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Post by anthonyd46 on Jul 8, 2021 0:53:35 GMT -5
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Post by kaybli on Jul 8, 2021 6:00:55 GMT -5
😂 oh sterling, don’t ever change.  |
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Post by pippsheadache on Jul 8, 2021 9:48:07 GMT -5
Watching cubs game, its amazing how intimate Wrigley is. No frills, just a ballpark, its community and a ballgame in front of em. Beautiful stuff. Then I think of what a shit stadium Randy and Lonn put together in YS3, how corporate, overpriced (im sure wrigley gouges as well), and unnatural the environment is.  I can only imagine how special original yankee stadium was, pre 70s renovation. Anyone care to share if they were lucky enough to attend? Hi Maize, just reading your post now -- concur on Wrigley, it's my favorite existing park for the reasons you stated. It feels like baseball. I was at old Yankee Stadium (aka Real Yankee Stadium) many times. First time was 1960. To me it felt like walking into the Cathedral of Notre Dame. Even later in life after being in dozens of major league parks, none had the feeling of grandeur that Yankee Stadium had. The immense size, the beautiful facade, the monuments--and there were only three then, and they were part of the playing field -- and of course mainly the history of who had played there. Nothing else like it. The seats were small and wooden and there were a lot of polls obstructing your view. The good part was once you were inside it was easy to move around the park and nobody bothered you unless you tried to stay in the season ticket holder seats once the game started. Then the ushers, who were all old men who looked like they had been there since the Stadium opened, would make you scatter. But it was very easy-going and you could even chat with the players near the dugout before the game started. Back in those days the Yankees only averaged maybe 20,000 to 25,000 a game, even with great teams, so you could easily move around. Capacity was around 67,000 -- it had been as high as 82,000 a one point -- so that contributed to the vastness. It was 296 and 301 down the lines, but quickly moved out to 407 in right-center, 461 to center, and 457 to left-center, the famous Death Valley. BTW it was 500 to left-center when the place opened in 1923, and 483 to center. There was no music or commecials blasting. No idiotic contests on the scoreboard. No electronic fake cheerleading. You might get rhythmic clapping if the Yankees had a rally going or he occasional "Let's go Yankees" chant, but all the noise came from actual live human beings. Eddie Layton played bland background organ music between innings and before the game. And you could exit the game walking across the field to get to the tunnels. The first game I ever went to there, the guys from the bullpen walked right past us on their way to the locker room. I remember Johnny Blanchard, Ryne Duren, Bill Stafford and Eli Grba moving right past me. Baseball cards come to life! I was awestruck -- Eli Grba, OMG!! Wow, this has become an essay. Sorry Maize, when you asked about The House That Ruth Built, that was a hanging curve to me. Anyway, the memories are all fond ones, and I cherish all of them. |
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Post by kaybli on Jul 8, 2021 10:14:30 GMT -5
Watching cubs game, its amazing how intimate Wrigley is. No frills, just a ballpark, its community and a ballgame in front of em. Beautiful stuff. Then I think of what a shit stadium Randy and Lonn put together in YS3, how corporate, overpriced (im sure wrigley gouges as well), and unnatural the environment is. I can only imagine how special original yankee stadium was, pre 70s renovation. Anyone care to share if they were lucky enough to attend? Hi Maize, just reading your post now -- concur on Wrigley, it's my favorite existing park for the reasons you stated. It feels like baseball. I was at old Yankee Stadium (aka Real Yankee Stadium) many times. First time was 1960. To me it felt like walking into the Cathedral of Notre Dame. Even later in life after being in dozens of major league parks, none had the feeling of grandeur that Yankee Stadium had. The immense size, the beautiful facade, the monuments--and there were only three then, and they were part of the playing field -- and of course mainly the history of who had played there. Nothing else like it. The seats were small and wooden and there were a lot of polls obstructing your view. The good part was once you were inside it was easy to move around the park and nobody bothered you unless you tried to stay in the season ticket holder seats once the game started. Then the ushers, who were all old men who looked like they had been there since the Stadium opened, would make you scatter. But it was very easy-going and you could even chat with the players near the dugout before the game started. Back in those days the Yankees only averaged maybe 20,000 to 25,000 a game, even with great teams, so you could easily move around. Capacity was around 67,000 -- it had been as high as 82,000 a one point -- so that contributed to the vastness. It was 296 and 301 down the lines, but quickly moved out to 407 in right-center, 461 to center, and 457 to left-center, the famous Death Valley. BTW it was 500 to left-center when the place opened in 1923, and 483 to center. There was no music or commecials blasting. No idiotic contests on the scoreboard. No electronic fake cheerleading. You might get rhythmic clapping if the Yankees had a rally going or he occasional "Let's go Yankees" chant, but all the noise came from actual live human beings. Eddie Layton played bland background organ music between innings and before the game. And you could exit the game walking across the field to get to the tunnels. The first game I ever went to there, the guys from the bullpen walked right past us on their way to the locker room. I remember Johnny Blanchard, Ryne Duren, Bill Stafford and Eli Grba moving right past me. Baseball cards come to life! I was awestruck -- Eli Grba, OMG!! Wow, this has become an essay. Sorry Maize, when you asked about The House That Ruth Built, that was a hanging curve to me. Anyway, the memories are all fond ones, and I cherish all of them. Great post pipps! I hope maize sees it. The only thing puzzling to me about what you described is 461 to center? 457 to left center? That's too much. How did anyone hit HRs back then? I always wondered that when people describe those dimensions of old Yankee stadium. |
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Post by maizeyanks on Jul 8, 2021 10:31:16 GMT -5
Great stuff Pipps, thanks for sharing. My uncles used to share what it was like at the original YS and I can only imagine how special it felt.
