05/15: The New Yankee Stadium is Great, But the Operation of Monument Park is Disappointing
Posted by: Patrick
David Williams of MarianoRivera.com (and formerly this blog) shares his recent and disappointing attempts to see Monument Park at both the old and new Yankee Stadium.
At the age of 51, I have been a Yankees fan for more than forty years. I was privileged to see the “old” Yankee Stadium before the refurbishing done in 1974 and 1975 when the Bombers called Shea Stadium home.
In 1976, the stadium reopened and a pennant came when Chris Chambliss took Mark Littel of the Royals deep to claim the AL crown for the Yankees. We got swept in the Fall Classic by the Big Red Machine, but as a fan it was almost anticlimactic. Being born in 1957, by the time I was able to appreciate baseball, the glory days of the Yankees had passed. I suffered through the lean years from 1965 to 1975 when guys like Horace Clarke, Lindy McDaniel and Ron Bloomberg were suppose to replace Berra, Mantle and Ford.
In 1977, when I was in college, we reclaimed the prize and all was right with my world thanks to Reggie and the characters who called the Bronx Zoo home. In 1978, we came from 14 and 1/2 games behind to catch the Red Sox and then beat them in a one game playoff at Fenway Park. I recall skipping my late afternoon class during my senior year of college to go home and watch the game with my Mom. Mom was a gloom and doomer and I told her to leave the room when the Bombers had fallen behind 2-0 to the Bosox. But then Bucky Dent hit the famous home run and we held on to secure a 5-4 victory.
In 1979, Thurman Munson was tragically taken from us and baseball was put in perspective by how precious life is and how quickly it can be taken from us. In 1980, George Brett broke our hearts with his home run off of Tommy John and in 1981 we went up 2-0 on the Dodgers but Dave Winfield only went 1 for 22 and we lost in six games.
I then faced a fourteen year drought and when the wild card was brought in to MLB, we made the playoffs in ’95 but then lost the heart breaker to the Mariners on the two run double from Edgar Martinez. Joe Torre arrived in 1996 and we claimed our 23rd World Series Championship. Mariano Rivera was awesome that year and arguably was probably the MVP for what he did in the 7th and 8th innings, setting up John Wetteland.
From 1998 to 2000, it seemed like the World Series was a birthright and it was a great period for all Yankee fans. The great Rivera’s throwing error on a bunt play led to another crushing defeat at the hands of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001. We let it get away in 2003 against the Marlins and the Red Sox came back from 0-3 to finally end the curse.
Forgive my reminiscing, but baseball to me is fathers and sons, family, uncles and nephews and a source of both good and disappointing memories. The purpose of Monument Park as I see it is to relive those times and appreciate the great players who came before our time, during our time and think of the present players who will eventually be enshrined there.
I went to four games during the 2008 season and each time was not able to get into Monument Park. Last year, the gates opened two hours prior to game time and I arrived just shortly after the gates opened. By the time I got through security and found the line, the ushers had already closed Monument Park. Their reason is that with the number of people already in line, we have to close it so they can see it and we can close prior to the game beginning. I guess this seems like a crowd control issue but for people that have come from 2 or 3 hours away, frankly it’s hard to swallow.
My last trip of 2008 I met my brother there. He arrived from a bus trip from his now home of Virginia and I met up with him about 1 and 1/2 hours prior to the game and again we couldn’t get in. Many of the people on the trip brought sons and young grandsons and they were really disappointed. For some of them it might be their only trip to New York.
In 2009, my first trip was on April 4, when I went to the exhibition game against the Cubs. I heard for 2009 that the gates were opening three hours prior to the game but with bus travel and subways, the best I could do is two hours prior. I was disappointed again. It had already closed. On April 22, my sister and I went and again the same story. My third visit to the stadium was on April 30 with my wife and we arrived more than two hours prior to the start of the game and AGAIN we were told the same story. The Yankees have to do something to correct this situation. Because of the very expensive cost of attending a game, many people can only afford to attend one or two games a year.
I suggest they open Monument Park for maybe an hour after the game is completed or do something to let people reserve a spot when they purchase their tickets. Perhaps some kind of lottery system should be enacted. I certainly respect the people who arrange their days to arrive and be in line when the gates open, but for many people this simply isn’t practical. I know the Yankees do have tours of the Stadium but again this is another trip plus another ticket. Perhaps people that purchase tickets could be given a discount on the tour.
I will continue to be a fan for as long as I live. The Yankees and baseball are part of who I am and define a part of me. Hopefully, in years to come when some of the present day Yankees are enshrined in Monument Park, it won’t be such a hassle and disappointment to see it.
