Best Moments at Yankees Stadium

Well, the old stadium is really closed. Just yesterday I heard that they crated up Babe Ruth from Monument Park. We're excited about the new stadium as the old stadium really was archaic, but it does hold some great memories. In no particular order:

1. Josh's birthday party. Probably his best birthday EVER. School let out for the summer earlier that day, then all of his friends came to Yankees Stadium for a behind the scenes look. They got to sit in the dug out, walk on the warning track, visit the locker room, and sit in the press box. It was a beautiful summer day.

2. Best game I ever attended was July 1, 2003. In fact, when media and others sum up some of the best games ever, this was one of them. It was a Red Sox game (I think my only Red Sox game I attended). It was played as if it was Game 7 of the World Series. I went with Jason from my office, and it was magical. A batter was hit early in the game to start the bad blood. A couple of great home runs. But then it went wild as Derek Jeter charged a foul ball and ended up several rows into the stands. He came out bloodied and left the game. A-Rod moved from 3rd to his former position of shortstop (his first time to play SS for the Yankees). The Red Sox moved in an outfielder a couple of times to add an infielder to get a guy out at the plate...forcing players to switch gloves. They even had a play people thought was a triple play....before they realized that one Red Sox player was tagged out twice (which only counts once). In the end, the Yankees won in like 13 innings, and the crowd started chanting 1918 (the last time they had won the World Series). On a DVD we recently watched highlighting the Red Sox rivalry, this was featured.

3. First game at Yankees Stadium as an intern. It was against Oakland, and we sat in the bleacher seats. It was April 1993.


4. Mormon Night at Yankees Stadium. I think it was 2005 or maybe 2006. Matthew came and cheered like crazy, even though he was just a baby. My friend Mark was in town and came, too.

5. A game against the Twins on Labor Weekend when we had seats in the outfield. We were within a few rows of catching an A-Rod home run.

6. Yankees vs. KC on Friday night of Memorial Day weekend 2006. This was when Josh's Yankee fire got ignited within. My parents came and my brother, too, as he had just defended his thesis at NYU. The Yankees actually lost, though we left in the middle of the 9th due to a rain delay from a major cloud burst. But it all just clicked that night for him.

7. Perhaps the greatest game viewing experience we'll ever have. Our home teacher, who works for Sony (a major sponsor) got us tickets for Josh's birthday right behind home plate on the front row (though there were some "folding chair seats" added in front of us that were actually on the grass, but still.....) We actually didn't know our seats would be THAT good. It was truly, truly amazing.


But we're excited for the new stadium. If we can get tickets -- and afford them -- I'm sure it will be a great stadium. But it will be hard to match those memories....




Mark

New Calling

Well, for the first time in 10 years, I'm not serving in the stake.

I was finally released from stake service and was called to a ward calling. I am now the President of the Priest Quorum in our ward. There's a lot to learn with that, so I may not post any fun items or such for a few days. But I'll return, I promise!

Mark