Here's another thing to ponder, IIRC Boston and Cubs both wanted new stadiums but the city wouldn't let them bc they were historical landmarks. Why and how did NYC let the Yankees re-model in the 70s and then tear it down in 08-09? Why wasn't YS ever labeled a historical landmark?
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Post by inger on Jul 8, 2021 10:40:32 GMT -5
😂 oh sterling, don’t ever change. For some reason this replay won’t shut off. I shut it down, but then every time I reopen the site it’s playing again. A bit maddening… <snort>… |
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Post by inger on Jul 8, 2021 11:01:07 GMT -5
Susan sounds more drunk every time I listen to this…
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Post by pippsheadache on Jul 8, 2021 11:17:14 GMT -5
Great stuff Pipps, thanks for sharing. My uncles used to share what it was like at the original YS and I can only imagine how special it felt. Here's another thing to ponder, IIRC Boston and Cubs both wanted new stadiums but the city wouldn't let them bc they were historical landmarks. Why and how did NYC let the Yankees re-model in the 70s and then tear it down in 08-09? Why wasn't YS ever labeled a historical landmark? I remember that with Fenway, Maize. I didn't know Wrigley was in the same boat. Can you imagine? Far lesser structures than Yankee Stadium have historic preservation status. I don't recall now if George was still mentally competent when that decision was made. I think possibly not, because he had a slow decline that began many years before his death in 2010. It seems more like a Hal thing. Whoever it was it was an act of historical vandalism. Supposedly that stuff ended after the old Pennsylvania Station was torn down and replaced by that sterile ugly mess that sits there still. Supposedly the vandals were shamed -- that's what saved Carnegie Hall when it was scheduled to be the next victim. I never understood why they didn't just do what they did before the 1973-74 remodeling and bunk with the Mets for a couple of years. Or figure out a way to play in the Meadowlands temporarily. Aqueduct, Yale Bowl, anything. They could have done it, but they didn't care. We care, but they didn't care. I have more attachment to the place across the street. That's where they played. Maybe someday Jacob Ruppert VII will buy the team and build it back. |
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Post by pippsheadache on Jul 8, 2021 11:21:38 GMT -5
Susan sounds more drunk every time I listen to this… Suzyn and John have been on edge this year. Both are well past their expiration date. If I had to rely on them as my sole broadcast source for Yankee baseball, I would join Noetsi in the Dot Cave. |
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Post by bearman on Jul 8, 2021 11:47:07 GMT -5
Watching cubs game, its amazing how intimate Wrigley is. No frills, just a ballpark, its community and a ballgame in front of em. Beautiful stuff. Then I think of what a shit stadium Randy and Lonn put together in YS3, how corporate, overpriced (im sure wrigley gouges as well), and unnatural the environment is. I can only imagine how special original yankee stadium was, pre 70s renovation. Anyone care to share if they were lucky enough to attend? Hi Maize, just reading your post now -- concur on Wrigley, it's my favorite existing park for the reasons you stated. It feels like baseball. I was at old Yankee Stadium (aka Real Yankee Stadium) many times. First time was 1960. To me it felt like walking into the Cathedral of Notre Dame. Even later in life after being in dozens of major league parks, none had the feeling of grandeur that Yankee Stadium had. The immense size, the beautiful facade, the monuments--and there were only three then, and they were part of the playing field -- and of course mainly the history of who had played there. Nothing else like it. The seats were small and wooden and there were a lot of polls obstructing your view. The good part was once you were inside it was easy to move around the park and nobody bothered you unless you tried to stay in the season ticket holder seats once the game started. Then the ushers, who were all old men who looked like they had been there since the Stadium opened, would make you scatter. But it was very easy-going and you could even chat with the players near the dugout before the game started. Back in those days the Yankees only averaged maybe 20,000 to 25,000 a game, even with great teams, so you could easily move