From the small wooden park in Baltimore to the massive stadium that now resides in the Bronx, the Yankees' home fields have evolved significantly during the franchise's existence.
Oriole Park
At the turn of the 20th century, as the young American League was taking shape, plans were made to include a franchise in New York City. The owner of the New York Giants denied the league a New York team and the franchise instead was created in Baltimore. Named the Orioles, they played at Oriole Park for the 1901 and 1902 seasons.
Hilltop Park
After some controversy the American League was free to establish the franchise in New York. The team was named the Highlanders and in 1903 they began playing at the newly constructed American League Park. Due to the geographic location of the park itself it became commonly known as Hilltop Park. Located in what is now Washington Heights, Manhattan, the stadium had a seating capacity of 16,000, though a standing room crowd could almost double that figure. When it was first built the park's field dimensions were enormous (365 feet to left field, 542 to center, 400 to right). A fence was soon built to reduce the size of the outfield.
The Polo Grounds
The Highlanders' lease on Hilltop Park expired following the 1912 season, and from 1913 to 1922 the team shared the Polo Grounds with the Giants. With the team playing at the foot of Coogan's Bluff rather than atop a hill, the Highlanders' moniker no longer fit. They were immediately renamed the Yankees. Noted for its horseshoe shape, the Polo Grounds featured a deep outfield which, during the Yankees' tenure, peaked at 460 feet. Able to hold about 40,000 by the 1920s, the Polo Grounds had a far higher seating capacity than any stadium the Yankees had played in before. However, with the acquisition and popularity of Babe Ruth, the AL team was outselling their NL counterparts in their own stadium. It was time to move on.
Yankee Stadium
The team did not have to move far as Yankee Stadium was built in the Bronx immediately across the Harlem River from the Polo Grounds. Opened in 1923, it could seat 58,000 ticket holders. Ruth and the Yankees defeated the Giants in the 1923 World Series and continued to outdraw their nearby rivals. During the next two decades Yankee Stadium would undergo more renovations, replacing wood bleachers with concrete and shortening the outfield. But by the 1960s the stadium had fallen into disrepair. In 1972 George Steinbrenner purchased the club and the city purchased the stadium. A deal had been struck to renovate Yankee Stadium, and once again the Yankees needed a temporary home.
Shea Stadium
As New York City owned both Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium, the Mets had little say in the matter regarding the Yankees two-year stay in Queens. During the 1974 and 1975 seasons, while Yankee Stadium was getting a face-lift, the Yankees played all of their home games at Shea.
Yankee Stadium (Post-Renovations)
In 1976 the Yankees returned to find, among other things, the stadium's exterior significantly modified, new luxury box seats added, total seating capacity reduced, the roof altered, and the field dimensions shorter. They would grow accustomed to their new surroundings and go on to make ten more World Series appearances.
Yankee Stadium (2009)
Located across the street from the old stadium, the new Yankee Stadium was completed in time for the home opener in 2009. Though ticket prices are higher and seats are fewer, the new stadium features many modern amenities and luxuries lacking in the previous stadium. The field dimensions have been retained, and the exterior pays homage to the original 1923 design. The New York Yankees will call this place home for many years to come.
Sources
Ballparks, Baseball Stadiums, & Fields of Dreams
Ballparks by Munsey and Suppes
Mickey Scott - I spent most of my life in the American Mid-West, though I now reside in Southern Ontario. I graduated from Central Missouri State ...
