Loran Smith: Yankee Stadium Memories

Loran SmithThe original Yankee Stadium, “the House that Ruth built,” was constructed one hundred years for the opening of the 1923 season. The Yankees had been playing their games at the Polo Grounds, home of the New York Giants.

Initially, the two teams were compatible with the arrangement, but the Yankees’ popularity with New Yorkers got under the skin of Giant manager John McGraw who told owner Horace Stoneham that the Yankees had to go. McGraw’s ire peaked in 1920 when the Yankees attracted 1,289,422 fans, which was 350,000 more fans than the Giants drew.

That was Ruth’s first season in Yankee pinstripes. He hit 54 home runs and became wildly popular. It was a great time for ownership…