around. Capacity was around 67,000 -- it had been as high as 82,000 a one point -- so that contributed to the vastness. It was 296 and 301 down the lines, but quickly moved out to 407 in right-center, 461 to center, and 457 to left-center, the famous Death Valley. BTW it was 500 to left-center when the place opened in 1923, and 483 to center. There was no music or commecials blasting. No idiotic contests on the scoreboard. No electronic fake cheerleading. You might get rhythmic clapping if the Yankees had a rally going or he occasional "Let's go Yankees" chant, but all the noise came from actual live human beings. Eddie Layton played bland background organ music between innings and before the game. And you could exit the game walking across the field to get to the tunnels. The first game I ever went to there, the guys from the bullpen walked right past us on their way to the locker room. I remember Johnny Blanchard, Ryne Duren, Bill Stafford and Eli Grba moving right past me. Baseball cards come to life! I was awestruck -- Eli Grba, OMG!! Wow, this has become an essay. Sorry Maize, when you asked about The House That Ruth Built, that was a hanging curve to me. Anyway, the memories are all fond ones, and I cherish all of them. Great memories Maize. My first time at Yankee Stadium was 1959. One of my favorite memories from that trip was getting off the subway at the Stadium and seeing all the Yankee's memorabilia stores. A young kid who loved the Yankee's was in heaven. I still have my Yankees pen shaped like a bat and the auto penned baseball. I managed to hold on to a few of my baseball cards from those days. Right now I am looking at a 1959 Jim Coates and a 1959 Marv Throneberry. Not stars by any means. My favorite card is the "Bomber's Best" from 1963 featuring Mantle, Tresh and Richardson. Now I will get out of the wayback machine. |
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Post by pippsheadache on Jul 8, 2021 11:50:39 GMT -5
Kaybli -- it took a prodigious poke to hit one out to center or left-center at old YS. Bill James said no player in baseball history lost more home runs in his home park than Joe DiMaggio. Joe only hit 41 percent of his homers at Yankee Stadium. He hit 213 on the road and 148 at home. And like many players of his era he lost prime years because of WWII.
There is a guy who lives out my way named Bill Jenkins who is a fanatic at tracking home runs. I mean all home runs ever hit. He writes books on the subject that nobody buys, (okay, slight exaggeration, I bought one), but he is not deterred. He must know or he will die an excruciating death.
Anyway, he estimates that based on Joe D's hitting pattern, he would have hit an additional 77 home runs at YS alone if the park had its current dimensions.
Jeez, I witnessed a righty-hitting Mantle hit 450 foot flyouts. For that matter Thurman Munson would have had considerably improved HR totals in a more friendly stadium.
For what it's worth, Yankee Stadium was the first baseball venue called a stadium. Before that, they were all called a field or a park or a grounds.
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Post by kaybli on Jul 8, 2021 12:06:47 GMT -5
Kaybli -- it took a prodigious poke to hit one out to center or left-center at old YS. Bill James said no player in baseball history lost more home runs in his home park than Joe DiMaggio. Joe only hit 41 percent of his homers at Yankee Stadium. He hit 213 on the road and 148 at home. And like many players of his era he lost prime years because of WWII. There is a guy who lives out my way named Bill Jenkins who is a fanatic at tracking home runs. I mean all home runs ever hit. He writes books on the subject that nobody buys, (okay, slight exaggeration, I bought one), but he is not deterred. He must know or he will die an excruciating death. Anyway, he estimates that based on Joe D's hitting pattern, he would have hit an additional 77 home runs at YS alone if the park had its current dimensions. Jeez, I witnessed a righty-hitting Mantle hit 450 foot flyouts. For that matter Thurman Munson would have had considerably improved HR totals in a more friendly stadium. For what it's worth, Yankee Stadium was the first baseball venue called a stadium. Before that, they were all called a field or a park or a grounds. LOL at "He writes books on the subject that nobody buys, (okay, slight exaggeration, I bought one)"
Yea, it just seems like a whole different game altogether if you're hitting 450 foot flyouts. 77 more HRs for Joe D is a ton!
