Good Riddance to Yankee Stadium by Tony Aubry, BaseballEvolution.com February 3, 2007   Aura? Check. Mystique? Check. Everything else...   It all started on April 18th, 1923, where the Yankees beat the Red Sox 5-4, and none other than Babe Ruth himself launched the first homerun in stadium history. Since then, Yankees stadium has had tons and tons of glorious moments. Don Larsen’s perfect game, Reggie Jackson’s three homeruns on three consecutive swings, Aaron Boone’s pennant clincher; the list goes on and on. However, as you all know, Yankee Stadium will not be hosting any more games after the 2008 season, and I couldn’t be any happier. Sure, it has the “aura and mystique,” but that’s about all it has. Ever since the renovation, the stadium has been a dump. The seats are uncomfortable and the food is ridiculously over priced, even for a sporting event. (Don’t even get me started on ticket prices). The lines for the bathroom are outrageous, and Mary Kate and Ashley Olson would have trouble passing through the aisles. I’m a pretty big kid, and every time I go to a game, I have to pray that no one sits in front of me so I can use their seat as my own personal ottoman. Let me revisit the prices one more time. For my parents, my brother and I, to get good seats (floor level, but not box seats) and eat there it has to cost at least 500 dollars. Now listen, I know I’m watching the best team in the past decade play, and I know I’m getting to watch people like Alex Rodriguez, and Derek Jeter play, but c’mon. The stadium is in terrible condition, and the food sucks. Don’t get me wrong, I love going to a game in the middle of July, but if I was the one paying for my family, I much rather watch the game on a nice T.V with air conditioning. Also, this past week, Bud Selig announced that Yankee Stadium will be hosting the 2008 All-Star Game. I view this as Yankee Stadium’s last meal. It’s probably going to be the last big moment in the stadium, because we all know some how, some way, they’re going to choke against a team with 60 million dollar payroll in the Division Series. Anyway, I’m sure the ASG will be fun, and will have its moments, but good luck getting tickets. And if you do get tickets, be prepared to file for bankruptcy the next day. Another issue is whether or not the stadium should be torn down. As much as I dislike the stadium, I’m not in favor of tearing it down. Every time I pass by the stadium on the Major Deagan, I get goose bumps knowing that players like Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle etc. played there. I think Yankee Stadium could be a pretty cool museum, now that I think about it. Monument Park is always fun to visit, and visitors could get to walk on the grass, go through the clubhouse, and look at memorabilia. I’m sure it would cost you a pretty penny, but no tourist could resist an attraction like that. So in 2009, I hope the only things that resemble the old stadium are the façade, and Monument Park. I hope I don’t have to walk sideways down the steps and tip-toe through the aisles. I also hope the food doesn’t taste like Burger King either, even if the price will have to shoot up even more. So there you have it. You just read the biggest Yankee fan on the face of the planet’s opinion on the current Yankee debacle. And of course, there is no better opinion than mine! Disagree with something? Got something to add? Wanna bring up something totally new? Tony resides in Queens, New York and can be reached at tony@baseballevolution.com.