Details on the final game
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Sep 19, 2008 
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This release from the Yankees:
YANKEES ANNOUNCE DETAILS REGARDING YANKEE STADIUM’S FINAL GAME
The New York Yankees announced today details involving the pregame ceremonies for the final game at the current Yankee Stadium on Sunday, September 21, when the Yankees play the Baltimore Orioles at approximately 8:15 p.m.
Yankee Stadium gates will open at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday as the Yankees invite fans to take one last memorable stroll through Monument Park. Fans will also be allowed to exit Monument Park onto the field where they will be permitted to walk along the warning track around the outfield and behind home plate. Access to Monument Park is via the staircase at the end of the aisle between the Field and Main Level seats in Section 36. Wheelchair access is via the elevator in Section 24. Field exit from Monument Park will close at approximately 4:00 p.m., prior to pregame batting practice for each team. Monument Park will remain open until 6:45 p.m.
Pregame ceremonies, scheduled to begin at 7:05 p.m., will encompass the chronology of Yankees greats who have played at the famous Stadium. Among the distinguished alumni scheduled to take part in the festivities will be Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Goose Gossage, Ron Guidry, Graig Nettles and Bobby Richardson. A historic artifact from the Yankees’ past will also be unveiled during the ceremony. The Yankees are urging fans to be in their seats by 6:50 p.m.
Only fans with valid ticket(s) for Sunday’s game will be admitted and there will be NO RE-ENTRY. Bleacher ticket holders who would like to visit Monument Park should enter the Stadium through Gate 2, 4 or 6.
Fans and media are also reminded that Sunday’s game will NOT be the final event at Yankee Stadium. A ceremony will be held at a later date this fall to celebrate the Stadium, details will follow.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
1:00 p.m: Gates open to the public, Monument Park opens
1:00-4:00 p.m.: Field access for fans
4:15 p.m.: Yankees stretch begins
4:40-5:40 p.m.: Yankees batting practice
5:40-6:20 p.m.: Orioles batting practice
6:45 p.m.: Monument Park closes
6:50 p.m.: Fans are asked to take their seats
7:05 p.m.: Pre-game ceremony begins
8:15 p.m. (Approx.): First pitch
finally something good
I’m there.
Getting to go on the field will be unbelievable!
Oh man. I wish I could go. I really do.
Ok tell this how the heck are bleacher seats going to get back to their seats if there is noo re-entry. I have been to monument park many times but would love to actually walk on the field. May have to revise my plans and not go to Arthur Avenue early and deal with 1pm entry to be able to walk on the field.
Oh. My. God.
We get to walk onto the field?
Holy mamacita. I can’t believe I’m gonna be there….
I’m flying my brother in from AZ to go to this game with me. I was already beyond excited, and this just put it over the top. Sunday can’t come soon enough.
gayle,
You get to go? Nice!
I don’t know how the team is going to get through it. I imagine our guys playing in a daze. I hope the O’s have to decency to roll over for us.
Sarah Palin, you’re a nutjob!
I am going to shoot myself and then have my sister cremate me and spread my ashes on the field.
Guess no one’s got a spare ticket
A special game in yankees history, that’s for sure.
Mel i am gladly spending the weekend at the stadium and cant wait. I was at the last game at The Vet but I am sure this will be amazing!!
I just hope everyone behaves themselves
Ahh shucks. I didn’t know they were gonna let you walk on the field! Oh well I’ll still enjoy watching at home. However ESPN covering the final game at the Stadium makes my stomach churn.
The day will be amazing. To walk through Monument Park one last time, to then walk onto the field without being rushed, the ceremonies…I can’t tell you how much I wish i was going.
gayle,
Please stay safe. I think the game will be fine, but the momento grab at the end might be dangerous.
Al,
Those numbers are so sexy. I hope we can convince him to come here.
SJ,
Posada said that a pitcher with CC’s body type can’t handle the Texas heat.
Mel,
LOL.
That’s really a nice touch by the Yankees to let the fans walk the field.
They may have missed badly with the MetLife promotion but the final night is going to be great. Going to be a great way to send out the Stadium.
wow maybe i should go.
