| Yankee Stadium Timeline |
| Year |
Event |
| February, 1921 |
The Yankees announced the purchase of 10 acres of land in the Bronx where they would build a new stadium. The site, a former lumberyard, was purchased for $600,000, and construction of the three-tiered ballpark, the first of its kind, cost $2.5 million. |
| April 17, 1923 |
More than 74,000 fans showed up for the inagural game at Yankee Stadium and Babe Ruth and the Yankees failed to disappoint. The Yankees beat the Red Sox 4-1 powered by Ruth's three-run home run, the first ever hit at the place that New York sportswriter Fred Lieb dubbed "The House That Ruth Built." |
| October 9, 1926 |
With the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh inning, 39-year old Grover Cleveland Alexander comes on in relief and strikes out Tony Lazzeri to preserve the Cardinals'3-2 lead against the Yankees in Game 7 of the 1926 World Series. Alexander would pitch two more scoreless innings of relief/ The game ended when Babe Ruth was caught stealing second. |
| November 12, 1928 |
Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne makes his famous "Win one for the Gipper" speech at halftime of a game against undefeated Army, one the Fighting Irish went on to win, 12-6. "The Gipper" was George Gipper, one of Rockne's greatest players who had died of pneumonia. Here's purportedly what Gipp told Rockne from his deathbed, part of which Rockne used in his speech: "Some time, Rock, when the team is up against it, when things are wrong and the breaks are beating the boys, ask them to go in there with all they've got and win just one for the Gipper. I don't know where I'll be then, Rock. But I'll know about it, and I'll be happy." |
| June 21, 1938 |
Two years earlier, Max Schmeling knocked out then-unbeaten Joe Louis in the 12th round at Yankee Stadium. But in the rematch, Louis pummelled Schmeling, knocking him down three times in the first round before the fight was stopped after only two minutes and four seconds. Louis' victory was viewed as a symbolic blow to Nazi Germany. |
| August 26, 1938 |
Monte Pearson throws the first no-hitter at Yankee Stadium against the Indians as the Yankees rolled to a 13-0 victory. Pearson was a two-time All-Star for the Yankees, although he struggled with control, walking more than 100 batters in four seasons. |
| June 30, 1939 |
In the first televised boxing match in the U.S., Lou Nova scored an 11-round technical knockout of former heavyweight champion Max Baer. According to the New York Times, "the left side of [Baer's] face [was] battered out of shape after ten rounds of the most excruciating fighting he had ever undergone." Nova knocked out Baer again two years later at Madison Square Garden. |
| July 3, 1939 |
Lou Gehrig played a then-record 2, 130 consecutive games from 1925-39. But on Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day at Yankee Stadium, he confirmed what his fans had feared -- that he had confirmed what his fans had feared -- that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (now known as Lou Gehrig's disease): "Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth." The Hall of Fame first baseman died on June 2, 1941. |
| July 10, 1939 |
Yankee Stadium hosted the All-Star Game for the first time. AL manager Joe McCarthy started six of his own Yankee players, and his three AL pitchers -- Red Ruffing, Tommy Bridges and 20-year-old Bob Feller -- dominated the NL as the AL won 3-1. Joe DiMaggio hit a solo home run in the fifth inning. |
| May 27, 1946 |
Eleven years after the first night game was played in the major leagues, the first night game is played at Yankee Stadium. The Washington Senators defeated the Yankees 2-1. |
| November 6, 1946 |
In one of the greatest college football games of the century, No. 1 Army battled No. 2 Notre Dame, with the outcome expected to determine the national championship. Army featured tow Heisman Trophy winners -- Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis -- while Notre Dame had future Heisman winner Johnny Lujack. The game ended in a scoreless tie, as Notre Dame held Blanchard and Davis to a total of 79 yards. Although both teams finished with just the one tie, Notre Dame was voted the national champion by the Associated Press. |
| October 4, 1947 |
In Game 6 of the World Series, with the Dodgers leading 8-5 and two runners on base, Joe DiMaggio drove a ball to the 415-foot marker in left field, but Al Gionfriddo raced over, reached over the fence and caught the ball. DiMaggio, a player who never showed emotion, then kicked the dirt in disgust. |
