Old Yankee Stadium

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The stadium was built from 1922 to 1923 for $2.4 million (equivalent to $45.4 million in 2025). Its construction was paid for entirely by Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert, who was eager to have his own stadium after sharing the Polo Grounds with the New York Giants baseball team the previous ten years. Yankee Stadium opened for the 1923 season and was hailed at the time as a unique facility in the country. Over the course of its history, it became one of the most famous venues in the United States, hosting a variety of events and historic moments during its existence. Many of these moments were baseball-related, including World Series games, no-hitters, perfect games, and historic home runs, but the stadium also hosted boxing matches, the 1958 NFL Championship Game, college football, concerts, and three Papal Masses. Its condition deteriorated in the 1960s and 1970s, prompting its closure for renovation from October 1973 to April 1976. The renovation significantly altered the appearance of the venue and reduced the distance of the outfield fences.

In Their Own Story

The stadium was also the home of the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL) from October 21, 1956 through September 23, 1973. Over the course of its history, it hosted a variety of events including World Series games, no-hitters, perfect games, and historic home runs, but the stadium also hosted boxing matches, the 1958 NFL Championship Game, college football, concerts, and three Papal Masses. Its condition deteriorated in the 1960s and 1970s, prompting its closure for renovation from October 1973 through 1975. The renovation significantly altered the appearance of the venue and reduced the distance of the outfield fences. In 2006, the Yankees began construction on a new $2.3 billion stadium in public parkland adjacent to the existing stadium, which included $1.2 billion in public subsidies. The design included a replica of the frieze along the roof that had been part of the original Yankee Stadium. Monument Park, a Hall of Fame for prominent former Yankees, was relocated to the new stadium. Yankee Stadium closed following the 2008 season and the new stadium opened in 2009, adopting the "Yankee Stadium" moniker. The original Yankee Stadium was demolished in 2010, two years after it closed, and the 8-acre (3.2 ha) site was converted into a public park called Heritage Field.

Reader's Guide

In 2006, the Yankees began construction on a new $2.3 billion stadium in public parkland adjacent to the existing stadium, which included $1.2 billion in public subsidies. The design included a replica of the frieze along the roof that had been part of the original Yankee Stadium. Monument Park, a Hall of Fame for prominent former Yankees, was relocated to the new stadium. Yankee Stadium closed following the 2008 season and the new stadium opened in 2009, adopting the "Yankee Stadium" moniker. The original Yankee Stadium was demolished in 2010, two years after it closed, and the 8-acre (3.2 ha) site was converted into a public park called Heritage Field.

Did You Know?

• The claim that the stadium's walls were built of concrete developed and supplied by Thomas Edison is a widely repeated myth and is factually unsubstantiated.
• The stadium hosted three Papal Masses during its history.