First, a disclaimer: I have no idea whether or not this footage was actually shot on September 12, 1928. I can tell you that the video was shot in 1928 though, and I have wanted to share it since discovering it. So it comes today, a day in New York Yankees history that has not been very momentous unless you're really into shortstop Roger Peckinpaugh becoming the youngest manager in history at age 23 for a little more than a fortnight in 1914 (the odd choice was the byproduct of former Chicago Cubs first baseman Frank Chance negotiating out of his managing contract after becoming disgruntled with original owners Frank Farrell and Bill Devery, who were on their way out themselves). Dartmouth graduate and two-year Yankee starter Jim Beattie also surrendered the 3,000th hit of Boston Red Sox hero Carl Yastrzemski's career 33 years ago today, but that is obviously more Beantown news.
Nonetheless, here is the main attraction:
This clip is from The Cameraman, a silent film starring Hollywood legend Buster Keaton. In it, Keaton's character brings his camera around to the old Yankee Stadium, which was five years old at this point. There are amazing shots of what the stadium looked like from Babe Ruth's perspective in the batter's box, and the classic scoreboard is in plain sight as well. The elevated train runs behind the stadium, just as the Subway did when the Yankees played at 161st and River a few years ago. When Keaton rounds the bases, almost all of the old park is visible, from the flagpole in center field to the bleachers, which did not yet have a second deck. The film predates the death of manager Miller Huggins as well, so not even the monuments are there yet.
Enjoy.