Yankee Stadium (1923)

===Baseball===
In its 86 years of existence, Yankee Stadium hosted 6,581 regular season home games for the Yankees. Only [[Fenway Park]] (Boston), [[Wrigley Field]] (Chicago), [[Sportsman's Park]] (St. Louis), and [[Tiger Stadium (Detroit)|Tiger Stadium]] (Detroit) have hosted more games. Due to the Yankees' frequent appearances in the [[World Series]], Yankee Stadium played host to 161 postseason games, more than any other stadium in baseball history. The Stadium hosted 37 of the 83 possible World Series during its existence (not counting 1974–75, and the [[1994–95 Major League Baseball strike|1994 strike]]), with the Yankees winning 26 of them. In total, the venue hosted 100 World Series games.

16 of the 17 World Series won in the Bronx were clinched at the 1923 Yankee Stadium, nine by the Yankees and seven by their opponents:
*Yankees, in {{wsy|1927}}, {{wsy|1938}}, {{wsy|1947}}, {{wsy|1950}}, {{wsy|1951}}, {{wsy|1953}}, {{wsy|1977}}, {{wsy|1996}} and {{wsy|1999}}
*[[St. Louis Cardinals]], in {{wsy|1926}} and {{wsy|1942}}
*[[1955 Brooklyn Dodgers season|Brooklyn Dodgers]], in {{wsy|1955}}, the only World Championship won by the Dodgers before moving to Los Angeles.
*[[1957 Milwaukee Braves season|Milwaukee Braves]], in {{wsy|1957}}, the only World Series won by a [[Milwaukee]] team.
*[[1978 Cincinnati Reds season|Cincinnati Reds]], in {{wsy|1976}}
*[[1981 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Los Angeles Dodgers]], in {{wsy|1981}}
*[[2003 Florida Marlins season|Florida Marlins]], in {{wsy|2003}}

The Yankees won their first 26 World Series championships while playing in Yankee Stadium, with their 27th coming in the first year of playing at its namesake replacement ({{wsy|2009}}).

Perhaps the most memorable moment in the venue's history came on July 4, 1939, designated as "[[Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day]]". [[Lou Gehrig|Gehrig]], forced out of action permanently by [[amyotrophic lateral sclerosis]] (ALS) and facing his impending death, gave a legendary farewell speech thanking his fans and colleagues for making him "the luckiest man on the face of the earth".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/lougehrigfarewelltobaseball.htm|title=American Rhetoric|access-date=May 24, 2009}}</ref>

Many memorable and historic games have been played at Yankee Stadium. Three out of the four [[Perfect game (baseball)|perfect games]] thrown by Yankee pitchers have occurred at the Stadium. [[Don Larsen]] threw a perfect game on October 8, 1956, in the fifth game of the [[1956 World Series|World Series]], while [[David Wells]] and [[David Cone]] threw theirs on May 17, 1998, and July 18, 1999, respectively.  ([[Domingo Germán]] threw his June 28, 2023 perfect game in Oakland.) [[No-hitter]]s were thrown by [[Monte Pearson]], [[Bob Feller]], [[Allie Reynolds]], [[Virgil Trucks]], [[Dave Righetti]], [[Jim Abbott]], [[Dwight Gooden]] and a combination of six [[Houston Astros]] pitchers in one game.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/pitching/pinohit1.shtml |title=American League No Hitters by Baseball Almanac |publisher=Baseball Almanac |access-date=September 22, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080804010225/http://www.baseball-almanac.com/pitching/pinohit1.shtml |archive-date=August 4, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Stadium was the site of a nationally televised game on August 6, 1979, the same day as the funeral for departed Yankees captain [[Thurman Munson]]. The team attended the funeral in [[Canton, Ohio]] earlier in the day and flew to New York for an emotional game. [[Bobby Murcer]] drove in all five runs for the Yankees, including a game winning two-run single that defeated the [[Baltimore Orioles]] 5–4.

