26 Retired Numbers at Yankee Stadium

Lore & Background

The history of the original Monument Park can be traced to the original Yankee Stadium in 1932, when the team posthumously dedicated an on-field monument to manager Miller Huggins in center field. Additional team members were honored with monuments and plaques in the area over the years. During the stadium's renovation in the mid-1970s, the center field fence was moved in 44 ft, enclosing prior monuments, plaques, and the flag pole outside the field of play. Over time, additional plaques were added; in 1985, the park was opened for public access. When the Yankees moved to their new ballpark in 2009, Monument Park was built beyond the center-field fences and the contents of the old one transported over.

Reader's Guide

Thirty-seven members of the Yankee organization have been honored in Monument Park, while 22 have had their uniform numbers retired. An additional honor, a monument mounted on a large red granite block, has only been awarded to six Yankees: manager Miller Huggins, players Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, and Joe DiMaggio, and owner George Steinbrenner. The Yankees honored Rivera by retiring his uniform number on September 22, 2013, during his final season, making him the first active player to be enshrined in Monument Park.

Did You Know?

• During the 1974–1975 renovation, the monuments and flag pole were moved to an enclosed area beyond left-center field, which became known as Monument Park.
• The new Monument Park in the 2009 stadium is built of pearl blue granite from Finland and is not readily visible from the field.
• The Yankees dedicated a monument to the victims and rescue workers of the September 11 attacks on September 11, 2002.