04/16: Today's the Day: A New Era of Baseball Begins in the Bronx
Posted by: Patrick
The new Yankee Stadium (which we'll have to just start calling Yankee Stadium here, soon enough) will see it's first regular season action today, as the Yankees will face the Indians with a terrific pitching match up of CC Sabathia versus Cliff Lee.
There promises to be much pomp and circumstance, with over 40 Yankee alumni on hand, and Peter Abraham has a lot of the nitty gritty, care of this press release:
As we reported at the start of April, Paul Olden will be filling in as the Yankees public address announcer today, in place of Bob Sheppard.
It's looking like I won't be able to see the game where I live, but here's to getting off on the right foot. Go Yankees.
There promises to be much pomp and circumstance, with over 40 Yankee alumni on hand, and Peter Abraham has a lot of the nitty gritty, care of this press release:
The New York Yankees will inaugurate Yankee Stadium with its first-ever regular season game on Thursday, April 16 at 1:05 p.m. vs. the Cleveland Indians.
Gates will open to fans with valid tickets beginning at 10:00 a.m. The Yankees are asking fans to be situated in their seats by 12:00 p.m. in advance of pregame ceremonies. Please budget ample time when planning your trip and be sure to consider using public transportation.
Ceremonies will begin at 12:10 p.m. with the West Point Marching Band performing John Philip Sousa’s “Washington Post March” and “Stars and Stripes Forever” in a tribute to the original Yankee Stadium’s opener on April 18, 1923, when Sousa performed on field with the Seventh Regiment Band prior to the game. The West Point Band will also play the “Armed Forces Medley.”
More than 40 distinguished Yankees alumni, such as Whitey Ford, Rich “Goose” Gossage, Reggie Jackson and Willie Randolph, will be introduced on-field, followed by baseline introductions for both teams. (A complete list of attending alumni may be found at the end of this release). Yankees Hall-of-Famer Yogi Berra will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Colors will be presented by a joint FDNY and NYPD color guard. After a 75-foot-by-150-foot American flag is unfurled in the outfield by West Point Cadets, Kelly Clarkson, winner of the first season of American Idol and two Grammy Awards, will sing the national anthem. At the conclusion of the anthem, the 174th Fighter Wing, an Air Force unit based in Syracuse, N.Y., will fly over the Stadium in F-16C Flying Falcons. The unit executing the flyover returned to the United States last August after supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom at Balad Air Force Base in Iraq.
The home plate and pitching rubber to be used in Thursday’s game is the same set that was used in the final game at the original Yankee Stadium. Following the game, the items will be dug up and placed in the Yankees Museum, located in Yankee Stadium near Gate 6.
All fans in attendance will receive an inaugural season commemorative pin.
For information on parking, please visit www.baseball-parking.com or call (866) 330-7275.
Alumni Attending Opening Day Ceremonies: Luis Arroyo, Jesse Barfield, Yogi Berra, Ron Blomberg, Bobby Brown, Horace Clarke, Jerry Coleman, David Cone, Chili Davis, Bucky Dent, Al Downing, Dave Eiland, Ed Figueroa, John Flaherty, Whitey Ford, Joe Girardi, Rich “Goose” Gossage, Ken Griffey, Sr., Ron Guidry, Charlie Hayes, Rickey Henderson, Reggie Jackson, Tommy John, Jim Kaat, Don Larsen, Hector Lopez, Tino Martinez, Lee Mazzilli, Gene Michael, Jeff Nelson, Graig Nettles, Paul O’Neill, Joe Pepitone, Willie Randolph, Bobby Richardson, Mickey Rivers, Buck Showalter, Bill “Moose” Skowron, Luis Sojo, Mel Stottlemyre, Ralph Terry, Bob Turley, David Wells, Roy White, Bernie Williams, Dave Winfield.
Schedule of events:
10 a.m.: Gates open
12:10 p.m.: West Point Band performs in center field
12:30 p.m.: Introduction of Yankees alumni, introduction of home plate and mound from old Stadium
12:42 p.m.–12:53 p.m.: Baseline introductions
12:53 p.m.: Introduction of giant American flag, unfurled by West Point cadets.
