The Cathedral ... My Memories ... Dedicated To My Dad...

I am writing this as the final game at Yankee Stadium approaches. I had the opportunity to go today (with Mom) and enjoy a classic (yet boring) 1-0 game where the Yanks pulled it off with 2 out in the 9th and Mo entered the game to "Enter Sandman" in the 9th for the win.

It has been a pretty cool week listening to the radio, reading the paper and seeing old videos of what has been become the most famous sporting venue in the world. And I would be happy to debate that with anyone on this planet. Driving in today and walking around the grounds today you could just sense a different feel in the air. Yes, they blew it this year and their will not be October baseball in the "Boogie Down" since 1995. But this structure, which some (including myself) consider a museum will field just one more regular season baseball game. I can't wait. I have chills just thinking about it. It has the making of a very emotional night. But tonight, just a mere 24 hours before the anticipated first pitch, I want to reflect. I want to reflect on my memories of Yankee Stadium. I will try and keep this in chronological order ...

1981 (7 years old). My 1st game. Lipton Ice Tea Visor Day. Toronto Blue Jays. Guess what? I never saw the game. I got hit in the face with a ball during batting practice. Got swept away by security. The only visual I remember is that one of the Yankees (Oscar Gamble I think) saw it happen and I was escorted down near the dugout, but nothing happened. And of course, no ball. Yup. Didn't get. What do you expect from Yankee Fans in 1981. So we get a letter in the mail from George Steinbrenner (Meryl claims she still has it) letting us know we can have 4 tickets to a remaining home game in 1981. Whoops. Players strike and the rest of the season is cancelled. Oh well.

1982. I did not get to go to this game, but I want to share it because it has to do with my parents. They had the luxury of sitting in a suite with Richard Nixon. I couldn't imagine being that close to the former President (or any President). My father got his scorecard autographed and personalized to my brother and I. It is still part of my collection today.

The next vivid recollection I have at Yankee Stadium comes on June 22, 1989. Yankees vs White Sox. With the Yankees down 7-6 in bottom of 7th I planted myself in the right field stands on the off chance Don Mattingly would hit is 2nd Home Run of the game. Keep in mind the Yankees were terrible. Finished in 5th place that year. Well he did it. Don Mattingly hit a Home Run and I caught it (video tape to prove it). It was his 151st of his career. On a quick side note, I met Don Mattingly 2 years later and had him sign and inscribe it "151". It was stolen back in 2000 from our apartment in Hoboken.

Donnie Baseball was one of my favorite players of all time and I will never forget that homer in the '95 postseason (watched that on TV). But R-E-G-G-I-E was my man and I was there in 1993 when his number 44 was retired. I was also their in 1999 when the Yankees honored the Joe Dimaggio who had just past away.

Not sure of the year, but Big Mac still had the Camero. Lerve and Fat Lou rounded out the part of four. We sat in the bleachers. It was my 1st time out there. Not sure if we were in high school or home from college during the summer. The played the Angels. They were down 8 or 9 runs after a few innings. We stayed to the end. Yankees came back and won it in the ninth 11-10 I believe. It was my first bottom of the ninth experience in the Bronx. I remember sprinting to the car thereafter to beat the traffic.

Speaking of the infamous bleachers, out of the hundreds of games I have been to I have only sat there 3 times. The first is mentioned above. The second was an Orioles game where I witnessed fans brawl and get bloody. The third was Game 3 of the 1999 World Series against the Braves. Danielle and I sat / stood against the back wall in the Left Field Bleachers. Chad Curtis hit a walk off Home Run in the 10th Inning.

My first Opening Day. 1997 vs The Oakland A's. Yanks lost that game 3-1. Mariano actually gave up a bomb to the black to Mark McGwire in the 9th. Very interesting since 1997 ended with Mariano giving up a Home Run in Cleveland in the playoffs. The 1997 Postseason was also another first for me. 1981 I was too young and 1996 I was living in College Park still and only went to the post season road games (THE INFAMOUS SPITTING GAME/THROWN OUT OF STADIUM). So '97 was my first. The Divisional Series vs the Indians. Game 2 we sat / stood last row upper deck behind home plate. As high as you can go. I think it was Jeremy, Stacey and Stefanie. We stood on the seats the entire game. Big Mac and I were pushing 200 bones each. We were jumping up and down so much that the seat broke. The bolts popped off. You got it. I was not leaving without that seat. I stuffed it under my jacket, put my back pack on and now it sits on display with the ticket stub attached in Jordyn's room. 1997 was the year for inter league play. Yes, I was there for the first game with the Mets that summer.

