The original stadium opened
April 18, 1923, with Babe Ruth hitting the first home run in a 4-1 win over Boston before 74,200, at the time called the largest crowd to see a baseball game.
The original stadium will be celebrated before Tuesday night’s game against the Los Angeles Angels at the modern version across 161st St. that replaced it in 2009.
Yankee Stadium was built at a cost of $2.5 million, astronomical then but the salary of a backup middle infielder these days. Even after a 1974-75 renovation eliminated obstructed seats but caused the loss of many original elements, a game there remained an aspiration for many players and fans.
Built on land purchased from the William Waldorf Astor estate for $675,000, the ballpark was designed by Osborn Engineering and took just 284 working days to construct. The Yankees moved across the Harlem River from the Polo Grounds, their home since 1913, into America’s first three-deck ballpark and became baseball’s attendance leader.
[
www.nbcnewyork.com]
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/18/2023 02:37AM by Hitman23.
