The Original Yankee Stadium – Photographs and Memories

A Reflection on The Late, Great Yankee Stadium With Vintage Photographs

I visited the new Yankee Stadium once in 2009 when it first opened. The feeling was a bit surreal. It was like being in Yankee Stadium, but it wasn’t. The main difference for me was the surrounding neighborhood and looking out past the right-center field bleachers and not seeing the apartment buildings and the Bronx County Court House.

The new Yankee Stadium is a glorified mall.

The old Yankee Stadium that existed from 1923 – 1973 was where the storied history of the Yankees took place. Even after the renovation of Yankee Stadium from 1974-1975 which included taking out the old wooden seats and the removal of the beams that could block your view from many of those seats, the stadium still retained some of the old charm, even though it lost a bit of its character. From 1976 -2008 the Yankees played in the same spot where Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Red Ruffing, Hank Bauer, Whitey Ford Joe DiMaggio and Bill Dickey saw action.

The Yankees of the last 35 years; Thurman Munson, Bobby Murcer, Ron Guidry, Mel Stottlemyre, Paul O’Neill, Don Mattingly and Derek Jeter could look around and seep in the history of this altered palace of baseball, even if there were heavy cosmetic changes to the outside and inside of the stadium itself.

There was no more “Death Valley” in left center field where the wall was 457 feet away from home plate. The seating capacity was no longer 70,000+. It was more like 57,000 if you crammed people in to every nook and cranny. But it was still where the Yankee greats had roamed and the presence of those who had triumphed before them was felt by players and fans alike.

Across the street there is a new ballpark called Yankee Stadium. What the Yankees possess is a stadium where multi-millionaire players enter and exit through garages unseen by the public, play baseball and have limited interaction with the fans.

It is where multi-millionaire spectators have premium seating and can be distracted with non-stop, blaring music and an interactive scoreboard. These spectators have unlimited food being served to them, while texting on their mobile devices and are close to the action in walled off seclusion from the rest of the $300 and under “riff raff” fans.

It is where millions of dollars will be paid by taxpayers for many years to come to build this pale imitation of a great ballpark.

Here are some vintage photos of the original Yankee Stadium with some notes and memories. (Click on any photo to enlarge and click again in some cases to get a high resolution view)

Yankee Stadium in April 1923, right before opening.

The stadium as seen again in 1923. The mezzanine and upper grandstands were not completed until later in the 1920’s.

A large crowd at the stadium on Friday, July 26, 1929. The Yankees shut out the St. Louis Browns 9-0. About to deliver a pitch is Yankees hurler Ed Wells who won his eighth game of the year.  Bill Dickey hit two home runs and Lou Gehrig walloped his 24th home run for the Yankees in the winning effort. How hard was it to hit a home run to dead center? For the first few years of operation the center field fence in Yankee Stadium was 490 feet away!

The All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium on July 11, 1939. A crowd of 62,892 saw the American League triumph over the National League 3-1. This was the second All-Star game held in New York. The 1934 All-Star game was played across the Harlem River at the Giants home field, the Polo Grounds.

Fans line up outside the left field bleachers to buy tickets to an important game – note the bunting draped over the upper deck.

When Yankee Stadium was filled to capacity it looked like this. (photo © Daily News)

In the foreground is Yankee Stadium and in the background across the Harlem River is the Polo Grounds. The Giants abandoned New York, and the Polo Grounds, leaving for San Francisco following the 1957 season. After four seasons with no baseball, the expansion New York Mets played in the Polo Grounds for their first two seasons in 1962 and 1963, before moving to their own ballpark in Flushing, Queens – Shea Stadium. The Polo Grounds were torn down in 1964. The site is now a housing project.

Yankee-Stadium-1943-World Series

The 1943 World Series is underway.  The Yankees would defeat the St. Louis Cardinals four games to one in five closely battled games.

It is July 4, 1961 at 1:56 in the afternoon and the stadium has filled up to see the Yankees play the Detroit Tigers in a doubleheader. The Bronx County Courthouse is the large building in the upper right hand corner of the photo.

In the old stadium, there was no monument park. The three monuments to the Yankee greats (Lou Gehrig, Miller Huggins and Babe Ruth) were in play on the field at the deepest part of center field.  I remember Bobby Murcer chasing down a ball that scooted behind the monuments. I also remember thinking (as probably many small children did,)  that maybe those players were buried out in center field.

Looking in from the monuments, this is the view Mickey Mantle had of Yankee Stadium.

Here from the field level seats between third base and left field you can see the monuments placement in relation to the rest of the outfield. The classic scoreboard is also in the background beyond the right field bleachers.  As announcer Mel Allen used to say when a Yankee hit a home run, “that was a Ballantine Blast.” See, they even had annoying sponsored slogans and endorsements back then.

One of the great thrills for a fan was after some games concluded you could exit through the field.  That was a dream come true – to be able to walk on the same ground that Berra, Mantle, Kubek, Richardson, Maris and even Horace Clarke traversed.  The stadium ushers and fans were civil towards one another and they would actually allow you on to the field as soon as the game ended and as many of the pitchers were exiting the bullpen in the outfield to get to the dugouts.  I met “Sudden” Sam McDowell this way. We’ll save that for another time, because that is a story in itself.

In the 1970’s, when I was attending quite a few games, another joy was before a game you could come and watch batting practice from literally anywhere in the ballpark. The Yankees usually were just finishing their B.P. as the fans were allowed into the ballpark, so it was usually the visiting team you got to see practicing. There were no walls, fences or guards keeping the fans from moving about the stands. You could go anywhere in the stadium you wanted except from the bleachers to the main ballpark and vice versa. There were usually only a few hundred people there so every hard hit echoed like a rifle shot in a canyon.

You could hang out by the dugout and pester players for autographs; which many times they would sign. You might station yourself down the third or first base line to catch foul balls.  Or you could just watch batting practice up close from the best seats in the house, even if you weren’t in possession of those tickets for the game.

The expensive field boxes were affordable -even for a kid in 1973 – the price $4.00. When the stadium was renovated after 1976 the first row field boxes were still relatively inexpensive at about $7.50 during the late 1970’s. We normally did not sit there. We almost always sat in general admission in the upper deck. That cost $1.25. After the renovation – $1.50. The stadium was almost never sold out except for Old Timer’s Day and Bat Day so you could sit practically anywhere in the upper deck, except the upper box seats.

When the park started getting filled up just before game time, an usher (not a guard) would ask to see your tickets if you were down in the lower deck.  Sometimes you would be lucky and they wouldn’t chase you away if you didn’t have tickets for those box seats. But that was rare. What was more common was people would slip the usher two or three dollars and he would dust off the seats with that filthy, textured thick rag of a glove you see on this usher’s hand in the photograph, and let you stay where you were sitting.

As a child I thought the ushers came with the stadium; in other words they were all so old that they were indentured servants or had worked there since Babe Ruth opened the place in 1923. The ushers were generally grouchy guys who worked the lower deck and many of them had in fact been there for 30 or more years.  They knew who had season seats and who didn’t-  so upon reflection many years later, I now understand why they got peeved at people trying to sit in seats they didn’t belong in, unless the ushers got their palms greased – even if there were only 15,000 in the ball park for most games.

This is the final at bat at the old Yankee Stadium, September 30, 1973.  John Hiller is on the mound for the Tigers and Mike Hegan, son of long time Yankee coach Jim Hegan is at bat for the Yankees. The Yankees lost to the Tigers 8-5.

Renovation began on Yankee Stadium following the 1973 season. They took down the beams in the stands, shortened the mezzanine and shifted heights and contours of the outfield walls.  A new state of the art scoreboard would be installed in 1976. They also removed the famous copper facade/frieze that lined the roof of the upper deck and put it into storage to be possibly used again when the stadium re-opened. It was promptly lost and never seen again. The theory was, it was stolen out of storage and sold for scrap metal. The renovated stadium had a replica facade built. The seats from the stadium were removed and sold at New York department stores like Korvettes and Alexander’s for anywhere form $7.50 for single seats to $25 and up for multiple seats. I begged my mother to buy 2 seats bolted together, but she thought I was crazy.