Thanks for your informative post.  |
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Post by inger on Jul 8, 2021 12:19:41 GMT -5
Peeking in at Joe D’s 1937 season, 19 HR at home and 27 on the road. 46 in all, could have easily been A 50+ HR season if he hadn’t been in the jail that Yankee Stadium made for him…
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Post by pippsheadache on Jul 8, 2021 12:22:18 GMT -5
Hi Maize, just reading your post now -- concur on Wrigley, it's my favorite existing park for the reasons you stated. It feels like baseball. I was at old Yankee Stadium (aka Real Yankee Stadium) many times. First time was 1960. To me it felt like walking into the Cathedral of Notre Dame. Even later in life after being in dozens of major league parks, none had the feeling of grandeur that Yankee Stadium had. The immense size, the beautiful facade, the monuments--and there were only three then, and they were part of the playing field -- and of course mainly the history of who had played there. Nothing else like it. The seats were small and wooden and there were a lot of polls obstructing your view. The good part was once you were inside it was easy to move around the park and nobody bothered you unless you tried to stay in the season ticket holder seats once the game started. Then the ushers, who were all old men who looked like they had been there since the Stadium opened, would make you scatter. But it was very easy-going and you could even chat with the players near the dugout before the game started. Back in those days the Yankees only averaged maybe 20,000 to 25,000 a game, even with great teams, so you could easily move around. Capacity was around 67,000 -- it had been as high as 82,000 a one point -- so that contributed to the vastness. It was 296 and 301 down the lines, but quickly moved out to 407 in right-center, 461 to center, and 457 to left-center, the famous Death Valley. BTW it was 500 to left-center when the place opened in 1923, and 483 to center. There was no music or commecials blasting. No idiotic contests on the scoreboard. No electronic fake cheerleading. You might get rhythmic clapping if the Yankees had a rally going or he occasional "Let's go Yankees" chant, but all the noise came from actual live human beings. Eddie Layton played bland background organ music between innings and before the game. And you could exit the game walking across the field to get to the tunnels. The first game I ever went to there, the guys from the bullpen walked right past us on their way to the locker room. I remember Johnny Blanchard, Ryne Duren, Bill Stafford and Eli Grba moving right past me. Baseball cards come to life! I was awestruck -- Eli Grba, OMG!! Wow, this has become an essay. Sorry Maize, when you asked about The House That Ruth Built, that was a hanging curve to me. Anyway, the memories are all fond ones, and I cherish all of them. Great memories Maize. My first time at Yankee Stadium was 1959. One of my favorite memories from that trip was getting off the subway at the Stadium and seeing all the Yankee's memorabilia stores. A young kid who loved the Yankee's was in heaven. I still have my Yankees pen shaped like a bat and the auto penned baseball. I managed to hold on to a few of my baseball cards from those days. Right now I am looking at a 1959 Jim Coates and a 1959 Marv Throneberry. Not stars by any means. My favorite card is the "Bomber's Best" from 1963 featuring Mantle, Tresh and Richardson. Now I will get out of the wayback machine. Hey Bearman, wonderful memories. I'll bet you bought some of that stuff from Manny's Baseball Land, right by the subway tracks across from the Stadium. I had one of those bat pens too!! From Manny's. I also bought pinstriped plastic boxes for storing my baseball cards and a nightstand lamp with the interlocking NY, as Michael Kay used to say. There was also a Schraffts restaurant nearby where my parents took me to eat after eating all day at the Stadium. I think so they could get a "highball." There was even a bowling alley across from the Stadium I tried out. It was perfectly safe. Up until the mid-60s there were still some players who had apartments on The Grand Concourse near the ballpark. Hector Lopez could walk to batting practice in ten minutes. I love "Bombers Best." About every 75 or so cards they would have something like that. I remember one I think called "Dodgers Pitcher and Power" that had Don Drysdale, Ron Fairly and Walter Alston. Fun times. |
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Post by inger on Jul 8, 2021 12:25:56 GMT -5
Imagine a player so good that he finished in the top 9 of the MVP vote in 10 out of his 13 seasons. The only season in which he got no MVP votes at all was 1951, his final season…
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