Many historic home runs have been hit at Yankee Stadium. Babe Ruth hit the ballpark's first home run on its Opening Day in 1923.<ref>[http://www.famoussportspeople.com/babe-ruth Babe Ruth] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504081151/http://www.famoussportspeople.com/babe-ruth/ |date=May 4, 2016 }} Famous Sports People</ref> Ruth also set the then-league record for most home runs in a single season by hitting his 60th home run in 1927. [[Roger Maris]] would later break this record in 1961 at Yankee Stadium on the final day of the season by hitting his 61st home run. In 1967, [[Mickey Mantle]] slugged his 500th career home run. [[Chris Chambliss]] won the [[1976 American League Championship Series|1976 ALCS]] by hitting a "walk-off" home run in which thousands of fans ran onto the field as Chambliss circled the bases. A year later, in the [[1977 World Series]], [[Reggie Jackson]] hit three home runs on three consecutive pitches in the championship-clinching Game 6. In 1983, the [[Pine Tar Incident]] involving [[George Brett]] occurred; Brett's go-ahead home run in the ninth inning of the game was overturned for his bat having too much pine tar, resulting in him furiously charging out of the dugout. In Game 1 of the [[1996 American League Championship Series|1996 ALCS]], [[Derek Jeter]] hit a fly ball to right-field that was interfered with by fan [[Jeffrey Maier]] but ruled a home run. In Game 7 of the [[2003 American League Championship Series|2003 ALCS]], [[Aaron Boone]] hit an extra-inning "walk-off" home run to send the Yankees to the World Series. The Red Sox would get revenge coming back from [[2004 American League Championship Series|3-0]] and beating their rivals in Yankee Stadium the following year. On August 6, 2007, Alex Rodriguez hit his 500th home run against the [[2007 Kansas City Royals season|Kansas City Royals]] at the Stadium. [[José Molina (baseball)|José Molina]] hit the ballpark's last home run in its final game on September 21, 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://web.yesnetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20150921&content_id=150814866&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb|title=Eight memorable moments from the final season at Old Yankee Stadium in 2008|website=yesnetwork.com|language=en|access-date=2020-01-31}}{{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

In 2001, six weeks after the [[September 11 attacks]], Yankee Stadium hosted an emotional three games in the [[2001 World Series|World Series]]. For Game 3, President [[George W. Bush]] hurled the ceremonial first pitch, throwing a strike. In Game 4, [[Tino Martinez]] hit a game-tying home run off [[2001 Arizona Diamondbacks season|Arizona Diamondbacks]] closer [[Byung-hyun Kim]] with two outs in the ninth inning. Derek Jeter hit the winning "walk-off" home run in extra innings off Kim, earning himself the nickname "Mr. November". The following night in Game 5, the Yankees replicated their heroics from the previous night; [[Scott Brosius]] hit a game-tying home run off Kim with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning en route to a win.

====All-Star Games====
On July 11, 1939, Major League Baseball held its [[1939 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|seventh]] [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] at Yankee Stadium, in concert with the [[1939 New York World's Fair|World's Fair]] being held at [[Flushing Meadows-Corona Park|Flushing-Meadows]] in Queens. Yankees manager [[Joe McCarthy (manager)|Joe McCarthy]] loaded his American League team with pinstripes: [[Bill Dickey]] (catcher), [[Joe DiMaggio]] (outfield), [[Joe Gordon]] (second base), [[Red Rolfe]] (third base), [[George Selkirk]] (outfield) and [[Red Ruffing]] (pitcher) were all in the starting lineup. Reserve players included [[Frank Crosetti]] (shortstop), [[Lou Gehrig]] (first base), [[Lefty Gomez]] (pitcher) and [[Johnny Murphy]] (pitcher). The American League won, 3–1, behind a home run by DiMaggio, in front of more than 62,000. This was the second All-Star Game held in New York; the Polo Grounds had hosted the event in [[1934 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1934]].

