Historic Walls: Yankee Museum at the Stadium

A Must See for All Fans

(New York, NY) – So some of the FNY Sec 430 team got to swing through the museum.  Given that we’ve been going to the new stadium since the opening in 2009 it was high time to actually see all the history grouped nicely in a small space.  See pictures below.  It is highly recommended for all fans to see.

Mar 2 – Say It Ain’t So: Old Section 22 Final Days

(Bronx, NY) – Sorry to be the bearer of bad news or images but thanks to Warren F. we have a few views to contemplate in the waning days of winter of 2010.    The old stadium moves closer to the memory pile and the rock pile.  There is an excellent shot of FNY’s old seats in Section 22 as well.  A tearful salute to the hallowed grounds.  Click on image to see a larger, closeup version.

Sep 16 – Priced to Sell? Yanks Announce New Ticket Prices for Next Year

Sensitivity (or reasoning) Come in to Play as Reductions Abound

(New York, NY) – Seems the Yanks have listened to the noise and reacted again and are fixing the wrong of 2009 to be right in 2010.  CNBC is reporting the following:

Some of the highest price seats will see reductions of up to 40 percent, including those in the Legends area and the Delta Sky 360 Suite. The first level of non-premium suites, which are one level up behind home plate, will be reduced from $325 to $250 or $235 per game per seat, depending on the location. To account for the challenging environment, the Yankees had already given some fans in these areas extra tickets to each game.

The only increase will be seen by those who own tickets in a group of 1,700 seats that surround the Delta suite, which currently sell for $100 per game. Those prices will increase to $125 per game next year.

Sources say Yankees general managing partner Hal Steinbrenner has been sensitive to the economy and to consumer response and will continue to review the prices on an ongoing basis. That being said, the Yankees are expected to guarantee to season ticket holders that the escalating percentages that ticket holders had agreed to when they signed their contracts will also not apply for the 2011 season.

The Yankees – who at 93-53 (heading into play Wednesday) have the best record in baseball – have averaged 45,829 fans per game, which leads the Major Leagues. Considering the fact that the Yankees have not sold the roughly 2,000 standing-room seats that were included as part of the team’s original reported capacity, the team has filled more than 90 percent of the seats in the stadium this season.

See original story here.

Jun 29 – Save Yankee Gate2 Rally on June 30th

(New York, NY) – This sent in from the team trying to Save Old Gate 2.

Thank you so much for your messages.  We apologize for the delay in responding to some of them.  We’ve been very busy with our Gate 2 activities!  But the ideas contributed by everybody have been excellent and very helpful, so please keep them coming.

Many have asked us what they can do to assist in our effort to preserve old Yankee Stadium Gate 2.  We do have an upcoming event at Gate 2 scheduled for this Tuesday, June 30, 2009 from 4 to 7 PM.  Our group will be gathering there to answer questions and hand out information cards to disseminate our message further.

Earlier that day, our group will be doing an Internet radio show dedicated to Saving Gate 2 from 11 AM to 1 PM.  This is Baseball Digest Live hosted by Mark Healey.  So if you can listen in to that (or listen to the archived version later on), that would be great.

Below is an announcement message of the Gate 2 event that we have forwarded to others.  Also attached to this email are flyers for the Radio show and Gate 2 event.  Please feel free to pass these on to others.

Regards,

Mark & Save the Yankee Gate 2 Committee

Pre-Game Event at

Old Yankee Stadium

– Gate 2 –

Tuesday, June 30, 4-7 pm

_____________________________

Baseball fans, historians & historic preservationists, from around the country, will be joining Yankee fans and concerned citizens from all over New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, for a Tribute & Celebration in a show of support for saving Gate 2, an original part of old Yankee Stadium as a memorial in honor of the greatest arena in American history.

Gate 2 is located directly across East 161st Street from the new Stadium.  The Yankees play the Seattle Mariners at 7:05 PM.  Please join us for this event.

