Tour of Yankee Stadium

                   On September 18, 2009, thirty Honors students experienced the phenomena of Yankee stadium from a “behind-the-dugout” tour.  The stadium, in its highly anticipated inaugural season, has drawn media frenzy and fans from across the country.  The tour allowed students to see the inner workings of the stadium and the priceless memorabilia housed there. 
                 “First up” was the museum which is always a stop for fans before a ball game and we were lucky enough to have the physical proof of the Yankees’ legacy all to ourselves.  The renowned Monument Park has been a fan favorite for years and has been even further polished in the new stadium.  Twenty plaques pay tribute to the careers and legacies of major Yankees icons like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and Yogi Berra.  The Park even has a statue in memory of the victims of September 11, 2001 and three commemorative plaques that acknowledge the visits of three popes.  Also in the park are the retired jerseys of famous Yankee players and even Jackie Robinson’s number 42. 
                 A student favorite of the tour was the dugout. We were escorted into the place where “greatness sits” and got the opportunity to view the field from the players’ eyes. Exiting the tunnel in the dugout led us to our next stop, the Yankee batting cages, an indoor practice area for players before and during a game.  “Being inside the Clubhouse was definitely a memorable experience,” said Marissa Olivier, an Honors sophomore and an avid Yankee fan noting that, “seeing their lockers and fan mail really made the stadium come alive for me.”  At the conclusion of our tour, we were given Yankee key chains, courtesy of Zales Jewelry Company. We returned to the Pleasantville campus with many pictures and memories of a day from inside the dug out.