“Al,
Those numbers are so sexy. I hope we can convince him to come here.”
Absolutely, if he wants to come to the AL and face real hitters is what will ultimately decide where he will go.
Gayle,
You can get from the main area of the stadium to the bleachers inside. Don’t worry.
And this is going to be such a great, yet sad day. I’m going tomorrow too, can’t wait to get out of work tonight and get ready to go.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn.....d=tab2pos1
Guess who’s #1?
I know that there are many of these floating around but thought this was especially well written and heartfelt
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/26751005/
OH MY GOD!
I just died and went to heaven. Thank you for that tremendous information Pete. The tear factory opened up when I was telling people at work that we were going to be able to go on the field.
They must really thing I’m pathetic. However, if I could help it, lord knows I would.
I can’t believe I’m about to say this. Steve Phillips actually wrote a good piece about the Yankees its on ESPN front-page.
* think
OMG THAT IS SO COOL!!!
I would have enjoyed being there, but decided to sell my season tickets for that night. Got 3500 reasons to stay home.
field access is from 1pm-4pm, what am i supposed to do until the game starts at 8
I can’t believe I’m about to say this. Steve Phillips actually wrote a good piece about the Yankees its on ESPN front-page.
He has to be drunk.
Sounds so awesome. I wanna go
bye melky: Be damned glad you’re there. Because there are plenty of other people that wish they could have nothing to do for four hours at Yankee Stadium than be at home watching it on TV
And to think I considered for a while selling my tickets to make a few bucks. Thank God I didnt and thank gof for making me a Yankee fan!:)
Um, they’ve let people walk on the field before – for the Yankee Stadium tour. Let you go in the dugout, locker room, and onto the field. They are like $20/ticket and run through out the week.
“I can’t believe I’m about to say this. Steve Phillips actually wrote a good piece about the Yankees its on ESPN front-page.
He has to be drunk.”
Possibly. However there were a lot of good points, so perhaps he wasn’t wasted. Here are a few of the points. Joba should stay a starter and the Yanks should just maintain/watch his innings because the back and forth from starter to bullpen might wear out his arm worse than just starting. Also he said that if the Yanks were to get CC and/or Burnett they would have a world series caliber rotation with CC, Wang, Burnett, Joba and Hughes/Moose. He was also mentioning the overload of OF/DH type guys who are crowding the roster and how some of them should be shed for cap and roster relief.
God, even lol
Thanks, gayle.
What does this mean? “They say they are moving the field in the old Yankee Stadium to the new”
Are they taking the turf to the new stadium?
Hey they made me pay $20 for that experience back in July!
Just curious
Has anyone ever counted how many Diet Cokes that Francessa goes through during an entire show?
AJ,
How would you know? Does he announce it everytime he grabs a new one?
AJ I’m guessing there is a cooler underneath the desk.
Just curious
Has anyone ever counted how many Diet Cokes that Francessa goes through during an entire show?
Hhhhmmm. Good question. No idea
Instead of blood, the man has diet coke flowing through his veins
“Are they taking the turf to the new stadium?”
Thats a bit too sentimental. Why take old turf and put it in a brand-new several hundred million dollar stadium.
I am so excited now for Sunday…I truly know Sunday is going to be a special night.
“Has anyone ever counted how many Diet Cokes that Francessa goes through during an entire show?”
Impossible to count. For all we know he could be drinking multiple diet cokes just during the station breaks alone.
I went in January. It snowed the day before so we weren’t allowed to walk.
I got yelled at for standing on the top step of the dugout. I must say that railing is very HIGH!! I don’t know how they jump over it.
I took it to mean the same dimensions of the field not the actual field
I hope Bernie is there
I hope Bernie is there w/ a diet coke for Mike.
Bernie has said he will be there
How awesome would it be to see him throw the first pitch?
“Bernie has said he will be there
How awesome would it be to see him throw the first pitch?”
Forget first pitch I wanna see Girardi pinch hit Bernie, and Bernie go yard
He must have rotten teeth. That is so disgusting. I used to drink soda, but I cut it out, now it is repulisve to me.
