The Corner of 161st Street and River Avenue

I am sure many of you are asking “What sits at the corner of 161st Street and River Avenue?”

Yankee Stadium of course.

I hit 3 Yankees/Blue Jays games during my visit to NYC. Of course only the final game had the result I would have wanted (we won) but I got to see some great baseball. The first game was a great pitching match up between Doc Halladay and Andy Pettitte. I got to see Roger Clemens pitch in the second game (and the guy is like 100 years old and I am sure will retire at some point in time but is a guaranteed hall of famer and now I can say I saw him pitch). Game 3 was a come from behind win for the Jays so all was well.
This was the view from my seats in the second game (that's Frank Thomas at bat). Very good seats for not a lot money.....but $8 beers make up the difference.

This is the view from the very top level of Yankee Stadium. I was very lucky that my seats were not here because I got vertigo just taking this picture. It really is a long way down and the stairs are very steep.

Now what can I tell you about Yankee Stadium. Well it certainly does not have the feel that Fenway Park has although there is just as much history and the fans are just as passionate. There is a lot more security at Yankee Stadium. A guy sitting a few rows away from me had a broom with him and had the whole section chanting “sweep” and that got him promptly kicked out. His friend also got kicked out because he wanted to know why the first guy was getting kicked out. I thought it was funny that they let the guy into the stadium with the broom but kicked him out when he got the crowd to cheer (I’m pretty sure that would never happen in Boston).

Here is me before the first game I attended (showing off my Canadian pride). Yes my eyes are closed in the picture but I was a little tired from all the shopping I did earlier that day. (Spending money makes me tired).

It also made me a little mad that they don’t let you down close to the field during batting practice. The whole lower seating area is all chained off with security guards at every entrance so the only way you can get down there is if you have tickets or know a player. No other stadium I have been to (and I have been to 5 now so I have something to compare it to) does that. It certainly makes it less friendly than other places. Of course in 2 years the new Yankee Stadium will be built (across the street) so maybe they will add some of the friendliness back to it. Although it is New York and it is the Yankees so maybe not.

Yes I was brave and went to the last game of the series (after we had lost the first 3) wearing my Blue Jays jersey. But I had a good feeling and figured we would win that day (and we did). I have to admitt that I have never been hit on by so many guys with Bronx accents before. Apparently I'm cute but cheer for the wrong team. Like I could ever date a Yankees' fan.

Julie