The original stadium opened April 18, 1923, with Babe Ruth hitting the first home run in a 4-1 win over Boston in front of what was at the time the largest crowd in baseball history.
Yankee Stadium was built at a cost of $2.5 million, astronomical then but the salary of a backup middle infielder these days. Even after a 1974-75 renovation eliminated obstructed seats but caused the loss of many original elements, a game there remained an aspiration for many players and fans.
Built on land purchased from the William Waldorf Astor estate for $675,000, the ballpark was designed by Osborn Engineering and took just 284 working days to construct. Themoved across the Harlem River from the Polo Grounds, their home since 1913, into America’s first three-deck ballpark and became baseball’s attendance leader.
The monuments, red granite with bronze plaques affixed, came later: in 1932 for Miller Huggins, in 1941 for Lou Gehrig and 1949 for Babe Ruth. They were erected in center field and fans were allowed to walk by them on the field as they exited. “Majesty — it sort of made you feel like you’re in one of those great European cathedrals. We’re just not used to ancient architecture in New York and had that feel,” said Marty Appel, a former Yankees media executive and author of several books about the team.
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