Who hits the last home run? I say Jeter.
Why not have Jefferey Maier throw out the 1st pitch? We are playing the O’s and that play did help start our run….
no chance. Bobby Abreu.
Is George Steinbrenner going to make an apperance Sunday night? Pete, do you know?
They’ve already announced Yogi is throwing out the first pitch and Steinbrenner will not be there.
Al & gayle,
Thought of that afterwards. But it’d be nice to take some and plant in a special spot if they’re using the same grass.
It would be appropriate of Jete smacked one over the wall but I get a strange feeling it will be A-Rod or Nady.
Al, that would be beyond amazing.
Imgoing out on a limb here and will say JOhnny Damon hits the last HR at Yankee Stadium for some reason that would have a circular feel to it. Babe Ruth – former Red Sox who became a Yankee..JOhnny Damon former Red Sox who became a Yankee etc etc
watch Juan Miranda’s first HR be the last at the stadium…
It’s going to be Abreu he has the most patient at bats and runs into a LD HR most of the time, plus notice right now he is on a power streak.
Would you guys/gals rather have a Jeter walk off HR or a Mo call strike 3 ending on Sunday?
Francesa is such a blowhard. He spent 20 minutes with Sweeney Murti trashing Girardi and trying to get Sweeney to reveal that players are grumbling about Joe. Sheesh, it’s enough already. From all indications, if anyone is grumbling, it may be Damon…….but that’s it. I can picture Fatso rubbing his hands gleefully as he goes in for the kill against Girardi. It’s really disgraceful. Of course, Sweeney doesn’t help anything by saying (in response to a question) that he can’t really name any players who have been particularly supportive of Joe. I’ve never really liked Sweeney – in fact, I don’t like him. Joe may not get an A + this year, but a C- ? The team has had a ton of injuries……and nevermind the fact that the question remains: why aren’t the players getting any grief? They are the ones who went out there, day after day, like zombies, appearing almost not to give any effort.
Fatso has no clue about young pitchers either. He goes on and on about how not getting Santana was a colossal mistake (nevermind the very rational reasons that the Yankees had for not making the deal; if he was on this team now, it wouldn’t have made much difference. Can the man hit? I didn’t think so) and how if the Yankees start Phil in AAA, it’s tantamount to admitting they made a huge mistake. LOL Seriously – young pitchers need time to develop and Fatso doesn’t care about their future or the team’s. He just cares about appearances. Then, he repeated his mantra about how stupid it is for the Yankees to start Joba in the bullpen next year if they intend to make him a starter. Does this man know anything about anything innings limitations? It just boggles my mind how utterly stupid this man is
Hey, hey! You’re jinxing our guys.
That being said, I’ll say Gardner.
Anyone following Ryder Cup? After a slow start the Americans have stormed back to halve 2 matches and win 2 outright. 3-1 Yanks over the Bruts.
Early in the second round. Up in 2, down in 1, AS in the last.
I sincerely hope we win this thing. The Euro golfers are so arrogant because of their Ryder Cup success.
Al: Mo. No question. The Stadium would go crazy.
So only ticket holders can go to Monument Park, etc…? That stinks. I don’t have tickets, but I would try like heck to get to the Stadium if I knew I could go onto the field.
Al,
Jeter HR, but that means Mo would get the win instead of Andy.
Well ha ha you guys had to pay $20 TO DO IT. We get to do it for free!
“field access is from 1pm-4pm, what am i supposed to do until the game starts at 8″
Oh boy I was just saying the opposite! I will drink in every moment of being there, I will examine every square inch of the Stadium that I can, I will stand and imagine what it had to be like to be on the outfield grass where Mickey and Roger and Bernie and Reggie and Winfield and Lou Piniella and Bobby Murcer AND JOE DI AND THE BABE! made outstanding plays. I’ll be able to stand there and know that I am standing on that same hallowed ground where they all stood. And then I will be able to stand behind home plate and imagine Thurman and Yogi and Ellie Howard and Bill Dickey behind the dish, imagine Raggs and Wells and Cone and the Doc and Jim Abbott AND DON LARSEN throwing their last pitches for no hitters. And I will look out into the infield and be able to imagine the Scooter and the Iron Horse and Moose Skowron and Bobby Richardon and Clete Boyer – and DJ and Alex, yes Alex, and Graig Nettles throwing the ball around between innings – and see Whitey Ford and Don Larsen and Lefty Gomez on the mound. And see the Goose out there and Mike Stanton and Nellie. (And then later actually see Mariano Rivera out there.) And I will look at that mound where some very famous people have tread a path – Casey and Ralph Houk and Joe McCarthy and Miller Huggins and Billy Martin – and Joe Torre – and picture them coming into games to talk to their pitchers, to argue with the umpires.