I have been to Opening Day every year since except for 2 (2005 and 2006). In '05 I screwed over by the guy I was sharing tickets with because it was the Red Sox and in 2006 I was in another state for work. For some reason though I remember 1998 Opening Day. They played the A's again. I was with Stacker and it was back and forth all game until the Yankees pulled away 17-13 to win the slug fest. I do not remember the year, but one year George Steinbrenner decided to go for a stroll around the stadium and I had the privilege of shaking his had and thanking him for giving us a winner.

In a 3 day stretch in 1998 I saw 2 amazing games for different reasons. On May 17th I was with my mother when David Wells pitched a perfect game. We had great seats right behind the 1st base dugout. Not a bad Mothers Day present. 2 days later in the upper deck I watched Bernie Williams nail an Armando Benetiz pitch that pissed off Benetiz so bad that he pegged Tino in the back with the first pitch. The players went nuts. Starwberry ran into the Orioles dugout and started swinging. Btw - the next pitch to Tim Raines was another Home Run.

1998 was my first world series game. Game 2 vs San Diego. Jeremy and I moved down the left field line for the end of the game. Ken Camaneti hit a foul ball right to us. Jeremy hit the ground like he was going for the last slice of pizza on earth. He came up with a scratched face and the ball of course.

It was not until 1999 for a Red Sox memory for me. It was a great one. The ALCS. Game 1. Bernie hits a walk off homer in the 10th off Rod Beck.

Unfortunately I missed out on 2000, so I have no Subway Series memories. We were living in CA at the time.

2001 was an interesting year for sure. And when it came to me visiting Yankee Stadium, there were plenty of lasting and magical images. Before I get to the games that were played, I want to mention the game that was not played. Monday, September 10, 2001. It was the last game of the year at the stadium vs the Red Sox. It was also opening night for the football Giants (at Denver). I debated going to the game to stay home and watch MNF. I chose the game. It got rained out. And we all know what happened about 8 hours later. The drama surrounding 9/11 made for great baseball comebacks at Yankee Stadium. After losing games 1 and 2 at home to the A's, the Yankees won 3 and 4 in Oakland leading to a my first game 5 or game 7 at the stadium.

The 2001 World Series was AMAZING. Again down 2-0 coming home from Arizona, Game 3 was the game where President Bush threw out the first pitch and the flag from Grand Zero flew from the flag pole. I was back two days later for Game 5 (with Joey T) and Scott Brosious hitting a game tying, 2 run home run in the 9th. For the first time ever I felt the stadium shake. It was swaying back and forth.

I felt that same feeling 2 years later. The "Aaron Boone Game". Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS. The Yankees ghosts were present once again. Rally after rally. Starting pitchers as relievers. I was sitting in the the upper deck in left field (with Danielle). The ball flew by us in slow motion. And than the stadium rocked. Maybe not the best game ever, but no doubt the most satisfying game I was ever at.

The Yankees have not won anything since. But my memories have continued to grow. I have wasted no time in experiencing this place with my kids. Jordyn's first game was May 5, 2002. Max's first game was April 9, 2004. I made sure they got to at least one game this final year. We took the tour last December with the kids. Looking back at the pictures of the kids at the stadium over the past few years give me tears. I have been so blessed to be able to enjoy the stadium to the fullest. They do not even know it, but each them has had different players hand them baseballs before games. I can't wait until they are older and can appreciate the history. I can't wait to share these and many other stories about my time spent here. The All-Star Game, the 2 balls I caught (Mattingly HR and Jeter foul ball), the last ever game and my own day playing softball on the field at Yankee Stadium.

Even though he is no longer with me, my father will be with me for that last game. The following is a note I got from a friend of mine. It says it best and I will end this entry with it. "Your dad doesn't need a ticket to the game for you to know he will be there with you on Sunday night. Yankee Stadium is a cathedral where legends were born and dreams come true."