A year from now, all the excitement will be about the first game at the new ballpark, but, today, there’s some bit of melancholy over the fact that today marks the last opening day at one of baseball’s great ballparks:
NEW YORK — The Yankees opened their new stadium in the Bronx on April 18, 1923, with a game against the Boston Red Sox, a team that was more of a nuisance than rival in those days.
A crowd of 74,200 packed into Yankee Stadium. Thousands more stood outside hoping to get in, but were turned aside by worried fire marshals. Babe Ruth’s three-run homer in the third inning helped give the Yankees a 4-1 victory.
The Yankees remained in first place for all but 11 days that season. They won 95 games in the regular season, then defeated the New York Giants in six games to win their first World Series.
Twenty-five other championships have followed. But as the Yankees prepare to move to a new, even grander stadium across the street, it has been seven years since the last title.
“I say it every year that the only goal is to win the World Series,” team captain Derek Jeter said. “But it would be special to do it this season with the Stadium closing. I think we’re all aware of that and what it would mean.”
The Yankees open the final season at their Stadium this afternoon with a game against the Toronto Blue Jays. For Jeter and most of his teammates, the season has already been a unique one, with Joe Girardi having replaced Joe Torre as manager.
The always versatile Chien-Ming Wang will start today’s game, and here’s a look at the Opening Day Lineup:
Damon LF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Giambi 1B
Cano 2B
Posada C
Matsui DH
Cabrera CF
Of course, that all depends on the weather holding out, and it’s raining in the Bronx right now.