Lastly I will picture 26 years worth of bunting adorning the stands – and say a silent prayer that next year there will be bunting adorning the Stadium next door.
I’m afraid I won’t have enough hours to drink in all that I want to that day!
And of course I’ll go to the stands and eat hot dogs!
Then I’ll watch BP, and go down to the bullpen and watch our stars warm up. And then go to our seats for the beginning of the ceremonies.
The only thing I won’t be doing is going to Arthur Street for lunch, unfortunately. I want to be in there for 1, and according to Pete, we won’t be able to leave once we’re in there.
I’m just about bursting with excitement – tinged with sadness of course. But if they are moving the turf, the ghosts will probably feel right at home next door. I sure hope so.
Anyone see the highlights from last night’s game on ESPN? The guy catching HR was 3 seats away from catching one 3 days in a row!
I’d say Mo strike 3 on Kevin Millar.
i loved his t-shirt yesterday!
saucY,
The Yankees need to give him season tickets and a t-shirt that says, “Hit one here *”
“Anyone see the highlights from last night’s game on ESPN? The guy catching HR was 3 seats away from catching one 3 days in a row!”
Seriously? That guy nearly caught 3 in a row when I have never even come near a foul ball
Francesa is deseperate to be relevent nowadays.
Since going solo, his show is nothing. He knows it, his listeners know it, and soon (once a couple of ratings books are in) the advertisers will know it.
What better way to draw up interest than to stir up controversy. Its the sports radio way.
Don’t worry Betsy, when Girardi does his show with Francesa, Mike will suck up to him like he is drinking another Diet Coke.
Its just who he is. A total fraud.
Best thing Russo ever did was leaving ‘FAN.
Francesa always felt he could go it alone. Now he gets his chance to “entertain” his fans all by his lonesome.
Good luck with that! lol
Last home run to be hit: either Damon to the short porch or Giambi upper deck.
I WANT it to be Jetes but I’m thinking it’ll be Johnny D. or Giambino.
Okay. I’ve got a 1929 Mitchell & Ness home Babe Ruth jersey and 1952 Mantle jersey. Which one to wear to the stadium Sunday….?
“saucY,
The Yankees need to give him season tickets and a t-shirt that says, “Hit one here *—
his name is Zack and he hates the yankees and yankee stadium. i happen to know him -great guy, but yankee hater–so no free tickets
I don’t care who hits the last HR as long as it’s a Yankee.
The guy that caught three homers…I think that’s Zack Hample, who catches baseballs for a living. He is slightly obsessive-compulsive about the whole thing but it’s all in good fun and he has probably made quite a bit of money on the whole thing.
He has a Web site: http://snaggingbaseballs.mlblogs.com/
“Joe may not get an A + this year, but a C- ?”
The minus is a little unfair. Straight C is about right.
MikeEff,
What’s he doing there, then? No. Don’t say he’s a Mets fan.
Is it true he’s written a couple of books?
“Okay. I’ve got a 1929 Mitchell & Ness home Babe Ruth jersey and 1952 Mantle jersey. Which one to wear to the stadium Sunday….?”
Oh I would definitely go with the Babe Ruth – as a tribute to the house he built.
MEL– he’s a big mets fan-he only goes to ball games to “snag” balls-mostly before the game during BP.
he has one book that is still in print which actually is really great-it’s called “Watching Baseball Smarter”
Eh? Who are we to judge? We’re all slightly obsessive-compulsive.
