Yankee Stadium - The Last Game September 30, 1973

On September 30, 1973, a beautiful fall day along with 32,238 fans I attended the last game to be played in old Yankee Stadium, with my wife Nell. Because the 1973 season would be the stadiums final season before an extensive two-year renovation, seeing games at the stadium took on a special meaning. Before the 1973 season began we made plans to attend a few games and three games in particular, Opening Day, Old-Timers Day, and the last game.
Having grown up in the Highbridge section of the Bronx, Yankee Stadium was always a dominant presence. Whenever you played baseball in the surrounding parks near the stadium it always cast its large shadow. During the baseball season when the Yankees were playing at home, the stadium was always and enticing place to be around, getting players autographs and seeing summer afternoon games mostly from the bleachers.

The last opening day at old Yankee Stadium was Monday April 9th, with only17, 028 fans in attendance. Even thought it was a bright sunny day with the temperature in the low 50’s, sitting there on the first base side, that was always in shadow and the Yankees losing to the Indians 3 to 1 to start the season 0 and 4 made seem even colder.

Old-timers Day stands out in my memory, for many reasons. It was the last game I ever attended with my father and my favorite player Mickey Mantle batted against Whitey Ford for the first time. The crowd was excited and on its feet cheering as he batted against Whitey Ford, knowing that he would be grooving in the pitches for Mickey to try and hit one out. The fans where chanting Mickey, Mickey, wanting him to hit one out, after hitting several fouls down the left field line Mickey hit one fair into the seats and as he rounded the bases in his familiar trot the fans went wild.

On September 30 1973 as we started out for the stadium from our apartment in Manhattan at the last minute I decided to take my camera. Emerging from the subway looking down River Avenue then walking around the stadium I started too wonder how much will it change. Upon entered the stadium we went up to the 3rd deck to view the entire field and the stadium.

The game that day reflected the Yankees season playing well enough to win, only to turn in the top of the eight inning with the Tigers scoring 6 runs to take an 8 to 4 lead. It was around this time when you stared to hear the sound of seats trying to be removed echoing in the stadium. As the game came to end on Mike Hegan’s fly ball to centerfield most of the fans walked out of the stands onto the field as the players ran off and began walking around pointing to locations or standing on a spot were some past glory or their favorite player stood. Some fans did storm the infield and I remember seeing a policeman standing on home plate to protect it and some ushers protecting the pitching rubber until the grounds crew could remove them as for the bases they were already taken. After taking my last picture we began walking around the field one last time, stopping in centerfield where I removed a small patch of grass that I still have to this day. A few weeks later on a Saturday we drove up to Yankee Stadium and picked out a box seat.

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