Maybe I was, but I miss the old Yankee Stadium and wish I had those seats.

137 thoughts on “The Original Yankee Stadium – Photographs and Memories

  1. Frank. Burzimati

    Thank you for starting this great site.
    The section on Yankee Stadium awesome. Made many trips to that Big ball orchard in the South Bronx. Grew up and still live in Berkshires of Western Mass. The three hour trip to the city, many times included overnight stay and the ride on the uptown D train and the excitement of pulling up to the Stadium stop at 161st and River Ave and seeing that beautiful site….The Stadium. Wow.
    First game as young kid July 4th 1970.
    Yankees Vs. Washington Senator’s. Ball day, still have that ball with ink stamped New York Yankees on it. Yankees won 4-2. I saw a post referring to Frank Howard hitting foul ball out of Yankee stadium. I seem to recall that happening at this game ,could be wrong I was only 8. Went to next to last game in Stadium before renovation on September 29th 1973 vs.Tigers. While not the same as YS, made several trips to see Yanks at Shea 74-75,including Billy Martin first game as Manager August 2 1975. Remember seeing the Great Dimmagio playing in old timers game of 74 and 75. Priceless. Was at renovated Stadium for Home Opener April 15,1976. All the honored guest, incredible. Yanks come from behind win that day,wow. Have seen so many games in the old Stadium, sat in almost every part of that place. Will never forget the look on my daughters face when she was 8 years old and took her to first game June 2007 and walking through concourse and seeing her eyes light up when she got her first glimpse of the field…that can’t be she said. I said yes, that’s THE Stadium. I am 61 now and have been only once to New Stadium. Not as easy to go these days, but that one visit was just not the same.

    Reply
  2. traininvain

    Stop living in the past. I’ve been to all three versions of Yankee Stadium, and the new one is great. People seem to forget that the original had posts that blocked the view for some. The second version had nowhere to go if it rained. And the food concourse was crowded and hot in the summer, oh and people forget the long lines to use the bathroom. I’ve been to well over 500 games with the three stadiums, I like this one very much

    Reply
    1. Jay Clarke

      Ok Millenials,
      Been to many games in all 3 versions of Yankee Stadiums.
      To keep it positive ,here s my assessment

      Best food ,non game entertainment, in Stadium comforts & around-walking promenades -YS 3
      Best excitement ,competitive product and post seasons and crowd energy-YS 2
      Best to just watch the Baseball live and historical vibe-YS1

      Overal,I like comforts of new Stadium, but one game for say me and a date driving in w $25 tix,?
      $150.00,
      YS 1? W box seats at $7.00? $20.00!
      Even w inflation…YS1 the best deal…w an awesome visual of original stadium.

      Reply
  3. Ted Kelley

    Late to the party , 1st game at the Stadium 6/24/77 vs. Red Sox , I was 13 , extra inning win , went with my Dad and a colleague of his from work who’s comment after Jackson drove in Nettles from 2cd base with the winning run , “well , Martin gets to keep his job one more day!” I’ll NEVER forget the noise after a win or a great play or how close you were to the field in some of the seats.Went to many games over the next 20 years. Great memories of giving the usher a $5 after getting in with a general admission ticket , “ go down to 5 rows from the rail by the dugout , I know they’re not coming today” he’d say after that wipe down with the dirty towel. I saw many greats and great games , that place was a piece of American history , our version of the Roman coliseum. Priced out of going the last 20 years or so , although I did bring my 9 year old nephew to his 1st Yankee game in 1996, got to see his hero Jeter and the old building. I can’t bring myself to go to the new place , greed all around is taking its toll on the game. It is criminal that they tore down the old building and I’m just more of a all around baseball fan and especially love the history of the game. Try as they may they’ll never kill the game , it just lives in smaller venues now , sometimes even just at the local park.

    Reply
    1. Rick

      My wife and I attended the opening game of the renovated stadium on April 15,1976.. I was actually disappointed that the outfield fences were so much shorter than the old stadium where I saw some bombs from Mickey Mantle that very few could reach.

      Reply
  4. Rob Auerbach

    I totally agree Yankee Stadium has become a glorified mall!

    My parents and myself lived just two blocks from Yankee Stadium at 901 Woodycrest Ave. I will always remember the sound of the crowd when the Yankee’s made a big play. I worked as a kid at Yankee Stadium (my first job) selling hotdogs and cokes. I met many of the old school greats including Mickey Mantle (I’ll save him for another story) and was even taken down to the dugout. It’s the sounds that still play in my head that will never leave me. I have not been back to my old neighborhood since they built the new stadium. I don’t even know if I should even go back. I remember the original site and how the stadium changed through out the years. I just can’t get my head around the location of the new stadium. When I was young the new site was where I ran track and it was called Macombs Dam Park. Yankee Stadium was where we kids would wait outside in hopes of getting a free ticket. If I were to return now all those memories just wouldn’t fit. My parents were alive then and our from 5th floor apartment window faced the stadium and the lights would enter our window during night games. Sometimes, I wish things were just left as they were. I’m sure the Yankee’s could have played at another stadium while a newer one was built on the existing site (including the monuments). They go to great lengths to protect historical sites and I wish they would have done the same with the original Yankee Stadium. What great history was made there!
    Thanks for your site and your feelings…

    Reply
    1. B.P. Post author

      Thanks for the kind words & sharing your poignant memories here. And don’t return to your old neighborhood…you can never go back if you know what I mean. It will break your heart to see everything you once knew is gone or has been defaced beyond recognition— better to keep your memories intact of what was a glorious place & time to grow up in.

      Reply
    2. Jay Clarke

      Once they partially tore down Stadium after’73…it was no longer a historical,site,for me…field was even slightly moved, and they took out the frieze that to me IS a major part of YS vibe

      Reply
    3. Rob Auerbach (Denver)

      I don’t think remembering the old Yankee Stadium as It was in the 60s is living in the past. Those days we kids were were sons and daughters of the men and women that served in WW2. There were a ton of us that lived in the apartments near by and we had a ton of fun. Things were mellow and down to earth. There were small stores that would repair your shoes, bake the best rolls and desserts, clean your clothes, five and dimes and more than a few bars. Today, they are all gone but just like Yankee Stadium they are stuck in our souls. You just don’t see that scene that much today. Division, seems to have replaced the fun families that didn’t give damn about politics and just enjoyed life and getting together at store sponsored local neighborhood teams….and drinking a few beers…

      Reply
      1. Matthew Donnelly

        Hey, Rob! Did you go to the Court Deli on the corner across the street from the Bronx Criminal Court Building? And how ’bout the bowling alley across the street from Yankee Stadium beyond right field? Great memories of my favorite Borough: Da Bronx!

        Reply
  5. Dennis

    I attended my first game in 1959 as a 10 yr. old. I saw the June double header with Cleveland (who finished second that year to the White Sox). I actually saw the game from the transit cop cabin on the elevated subway platform right behind center field. My uncle Bill was a train dispatcher and his job was to go there and estimate the crowd before they announced it so they would have the right number of trains to send. There were about 20 or so police in that little cabin and they treated me so great! They told me a lot of inside things about the stadium, the Yankees etc. while I just kind of gaped at the size of the park and the sold out number of fans (68,000) at that game. They had there own scoreboard (you could not see the park ones from that vantage and the radio gave the play by play. I saw more than a few games in the following years from that cabin and I never heard a foul word out of all those police officers. Some were really funny and they had nicknames for some of the players. They called Hector Lopez “flounder feet” because of how he ran in the outfield. He could really hit though. Great memories. One of the most memorable and happy memories from childhood as a lifetime Yankee fan.