Has anyone heard the commercials for Mad Dogs new program? It is awful!! Enough to make you want to throw your radio out the window!
I didn’t know that fan nearly caught 3 HR in 3 straight nights, any proof of this ??
I just want to know what kind of name is Sweeney Murti?? Good Lord, who thought that one up?
A professional ball snagger, first time I’ve ever heard of this.
shyt i wanna be there out of every game i ever went this is the one that i wanna go to the mosttttttttt and i cant go
MEL–yeah exactly—BTW in Zack’s defense–h loves jeter, alex and mariano–always roots for them to have success while hoping the yankees lose-also is rooting for moose to get 20 wins–he said to me a month ago that he was hoping moose would get his 20 wins, but that those would be the only wins the yanks get–
conversations with him can be frustrating…
Brandon:
ESPN showed the kid catching homers on last night (Abreu) and Wednesday (Giambi).
brandon you can go to his website and see the clips ( which i edited for him)
http://snaggingbaseballs.mlblogs.com/
the game should end in a walk off hope arod hit it so all those arod haterz shut up and they call him a real yankee
Hey, if you can make money doing it…
I am not sure that I would ever want “Professional Ball Snagger” as the title on my business card.
Although I’m gonna miss this stadium I only bought tickets to one game this year and I knew going in that it was the last game I’d see there. Luckily for me it was the Brett Gardner walk-off of Papelbum so I’m cool with it I gave the stadium a little once over and headed for the train.
I think giambi will hit the last homer an then shave his mustache after crossing home.
hey al
i went to 2 games this year but i went to the royals series and brett gardner one the game by slappin a hit and cano scorring
My vote is for Nady. No reason other than he hits homers. Maybe they’ll all be swinging for the fences for auld lang syne.
Francesa’s false teeth are still better than the yellow stumps of Gammons.
AL from BK–
that was my last game this year as well—great game if it had to be our last one there- a walkoff against papelbon and the sox
What I think the yankees should have done is all grow a mustache for the last game of the season
wow, i thought Michael Kay was joking about that kid having a book out!
C’mon, someone — what kind of a name is Sweeney Murti??
Rebecca, I haven’t been a poor student for a while so don’t know what your finances are, but on stub hub the prices for the last game range from $177 to $11700.
I think Michael Kay, Paul Oniell, David Cone, and John Flaherty should all grow mustaches for the last game of the season
MikeEff,
How’s Zack’s arm? Maybe he could play OF for the Mets.
“C’mon, someone — what kind of a name is Sweeney Murti??”
The product of an Irish mama and an Indian papa?
Mel–believe me —he’d love nothing better.
Trisha: I can’t spend more than $150 on any ticket and I’d only pay that much for a non-bleacher seat.
I don’t like to spend any more than $100 per ticket if I can avoid it.
“The product of an Irish mama and an Indian papa?”
LOL Could it be? Why give him an Irish last name then? They could have gone with Sean, Kevin, Seamus. But Sweeney? Perhaps he’s the Hindu Demon Barber of WFAN?
now francessa complaining about people standing up on a big 2 strike count.
i always that it was FUN for the crowd to be on its feet!!
Sweeney was just being honest— I don’t see anything wrong with him. If you guys have turned against him too, then I really don’t know what to tell you. Clearly some people can’t handle objectivity.
Why is everyone who is trying to be objective considered a ‘hater’? You people complain about Pete, Sherman, Kay and YES, George King, Madden, Heyman, Rosnethal, Davidoff, Olney, Gammons, Harper etc. Is there ANYBODY who you like?
Just because they are not saying what we want to hear, doesn’t mean they are wrong. And we are in the midst of a miserable season, what exactly is there that is positive to say?
MikeEff,
Just browsed the blog and he sound like a really fun guy. What a whirlwind week for him.
