This, in all likelihood, is the last day baseball will be played in Yankee Stadium, and some players, managers and coaches have shared their thoughts about the place:
Mark DeRosa, Cubs: "Growing up in New Jersey, I was a die-hard Yankee fan with a poster of the "Hit Man,"
Don Mattingly above my bed. My father would take me to two or three games a year, and to listen to
Bob Sheppard announce the players and their position is something I'll never forget. So to hear him announce my name in my first at-bat in Yankee Stadium was truly a special moment. I actually stepped out of the box to listen and soak the moment in. Later that night with the game close,
Joe Torre signaled for the bullpen. While I was on deck,
Mariano Rivera jogged through the left-center wall, with "Enter Sandman" blasting, and I turned to find my father in the family section for a boost of confidence. He had his head in his hands knowing what the outcome would probably be. Needless to say, the at-bat didn't take long. Although I struck out, it will still go down as one of the most memorable moments in my career."
Mel Stottlemyre, former Yankees pitcher and pitching coach: "I can remember the first day I laid eyes on the stadium -- it was Aug. 11, 1964. I looked at the stadium, and it was the biggest thing I've ever seen. I asked how many people it could hold, and I think they said it was around 67,000. And that was about 66,000 more people than live in the town that I grew up in. It is just an amazing place, and there are so many memories for me as a player and as a coach."
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Buster Olney
