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| Friday, April 26, 2024 |
A Federalist 57 Website |
D.
R. ZUKERMAN, proprietor |
~ LPR Special Edition ~
Tradition Turned to Rubble
APRIL 14, 2009 -- Previously, fans could stand near Yankee Stadium’s Gate 4 and cheer the Yankees as they walked from their parking lot to the press gate to enter Yankee Stadium, The players would either acknowledge the fans with a wave of hand, or just walk straight to the press gate, often with a cellphone at their right ear. Press photographers and cameramen would gather at barriers closer to the press gate for a pre-game photo op. Fans at barriers back of the media also had a chance for photos – provided they had a zoom lens.
Visiting teams also provided photo ops as they entered the Stadium through the press gate. Most of the visiting players arrived by bus that stopped in front of the press entrance. Visiting players also reached the press gate by cab or car, driven by family or friends. These photo opportunities ended April 3, when play began at Yankee Stadium II, across 161st Street from Yankee Stadium, with a night exhibition game against the Chicago Cubs. As of that day, Yankee players drove into the ballpark at their garage entrance on River Avenue. The visitors’ bus drove to the loading dock back of left field, and out of sight.
LPR noticed Mariano Rivera the great Yankee closer, at the wheel of his car, entering the garage. LPR saw two other cars go into the garage, but could not see the Yankees at the wheel of these vehicles. LPR, further, saw no media cameras at the garage entrance.
LPR did notice a blue fence outside Yankee Stadium. Walking across 161st Street, LPR could see a glimpse of the upper deck just above the blue fence. The upper deck was made visible through holes punched in the wall back of the left field bleachers, near the old location of the visitors’ bullpen, between the bleachers and the left field stands.
A short while later, LPR noticed an opening in the fence that revealed a clear view of the upper deck above the right field foul line. LPR also saw a steel girder lying across rubble, rubble created by the beginning of the end of Yankee Stadium.
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The sign on the blue fence identified a demolition contractor, not a deconstruction service. And so, the comment about the deconstruction of the ballpark that LPR heard at a community meeting turned out to be just another word for “demolition.”
Perhaps a more focused term would be” destruction” of this great major league baseball shrine that was known as “The House the Ruth Built.”The destruction of Yankee Stadium signifies LPR believes, the destruction of the bonds between baseball players and ordinary fans. The end of this tradition probably began when the Brooklyn Dodgers abandoned their devoted fans for Los Angeles. For further evidence of the chasm between ball clubs and fans, please see the sign to the left of Gate 4 of YSII. The sign consists of two words in relief: “SUITE ENTRANCE.”
When this writer started to go, with his parents, to Yankee Stadium, we would first stop at a delicatessen for corned beef, pastrami and tongue sandwiches that we would bring to the ballpark, especially for Sunday doubleheaders. I don’t think a pastrami sandwich, bought outside the ballpark ever tasted better than after it had been brought inside to be eaten while watching the game. Some years ago, Carnegie Hall was scheduled for demolition, but a Save Carnegie campaign, headed by Isaac Stern, succeeded in keeping the wreckers away. There was no Isaac Stern to begin a campaign to Save Yankee Stadium. Then again, maybe no one, however well known, could have saved “The House that Ruth Built,” not in this age, when a bottom line whirlwind sweeps away everything in its path. Arguably, the leaders of our society ignore the destructive force of whirlwinds, not least of which – the financial whirlwinds.
Play has begun in Yankee Stadium II. The bottom line whirlwind, having wrecked so many lives, is now turning Yankee Stadium into rubble. LPR suggests that persons looking for a symbol of our times look south, not north, on the Jerome Avenue overpass at 161st Street in Bronx, N.Y.
This just in. (April 12) Old Glory no longer waves from the flagpole inside Yankee Stadium. The breach in the outer wall, facing YSII, continues inexorably, like an assault on a historic castle.
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