August 7, 2009: Mystique & Aura’s First Dance At New Yankee Stadium?
Via Mike Vaccaro -
So much of Yankee Stadium II’s first four months had been devoted to all that was missing: the charm, the history, the intimacy of a loud crowd on a summer night.
And the Yankees won 2-0, won what obviously was the greatest game in the brief history of the new ballpark, won a second straight game over the Red Sox, extended their lead to 4½ games, and gave everyone a stern reminder that they are the alpha dogs of the AL East now.
All the talk of baseball’s best team has bounced around baseball the past few months, from Los Angeles to Philadelphia to Boston.
Look homeward now. Look to The Bronx. Look to the familiar old neighborhood. And cross the street. Yankee Stadium II made its bones last night, proved it can be a fair acoustic heir, and maybe approach the experience the old joint used to specialize in: feeling like you had a stake in things. Feeling like everyone on the field could hear you. Feeling like a 10th man.
And being one. The games that came before didn’t have any of that. This one did. This one lasted until close to 1 in the morning, but when it ended everyone was ready. Everyone was prepared. The best game in the new ballpark, and they screamed as the ball soared, and it sounded sweeter even than Sinatra.
It’s an interesting question: Was New York’s game against Boston on August 7th the cherry-popper for the new Yankee Stadium? What do you think?
When A-Rod homered, I have to say, that was the best single moment in a game that I’ve ever attended. IMO Better then when Doc got the no hitter (pretty much the only other great moment I’ve seen live, as most of the games I attend are clunkers). Everyone in the stadium seemed on edge throughout the extras, knowing that if the red sox ended up winning that this would be a most devastating blow. The relief from that was poured into the celebration during the ball’s flightpath, making it all the more exciting and powerful. And there was nothing more fun, IMO, then trying to get a high five out of the red sox fans sitting around me after that blast.
What, those 9 walk-off wins prior to Friday night weren’t good enough for you?!!