| June 13, 1948 |
Babe Ruth made his final appearance at Yankee Stadium to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the ballpark. Ruth, who had developed throat cancer, received a huge ovation as he walked slowly to home plate, wearing his old No. 3 uniform. |
| June 25, 1948 |
Joe Louis defended his world heavyweight title for the last time, knocking out Jersey Joe Wolcott in the 11th round. It was Louis' 25th consecutive title defense without a defeat, spanning 11 years. He relinquished the title, but came back to fight for it two years later against Ezzard Charles, losing a 15-round decision. |
| August 17, 1948 |
Babe Ruth's body lay in repose for two days after his death at the age of 53, and more than 200,000 people came to Yankee Stadium and filed past his casket. |
| June 25, 1952 |
Sugar Ray Robinson challenge light heavyweight champion Joey Maxim, and was leading on the judges' scorecards. Yet at the end of the 13th round, he collapsed due to heat exhaustion in 104-degree heat, and he failed to answer the bell for the next round. It was the only knockout of his career. |
| October 3, 1955 |
In the sixth inning of Game 7 of the World Series, Brooklyn inserted Sandy Amoros into left field as a defensive replacement, and the move paid off. With two runners on and the Dodgers holding onto a 2-0 lead, Yogi Berra sent a drive toward the left-field corner. But Amoros mad a great catch, then threw back to the infield quickly as the Dodgers doubled off Gil McDougald at first base. The Dodgers then held on to win their one and only world championship in Brooklyn. |
| October 7, 1956 |
In Game 5 of the World Series, Don Larsen threw a perfect game, defeating the Dodgers 2-0. On his 97th pitch, he retired pinch-hitter Dale Mitchell on a called strikeout. No pitcher in major league history has thrown a no-hitter, let alone a perfect game, in postseason play other than Larsen. |
| December 30, 1956 |
The Giants defeated the Bears 47-7 in the NFL championship game. Because the field was icy, the Giants opted to wear sneakers instead of traditional cleats. Alex Webster ran for two touchdowns and Charley Conerly threw a pair of touchdown passes. |
| June 20, 1957 |
Approximately 100,000 people came to Yankee Stadium for evangelist Billy Graham's revival, which was then the largest crowd in stadium history. Among the 300 people sitting on the platform with Graham was then-Vice President Richard Nixon. |
| December 28, 1958 |
The Baltimore Colts beat the New York Giants 23-17 in the 1958 NFL championship game. Known as "the greatest game ever played," it was the first-ever NFL game to go into sudden-death overtime and it put football on the map as a professional sport. |
| November 20, 1960 |
Eagles linebacker Chuck Bednarik delivers one of the NFL's most ferocious hits on Frank Gifford. The hit knocked Gifford out, forcing him to miss the rest of the season and the next season. |
| September 30, 1961 |
Babe Ruth's single-season record of 60 home runs stood for 34 years until Roger Maris stepped to the plate on the final day of the regular season, when he hit home run No. 61 off Boston's Tracy Stallard. |
| October 4, 1965 |
In the first visit to North America by a Pope, Pope Paul VI celebrated mass before a crowd in excess of 80,000. |
| May 14, 1967 |
Mickey Mantle became the sixth player to hit 500 career home runs, hitting the milestone homer off Baltimore's Stu Miller. Mantle, whose career was nearing its end, finished with 536 home runs, which at the time was third on the all-time list. |
| June 21, 1969 |
The first concert was held at Yankee Stadium, an R&B show organized by the Isley Brothers. The concert was recorded and turned into an album called "Live at Yankee Stadium." |
| September 30, 1973 |
Yankee Stadium, which had been badly deteriorating, closed for two seasons as it underwent $160 million worth of renovations that included demolishing and rebuilding much of the stadium. Meanwhile, the Yankees played their home games at Shea Stadium. |
| April 10, 1976 |
When the new-look Yankee Stadium reopened, more than 54,000 fans came to see the Yankees beat the Twins 11-4. Among the many changes to the ballpark were the outfield dimensions, which were narrowed and no longer included the monuments in the field of play. |
| September 28, 1976 |
Fighting for the third time, Muhammed Ali defeated Ken Norton in a 15-round unamimous decision to retain his heavyweight crown. But the fight is considered one of the most highly disputed fight decisions in boxing history. |