    Reply
  6. Artie Norton

    My mother took me to my first Yankees game on June 3, 1973. I remember panicking about all the traffic as we came across the George Washington Bridge, and my mother weaved in and out of traffic down to Jerome Avenue and did a fantastic job of getting us there before game time. I was 8 years old, wearing a Yankee t-shirt with a felt number 1 sewed on the back in reverence of my favorite player, Bobby Murcer. Walking into that place was truly spiritual as I was fully aware of the significance of the building and the men who played there. Walking to our seats, a man smiled at me and handed me a bat. As I perused the it, I saw it was a Louisville Slugger with Bobby Murcer’s autograph etched into the barrel. I didn’t know it was Bat Day. The Yanks won 3-2 and I can still hear what must have been close to 60,000 fans banging those bats on the floors. I was hooked, and my mom took me to three more games that season, the last being the final game before the renovation, which is captured in one of those fabulous photos above. Thank you for sharing the photos and your stories while allowing us to share ours.

    Reply
  7. Pingback: Aerial View of Yankee Stadium in 1923 - Cool Old Photos

  8. Chris Clark

    I was wondering if anyone had pictures of the locker room in 1923 ? Pete Sheehy gave my friend John Waldron a locker room chair in 1966 during the renovation. It was the day John Waldron was traded to the Red Sox and the locker room was being renovated. John’s father was Jack Waldron and was the President of Knickerbocker Beer and the owner of the Boston Celtics at the time. Pete told John to give the chair to his Dad. When John complained he had to take the subway and his hands were full with two duffel bags, Pete growled, You tell your Dad, Babe Ruths Balls sat right here., It was Babes locker room chair.
    So, the chair is going to find its way back to Col. Rupert in the Hall of Fame, I am writing a book about the chair, and was hoping someone might have a picture inside the locker room in 1923.. Thanks !

    Reply
  9. joe blowsky

    great pix. i did not know you could at one time exit through the field. it must have bee very exciting for the little tykes.

    Reply
      1. Joe Mastropolo

        You said it Larry. I remember scooping up a handful of dirt from around home plate and taking it home with me. Although it wasn’t good for the Yankees, I remember afternoon day games where the attendance was around 20K and it felt like you had the whole park to yourself.

        Reply
      2. Doug Anderson

        The original Yankee Stadium was a palace. Not sure why we’re so eager to destroy historic monuments like that. I went once at nine year old; my father took my younger brother and I for Bat Day in 1969. The Yankees were playing the Seattle Pilots. By the time we got into the building the Yankees had already scored a couple of runs. By the time we got comfortable with our seats and finished admiring our Mickey Mantle bars, the biggest, darkest cloud you ever saw in your life parked right over the stadium. We might have caught an inning or two of baseball before the sky opened, but I don’t remember any of it because I was so in awe of the stadium. The game was called after 4.5 innings; by the time we got back home to Brooklyn, the sun was shining.

        Went to the new building in 2012 on free tickets. Left after 5 innings totally unimpressed.

        Reply
        1. Mark Hewitt

          Went to Bat Day in 1968, which was a total thrill. I cannot imagine giving out 10,000 full size Louisville Sluggers in the Bronx in 2023.

          Reply
  10. Elissa

    Thank you so much for this wonderful site! Love the pictures and the memories. Thanks, too, to everyone who has left a comment.
    Does anyone remember if in the late 60s and early 70s people could have their birthdays or anniversaries announced at the Stadium?

    Reply
  11. Zach

    Recall going to 1960 all star game when I was 9 with my dad and he told many of these greats will be hall of famers one day. More HOF s came from that all star game than any other. Also remember in 61 the Yanks wore blue felt helmets. I thought I was the only one who remembered that until Billy Crystals movie 61. My dad said the Yanks were all about class that is why their helmets were felt. Seeing Mantle just swing the bat was worth price of admission. Saw Steve Whitaker hit a ball just foul out of the stadium. Years later I met Steve and he remembered.

    Reply
    1. B.P. Post author

      Those are good memories to share. I also saw a foul ball hit out of the old stadium by “Hondo” big, Frank Howard. He’s the only person I ever saw do that. I always wondered if anyone else had accomplished the feat. Now I know Whitaker did. thanks

      Reply
        1. B.P. Post author

          Yes, but Kingman must have been post-1976 renovated Yankee Stadium. He only played in the National League until 1977.

          Reply
  12. Jim fenton

    Great photos. My dad took us, could only afford the bleachers. The photo of Mantle’s back I remember well. At 10 years old I could not believe some of the abuse he took, maybe from old DiMaggio fans?

    I also recall the players grabbing cans in front. Fond memory of Whitey Ford, smiling and signing many autographs for kids my age. Seemed like a very nice guy.

    On the other hand I recall Casey running for a cab and snarling at a kid my age, Get out of here kid! I never had very warm thoughts about him after seeing that.

    I really do miss the old Stadium. I guess money talks. And I recall fans begging the Yankees to preserve at least the front entrance. As I recall, that would have cost the owners $1 Million. That, they claimed, was too expensive! Ridiculous.

    Reply
  13. Ray Makul

    As a kid in the 1950s, I also thought the center field monuments were gravestones. When I found out they were not, I was as disappointed as when I learned the truth about Santa.

    Reply
  14. Cory Claus

    HI,

    I am using one of your pictures for a story I am writing, The article is titled, Yankees Aaron Judge already impacting Mickey Mantle’s Legacy. The article should appear on FanSided in a day or two. I will include a link to your site and will mention the name. I hope this satisfies you. I love the pictures!

    Cory Claus

    Reply
  15. Dave Timmons

    Thank you for your photos and memories. I especially appreciate – and agree with – your comments concerning the “new” Yankee Stadium. Growing up in New England and a Red Sox fan,Yankee Stadium was always enemy territory. However, even as a kid, I could appreciate its history. So it was with that sense of respect that I promised my father that I would take him to a game in Yankee Stadium before it was ever town down. That promise came true on Sunday, August 31, 2008 when Mom, Dad and my then girlfriend (now, wife) saw the Tanks drop a 6-2 lackluster game to the Blue Jay’s. Didn’t matter. It was an amazing experience for this baseball fan. And to this day, idiot close my eyes, I can still see the old Cathedral. It was an amazing experience.

    Reply
  16. Steve Dow

    The original Yankee seats were also sold up in Stamford, Connecticut at Stamford House Wrecking.
    There were two piles of seats out in the open with the seats simply thrown on top of one another. The seats that were anchored to the vertical concrete were made self-standing by welding on two angle irons for the single seats and three for the doubles. One of the piles were “stripped” of paint and one had all the coats of paint of the 50 years. I believe the stripped seats sold for $50 and the original painted seats for $25.
    I picked up one set of the original seats with the intention of stripping them myself and saving the $25. Two mistakes:
    1. The years of paint were so thick that they almost closed the gaps between the slats. There were so many different colors. Of course, the top coat was Yankee blue but underneath there were coats of green, yellow and a lighter blue… multiple times. It took me almost a decade before I got down to the oak.
    2. What idiot would ever strip off all the history!

    The seats were a mainstay in my Bronx apartment but were relegated to the basement with a marriage to a Red Sox family and subsequent moves to NJ and PA. I even painted them PINK (I know asinine) and put in my first daughter’s nursery and would sit in them rocking her in the night.
    I still have them but they are covered up on a sturdy shelf in the garage. Still PINK¡¡¡¡
    I will dust them off and repaint them Yankee blue and sit my wrinkly old butt in them again.

    Reply
  17. mappee

    Made 1st bat day which was double header. I think the bats were Hillerich & Bradsby and kinda yellow in color. Wanted a Mantle but settled for Tom Tresh as there was no choice for late comers. It was sold out game but my mom scored SRO tickets making our ride from Jersey worthwhile. There was nowhere to sit but a gentleman offered my good looking mom his seat. We left after 1st game and I remember watching 2nd at home on TV. Old stadium was the place but time beat us all with change.

