My first game was probably in 1985 or 1986. I was born in ‘81. My dad would get tickets around my birthday each year. My first 4 or 5 games Mattingly hit a homerun in each game. I’ve been sold ever since.

Also, he would get us tickets to old timers day every year. One year we were walking to our seats on the ground level right by the entrance to monument park when a huge crowd formed of security and people. It was Dimaggio. I remember it like a slo-mo movie of him going by. It was pretty cool.

people act as if this were the original stadium. I agree with Yogi who says, “I never played there.” This is a different place with a different feel.

I never really loved this concrete beast. The old steel building had some huge warts on it, but I loved it. The upper deck was covered with that roof that shaded you and sheltered you from the rain. It was cooler in the heat and drier in the drizzle. But you wanted to sit close to the field because there were poles which could block your view of the field. I do not ever remember the ball disappearing in the corners, which happens several times a game, every game, now.

The old steel stadium was where I saw a slumping Mantle beat out bunts. He limped up to the plate. He took his first two little steps toward first before he bunted the thing and then he blasted to first. The bunt went toward the secondbaseman. Nobody had any chance to get him. Like Gardener the other day he beat the pitcher to first. (no diving) He took a long time to stop after beating the play. He limped back to first. The Yankees did not steal. I do not ever remember seeing a Yankee from that era steal a base.

I remember Mickey throwing the bats and helmits out of the rack onto the field, in a tantrum after striking out. Grandpa and Dad did not approve. I couldn’t judge. IT was just something that happened. I had a ball Hector Lopez fouled into the stands. I wish I knew where it got to.

You know that Latino players, like blacks, couldn’t play until Jackie Robinson. Think what the talent pool would be now!

In the 50’s and 60’s the crowds were much smaller. You could say, “Let’s go to the game!” and buy a ticket at the box office. After the game you could walk on the field. The walls were so low, Waist high or less for grownups. I went with my grandfather, a yankee buff and baseball coach (And football and basketball). He told us about Ruth and Gehrig and Bill Dickey ( always caight the ball with 2 hands, always I’m told). He really liked Whitey Ford and Phil Rizzuto and other ‘smart players’. Taught me to appreciate the great players who weren’t Yankees too.

When the crowd was big the could make the upper deck move with them. I didn’t have the sense to be frightened. When they said the stadium was rocking, they meant it.

457 to left center. 463 to center. “Short” to rightcenter, 427. Monuments and flagpole on the field. No black seats. You could sit in center if you wanted.

Good times for sure. Maybe not as nice as taking my boys to the concrete stadium, but I love that old steel beast.

i was lucky enough to go to Game 2 of the ‘95 ALDS. in that game, Sierra and Mattingly went back-to-back in the 6th to give the Yanks back the lead. Donnie’s HR was the single loudest moment that i’ve ever experienced in any sports venue ever and i cover sports for a living. i wasn’t there for Boone’s walk-off in ‘03, but i can’t imagine a louder moment in Stadium history then when Donnie hit his first career playoff homer. Yankee fans had been waiting 14 long years for that moment. add in Leyritz’s game-winner in the 15th and you can see why my user name is what it is. easily one of my favorite Yankee games in my lifetime.

the ‘95 ALDS in general was probably one of the most underrated playoff series of all-time. i think it really helped people become believers in the whole Wild Card system, which if I remember correctly, wasn’t too popular when it made its debut.

is probably game 1 of the 96 ALCS (the Jeff Maier game) that Bernie won in the bottom of the 11th with a walk-off shot.

there was also Tino’s grand slam in game 1 of the 98 WS.

i remember going to a few games in the 80s, and it seemed like Jack Clark homered nearly every time up.

I spoke to my dad last night, and asked him his favorite Yankee Stadium moment. “It was when Scooter took one to the dome,” said my dad. “He squared around to bunt and POW, right in the head. He took one step and flattened out across the plate.”

The next day, my dad recalls Scooter was wearing a helmet (perhaps one of the first to do so).

Asked about his first game, dad said, 1941, saw Joe DiMaggio hit a homer and make a game winning catch against the Red Sox. Williams, he added hit a homer as well. He didn’t remember much more than that, but he didn’t have to.