David Williams blogs regularly at MarianoRivera.com.
At the age of 51, I have been a Yankees fan for more than forty years. I was privileged to see the “old” Yankee Stadium before the refurbishing done in 1974 and 1975 when the Bombers called Shea Stadium home.
In 1976, the stadium reopened and a pennant came when Chris Chambliss took Mark Littel of the Royals deep to claim the AL crown for the Yankees. We got swept in the Fall Classic by the Big Red Machine, but as a fan it was almost anticlimactic. Being born in 1957, by the time I was able to appreciate baseball, the glory days of the Yankees had passed. I suffered through the lean years from 1965 to 1975 when guys like Horace Clarke, Lindy McDaniel and Ron Bloomberg were suppose to replace Berra, Mantle and Ford.
In 1977, when I was in college, we reclaimed the prize and all was right with my world thanks to Reggie and the characters who called the Bronx Zoo home. In 1978, we came from 14 and 1/2 games behind to catch the Red Sox and then beat them in a one game playoff at Fenway Park. I recall skipping my late afternoon class during my senior year of college to go home and watch the game with my Mom. Mom was a gloom and doomer and I told her to leave the room when the Bombers had fallen behind 2-0 to the Bosox. But then Bucky Dent hit the famous home run and we held on to secure a 5-4 victory.
In 1979, Thurman Munson was tragically taken from us and baseball was put in perspective by how precious life is and how quickly it can be taken from us. In 1980, George Brett broke our hearts with his home run off of Tommy John and in 1981 we went up 2-0 on the Dodgers but Dave Winfield only went 1 for 22 and we lost in six games.
I then faced a fourteen year drought and when the wild card was brought in to MLB, we made the playoffs in ’95 but then lost the heart breaker to the Mariners on the two run double from Edgar Martinez. Joe Torre arrived in 1996 and we claimed our 23rd World Series Championship. Mariano Rivera was awesome that year and arguably was probably the MVP for what he did in the 7th and 8th innings, setting up John Wetteland.
From 1998 to 2000, it seemed like the World Series was a birthright and it was a great period for all Yankee fans. The great Rivera’s throwing error on a bunt play led to another crushing defeat at the hands of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001. We let it get away in 2003 against the Marlins and the Red Sox came back from 0-3 to finally end the curse.
Forgive my reminiscing, but baseball to me is fathers and sons, family, uncles and nephews and a source of both good and disappointing memories. The purpose of Monument Park as I see it is to relive those times and appreciate the great players who came before our time, during our time and think of the present players who will eventually be enshrined there.
I went to four games during the 2008 season and each time was not able to get into Monument Park. Last year, the gates opened two hours prior to game time and I arrived just shortly after the gates opened. By the time I got through security and found the line, the ushers had already closed Monument Park. Their reason is that with the number of people already in line, we have to close it so they can see it and we can close prior to the game beginning. I guess this seems like a crowd control issue but for people that have come from 2 or 3 hours away, frankly it’s hard to swallow.
My last trip of 2008 I met my brother there. He arrived from a bus trip from his now home of Virginia and I met up with him about 1 and 1/2 hours prior to the game and again we couldn’t get in. Many of the people on the trip brought sons and young grandsons and they were really disappointed. For some of them it might be their only trip to New York.
In 2009, my first trip was on April 4, when I went to the exhibition game against the Cubs. I heard for 2009 that the gates were opening three hours prior to the game but with bus travel and subways, the best I could do is two hours prior. I was disappointed again. It had already closed. On April 22, my sister and I went and again the same story. My third visit to the stadium was on April 30 with my wife and we arrived more than two hours prior to the start of the game and AGAIN we were told the same story. The Yankees have to do something to correct this situation. Because of the very expensive cost of attending a game, many people can only afford to attend one or two games a year.
I suggest they open Monument Park for maybe an hour after the game is completed or do something to let people reserve a spot when they purchase their tickets. Perhaps some kind of lottery system should be enacted. I certainly respect the people who arrange their days to arrive and be in line when the gates open, but for many people this simply isn’t practical. I know the Yankees do have tours of the Stadium but again this is another trip plus another ticket. Perhaps people that purchase tickets could be given a discount on the tour.
I will continue to be a fan for as long as I live. The Yankees and baseball are part of who I am and define a part of me. Hopefully, in years to come when some of the present day Yankees are enshrined in Monument Park, it won’t be such a hassle and disappointment to see it.
David Williams blogs regularly at MarianoRivera.com.
