Yankee Stadium: Day Late, Hundreds Short

The new Yankee Stadium opened with ceremony and a 10-2 loss to Cleveland.

Was hoping to get to the opening of the new Yankee Stadium this week. Tried to call in a few favors, but the tickets never came through.

Fuggedaboutit! I’m not the godfather.

And with a slim wallet and the cheap seats going for $200 and up hundreds, scalping was out of the question.

So instead I took the day off from work, and saw the game on TV. For free.

Saved hundreds in the process, considering the price of tix, parking, gas, hot dog and beer and a program.

Not to mention peanuts.

High-Def Splendor

Instead, I watched the Yankee Stadium opener in high-definition splendor on my 37-inch flat screen. On the coach. In my living room.

Got to see the pre-game festivities, John Fogerty and Bernie Williams playing guitar in center field.

The living Yankees, and the ghosts of many former Yankees too, gathering at the new Stadium.

And of course Yogi Berra. throwing out the first pitch.

Jorge Posada, following in the rather gargantuan foot steps of Babe Ruth, hit the first home run in the new Stadium.

Only One Chance

But you only get one chance a year to win the home opener, one chance in a lifetime to win the first game in a new ballpark.

And after the Cleveland Indians scored nine runs in the seventh inning, it was clear the Yankees weren’t going to win on this day.

Final: Cleveland 10, New York 2.

THUD!! was that sound heard from the Bronx on Thursday afternoon.

The Yankees did win the next day, edging Cleveland, 6-5, on a Derek Jeter home run in the eighth.

Nice win, but that doesn’t count as the opener.

Never will.

Related Links: The SportsLifer takes one last look at some of the great moments at the old Yankee Stadium.

The Best of Yankee Stadium: Regular Season Baseball

The Best of Yankee Stadium: Post-Season Baseball

The Best of Yankee Stadium: Everything But Baseball

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