November 6, 1998

Yankee City: Revisited

Now that the Yankees have captured another World Series title, Yankee Stadium is probably the single most famous sports arena in the United States, if not the world. If the Stadium cannot be renovated for continuing use by the world’s greatest baseball team at least let it remain standing as the national treasure that it is. Yankee Stadium preserves our memories of history’s greatest baseball heroes. Step inside the arena, and once again you can hear ball cracking against bat as Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, or Joe DiMaggio belts it high into the stands for another glorious home run. Then this past season the opposing team’s bats were silent as David Wells pitched a perfect game. Yankee Stadium is a landmark, which becomes more historically important almost every day. The "Bronx Bombers" and Yankee Stadium together are the capitol of baseball worldwide, and an unparalleled source of pride and spirit for our city. Yankee Stadium must stay in the Bronx. Clearly, the "Bronx Bombers" need their facility rebuilt, but not in an alternative location like Manhattan or New Jersey. Build a "Yankee City" in the Bronx where Yankee stadium is now. This kind of development would provide many job and recreational opportunities for the city. "Yankee City" could include a little league stadium, public playing fields, a New York Yankee museum, and perhaps a Yankee baseball camp. It could also feature a shopping area that would offer some sports theme restaurants and sporting goods stores, and a movie theater that would show films of famous Yankee games as well as other full-length sports films. Two additional attractions could be a World Series theme hotel and a college-level educational facility–created through an affiliation with a major local university--to train people in the fields of sports and recreation management. The hotel could attract tourists and sports conventions. Baseball was once our best-loved national pastime. Today, Yankee Stadium needs rebuilding to bring back the romance and mystique of its legendary dynasty of athletes. "Yankee City" would revive the wonder of baseball, and make New York City once again the vital center of America’s most cherished game. The "Bronx Bombers" have to remain in the Bronx. It is their "field of dreams".   James C. Benerofe Editorial #13 November 6, 1998