Yankee Stadium Museum

On Saturday night, I had the opportunity to attend the Yankees game. It was actually a make-up game from a rain out on April 12. I usually arrive a few minutes before game-time, but for some reason my girlfriend and I were running very early. We decided to go to the museum in Yankee Stadium to kill some time. I have been to the new Stadium probably 50 times or so, and I have never ventured in. The line is either too long or there isn't enough time.

Immediately I noticed that the outside of the museum was decorated in in floor to ceiling with four blown up larger than life Topps cards. The 1985 Winfield really caught my eye. I'm sorry I didn't think to snap a photo of them and Google search left me empty-handed.

Once inside, you take a right and there is a jersey and bat exhibit. It's amazing - has a minor Cooperstown feel to it - just on a much smaller scale. The old bats were really more like giant wooden clubs. I guess that's what a bat is after all. There were jerseys of not only past Yankee greats, but New York greats as well. In one section, the Big Three centerfielders - Mantle, Snider, and Mays - were all featured together. There were jerseys as recent as the 2000 Subway Series of Jeter, O'Neill and Piazza. There were a ton of old baseball cards weaved in throughout, and I was I had the foresight to snap a few more photos. It's funny because there is a 1964 Mantle, and a 2000 Pacific Omega Jeter. They don't quite go hand in hand, do they? I did make sure to take a picture of the Babe's jersey:

After this display, there is a really cool Latino section. A lof of jerseys, cards and signed hats from players such a Luis Aparacio and Tony Perez. With the large Latino population that undoubtedly comes to each Yankee game, I'm glad this section was included. You then cross by a statue of Yogi, and into the championship trophy section. It never gets old seeing those. Opposite the trophies are more signed baseballs than you could ever imagine. The worst part is that there is no rhyme or reason to the way they are displayed. Henry Cotto and Esteban Loaiza were next to guys like Elston Howard and Don Larsen. Sort of random, but fun to look through.

At the end of the trophies are a display of George Steinbrenner's life through memorabilia. A bit self-serving, but he built the place so he's allowed a corner. I took a picture of his ring collection...and it's not all Yankee rings. The ring on the bottom far right is from the 1967 Rose Bowl when he was a part of Purdue's coaching staff. The two rings to the left of that are from the 1994 and 1996 Olympics.

Finally, the last thing you see on the way out is one of the most haunting things in there. Thurman Munson's empty locker, moved across the street from the old stadium. Many people were getting their photos taken in front of it. There is actually a glass window so you can't step in.

I could have spent hours in the museum if it weren't so crowded and if the game wasn't about to start. The Yanks went out and scored 12 runs in the first inning, so I guess I probably should have gone back to the museum after that. Oh well.