even greater with the extra 10 rows as far as noise and intimidation fact goes. Yeah the roof with the facade was awesome. But it remained awesome in a new way. Yeah and the pods ruinned a few entrances. Not a deal killer. Again, could have been restored in two months. Our homes go through lots of renovations. At least mine did. Still my house. That thing across the street is ugly and what it represents is even worse.

[The Korean]

Maybe "completely mistaken" was a bit much, but still not too far off.

Do you think Yogi can name the years they extended the leftfield and rightfield grandstand? Do you think he can name the engineering firm that designed the Stadium, and where they came from? Do you think he knows the exact number of frieze sections down the lines, and around the curved sections?

I'm not saying the RYS was exactly like the OYS, far from that. Speaking with your heart, they were nothing alike. Speaking logically (which I don't think Yogi was doing when he said those words), they are essentially the same Stadium. And I think you aren't giving us enough credit. We know FAR FAR FAR more about Yankee Stadium (and a lot of other stadiums as well) then the average or above-average fan. I will take that a step further and say we know more than a lot of current players as well. If you aren't a baseball historian (or baseball-fever member), there is little chance you have access to the correct information.

Are you seriously claiming that you know more then Yogi Berra? The Yogi Berra? look, you are an intelligent guy no doubt and you know your Yankees as a true fan, who, unlike some, didnt abandon the team when they did build the new stadium. But dude, your post sound really arrogant. Even if you didnt mean it it sounds offensive to rest of us fans.

[mets16]

Are you seriously claiming that you know more then Yogi Berra? The Yogi Berra? look, you are an intelligent guy no doubt and you know your Yankees as a true fan, who, unlike some, didnt abandon the team when they did build the new stadium. But dude, your post sound really arrogant. Even if you didnt mean it it sounds offensive to rest of us fans.

It may not sound nice, but it is true. Yogi is an idiot. That is why people like him. If you saw some bum on the street saying the stuff that uttered Yogi's mouth, you would agree that he was crazy. Yogi was a hell of a ballplayer, a decent manager and a great guy. But he is far from intelligent. But that is why people love him.

[The Monument]

Compare Yogi's comment with this one from Whitey, referring to RYS. "We never refer to it as the old Stadium or the New Stadium. It's just the Stadium." Sounds like Whitey DID play there.

[Mastermind]

It may not sound nice, but it is true. Yogi is an idiot. That is why people like him. If you saw some bum on the street saying the stuff that uttered Yogi's mouth, you would agree that he was crazy. Yogi was a hell of a ballplayer, a decent manager and a great guy. But he is far from intelligent. But that is why people love him.

:bowdown::bowdown::bowdown: I didnt know I was in the presence of the all wise one- excuse my earlier comments

[Mastermind]

Compare Yogi's comment with this one from Whitey, referring to RYS. "We never refer to it as the old Stadium or the New Stadium. It's just the Stadium." Sounds like Whitey DID play there.

I said the same thing- cause the name was Yankee stadium despite the horrible changes

[scooterfan]

It may not sound nice, but it is true. Yogi is an idiot. That is why people like him. If you saw some bum on the street saying the stuff that uttered Yogi's mouth, you would agree that he was crazy. Yogi was a hell of a ballplayer, a decent manager and a great guy. But he is far from intelligent. But that is why people love him.

You're right. I'm not a fan of Steinbrenner because he's the villain who has torn down Yankee Stadium, but he saved the 1985 season by firing Yogi Berra. The Berra managed Yankees were several games under 500 very early and as soon as Billy Martin took over the team the Yankees got hot and had their second best season in the entire decade winning 97 games and going into the final weekend of the season with a chance to force Toronto to a one game playoff.

[yankees82]

both arguments work. RYS supposedly maintains 80% (approximately?)of the infrastructure of the original stadium. can't deny that.

but yogi wasn't talking about the infrasctructure. he was talking about the heart and soul of the old stadium. the things that catch your eye..whether in person, on tv, or in pictures. (admittedly i never set foot in the old pre renovation stadium, but i've been on this board long enough to know what it looked like)

make a list. what has remained the same and what was changed from the old stadium after the renovation:

SAME
1. steel and concrete..(general infrastructure, approx 80%)
2. footprint of building
3. most of gate 2
4. arched windows
5. apt buildings in the background (courthouse, etc)

DIFFERENT
1. copper frieze lining the grandstand(removed)
2. roof (removed)
3. support columns (removed)
4. the field itself (lowered)
5. field dimensions (death valley, reduced then practically eliminated in '88)
6. fences in both foul and fair territory
7. size of upper deck (10 more rows)
8. upper deck concourse (completely new..however old catwalks might still exist underneath)
9. monuments in play in CF
10. monument park itself
11. bullpens
12. actual seats (from wooden to plastic)
13. seating capacity
14. general shape/capacity of bleachers (although same concrete as RYS)
15. scoreboard (with new replica frieze)
16. gate 4&6 (escalator pods)
17. dugouts
18. pressbox


i welcome your additions or subtractions with arguments. let's see if yogi was really an idiot...