I know he was somewhat known, but now, thanks to the evil Yankees he’s really famous. Good for him.
i went twice dis year vs the royals i sat by the yankees dogout and vs the blue jays i sat right behind home plate i was so exited got bunches of piks of the players and got to talked to alex during batting practice i remember the first time i went to yankee stadium my couzin worked there and he told me im taking u to the yankee game i was so exited i went to moddells and but me my a yankee jersey i got a arod jersey i was so exited cuz i was siiting by third base and i had ment one of alex rodriguex friends who does massage for him and i talked to him for a long time and he told me u want to meet alex rodriguez and i litterly felt like droppin and ther he was i got to chat wit him and gave me a ball even though that game arod didnt go dee p he had a double and the yankees had won that game on a jeter infield hit against the orioles thats wen joba made his yankee stadium debut that was one of the greatest moment in my life and i felt so exited heairng bob sheppard sayin welcome to yankee stadium and calling the lineups i was shockedof all things that happen in a yankee game like the trivia question they do the ymca the crazy guy in the 8th inning cotton eye joe i caught to foul balls of millar and tejada at least i got 2 say that i been in yankee stadium i had wish if i had a kid and i would of taken him to yankee stadium i been a total of 10 times last year 8 times and this year 2 times to yanke stadium and i enjoyed them all even if we losed i enjoyed them all and thats my yankee stdium moment and going to many more games at the new one opening day ill be ther
Sweeney Murti — knowledgable guy, objective reporter, good blog. Very different from many bloggers in being more about content and less about self-display.
An article in the Post today says Steinbrenner and Sheppard will NOT be there on Sunday, Torre and Mattingly are “maybes” (!) and Yogi will likely throw out the first pitch.
For those of us outside the NY market- is ESPN televising the pregame anywhere (or anyone else for that matter?)
Quick check of the schedule shows LAD playing at home on Sunday afternoon. In the thick of a pennant race, unlikely Torre and Mattingly leave the team for a long coast-to-coast-to-coast slog….
i was looking at that kids website-the one who caught those homers-and wow. Its not even like luck. He runs all around stadiums dependent on whos hitting and such. give the kid credit though. he catches two balls one night and its a bad night for him. im 16, and i have caught 3 (one thrown to me by melk, another by the great wil nieves, and the third by livan hernandez when the giants were in here a few years ago), and to me, thats a lot, considering my 78 year old grandpa has never caught one.
arods grand slam last week landed in my aisle and i thought that was freakin awesome. this kid probably would have jumped over everyone and wound up catching it.
going to the game tomorrow, which is gonna be the saddest i have ever been at a game. p.s. for anyone sitting in the bleachers this weekend and looking for a souvenir, the paint on the rail is chipping off. so have a field day
SJ, you’re so right. Mike and Chris both actually sucked up to Clemens when he would occasionally come on with them; except for those times, they trashed him beyond belief. I loved Joe Torre and I also like Giradi – loved him as a player and he’s a good man. Sure, I’ve been ticked off at him at times this year, but so goes life as a manager. Baiting him and/or baiting others to say nasty, controversial things about this Joe is just unseemly. Russo drove me crazy most of the time – sometimes I felt like I could strangle him, lol, but he was usually pretty polite to the callers. Mike – well, he gets very impatient and you could feel his arrogance pouring through the radio. I used to like him a lot. Now he just annoys me.
i have a question about stub hub and sunday’s game…if you buy tickets using stub hub’s last minute services, what time are the tickets available to pick up? it says they are available 2 hours prior to the event, but the stadium is opening at 1 pm that day.
so will the tickets be available around 1, or not until 6 pm (which is technically 2 hours before game time)? if anyone knows this, that would be greatly appreciated.
That’s awesome that they are allowing fans to stay a day at the ballpark, and walk on the field no less! I can’t wait for Sunday to come. Will be a sad/joyous occasion.
Kevin
Breaking News! Last ditched attempt by the Yankees to drive up the price of tickets from $19,000-65,000 and up! You’ll now be allowed to walk on the warning track! Just don’t take any dirt or anything else, as you’ll be surrounded by riot police (thanks to the new NYPD Task Force Against Devoted Yankee Fans).
RS-
StubHub really stinks. Only use it if you can’t find ANYTHING on craigslist or e-bay, both a thousand times more trustworthy and less expensive (even when the seller you find is the most suspicious and sleeziest person you’ve ever interacted with).