Save the Yankee Gate 2 Committee

May 22 – Air Traffic Controller Needed: 161st and River Ave

(Bronx, NY) – WIth the 7 dingers hit in the opener between the Yanks and Phillies there have now been 82 homers in 21 games at the new stadium.    That’s just under an average of 4 a game and on pace for a 316 home run season, where last year the old stadium yielded 160 (anyone may correct that if wrong please). Quite frankly for a facility that is just a 100-200 yards north and slightly east from the old one it is quite remarkable to see such a dramatic change.   It does not appear they Yanks will make any changes during the season so for the next 4 months the fans will have to adjust and get use to it.  I wonder what the Babe or Reggie would have done in this house?  Or should we consider it New York’s 4th airport?

May 1 – Save (old) Yankee Gate 2

New Initiative To Preserve Some History

(Bronx, NY) – Our friend Chris, from 161st Blog (click here), recently pointed us to some new information:

Let's Save old Gate 2!

There is a drive to preserve the old Yankee Stadium Gate 2 and incorporate it into the proposed new field and park to be created when the old stadium is torn down.  It’s a great idea and the site has some excellent pictures as well as the history of the plans.  Please check it out and stay tuned as to how you can support the drive to make this a reality.   See the site here.

Apr 22 – Is the Wind Really a Factor? Too Early to Tell

(Bronx, NY) – This is a short post that may serve as a foundation for follow-ups the next home stand.  Anyhow with all the talks on the wind as a factor with the number of homers here is a quick recap using the boxscores from Yahoo Sports for the recent 6 game homestand.  Note: If the boxscore said left center or right center I listed it as center.

It is too bad there was only 1 night game but there will be more to come.  Not sure there is an immediate conclusion to be drawn from this data since the wind speed and wind direction does not seem to  matter for some games (like the 4/22 game, with even distribution and low wind speed)  or the  the right-to-left games where in one there were 4 to the right and in the other only 1.  We need more data!

4/22 – Wind 1 mph, out to center, Day game     Homers: 5 (1 left, 2 center, 1 right)

4/21 – Wind 9 mph, left to right, Night game      Homers: 1 (0 left, 0 center, 1 right)

4/19 – Wind 14 mph, in from left, Day game       Homers: 3 (1 left, 0 center, 2 right)

4/18 – Wind 13 mph, right to left, Day game       Homers: 8 (1 left, 3 center, 4 right)

4/17 – Wind 5 mph, left to right, Day game          Homers: 6 (0 left, 0 center, 6 right)

4/16 – Wind 10 mph, right to left, Day game       Homers: 3 (1 left, 1 center, 1 right)

Apr 20 – Some More Right Field Comments

(Bronx, NY) – There has been a ton of talk about the new stadium, both positive and negative.  Here is an interesting view from our friends at the Yankees Blog at Lohud.Com.  Sometimes you just have to point to them but feel free to comment here as well.

The old Stadium had a walkway alongside the top of the right-field wall so fans could not easily lean over and interfere with play. After the Jeffrey Maier incident, the Yankees always had security there to keep the fans back.

Why wasn’t the new Stadium planned out the same way? What we saw today in the seventh inning is going to happen time after time as fans reach over the wall.

Michael Kay talked about it today during the YES telecast and he was exactly right. The Yankees caught a break today but that just as easily could have been fan interference.

Construction workers are going to be busy at the Stadium again over the winter. There are a lot of things that need to be fixed.

Apr 17 – New Stadium, New Section

The Crew from 22 Checkout Section 430

(Bronx, NY)- Well the Friday Nite Yanks started this season off in the bright daylight, but it was excellent.  The entire Sec 22 crew was not there with James, Jim Sr. and John all unable to come but the other 7 made it along with their guests (Jim C., Pat and Rich).   So this season it is all about Section 430.  The Bertrands made it along with the Mrs. this time, and Pat Irish stopped by from next door in Section 429.  Kirk is also around in Section 431A and we expect to meet some more regulars next time.  For now here are some opening game pictures from the crew; new and old.

Apr 16 – The New Stadium Opens

(Bronx, NY) – The new stadium opened today and was as grand and spectacular as expected.  There will be extensive coverage tomorrow as the Section 22/430 crew makes its debut for the 2nd game ever and still and video pictures will be forthcoming.

In the meantime here is a list of historical ‘firsts’ at the Stadium courtesy of MLB.COM:

See Yankee Stadium Firsts here

The new stadium is grand. Today's outcome wasn't but there's always tomorrow.