[JoeDOYS]

Yogi actually said it in 1976, right after the renovation. Not sure how his beliefs make him "completely mistaken" as someone said. If anything, I'd put more weight on what Yogi says than what Rob R or TommyBagOfDonuts69 says on a baseball forum.

As we all know some of the things that have come out of Lawrence "Yogi" Berras mouth of the years have been mind boggling.

Heres a few...(credit stevetheump.com)



"All pitchers are liars or crybabies."

"The wind always seems to blow against catchers when they're running."

"A nickel ain't worth a dime anymore."

"Baseball is ninety percent mental. The other half is physical."

"Bill Dickey is learning me his experience."

"He hits from both sides of the plate. He's amphibious."

"How can a you hit and think at the same time?"

"I always thought that record would stand until it was broken."

"I can see how he (Sandy Koufax) won twenty-five games. What I don't understand is how he lost five."

"I don't know (if they were men or women fans running naked across the field). They had bags over their heads."

"If people don't want to come out to the ballpark, how are you going to stop them?"

"I'm a lucky guy and I'm happy to be with the Yankees. And I want to thank everyone for making this night necessary."

"I'm not going to buy my kids an encyclopedia. Let them walk to school like I did."

"In baseball, you don't know nothing."

"I never blame myself when I'm not hitting. I just blame the bat and if it keeps up, I change bats. After all, if I know it isn't my fault that I'm not hitting, how can I get mad at myself?"

"I didn't really say everything I said."

"It ain't the heat, it's the humility."

"It gets late early out there."

"I think Little League is wonderful. It keeps the kids out of the house."

"It's like deja vu all over again."

"I wish everybody had the drive he (Joe DiMaggio) had. He never did anything wrong on the field. I'd never seen him dive for a ball, everything was a chest-high catch, and he never walked off the field."

"Little League baseball is a very good thing because it keeps the parents off the streets."

"Nobody goes there anymore because it's too crowded."

"So I'm ugly. I never saw anyone hit with his face."

"Take it with a grin of salt."

"The game's isn't over until it's over."

"The towels were so thick there I could hardly close my suitcase."

"You can observe a lot just by watching."

"You should always go to other people's funerals, otherwise, they won't come to yours."

"You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you are going because you might not get there."

"We made too many wrong mistakes."

"When you come to a fork in the road, take it."

[shaneslatts]

Who are these people and where did they say this? Certainly not here. What I've said in these forums is that RYS would probably be unrecognizable to Ruth, Gehrig, et al, if they stepped out of a cab to enter it from Gate 4 and once inside, took a look at stands and field.

I've also said that when they renovated the original, that they dug deep enough into the soil that to say that Ruth roamed the same exact RF would be sentimentality speaking and not fact.

But, is RYS the same stadium that Ruth and the gang played in? Of course it is! The same stadium with a monstrosity of a face lift that was more criminal than NYS will ever be. In one (OYS) a classic, breath-taking building was defaced, graffiti-sized, disgraced and had it's heart and soul ripped out of it. In the other (NYS) it stands on it's own, whether you love it or hate it.

I am going to once again bring up the perfect analogy to the hideous RYS; one of another specimen ruined at the hands of hack plastic surgeons. This woman has the same heart, brain, lung, kidney, bones and guts. In fact, the "newer" version probably has more of her original parts than RYS did.

Been a long time sice I posted here....i am 53 years old, and yeah, I was in"Old Yankee Stadium" and in the "Renovated Yankee Stadium"....to me, it was the same ball yard...... I was THANKFUL that the "powers that be " kept the Yankees inside the same walls that Ruth, etc played in... this can no longer be said......"I" knew, when I walked into gate 4 that I was in Yankee Stadium... I showd my son who is 24 years the two different pictures (old vs renovated") and he knew INSTANTLY that yeah, thats Yankee Stadium AFTER a renovation.... Was the renovation perfect? No, course not. But what they are tearing into NOW is " PRE renovation Yankee Stadium', and thus all your arguments fail..... 1923- 1973 Yankee Stadium is being ripped down, before your eyes.....But its much worse then THAT...HISTORY and a real American LANDMARK are being wiped off from sight, and all some folks can do is talk about a wider concourse and better venues
All in the name of "progress"