    Reply
  18. EDWARD CZARNECKI

    In 1960 I caught Mickey Mantle’s 26th homer that year. It was the first game of a twi night double header, hit off Jim Perry!!
    Great thrill. It was hit left handed and I was in the upper deck!!

    Reply
  19. Pingback: Aerial View of Yankee Stadium in 1923 | Cool Old Photos

  20. eric

    I was at the doubleheader on May 30th, 1956. It was a Wednesday, Decoration Day I think it was called then, no school. My first time ever inside Yankee Stadium. There was always a doubleheader on national holidays as I recall.

    I was 10 years old and a staunch Yankee fan. My grandfather had been some kind of official in the Garment Workers’ union in NYC. My memory tells me that there was some mafia connection and he somehow obtained some tickets for a season box for the May 30th game opposite 3rd base, right on the grass. How, I do not know.

    Andy Carey was at third that day. It was in the news that he had just got married to Lucy Marlowe, an up and coming Hollywood actress. I was kind of a wise guy and in my own demented way shouted at Andy: “Hey Andy, How’s Lucy?” I imagine that he must have heard me because we were pretty close. My (NY Giant fan) father nearly had a fit. He the told me that in his time it was not unusual for players to charge into the stands to pummel their hecklers. I got a little scared and embarrassed and straightened out my act.

    The next thing I remember is bottom of the 5th, and Mickey, batting left-handed against Pedro Ramos, hitting a ball off the facade in right field. Yanks went on to sweep the doubleheader. Washington actually had two really great arms in Pedro Ramos and Camilo Pascual, the pitchers of record in the sweep. Perennial eighth place finishers in a league of 8 teams, I remember the 50s meme: Washington, first in war, first in peace and last in the American League.

    Reply
  21. John Redfield

    Growing up in Chicago, I never was at the old Stadium in person, but during the early 1960’s watched many exciting contests on TV between my home favorite White Sox and the Yankess, including some great games at the Stadium. Back in those days, the Sox were a very good team and were often in pennant races with the Yankees, occasionally falling just short at the end of the season. I remember one game at the Stadium around 1962 or 1963 where Tony Kubek made a sensational catch to rob some White Sox batter of a home run–he fell over the left field fence and actually disappeared for a moment before climbing back onto the field with the ball in his glove. I’ve never seen a more amazing outfield catch than that one. I was always fascinated by the dimensions of the Stadium. Left center was so vast, much more than right center. They say that Joe Di lost out on dozens of homeruns due to being a right-handed batter, which was not a good thing in that park. Had he played in a stadium with more typical dimensions, he probably would have matched Ted Williams in average, and he was a much better outfielder. I watched many games during the Mantle-Maris homerun chase in 1961. Sure wish I could have actually seen a game in person. Great post! Thanks for the memories, even if they were limited to TV.

    Reply
  22. brian bolcar

    I HAVE GREAT MEMORIES OF YANKEE STADIUM FROM THE LATE 60″S . NOTHING COMPARES TO THE OLD STADIUM BEFORE IT WAS RENOVATED. DOES ANYONE REMEMBER AN OLD ESCAPE TUNNEL IN THE MEZZANINE. I SEEM TO REMEMBER AT AROUND THE AGE 6 OR 7 WALKING THROUGH THIS SMALL TUNNEL THAT WAS ONLY ABOUT 6″TALL AND OVAL SHAPED. IT WAS EXTREMELY DARK AND ABOUT EVERY 20 FT OR SO WOULD HAVE A SMALL CEILING LIGHT HANGING OVERHEAD BAIRLY VISIBLE. OUT OF THIS DARKNESS ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU WOULD EXIT IN EITHER THE LEFT FIELD BULLPEN OR THE BLEACHERS. THATS ABOUT ALL I CAN REMEMBER ,BUT I HAVE NEVER HEARD ANYMORE ABOUT THIS. MAYBE THEY WERE CEALED OFF AFTER THE RENOVATION.

    Reply
  23. Michael Browne

    Ok..where to begin…today 8/26/15 I had the pleasure to attend the Yankee game obviously at the new stadium. During my drive into NY all I could think about was seeing the area where the old stadium was. This afternoon I walked right into the old stadium grounds and almost dropped to my knees and cried. How can something with such amazing history with so much allure and pride be in the condition I found it? I mean there was nothing? No “spot” where home plate was..the pitchers mound? I mean nothing. I spoke to a few of the local kids who happened to be playing on the field. I said are you aware of the grounds you are suing on right now? I think it’s a disgrace that the Yankee family failed to preserve such history. I was actually watching a game on the field and couldn’t even believe the conditions these kids were playing in. I mean it’s the same ground that every Yankee grest has played on and here’s kids playing in knee high grass and holes so deep in the batters box you couldn’t climb out of. The best part…they had no home plate. They were using a stick to mark the plate. I videoed and photographed it all in amazement. Something needs to be done to protect this area. Who actually owns this land? Is it the city or the Yankees? Somebody clearly dropped the ball here. I would’ve paid any amount to be able to stand at home plate and show my kids this great piece of history.

    Reply
    1. Rob

      What’s most unbelievable regarding your comments is that you seem to be the only one. This is the greatest american sports travesty. The most important sporting field in US history and its simply reconfigured into a local park. The Yankees should have moved into Shea AGAIN and played there for two years while the old stadium was razed and a new one built in its place. One that echoed the old stadium not the featureless, scale-less, cold concrete, over-priced, arena they built. How the city blew this is beyond imagination.

      At the least, they could have preserved the old field as a museum, charged admission, and poured the money into local schools. Who wouldn’t pay 10$ to stand in the batter’s box, look over the center right filed wall at the bronx courthouse?

      Reply
  24. Pingback: New York Baseball, Part 1: Yankee Stadium | Uncouth Reflections

  25. Jim F

    Where to begin? I am fairly certain that my grandfather Daniel Sullivan worked on building the original stadium. I was taken to the Stadium for the first time by my father on Babe Ruth Day in 1947. The first game I was allowed to go to by myself was Joe Dimaggio Day in 1949 when the Red Sox came in with a one game lead and we beat them two straight. I was in the left field bleachers and when the Sox got their 4 run lead I was crying and said we would win. A couple of men sitting in front of me were saying it was all over. Being the obnoxious little brat that I was I let them have it when we won. OMG Labor Day weekend 1961, Detroit came in still in the race, we had the M&M guys (Mantle and Maris) and they tried to match us with C&C (Norm Cash and Rocky Colavito) as I remember that weekend 54 years ago we won the first game 1-0 . Then in each of the next 2 one of their guys hit one homer and one of ours hit 2, the sequence escapes me. I also went to the reopening day in 1976. Of course I also watched on TV in the Moylan Tavern and saw Bob Cerv hit one into the left field bleachers.. I believe that one time Jimmy Piersall went out behind the monuments when Mantle came to bat. I have to stop or I will go on forever. One more thing though, I don’t remember us calling it Yankee Stadium it was always just “The Stadium”. This is a great site!

    Reply
  26. Bill

    Your photo showing the Polo Grounds has been photo shopped! That’s not the “Grounds”! Note high rise apts to right. They were built on the Polo Grounds site after it was torn down! There is only one bridge over river (McCoombs Dam 155th st). Only other bridge that existed there was for the old shuttle subway that ran from the Jerome Woodlawn el & was torn down long before these photos. There are other inconsistancies in the photo as well. Thanks for the memories. I hadn’t thought of my boyhood neighborhhood for many years! Keep up the good work.

    Reply
    1. B.P. Post author

      Thanks for the kind words. Good catch on the Polo Grounds photo which is technically not photoshopped, but it has been changed.

      It is a “composite photo” which was put out by the City of New York to show what the housing projects would like like after they were built. They superimposed aspects of urban renewal by illustrating them into the photo. The shuttle train ceased operations in 1958, I do not know what year it was demolished.

