More than a ballpark

Yankee Stadium is more than a ballpark. It proved that when it was first opened 85 years ago and will again next year as the name continues and lives on.

I've been always impressed and I'd expect nothing less. The nation's most famous baseball stadium is home to the team that has won more World Championships than any other. Within the stadium's fences, 11 no-hitters, 100 World Series games, 26 championship titles and three perfect games have played out. Memories are all we have and fortunately we got to our last Yankee game in the old stadium just this past Thursday, a game before the final series. Since then, the Yanks have been winning.

It was fitting that should be the case on our occassion. It would be more fitting (to us, of course) that we win every game from here to next week, that Boston lose every game from here to next week, and that we do it all again for the playoffs after all - but we're not counting on that this year. Instead, the Yankees are taking the opportunity on this most wonderful of afternoons in mid-September New York to play a last home game before it's over. That was my reasoning for checking for tickets and clearing my schedule. Even in a town like New York City, events like this don't happen often. And since never means just that, I took one final long look in the seats we collected in Main Reserves behind Home Plate (approximate locations available via www.Yankees.com with some good database research).

Never again would this structure come into my view, similar to what my thoughts will perhaps be in 15 days when I am saying goodbye to Machu Picchu, Peru. Enjoying it while it lasted, the Yankees gave us a great game, our last great game the way they have all been in that house. I've been magically awakaned in those crowds. I could be in those seats behind home plate or up in Section 31, Row U, Seat 9. What mattered was being inside, blue and proud. I look forward to the thunder and quakes of the crowds again across the street in the epic upgrade.