Circling the warning track like a small-town parade, baseball fans clamored for one final chance to take in the sights and sounds of Yankee Stadium.
As many as seven hours before the first pitch of Sunday’s final game at the baseball mecca at East 161st and River Ave., fans descended upon the field with hopes of making a visit to Monument Park — the shrine beyond the left-center field fence that displays the plaques of the legends who made the stadium the most famous in the world.
But the epic marquee outside the home plate entrance said it all: “Thanks for the memories.”
Included in those memories will be the lineup card and the box score from Sunday night.
Manager Dave Trembley, a native of Carthage, N.Y., didn’t have to put much thought into the starting lineup.
It was a simple plan: make sure the veterans played.
Outfielder Jay Payton, started in left, shortstop Ramon Castro was at short, and Yankee-killer Kevin Millar was at first.
“It was an easy decision for me to write the lineup today,” Trembley said. “I think the guys who put their time in and played at this level have earned the opportunity to start this last game here.”
Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis, who grew up in Glen Cove, N.Y., about 30 miles east of Yankee Stadium, started in right field.
“My uncle took me when I was younger. I saw the Twins play here a long time ago,” he said. “This is all kind of new to me. I’m just going to go out there and have fun.”
The Orioles’ youngest player — center fielder Adam Jones — was just excited to be part of a night that will never be forgotten by the more than 56,000 who attended last night’s game.
“It’s awesome, man,” Jones, 23, said. “Especially being a baseball fan like I am, you have an astounding amount of respect for what has happened here, the guys who have played here. I can always tell my kids, my grandkids, my nephew, that I played in the same exact outfield as Mantle, DiMaggio, Reggie Jackson, Johnny Damon, even Bernie Williams. That’s something I’ll always have with me.”
Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter compared the atmosphere at Yankee Stadium to another famous place of entertainment in New York City.
“I said the other day that performing at Yankee Stadium is like performing on Broadway,” Jeter said. “It’s like performing on stage, it seems like the lights are a little bit brighter here. You just don’t realize how special this place is.”
But the players weren’t the only ones in awe. Spike Lee, a devoted Yankee fan and award-winning movie director, wandered outside of the ballpark as he reflected on his favorite memories.
His favorite? Aaron Boone’s dramatic, pennant-clinching walk-off home run against the rival Red Sox in the 2004 American League Championship.
“That was a religious experience,” Lee said. “That was insane.”
Still, Lee was not happy the Yankees — winners of 26 World Series titles — are closing “The House That Ruth Built” with a meaningless regular season game between two underachieving teams.
“It’s a little said,” Lee said. “I think something special is going to happen tonight. I don’t’ know what it is, but I’m glad I’m here.”
Barring a miracle — the Yankees winning the rest of their games and the Red Sox going winless the rest of the way — the Yankees will miss the playoffs for the first time since 14 years.
“This should be 14 in a row,” Lee said. “Unless there’s another miracle in Yankee Stadium. But it would take one of the all-time miracles for that to happen.”
UP NEXT ORIOLES VS. RAYS
- When: Tonight, 7:05
- Where: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
- TV: MASN
- Radio: 105.7 FM
STARTING PITCHERS
ORIOLES RAYS
Brian Bass Matt Garza
3-4 W-L 11-9
5.15 ERA 3.66
78.2 Innings 179.2
27 Walks 57
36 Strikeouts 125