      Reply
  27. Justino Izquierdo

    Great memories of my youth in NYC. I lived in NYC between 108th st. and 109th st. Columbus Ave. from 1957 to 1964, then moved to 109th st. and 8th Ave. from there to Grand Ave. in the Bronx, one stop away from Yankee Stadium, I commuted by the stadium many times by subway, will never forget always looking at the Stadium every time. Unfortunately, in all those years in the best City in the world (or it was to me back then) I only went to Yankee Stadium once (1962) with my Pop and my brother I was 12, the Yanks were playing against the then KC As, pitching I think was Al Downing, KC As won that game if I remember correctly, but man what a day that was !!YANKEE STADIUM!! will never forget.

    Reply
  28. Steve L.

    I was at the last game of 1976 season when they renovated.
    I was able to leave with a 3 box seat combo that today have remained in same condition as then.
    I have a picture of me and friends sitting on them around second base area with all the fans walking around with their memorabilia. It’s pretty funny.
    I could email you pictures if you like.

    Reply
    1. Lou Garofano

      Please email to me I was able to go to the old Stadium several time including two old timers days. loved that place only been to the new one once, not as good as the original

      Reply
  29. Richard Chester

    Another sponsored slogan was Mel Allen exclaiming “That ball was foul by the length of a White Owl cigar”.

    Reply
    1. B.P. Post author

      If I remember correctly the lower deck behind the box seats were reserved seats. The Mezzanine (which was about 35 rows deep) had boxes and reserved seats as well. General admission seats where anyone could sit made up most of the upper deck with the exception of the boxes in the first few rows. Is there anyone out there who can be more specific than my general explanation?

      Reply
      1. Richard Chester

        For games with small crowds many of the seats behind the boxes in the lower deck and mezzanine were general admission. I remember going to a weekday game in 1952 and sat in the lower right field stands, they were general admission. And for really large crowds many of the seats in the upper deck behind the boxes were reserved.

        Reply
  30. ben kendall

    Hi this is a bit of a unusual question but my grandad was in a scout for the new york yankees i’m not sure of what dates he had that role,he passed away a few years ago i am 27 and received some photos of grandad at the stadium and my grandma in photos with various players but i also have a photo of george steinbrenner and lou pinella stood next to each other i would like someone to maybe contact me at benkendall101287@gmail.com to maybe give me some information on the photos i know nobody else has these photos i’m 100% genuine and i have searched all over for information and had no luck please contact me . Thanks ben.

    Reply
  31. Laurence Gough

    Caught up in my memories of NYC (see above) I forgot to mention that this is a really interesting site. Thank you.

    Reply
  32. Laurence Gough

    I’m from waaay out of town, so have only seen a few Yankees games. My first game, I was in my thirties, alone in NYC on business. This would be in the late 80’s. While in the ticket lineup, I was approached by an older fellow who gave me a ticket – no charge. Of course I was suspicious. As he disappeared into the crowd, I checked to make sure I still had my wallet. My seat turned out to be in the front row, opposite first base. Four old-timers with season tickets. One hadn’t been able to make it to the game, and I lucked out. When they found out I was Canadian (Vancouver) they even bought me a beer. As a tourist in New York, I’ve had many pleasant and unforgettable experiences. But my first visit to Yankee Stadium was the best of them all.

    Reply
  33. John Fedinatz

    Love photos of the Old Yankee Stadium, especially from the “1920s”. Looking for photographs of the Yankee Clubhouse from that period when it was on the “Thirdbase Side.” Hoping that someone can direct me where to look.

    Reply
  34. Louis Chiarito

    I’ve been a Yankee fan since 1941, whan the scooter hit .306, his rookie year. Went to many games as a Yankee junior. We sat in upper deck left field, down to third base. This was the Yanks dugout side. I Believe they switched to first base dugout 1948 0r 49. Yankee juniors went weekday ball games free, no night or week end games. Went to a game with Bobby Shantz pitching for the A’s. Mickey hit one into the left field bleachers, not to far from the A’s bull pen. It was ruled a ground rule double, because it weht between the wall the the small screen above. If memory serves, Mick did hit one his next at bat but in the left field stands. Also saw Cliff Mapes hit one into the back section of the Yankee bull pen. Also saw Tommy Henrich win the 49 opener with a home run in the ninth ( 3-2) and the next day witha home run in the first (1-0). Joe Di was out until sometime in June, but the Yanks beat the Red Sox last two games of the season in New York. 5-4 and 5-3. I believe Gerry Coleman hit a bases clearing double in the Sunday game. As Mel Allen would say, “How about that”

    Reply
    1. Louis Chiarito

      My 6th grade class went to see the Yanks vs the Red Sox in June 1947. We were on Yankees’ side which was third base. Keller hit a home run maybe 12 rows back,just to the right of the 344 foot sign

      Reply
  35. John P.

    Great photos. First games I went to were in 1950 with family, I was at a game when Rizzuto hit one of his 37 HR’s & at another when DiMag hit one of his 361 HR’s.
    I was certain that the monuments were on the playing field & googled to find out
    whether my memory was correct and google sent me to this site.
    In the mid fifties we also tried to see Ted Williams when the Sox came to town, never was at a game when he hit one out but saw him hit 2 or3 high flies to right that Bauer
    grabbed near the 344 ft sign.

    Reply
  36. Ross Lewis

    I had the honor and privilege of being issued an exclusive credential by the City of New York to photograph the complete razing and rebuilding of Yankee Stadium during the 1973-1976 demolition and reconstruction. At that time I was an Associate Director for WCBS-TV News and, on many weekends, I was hired by the NFL to photograph their “Americana” images of their games and people and cities. I have long thought that the special beauty of the unique “feeling” of the historic parts and elements of the physical Stadium had to be memorialized on film. I took over 13,000 photographs during that 2 1/2 year period, ’73-’76. What a thrill to have had that experience! What an amazing feeling it was take the “D” train and arrive at Yankee Stadium in every kind of seasonal weather. Now, over 40 years later, since that first day of demolition (October 1, 1973), I am working on a photography book of those special images which I am hoping will be a treasure to old (and new) Yankee Stadium Lovers. A partial portfolio of images can be seen on Fineartamerica.com. You may also contact me with your thoughts and stories of your Yankee Stadium experiences at rossl-see@att.net. Your SUBJECT LINE has to say: YANKEE Stadium Lover–(Date of Your First Visit to Yankee Stadium).

    Reply
  37. Mickey G

    Great page ! My first game was a Saturday game against the RedSox in July 1961. It was Ladies Day, so Mom & my two sisters got in for $.75. Me & Dad had to pay the full $ 1.30 for General Admission. Well, Dad had to pay, actually. We mostly sat in the right field stands in the lower deck, as close as we could get before the ushers shooed us back up. Usually about 20 rows behind the box seats close to the field. Was there for some special games, Mickey’s 500th landed about 15 or so rows in front of us, saw Al Kaline break his collarbone making a diving catch in 1962(?), also Frank Robinson diving into the seats in right & coming out with the ball about a minute later ! I’d say that was the first game of a twilight doubleheader in ’67 or ’68. Got turned away from the first Bat Day in 1965, but came back to get one at the 2nd Bat Day that year. Saw some goods ones at Yankee Stadium II; Guidry’s 18 strikeouts, Tom Seaver’s 300th…Been to the new one a couple of times, not really impressed, it’s just so cold & corporate & far away…..

    Reply
  38. george kessler sr.

    Going to Yankee Stadium was the greatest thrill of my young life. My first game was in July of 1946, the Yankees were playing the Philadelphia A’s. What a day. I saw Joe Dimaggio, Charlie Keller, Tommy Henrich, Snuffy Stirnweiss to name a few. Since that Day I attended many games, Playoff and the like. I miss that Stadium and the way Baseball was played in those days. Great memories. Thanks for putting this on display.

