Monday, July 13, 2009

Here & There Column 7-14-09


Sullivan County youth enjoying their first visit to the new Yankee Stadium include, from the left, Ashley Exner, Rodney Taylor Jester and Andrew Exner.

Enjoying The $1.5 Billion Yankee Stadium

"Take me out to the ballgame, take me out to the crowd, buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks" ...........goes the favorite summertime baseball tune and it all came true to reality recently when Sullivan County youth Andrew Exner, Rodney Taylor Jester and Ashley Exner got their first look at the new Bronx home for the New York Yankees (Yankee Stadium).
All three are ardent Yankee fans and the look on their faces as they stepped into this new $1.5 billion ballpark on East 161st Street & River Avenue was a look any parent or grandparent will remember the rest of our lives.
The new Yankee Stadium is beautiful and replaces the previous stadium that was built in 1923 and became world famous as "The House That Ruth Built." It was easy to see that much of the new stadium incorporates design elements from the previous Yankee Stadium which still stands across the street.
The total cost of the new Yankee Stadium makes is the second most expensive stadium in the world and these youth and their accompanying parents and grand parents enjoyed the new ballpark but unfortunately for Yankee fans C.C. Sabathia got hit around pretty hard that night and Seattle beat the Yankees 8-4.
Writing in our first paragraph about peanuts and cracker jacks the vendors continuously walked up and down the isles hawking their goods which were listed as $5 for a hot dog, $9 for a beer, $5 for soda, $6 for cracker jacks, $4.50 for cotton candy and $5 for peanuts......gotta pay for these new digs anyway you can. The least expensive seat in the house goes for about $22 in the bleachers. Parking across the street is $19.
The three youth enjoying their first trip to the new stadium are all Tri-Valley Central School students, Andrew, 14, and Rodney 14, will be entering ninth grade this fall and have both played soccer, Little League baseball, modified football, basketball and baseball. Ashley, 13, will be entering eighth grade and she has played modified soccer, basketball and softball.
Accompanying the youth were parents Paul and Leah Exner and grandparents Ed and Shirley Townsend.
A little reminder here .....if you intend to take in a ball game .....and want to take anything into the stadium with you,,,,,,make sure its in an open bag as no bags with zippers on them are allowed through the gates.
Our so-called poor economy and major league baseball just don't mix as the stadium was close to being filled and folks were buying food and drink with no questions asked.



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