November 6, 2008 [LINK / comment]
Yankee Stadium farewell photos
I have added several new photos to the Yankee Stadium page taken during my recent tour, deleting some of the old ones. Two of them are shown below. I noticed that on the Utz billboard on the right end of the bleachers, it says "Clem Snacks," so I added a closeup version showing that. A few photos taken by Brian Vangor at the final game (Sept. 21), who joined me on that tour, are also posted on that page. Thank you, Brian! Finally, I have also begun to add the years for which the World Series was played in each stadium. (In the case of Yankee Stadium, the total number is 36.)
By the way, I was pleased that my semi-conjectural diagram depictions of the concourse area at Yankee Stadium was at least partially corroborated. Just as I had estimated, the tunnel ramps leading to the lower deck go slightly downhill (since 1976, that is), and the concourse level behind the lower deck is very cramped.
I would like to take this opportunity to heartily thank the New York Yankees for responding to the pleas of fans like me and holding tours of Yankee Stadium after the season had ended. Getting one last look inside "The House That Babe Ruth Built" really meant a lot to me.
Grand view of Yankee Stadium from the press box, on the middle level.
Yours truly, in Monument Park. Behind me are the memorials to Lou Gehrig, Miller Huggins, and Babe Ruth. On the far left in back is Mickey Mantle. Thanks to Brian Vangor for taking the picture.
NL Gold Gloves
Long-time Braves ace pitcher Greg Maddux [who has switched back and forth between the Dodgers and the Padres for the last three years] was awarded the [National League] Gold Glove for the 18th time. He will probably announce his retirement in the next few months. At third base, David Wright won the Gold Glove for the second straight year, even though Washington's Ryan Zimmerman had fewer errors (10, compared to 16) and a higher fielding percentage (.967, compared to .962). We wuz robbed! See MLB.com.
The mail bag
In response to Harry Heller's recent query about stadiums in which the home team has never thrown a no-hitter, Mark London tells me that Forbes Field never had a no hitter by either the home or visiting team. (I think I knew that.) There were three no-hitters by visiting pitchers at San Diego's Jack Murphy, but none by the Padres. Likewise, none in Camden Yards thus far, and the last one in Memorial Stadium was by Jim Palmer on August 13, 1969. Baltimore thus has the longest current streak of no no-hitters in the American League, and Cleveland is next; Len Barker threw a perfect game in 1981. San Francisco has the next longest National League streak (32 years); John Montefusco threw a no-hitter at Candlestick Park on September 29, 1976. Does anyone know if there are other such cases?
Darrell ? corrected a statement I made about the 1985 World Series (Royals vs. Cardinals), reminding me that there was a previous Missouri-only World Series, in 1944. I should have known that because my father attended two of the games in that World Series! At one of those games, he talked to Don Gutteridge, second baseman for the St. Louis Browns (and the Cardinals, before that), who got several of his team mates to sign their autographs for my father.
Ken Akerman shares my interest in thoroughly renovating Tropicana Field, removing the roof and reshaping the grandstand and outfield. He also points out that two other major league baseball stadiums have hosted the NCAA Final Four in college basketball: the Houston Astrodome (1971), and the Metrodome in Minneapolis (1992). What would I do without all my well-informed fans?
Finally, I have received dozens of photos from fans in recent weeks, and I will do my best to get the best ones properly posted on the respective stadium pages. Many thanks to all those who have contributed their ballpark photos. (Boy, do I have my work cut out for me!)