    Reply
  39. Paul Tedesco

    Nice pics and stories. My first game at Yankee Stadium was cap day in 1973, when I was 9 years old. The date was April 29. It was a doubleheader vs. the Twins. Yanks won both games, 6-3 and 11-1. I was there with my older brother and a friend. What a special day….I was in complete awe. We first sat in the upper deck in right field. Graig Nettles hit a HR in game-one that just missed reaching our deck. After game-one, my brother snuck us downstairs. We managed to sit about 10 rows behind the Yankee dugout, except I was too short to see over the people in front of me…LOL. Does anyone have any pics or video footage of that day? I would certainly be very grateful.

    Reply
  40. AZNJ72

    How do you get a electronic copy of these images? Willing to pay, but need original large enough in order blow up and frame for wall in my office.

    Thanks!

    Reply
    1. B.P. Post author

      Almost all of the photographs with the exception of one or two are from news photo archives like Acme, Bain or UPI. A couple of them I believe are from the Daily News.

      So whatever the largest size photo I have (by clicking the photo and clicking again) is the largest available. I do not own the rights to any photograph and some have fallen into the public domain. I also do not have the rights to sell any image, so all I can suggest is copying them yourself electronically, and hope that the quality is good enough to print. I would imagine they may not be 300 dpi which is usually the minimum needed to make a nice photo print.

      I can suggest you visit the Corbis web site, where you can search and buy (expensive) high resolution vintage images of old Yankee Stadium or AP Images. Other sites that have images are: the Library of Congress and The New York Public Library.

      Good luck.

      Reply
  41. Pingback: MLB Saison 2014 - Seite 27 - DIGITAL FERNSEHEN - Forum

  42. Steve Wozny

    What a blast to read all these comments and to share the same memories. It is too amazing to comprehend they tore the original down. I was even ticked that they updated it in ’73. If Boston and Chicago can maintain their relic stadiums, how come the baseball capital of the world flushed it’s greatest asset down the john? What they destroyed, no money can pay for – the very field the greatest players of all time played on. And even if it might have been unsafe with a chunk falling down, they could’ve brought it up to speed. What were they thinking? I wished it was kept just as it was – same cool configuration, deep deep centerfield, monuments right in the field, same scoreboard. Sad, sad. Though my first pro game was at Shea in’64 (another sad story – that shouldn’t have been torn down either), my dad took to to the first bat day at the Stadium in ’65. I got my Clete Boyer Louisville Slugger, and at ten years old, I couldn’t have been happier. Though I saw the declining Yankees, as a kid watched all the great teams on TV from as early as I can remember. I loved Boyer’s defense, loved the Mick and Maris, loved Whitey Ford and Bouton. Baseball is the greatest – still play softball, still follow the Yanks. Love the tradition. Wished they never tore down the real Yankee Stadium. What fools were behind that?

    Reply
  43. Daniel Burt

    Growing up in Salt Lake City in the 50’s and 60’s, being a Yankee fan was as kosher to me as being a Mormon. Dad got me started, but I took my fandom to ridiculousness – dressing up in a ball uniform before sitting in front of our TV as Pee Wee and Dizzy brought me the game. I adored Yankee Stadium like nothing else. Mantle was my favorite, obviously, but the stadium had a mystique for me that I have to this day. Your photos brought chills and tears to me. What a great collection. I feel like a brother to all the commentors to this fabulous presentation. Thank you so much.

    Reply
  44. Jay A. Gervasi, Jr.

    Thanks for the great photos and information. I remember–vaguely–attending a game when I was about 10 years old, around 1968. Roy White stretched a single into a double and scored on a base hit to win in extra innings. I am relieved that my hazy memory of visiting the monuments in center field was not a figment of my imagination.

    Reply
  45. Greg Shafer

    I totally related to Dan C’s post on 5/31/13. My dad also took us to THE STADIUM in the late 60’s for ball day, bat day, double headers, etc. By the time I was old enough to enjoy baseball I just missed out on the dynasty years. Yes, I did get to watch the Mick at the end but my baseball Gods were Roy White, Horace Clark, Bobby Murcer, Joe Peptone, Frank Fernandez, Stan Bahnsen, Mel, Thurman, and so many others. We lived in Stoudsburg, Pa and I watched all the games on WPIX TV. I can recite most MLB lineups in the late 60’s. The bad asses of those days were the Orioles with the Robinson’s, Boog and the four pitchers, the Tigers with Denny, Mickey, Al and Willie.

    Thank you for posting these images. To this day the words Longines, Ballantine, Manny’s Baseball Land have very special meaning. Like Billy Crystal and so many other boys I still remember the color, the smell of mustard, the facade, the monuments, etc, etc. In my life I’ve never heard of another place that made an such a powerful impression on so many.

    I’m a little sad to hear that the new ballpark is like a mall. I’ve been looking forward to going one day. When I took my son to see Yankee Stadium for a game in the final season and saw the new one across the street I about wet may pants because it looked so much like the one I remember for 1968. It’s a shame they did not remodel it again.

    I’ve enjoyed seeing these pictures and reading the posts!

    Reply
  46. RichardC

    The commentary reads that the distance to center field was 490 feet for a few years. It was that way until 1937 when the bleachers were reconstructed.

    Reply
  47. tommy

    Great photos and write up on this wonderful, historic ballpark.
    As a young kid, I attended my first game there in August 1963, sitting in mezzanine reserve seats, as I thing they were called (second deck, great seats. they cost $2.50, and I still have the ticket stub. Ticket said on it “enter gate 4. I usually made about 1 game a year, sometimes two, up through about 1970, then didn’t get back until after renovations in 1982. Loved both editions of this ballpark, and it retained the same footprint until torn down. Lots of history there, like almost nowhere else.

    Reply
  48. James

    Great Post!
    I remember my first trip in 1965 to see the Yanks play and they won the game on a hit by Hector Lopez in the ninth inning. The thing I remember till today is walking through the tunnel to my seats and seeing the field in COLOR! All previous games I had seen on TV were in black and white so this was a shock. I also remember the game when Bob Chance of the Cleveland Indians hit a ball to the monuments and only got a triple. I thought as a kid that he had to be the slowest man alive!

    Reply
  49. Dan C.

    I’ve been a Yankee fan since I was a kid (’60’s) and my dad took my brothers and me to the stadium on all the special days (bat, cap, ball, Old Timer’s) and double-headers. We were fortunate enough to actually see Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris play. I think it was an absolute SIN to pull down the old stadium. You don’t pull down something as historic as that for ANY reason. Do you think anyone would consider replacing Mount Rushmore, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, etc.?? The old Yankee Stadium was a MONUMENT to baseball and I’ve noticed on the web that a lot of non-Yankee fans feel the same way. I was absolutely disgusted to learn that it was being pulled down. I guess the almighty dollar speaks louder.

    Reply
  50. Pingback: Great Stadiums (cont’d) | Right Off the Bat

  51. sharon

    I have a real weird question. My mother Joyce,who has been dead for 22 yrs. once told us kids,that her father once owner the Yankees for a very short time. Of course she had a few at the time.lol. But anyway,my grandfathers name was Frank Smith. My mom was born in Long Island City in 1917 to give you some help? Could you see if you have that info for me,just for my own piece of mind. Thank you very much.

    Reply
  52. Chris

    My father took my brother and me to Old Timers Day 1971. Its was a double header and they did the ceromonies and game between game. I remember the late Elston Howard hit an inside the park home run. I also got autographs from Fritz Peterson and Steve Kline. Nothing will ever match the experience in the pre-renovated Yankee Stadium.

    Reply
  53. Roger

    The color photo of the three outfielders viewed from the left field line is actually from the last game of the 1961 season when Roger Maris hit his 61st home run. Enlarge the photo and read the scoreboard and you will see for yourselves. Yanks win 1-0.

    Reply
      1. Bob

        I just spent an hour researching the date of this game using a website baseball reference which includes the boxscore and inning play by play for what appears to be all seasons and all teams. The caption on this pic on another site list it as 1966. I figured it out when I read the scoreboard message and the upcoming first world series game. Of course if I read down the comments page first I could have saved myself alot of trouble. The website is fascinating if you want to research games you may have attended.