12:53:30 p.m.: Flyover introduction, 174th Fighter Wing
12:54 p.m.: Presentation of colors by NYPD/FDNY Color Guard
12:54:30 p.m.: National anthem by Kelly Clarkson
12:56 p.m.: National Anthem, F-16C flyover
1:01 p.m.: Ceremonial first pitch: Yogi Berra
1:04 p.m.: Umpires and managers to home plate
1:06 p.m.: Yankees take the field
1:08 p.m.: First pitch
Gates will open to fans with valid tickets beginning at 10:00 a.m. The Yankees are asking fans to be situated in their seats by 12:00 p.m. in advance of pregame ceremonies. Please budget ample time when planning your trip and be sure to consider using public transportation.
Ceremonies will begin at 12:10 p.m. with the West Point Marching Band performing John Philip Sousa’s “Washington Post March” and “Stars and Stripes Forever” in a tribute to the original Yankee Stadium’s opener on April 18, 1923, when Sousa performed on field with the Seventh Regiment Band prior to the game. The West Point Band will also play the “Armed Forces Medley.”
More than 40 distinguished Yankees alumni, such as Whitey Ford, Rich “Goose” Gossage, Reggie Jackson and Willie Randolph, will be introduced on-field, followed by baseline introductions for both teams. (A complete list of attending alumni may be found at the end of this release). Yankees Hall-of-Famer Yogi Berra will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Colors will be presented by a joint FDNY and NYPD color guard. After a 75-foot-by-150-foot American flag is unfurled in the outfield by West Point Cadets, Kelly Clarkson, winner of the first season of American Idol and two Grammy Awards, will sing the national anthem. At the conclusion of the anthem, the 174th Fighter Wing, an Air Force unit based in Syracuse, N.Y., will fly over the Stadium in F-16C Flying Falcons. The unit executing the flyover returned to the United States last August after supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom at Balad Air Force Base in Iraq.
The home plate and pitching rubber to be used in Thursday’s game is the same set that was used in the final game at the original Yankee Stadium. Following the game, the items will be dug up and placed in the Yankees Museum, located in Yankee Stadium near Gate 6.
All fans in attendance will receive an inaugural season commemorative pin.
For information on parking, please visit www.baseball-parking.com or call (866) 330-7275.
Alumni Attending Opening Day Ceremonies: Luis Arroyo, Jesse Barfield, Yogi Berra, Ron Blomberg, Bobby Brown, Horace Clarke, Jerry Coleman, David Cone, Chili Davis, Bucky Dent, Al Downing, Dave Eiland, Ed Figueroa, John Flaherty, Whitey Ford, Joe Girardi, Rich “Goose” Gossage, Ken Griffey, Sr., Ron Guidry, Charlie Hayes, Rickey Henderson, Reggie Jackson, Tommy John, Jim Kaat, Don Larsen, Hector Lopez, Tino Martinez, Lee Mazzilli, Gene Michael, Jeff Nelson, Graig Nettles, Paul O’Neill, Joe Pepitone, Willie Randolph, Bobby Richardson, Mickey Rivers, Buck Showalter, Bill “Moose” Skowron, Luis Sojo, Mel Stottlemyre, Ralph Terry, Bob Turley, David Wells, Roy White, Bernie Williams, Dave Winfield.
Schedule of events:
10 a.m.: Gates open
12:10 p.m.: West Point Band performs in center field
12:30 p.m.: Introduction of Yankees alumni, introduction of home plate and mound from old Stadium
12:42 p.m.–12:53 p.m.: Baseline introductions
12:53 p.m.: Introduction of giant American flag, unfurled by West Point cadets.
12:53:30 p.m.: Flyover introduction, 174th Fighter Wing
12:54 p.m.: Presentation of colors by NYPD/FDNY Color Guard
12:54:30 p.m.: National anthem by Kelly Clarkson
12:56 p.m.: National Anthem, F-16C flyover
1:01 p.m.: Ceremonial first pitch: Yogi Berra
1:04 p.m.: Umpires and managers to home plate
1:06 p.m.: Yankees take the field
1:08 p.m.: First pitch
As we reported at the start of April, Paul Olden will be filling in as the Yankees public address announcer today, in place of Bob Sheppard.
It's looking like I won't be able to see the game where I live, but here's to getting off on the right foot. Go Yankees.
