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Yankee Stadium is closing Sunday evening, playing host to its final baseball game before the New York Yankees move into the new Yankee Stadium across the street.
Growing up on Long Island, I have many memories of Yankee Stadium, even though I fully admit to having supported the Mets and later, the Brewers, growing up. Yet going to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx has memories for myself and many people from New York and New Jersey, where Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis is from.
For me, a fond memory came recently, when my father and I sat ground level for Roger Clemens' 350th win on July 2, 2007. It was special for father-and-son reasons, but also because of the milestone. Also went to another Yankee game that month but didn't get to one this year -- and didn't get to Shea Stadium this year, either, for a final game where I saw my first baseball game, sitting in the last row of the upper deck with my parents and family friends.
I must have been 5 years old.
Weis' memories of Yankee Stadium, though, run deeper, and he's sad about the closing of one of the most historic stadiums in the world (joining Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Notre Dame Stadium, the Rose Bowl and the old Boston Garden, among others).
"It breaks my heart. I can't tell you how many games I watched at Yankee Stadium and not just the Yankees but the football Giants I watched at Yankee Stadium, too," Weis said. "My dad and I used to sit in the left center field bleachers which was the end zone because the football Giants, the stadium ran from the first base dugout to the left center field bleachers. I can't tell you how many times I took the bus to Port Authority and took the A train to 59th and the D train to 161st with the fellas. I probably did it a hundred times. I don't know if I'd do it today but when we were in high school, we used to do it all the time.
"That's back when, especially Friday nights when they had twi-night doubleheaders back in the olden days. You'd go in there for a 5 o'clock game there was nothing better than that to watch a doubleheader with the Yanks. It breaks my heart."
Do you have Yankee or Shea Stadium memories? What's your favorite place to watch a sporting event? Get the conversation going below with the comments.