        Reply
    1. Jeff Marston

      It appears that the photo is even more significant than just coming from that game. Look carefully at the scoreboard. Not only is the fact that the record has been broken being announced but it’s the fourth inning, the only run of the game (Maris’ HR) has just been recorded and there are now two outs (Yogi Berra grounding out to be the second) and no count on the next batter, no. 22 Johnny Blanchard. The 61st had actually just been hit minutes before.

      Reply
  54. Kevin Fisher

    I am looking for a list of players who hit home runs into the left field bleacher section of the original Yankee Stadium. Can anyone guide me to such a list? I believe it was accomplished by only about 10 players. I saw a list published years ago in some book/magazine, but have since lost track of that stat. Also, has anyone witnessed one of Mick’s shots off of the right field facade? Or were you there to see number 61?

    Reply
    1. Richard Chester

      I know for sure that Joe DiMaggio and Andy Carey hit home runs into the old left field bleachers, the one that was built after 1936. I saw on TV Mantle’s home run off the upper deck facade (actually the frieze) on May 30, 1956 off of Pete Ramos. I saw #61 on TV.

      Reply
    2. John Bonnett

      I did not witness one of the Mick’s facade shots in person; but, as I recollect, I did witness on television his facade shot hit off of pitcher Pedro Ramos. I don’t remember the year.

      Reply
    3. Dennis N

      Also looking for that list. I was at a game in June 1959 when Moose Skowron hit one in the second game of a double header against Cleveland (See prior post). I’m pretty sure that Harmon Killebrew was not only on that list but one of the few who hit more than one if memory serves me correct. I would be surprised if Mantle had not hit one. Tony Kubek said that Mantle playing in any other park would have probably been the all time HR leader because of all the shots to center and left center that fell for doubles and triples or even outs.
      I hope someone can find that list too!

      Reply
  55. jim kennedy

    GREAT PHOTOS!
    I WAS A VENDOR AT THE OLD STADIUM FROM 1960 TIL 1967.The money wasn’t bad for a high school kid. you could walk home from a game with 12 or 14 bucks. SOMETIMES $25 FROM A DOUBLE HEADER. A LOT of the neighborhood boys worked there. I REMEMBER THE BOSS WAS Mr. MURTHA OR MR. DOYLE. I WONDER IF THEY’RE STILL AROUND.

    Reply
    1. Erin g

      Hi so kinda strange I was checking this page on a whim to see if there was any info on prior vendors.. My grandfather(dads dad) was a vendor at old Yankee stadium. I never met him this the only info I have is his last name was Gough , they used to call him bubba too. If u have any info on how I could possibly find a picture or anything at all it’d be amazing and I know my dad would love it. Thank you!

      Reply
    2. erin

      Hi I was checking this page on a whim to see if there was any info on prior vendors.. My grandfather(dads dad) was a vendor at old Yankee stadium. I never met him this the only info I have is his last name was Gough , they used to call him bubba too. If u have any info on how I could possibly find a picture or anything at all it’d be amazing and I know my dad would love it. Thank you!

      Reply
  56. bob brennan

    My uncle Larry Lynch worked for years at the Stadium. He was a press gate man. In the late 50’s and early 60’s I would take the bus in from Denville, Jersey with my friend Tom Vogel. into Port Authority bus terminal downtown. We would then take the D train to the Stadium. My uncle would sneak us in to games all the time. Most times we would get there way before the game for batting practice and sit in right field and try and get a ball. We never did up there, but my Uncle Larry got us team signed balls. One time he got us into the press box to sit and I remember all the old writers with typewriters and smoking cigars. Great memories.

    Reply
  57. Peter

    Great photos and memories.My 1st game there was a double header vs KC we sat in center field in 1963 it was so amazing seeing how big everything was.I was 8 at the time it was very hot in the 90’s with the sun beating on us my parents stayed for a game it was just to hot for them I had a great time Yanks swept Jerry Lumpe and some x Yanks on the KC team.Thanks Mom and Dad for taking me and I also like the old stadium better.

    Reply
  58. Joe

    I became a Yankee fan in 1949 living in Manhattan. Then we moved to the Bronx one mile from Yankee Stadium, 152nd Street and Morris Ave. I thought I died and went to heaven, I don’t know how many games my friends and I got see, but I loved going to the Stadium. We use to play soft ball in the asphalt parking lot next to the 159th street entrance. Great memories thanks for posting these pictures.

    Reply
  59. Pete

    Have you seen how *tight* those ushers’ shirts were? Of course they were grumpy!

    Seriously, though, thanks for the article. As someone who had never been to the original YS, this was a great post.

    Reply
  60. Pingback: Regular Season Links – 9/19/2012 - Goodsportsart Blog = Baseball news

  61. Timothy McGuire

    Those are some great historic photos. I only remember the old Yankees stadium a sI was born in 72 and my 1st game there was 83. Ive been to plenty of regular season, post season and world series games there.

    Reply
  62. ru4_nyy

    They need to get rid of the moat in the new stadium and get some real fans in those seats. The creature comforts are nice, but the prices are ridiculous. No access to players anymore either. Sad.

    Reply
  63. Bill Thomson

    The photo of the “sold out” game reminded me of the final game of the 1949 season between the Yankees and the Red Sox. My dad had bought box mezzanine seats in early April for that last game, never dreaming that his team (the Sox) and mine (the Yanks) would be tied for first place on the last day of the season. I was 10 years old and I’ll never forget the thrill of arriving on the elevated portion of the subway and gazing at the green outfield grass. What a sad comment to know that now kids can only get decent seats if they are somehow connected to corporations who have season tickets. I never heard of a corporation who could (would) stand up to cheer when a Mickey Mantle would hit a towering homer into the upper deck – they’re too busy eating sushi!

    Reply
  64. Rob

    Nice photos covering the years. Great job!

    I never made it to the old ballpark, with my first game coming in the late 70s at the the refurbished park, which many now call YSII. I understand the nostalgia, but I would never want to replace the current new Stadium with the one from ’76-’08. Memories are great, but the Yankees are about winning. I root for the team. Go make new memories.

    Reply
  65. Pingback: Rain Out Fun: Old Yankee Stadium photos | River Avenue Blues

  66. sandy giacomini

    the yankees need to change the current field to the way it looked in the old yankee stadium. put the monuments back in left center and in play and make the dimensions the same as they were.if not then take the center field fence and change it with a chain fence so you can see the monuments on tv.just my idea

    Reply
    1. Bob

      Do you think MLB would let the yankees put them back? Seems like a safety issue. Remember at 457-461 feet even todays juiced players wouldn’t hit back there that often.

      Reply
  67. Stephen Irizarry

    I’ve put every single one of these photos on my desktop slideshow! I’m 22 years old. And though I don’t harbor memories from the pre-renovation stadium, I was lucky enough to see a few games at the old stadium before they tore it down. I took a trip to New York before enlisting in the military in 2010 and wanted to cry when I saw the demolition taking place. And as much as I loved going to the Stadium, I would kill to have sat in the pale blue/green seats in the shadow of the original frieze. I’ve been to the new stadium…yes it’s very nice…but it’s not Yankee Stadium. I got a hook-up through a friend to sit right on the third base-line. It was terrible sitting between wealthy business people who saw the game as a social event to entertain colleagues rather than for the near religious experience that is coming to the stadium supporting the Yankees. I’ll stay in the bleachers please!

    Reply
  68. Albert Memoli

    Great pictures, bring back lots of good memories. I attended the last game of the original Stadium, with the LANTERN bar from Valentine Ave, and was amazed at all the people who had the foresight to bring tools with them,to disassemble seats, signs, and anything else they could reach.

    Reply
  69. Pingback: Must-click link: some awesome old pics of Yankee Stadium | HardballTalk

  70. john guilfoyle

    Enjoyed looking at the photos. I’ve seen them all before but it’s nice having them in one place. Just wondering where you got the info that the old frieze was stored for future use.

