Yankee Stadium Memories

Yankee Stadium is closing and everyone from the famous to the infamous has a story about their experience at the House That Ruth Built. Sadly, I only went to a Yankee game at the stadium once, but it was a great experience.

It was May 14, 1996. My fiancée’ (now my wife) and I went to an early season game with her cousin to Yankee Stadium. The Seattle Mariners were in town and I was excited about seeing Ken Griffey, Jr. and Alex Rodriquez play. Dwight Gooden was starting for the Yankees and though his dominant days on the mound were behind him thanks to his addiction to drugs, it was a nice side bar for me to at least see Doc Gooden bring it to at the time was a potent offensive line up for the Mariners. One that featured Griffey, A-Rod, Jay Buhner and Edgar Martinez.

The game moved on rather unspectacularly as it turned into a pitching duel between Gooden and Seattle starter Sterling Hitchcock until the 6th inning, when the Yankees erupted for 2 runs and and Hitchcock’s night was done.

It was about that time when that half of the 6th was over that I suddenly realized that Gooden had not allowed a hit. My soon to be wife leaned over and said that this game is boring, no body is hitting.

“Boring game!!!” I thought. I’m sitting at Yankee Stadium and I might witness a no hitter. I’m on the edge of my seat.

As it turned out, the clock for Doc Gooden turned back to 1986 as he stymied the Mariners potent offensive line-up. As the drama built the atmosphere at Yankee Stadium was electric. By the time the top of the 9th came, the stadium was rocking and when the final out was recorded, the place went wild. My Yankees cap that I wore to the game became soaked after took a beer shower from fans sitting above me. I never could get the stale beer odor out.

My first and as it turned out, my only trip to see a game at Yankee Stadium I witness Doc Gooden’s no hitter. My soon to be wife and her cousin couldn’t understand why I was so giddy over this. It was big thrill for me and one I will never forget.

I hadn’t come down from that thrill 4 days later when something else very special happened. That’s when I married the love of my life. My wife said tongue and cheek “so much for the wedding being the highlight of your week.”

Marrying my wife is one of the biggest moments of my life but that night at Yankee Stadium was special. How many people can say they saw a no hitter the first time they saw a game at Yankee Stadium.

Photo Courtesy: New York Daily News, St. Petersburg Times