From 1959 to 1962, Major League Baseball held two All-Star Games each year. On July 13, 1960, Yankee Stadium hosted baseball's [[1960 Major League Baseball All-Star Game (second game)|second All-Star Game]] in three days. The National League won both games. In the latter game, [[Whitey Ford]] was the starting pitcher. [[Yogi Berra]] (catcher), Mickey Mantle (outfield), [[Roger Maris]] (outfield) and [[Bill Skowron]] (first base) were in the starting lineup; [[Jim Coates]] (pitcher) and [[Elston Howard]] (catcher) were reserves. The National League won the Yankee Stadium game, 6–0, tying a record with four home runs, including one by hometown favorite [[Willie Mays]]. The 38,000 fans who attended the game also saw the Red Sox' [[Ted Williams]] in his final All-Star appearance.

Showcasing its new renovation, Yankee Stadium hosted the [[1977 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] on July 19, 1977. With the Yankees defending their 1976 pennant, [[Billy Martin]] managed the American League team on his home field. The National League won its sixth consecutive All-Star Game, 7–5, in front of more than 56,000 fans; the senior circuit's streak would reach 11. Reggie Jackson (outfield) and [[Willie Randolph]] (second base) started for the American League; [[Sparky Lyle]] (pitcher), [[Thurman Munson]] (catcher) and [[Graig Nettles]] (third base) also made the team. [[Jim Palmer]] was the game's starting pitcher because [[Nolan Ryan]] refused to play when Martin asked him.

In honor of its final year of existence, in July 2008, Yankee Stadium hosted [[2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2008 All-Star Game]] festivities. The Yankees were represented by [[Derek Jeter]], [[Alex Rodriguez]] and [[Mariano Rivera]]. In the [[2008 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby|Home Run Derby]], [[Josh Hamilton]] set a single-round record with 28 home runs in the first round. At one point, he hit 13 straight home runs, many of which landed in the stadium's upper deck and deep into the right field bleachers, spurring the crowd to chant his name. [[Minnesota Twins]] first baseman [[Justin Morneau]] won the competition defeating Hamilton in the final round. The following evening, the American League won the 2008 All-Star Game 4–3 in 15 innings. [[Michael Young (baseball)|Michael Young]] hit the game winning sacrifice fly in the 15th inning off [[Brad Lidge]]. The game was the longest in All-Star Game history by time, lasting 4 hours and 50 minutes and tied for the longest in history by innings, tied with the [[1967 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1967 All-Star Game]] and was played in front of 55,632 people. [[J. D. Drew]] was named game MVP going 2 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs.

====Final game, 2008====
[[File:Final Yankees Game.jpg|thumb|right|Yankee Stadium after the last game was played on September 21, 2008.]]
Yankee Stadium hosted its final baseball game on September 21, 2008. The ceremonies for the final game at Yankee Stadium began with the opening of Monument Park, as well as allowing Yankee fans to walk on the warning track around the field. Many former Yankee greats, including [[Yogi Berra]], [[Whitey Ford]], [[Reggie Jackson]], [[Bernie Williams]], [[Paul O'Neill (baseball)|Paul O'Neill]], [[Willie Randolph]], [[Roy White]] and [[Chris Chambliss]] took their positions in the playing field as their names were announced by the legendary Bob Sheppard. [[Julia Ruth Stevens]], daughter of Babe Ruth, threw out the ceremonial first pitch in the final game in "The House That Ruth Built".

With [[Andy Pettitte]] as the starting pitcher, the Yankees played their final game at Yankee Stadium against the [[2008 Baltimore Orioles season|Baltimore Orioles]], recording the final out at 11:43&nbsp;pm EDT in a 7–3 Yankee victory. Among many lasts to be recorded, a long-time standing question was answered. It was first wondered by Babe Ruth after he hit the first home run in Yankee Stadium on its opening day of April 18, 1923:
{{blockquote|I was glad to have hit the first home run in this park. God only knows who will hit the last.}}

That player turned out to be Yankees backup catcher [[José Molina (baseball)|José Molina]], as he hit a go-ahead and eventual game-winning two-run home run in the fourth inning.<ref name="baseball-reference">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/m/molinjo01.shtml |title=Jose Molina Statistics and History &#124; Baseball-Reference.com |publisher=baseball-reference.com|access-date=September 17, 2015}}</ref>

Other lasts were [[Jason Giambi]] recording the last hit in Yankee Stadium, driving in [[Brett Gardner]], who scored the last run in Yankee Stadium. Mariano Rivera made the final pitch in the stadium with [[Cody Ransom]] recording the final out at first base. In the eighth inning, Derek Jeter became the final Yankee to bat in Yankee Stadium.