    Reply
    1. B.P. Post author

      I don’t remember the exact source but it was either in a newspaper or book that I read the frieze was put into storage and then lost or stolen.

      Reply
      1. john guilfoyle

        The frieze was never put into storage. There were rumors when the Stadium reopened that all or part of the frieze in the renovated Stadium was previously used in the old Stadium, but it’s not true. The old frieze was sold to a man in Albany for $75,000 who then scrapped it. Fans don’t realize how large the frieze was–it would have been near impossible to store it somewhere, and would have cost a fortune to do it. It’s really too bad that it couldn’t have been re-used in the renovated Stadium.

        Reply
        1. B.P. Post author

          About the frieze: I read that as well on baseball-fever.com. But I did read the frieze storage / lost /stolen story in a book, newspaper or magazine. I cannot find the original source story at this point. If I do I will write back. The scrap metal story sounds much more likely than hauling tons of copper and placing it in storage.

          But consider this: at around the same time in 1967 New York City was renovating large chunks of the west side when they decided to demolish the Edward H Laing Stores on Washington & Murray Streets. That is notable because it was the oldest building in New York made of prefabricated cast iron by famous architect James Bogardus. By 1971 it was decided to preserve the building and it was carefully disassembled piece by piece and placed in storage for future restoration. The pieces were stolen out of storage and sold for scrap.

          Reply
  71. Pingback: Brings Me Back To ’73 | WasWatching.com

  72. Steve D. Toth

    My greatest thrill growing up watching the cleveland indians play the yanks in a twinight doubleheader both games were televised and that was the first time i saw the monuments in centerfield (in play)

    Reply
  73. Rick

    Wow, these are great thank you so much for presenting them.
    I guess, that you know you are getting old when you mourn the passing of a ballpark, I will never forgive the Yankee management for knocking her down when she had so many good years left. I have lost my baseball heart because of it. Today, the game is all about money.

    Thank You Rick

    Reply
  74. Matt O'C

    The second and third images of YS are actually from April 1923, not 1922. Construction of YS didn’t even start (leveling the site) until May 6, 1922.

    The image listed as the 1950 WS is in fact the 1943 WS. See the war bond and air raid warning text painted on the facing of the upper and mezzanine decks.

    The 1:56 PM aerial pic is from July 4, 1961.

    Reply
    1. RichardC

      In addition the Gem sign at the back of the bleachers had been replaced by a Silver Star sign by 1950. Also the old manually operated scoreboard is present.

      Reply
    2. Pat Kaim

      I see the photo is listed as the 1943 WS……NOT the 50 WS, so I’m confused about your comment. Go back and look at the photo again. Right click the pic, then look under properties. It states 43 WS. I’m just sayin’.

      Reply
  75. Mark Herd

    I was living in Detroit in 1964 and before that in Baltimore, 1960 to 63. Old Tiger Stadium was a great place to see a game, just don’t sit behind a pole. Mickey hit his 500 HR on Sunday at the Stadium, and his 501 in Detroit on Tuesday night with me, Mom and Dad watching. The place went nuts giving it up for the legendary Mick.

    I remember watching the great ’61 Cincy world series and the epic 62 SF world series in Baltimore on afternoon b&w TV after Catholic school was over. Dad was jealous. I definitely remember early on Sunday night, last game of the 1961 season, the TV getting a special announcement: Roger had hit number 61! My New York born and raised father went NUTS!

    Yes, Dad said he was a Yankee fan, but since I was 8 years old, never been to a game, learning how to flip baseballs cards in the alley, and rooting for the Birds: Dad said from now on we would be Orioles fans! We road the bus to Memorial Stadium and Dad got into a fight with the bus driver since I was tall and was challenged on child’s fare. He bought 4 or 5 dollar box seats because he said we didn’t come there that often, and should get good seats!! Thanks DAD!

    When we moved to Detroit, we were the only Bird’s fans in Tiger land.

    But, when the Orioles won the Championship in 1966, and beat the world class LA Dodgers of Sandy and Don fame in 4 straight – LOWEST scoring series in history (about 12 runs in 4 games for both teams) the Detroit neighbors were oh so happy for the little kid from Baltimore! (and that was me.)

    Reply
  76. Mark Herd

    Great Post. You are doing a real service with old pictures and reflections and such.
    I remember seeing old Yankee Stadium in 1971 from the train coming into the city from the Bronx. I was an out-of-towner then but it looked great. Personally didn’t start going until 1980. Saw some great games in 20 some years. Had some great seats for cheap. Then they started winning, and it got too crowded. I have yet to go to the new one, but agree it is a shopping mall. Same with the ‘new Shea Stadium’.

    Reply
  77. George Dalley

    The photos bring back great memories; I was a Yankee fan thanks to my father and remember attending games with him and then with my brother regularly during the glory days between 1950 and 1964 when the Yankees won the pennant almost every year under Casey Stengel. We loved going to the games, even though they were becoming available at home on our newly acquired television. But watching baseball on tv did not compare with the vivid sights, sounds smells, and pure excitement of the experience of being in Yankee Stadium, especially during the doubleheaders on Sunday when we could see two games and spend all day at the ball park. I remember the thrill we received each time we entered the stadium and emerged from the tunnel to see the beauty of the green field below us.We were allowed to bring food and drink into the park in those days and I recall my mother providing us with lunch and a cooler filled with fruit juice. We lived within walking distance of Yankee Stadiu; in fact, our route east on 155th street from Ansterdam Avenue in Harlem across the Harlem River over the Macombs Dam Bridge is clearly visible in one of these great photographs. Our favorite seats were in the upper deck behind home plate. We were able to buy grandstand seats there for most games for $1.25 and loved seeing two games for the price of one most Sundays. We were blessed to have come of age as baseball fans during this period and privileged to witness almost the entire careers of Yankee all-star greats such as Whitey Ford, Yogi Berra, and Mickey Mantle along with other great Yankee players such as Hank Bauer, Gene Woodling, Ady Carey, Phil Rizzuto, Billy Martin, Bill Skowron, Elston Howard, Allie Reynolds, Vic Raschi, Eddie Lopat, Joe Collins, Hector Lopez,Tony Kubek, Bobby Richardson, Irv Noren, Bob Cerv, Luis Arroyo, and many more heroes under the leadership of Casey Stengel.

    Reply
    1. evan mcelfresh

      saw all the yankee greats PLUS other a.l. stars like ted williams, al kaline, bob feller, harmon killebrew, so many more. PLUS we had giants seats in lower sec 34 row g seat 11 & 12 for all the stadium years & saw gifford, huff, tittle, rote, webster coached by lombardi, landry…the stadium was a special place. i hated 2 c it go…

      Reply
    2. Alexander Navarra

      Thanks 4 the memories, My Father &I took the D train from 205th st, “The Bronx” to the Stadium, I recall 1949, NYY vs Bosox, lower rf behind “the dugout”, Joe D & Ted Williams,I worked the 1960 WS, Harry M Stevens vendor,remembering Bob Cerv #41 NYY May 5,1925,Apr 6,2017, 91 yrs young crushing a homer to “death valley” 457 feet,I’m Blueknight44 on YES message boards, My favorite Yankees, #’s 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,8,9,910,11,11,12,13,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,#22 “The Chief” Allie Reynolds,23, many 24’s, 25,28,30,37,41 Bob Cerv,42,44,49, NOW 99 Arron Judge, #7 “The Mick” is My Favorite”, Best Regards to all great NYYankee Fans, DOB 4-14-1944, Al Navarra Evander Childs HS, Eastchester AC, CF & Pitcher coach Pete Wilson Monroe HS tried me out 1960 for the Chi Whitesox where the Current NY Yankees is, regards to all, Al Navarra

      Reply
    3. Alexander Navarra

      Great post, you recalling the Yankee names brought back memories, I’m a fan since 1949, my first game via the D train from 205th st The Bronx, regards, Al Navarra

      Reply

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