On the day they watched their beloved Yankees open up the home portion of the season and celebrate last year's championship, New York fans were shocked when they arrived at the ballpark Tuesday.
Bob Sheppard has no intentions of returning to his longtime job as the public address announcer at Yankee Stadium, MLB.com reported Thursday.
By Christian Wiessner
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Say it ain't so. An era ends on Sunday when the curtain comes down on baseball in storied Yankee Stadium, scene of more moments that will live in sporting history than any other place in America.
Strangely, in Sunday night's final contest between the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles, nothing more than pride is at stake. The Yankees have had a rare down season and will not be adding to their championship record this year.
Wrecking balls and sledgehammers, not baseballs and bats, will soon be the equipment of choice as the stadium is demolished in coming months, although there may yet be a "closing ceremony" featuring big name rock stars before the wrecking crews move in.
Next season, the Yankees will take their bats, balls and fabled pinstriped uniforms to a brand new Yankee Stadium nearing completion across the street from the current one.
Americans have always been wistful about their National Pastime. Many cherish memories of playing catch with their fathers and of their first childhood visits to ballparks.
"This field, this game. It's a part of our past. It reminds us of all that once was good, and it could be again," James Earl Jones's character said in the film "Field of Dreams."
Through baseball history, no venue came closer to capturing that mystical quality than Yankee Stadium.
Yankee Stadium to host last game before demolition....
NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Young lifted a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 15th to give the AL a 4-3 triumph over the National League in baseball's All-Star Game. Justin Morneau led off the winning rally with a single before beating Corey Hart's throw to the plate to conclude the longest All-Star game ever.
With the victory, the American League improved to 11-0 and 1 tie in the last 12 All-Star games.
American League All-Stars win 4-3 in 15 innings....
By Scott Miller
NEW YORK -- The old lady is gleaming now, all gussied up and spit-shined for one more night out on the town.
She's gaudy as ever. She's loud and abrasive and -- there's no way to put this graciously -- she's big. I mean, capital B-I-G. How big? Let's just say, good luck wrapping your arms around her.
But for three or so hours on what is predicted to be a gorgeous night in New York City, folks are going to try, beginning with the first pitch Cleveland's Cliff Lee throws in Tuesday's 79th All-Star Game.
What we've got here is a collection of some of the world's greatest players. Josh Hamilton is in from Texas with a gold-plated first half. The Chicago Cubs have sent eight players, including Japanese sensation Kosuke Fukudome and ace Carlos Zambrano. The Red Sox are checking in, of course, with three starters -- outfielder Manny Ramirez, first baseman Kevin Youkilis and second baseman Dustin Pedroia.
And yet, here comes the old lady, all dolled up in lipstick and heels, intent on stealing the show.
What else would you expect from Yankee Stadium?
Ruth's House going out as American monument....
