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 feet (13 m), 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.

In Their Own Story

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the pristine green of center field as the groundskeepers finished their final raking. A young rookie stood near the warning track, his gaze fixed upward at the concrete facade. There they were: the bold numerals carved in stone, glowing faintly against the twilight sky. He traced the number 4 with his eyes, thinking of Gehrig's stoic grace, then drifted to the 2, remembering Jeter's laser throws from shortstop. The stadium was empty, save for the echo of a distant bat crack and the rustle of flags in the wind. In that silence, he felt the weight of twenty-six generations pressing down on his shoulders, not as a burden, but as a torch waiting to be carried forward.

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 park is open to spectators prior to each game and closes 45 minutes before first pitch.

Did You Know?

• The first monument was dedicated to manager Miller Huggins on May 30, 1932.
• Monument Park was originally inaccessible to fans until 1985.
• The Yankees retired No. 8 for Yogi Berra and Bill Dickey on July 22, 1972.
• Mariano Rivera was the first active player to be enshrined in Monument Park, on September 22, 2013.