My Trip To Baseball Heaven
Let's Go Yankees
By Diane Stanley
May 26 2003
Whether you love the Yankees or you hate them almost every baseball fan will say that Yankee Stadium is the one they want to visit the most.
Known as "The House That Ruth Built," Yankee Stadium has more history than all of the other parks put together. It also is home to the millions of fans who make the trip every year. Yankee fans and visiting fans stand shoulder to shoulder. (Don't let them know though if you are for the other team. Yankee fans are very passionate about their team.)
In August of 1999 myself, my husband Geoff and my youngest son Mark made the pilgrimage to "baseball heaven."
We had been told by others who had made the journey before the best way to reach the stadium which is located in the infamous Bronx area was via the subway. Me who can get lost almost anywhere on the New York Subway! Still we took their advice, and good advice it was too. We exited the subway just across the road from the stadium. Even from the outside you feel the excitement that lies within. I felt like a kid on my first trip to Disneyland.
Now I'll be honest. I don't remember too much about the actual games we attended. What I do remember is some of the great events that took place whilst we were there.
Seeing as we arrived early because we were not sure where to pick up our tickets we hoped to be able to visit the historic, Monument Park behind the left field wall before the game. The park closes if I remember rightly 45 minutes before game time.
With tickets in hand we waited for the gate to open. I felt like a kid. It did indeed feel like my first trip to Disneyland, I was no kid when I made that trip either. I was filled with excitement.
Finally the huge gray gates opened. There was the usual pushing and shoving as always. I reach the turnstile and hand over my ticket. The ticket taker rips it and I walk through. I'm in! I'm in actually IN Yankee Stadium. The stadium where some of the greatest players ever to wear a Major League uniform have suited up for a game. Not only Babe Ruth, but Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantel, Roger Marris, and today Derek Jeter. So many big names and more. The men who wrote huge chunks of the baseball record books. Me, Diane Mary Stanley is standing inside Yankee Stadium. I'm standing inside the stadium that features in almost every baseball fans dreams.
Come join me for my three game stay in "The House That Ruth Built."
Day 1
First stop had to be Monument Park The lineup was already huge even though we were amongst the first through the gate. The "Natives" knew how to get there without even looking so we were well back in the line. They only let people in for half an hour. Would we make it? The line moved really quick so we made it with ease. We had decided that should we be separated, (it was almost inevitable) then we would meet back at our seats.
Once in the park it seemed like you were in another world. No dirty streets, no narrow tunnels to walk down as there are in the actual stadium area, just a beautiful rose filled park with beautiful tributes to many Yankee greats.
Babe Ruth was probably the first player I had ever heard of. Being born in England I had hardly heard of baseball when I first moved to Canada in 1988. When I saw his memorial tears came to my eyes. I thought of how this "fat kid" had turned into one of the greatest athletes of all time. I felt humbled to "be in his presence." Yes in that park you can feel the greatness all around as if they are standing right there next to you.
Next, Henry Louis Gehrig. What a man. His tribute bears the words, " A man. A gentleman and a great ballplayer who's amazing record of 2130 consecutive games should stand for all time." I was so happy this had not been changed when Cal Ripken JR. had broken his record.
His immortal words "I might have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for." "For the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got," he had told the crowd on Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day at Yankee Stadium in 1939, "Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth." were ringing in my ears. By now there were tears running down my face.
I suddenly felt so stupid. There was me, in front of all of these people crying over a piece of marble with a plaque on it. I quickly tried to gather myself, and took a side glance at the person next to me. I hoped he had not noticed. He was a rough and ready looking guy with tattoo's and long hair. A typical "biker" looking person. Then I noticed he was wiping away a tear too. In fact almost everyone was. I saw what I could of the rest of the park, but to allow as many people in as possible you have to pretty much keep moving. My long pause at Gehrig's memorial meant I did not see much more that day. As I left vowing to see the rest tomorrow I felt as if I were the luckiest woman on earth.
As the game starts the Yankee fans start their customary "roll call." "Ti-no Mar-tinez" they chant followed by three swift claps of the hands. Ti-no Mar-tinez, more clapping. This continues until Tino looks to the right field "Bleacher Creatures" as they are known and tips his cap. "Ch-uck Knob-lauch" followed by the clapping comes next. Chuck quickly tips his cap. Around they go. "Der-ek Je-ter" Derek knows his roll. He tips his cap and gives an excited wave to right field. All the young girls scream. Yes Derek is the man in their dreams without a doubt. This goes on throughout the game until every man in a Yankee uniform on the field has acknowledged the crowd. I have never seen this at any other stadium, but man it's so exciting they all should do it. It really brings the players and the fans together.