After the game was over, captain Derek Jeter delivered a speech on the field surrounded by his teammates. In the unplanned speech, Jeter thanked and saluted the fans:
{{blockquote|For all of us up here, it's a huge honor to put this uniform on every day and come out here and play. And every member of this organization, past and present, has been calling this place home for eighty-five years. There's a lot of tradition, a lot of history, and a lot of memories.

Now the great thing about memories is you're able to pass it along from generation to generation. And although things are going to change next year, we're going to move across the street, there are a few things with the New York Yankees that never change— its pride, its tradition, and most of all, we have the [[Yankee Universe|greatest fans]] in the world.

And we are relying on you to take the memories from this stadium, add them to the new memories that come at the new Yankee Stadium, and continue to pass them on from generation to generation. So on behalf of the entire organization, we just want to take this moment to salute you, the greatest fans in the world.}}

Afterwards, the team circled the stadium on the warning track waving to fans and wishing the stadium goodbye.

;Line score<ref>{{cite web|title=Baltimore vs. NY Yankees–September 21, 2008 |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/y2009/index.jsp?gid=2008_09_21_balmlb_nyamlb_1&mode=gameday|access-date=December 12, 2010|publisher=MLB.com: Gameday}}</ref>
{{Linescore|
|Road=Baltimore|RoadAbr=BAL
|R1=0|R2=1|R3=1|R4=1|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=3|RH=7|RE=1
|Home='''New York'''|HomeAbr=NYY
|H1=0|H2=0|H3=3|H4=2|H5=0|H6=0|H7=2|H8=0|H9=X|HR=7|HH=9|HE=1
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Andy Pettitte]] (14–14)|LP=[[Chris Waters (baseball)|Chris Waters]] (3–4)
|RoadHR=|HomeHR=[[Johnny Damon]] (16), [[José Molina (baseball)|Jose Molina]] (3)
|}}

====Collegiate baseball====
From 1970 to 1987, the [[Cape Cod Baseball League]] (CCBL) played its annual all-star game at various major league stadiums. The games were interleague contests between the CCBL and the [[Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League]] (ACBL). The 1970, 1973, 1976 and 1980 games were played at Yankee Stadium.<ref>{{cite web|author=Al Harvin |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/07/21/archives/cape-cod-tops-atlantic-collegians-63.html |title=Cape Cod Tops Atlantic Collegians, 6-3 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=July 21, 1970 |access-date=August 16, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Judy Walden Scarafile |url=https://www.wickedlocal.com/article/20080725/News/307259531 |title=When women were persona non grata at Yankee Stadium |publisher=wickedlocal.com |date=July 25, 2008 |access-date=August 16, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://capecodbaseball.org/news/asgnews/index.html?article_id=193 |title=Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game A look back at the past forty years |publisher=capecodbaseball.com |access-date=August 16, 2019}}</ref> The star of the 1973 contest was game MVP and future major league manager [[Jim Riggleman]]. The 1980 game starred future New York Mets all-star pitcher [[Ron Darling]] of [[Yale University]]. In the game, Darling singled, doubled and homered as the CCBL left fielder, then came on in the final inning to pitch in relief, preserving the CCBL's one-run victory.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://capecodbaseball.org/news/hofnews/?article_id=241 |title=Twelve Legends to be inducted into CCBL Hall of Fame |publisher=capecodbaseball.com |access-date=August 16, 2019}}</ref>