| October 14, 1976 |
Chris Chambliss hits a walk-off home run in Game 5 of the ALCS, defeating the Kansas City Royals and sending the Yankees to the AL pennant. As he rounds the bases, Chambliss is mobbed by fans who overtook the field. |
| October 18, 1977 |
Reggie Jackson hits three home runs in three consecutive at-bats on three pitches against three different pitchers as the Yankees won Game 6 and the World Series. Jackson was named the Series MVP, finishing with an all-time World Series-record five homers. |
| August 3, 1979 |
In a pregame tribute to Thurman Munson, who died the day before in a plane crash, the Yankees' starters stood at their positions while leaving Munson's catcher position open. The fans, numbering more than 51,000, then gave a 10-minute standing ovation. |
| October 2, 1979 |
Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass at Yankee Stadium. There is a plaque at the stadium commemorating the event. It says the following: "In commemoration of the Mass for world justice and peace offered by his holiness Pope John Paul II." |
| July 4, 1983 |
Dave Righetti threw a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox, beating them 4-0. It was the first Yankee no-hitter since Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series and the first no-hitter by a Yankee left-hander since 1917. |
| July 24, 1983 |
After the Royals' George Brett homered off Goose Gossage to give Kansas City a 5-4 lead, Yankees manager Billy Martin asked that Brett's bat be examined for pine tar that exceeded the allowable amount. Umpire Tim McClelland ruled Brett out, and the home run nullified and the game over, infuriating Brett, who stormed the dugout and needed to be restrained. |
| July 21, 1990 |
Nelson Mandela speaks at a raly in Yankee Stadium following his release from prison. He puts on a Yankees hat and declares, "I am a Yankee." |
| September 4, 1993 |
Left-hander Jim Abbott, who was born without a right hand, threw a no-hitter against the Indians, defeating them 4-0. Abbott walked five batters and struck out three. Abbott pitched for four teams during a 10-year career. |
| May 14, 1996 |
Dwight Gooden's better days as a pitcher were behind him, but he still had enough left to throw a no-hitter against the Mariners as his dad lay in a Tampa hospital bed awaiting bypass surgery. He struck out five and walked six in the 135-pitch effort. |
| May 17, 1998 |
David Wells claims he was hung over going into this start against the Twins, but it wasn't a detriment to his performance -- a perfect game, the first for a Yankee since Don Larsen's in 1956. Wells and Larsen attended the same high school, Point Loma in San Diego. |
| July 18, 1999 |
Not to be outdone by teammate David Wells a year earlier, Yankees starter David Cone threw a perfect game against the Montreal Expos, the 16th all time and the first ever in regular-season interleague play. And who threw out the first pitch before the game? Don Larsen. |
| October 27, 1999 |
The Yankees defeat the Atlanta Braves 4-1 to complete a four-game sweep and win their third World Series title in four years. It could be the final time the Yankees clinch a World Series at the old stadium ... unless they win again in 2008. |
| September 23, 2001 |
Yankee Stadium hosted an interfaith memorial service for victims of the terrorist attacks in New York City on September 11. |
| June 11, 2003 |
Six Houston Astro pitchers (Roy Oswalt, Pete Munro, Kirk Saarloos, Brad Lidge, Octavio Dotel, and Billy Wagner) combine to no-hit the Yankees in an 8-0 win. |
| July 13, 2003 |
Roger Clemens reached two milestones in the same game. He became the 21st pitcher in major league history to enter the 300-win club, and he became the third pitcher ever to record 4,000 strikeouts in a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. He's the only Yankee to reach 300 wins at Yankee Stadium. |
| October 16, 2003 |
On the first pitch from Tim Wakefield in the bottom of the 11th, Aaron Boone hits a walk-off home run to left field, defeating the Boston Red Sox in Game 7 of the ALCS and sending the Yankees to the World Series for the fourth time in six years. |
| March 10, 2006 |
Ed Lucas, a blind sports reporter, and Allison Pfeifle get married at home plate in the only wedding ever held at Yankee Stadium. |
| August 4, 2007 |
After waiting eight days and 28 at-bats, Alex Rodriguez hit the 500th home run of his career off Kansas City Royals pitcher Kyle Davies and became the youngest player in history (32) to reach the 500 mark. |
