Yankee Stadium Opening Day April 15 1976

Yankee Stadium Opening Day April 15 1976

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Yankee
• Stadium
• Opening
• Day
• April
• 15
• 1976

[iceman112677]

@nycgrneys They led the league with just over 2 million. It was a different game and a different time,3 million people a year was unheard of. The Red Sox being so far out of the race at that point was probably the reason for the low number that series. But you're right though if it wasn't a promotion or big game that affected the pennant race,people just didn't come out. The next years opening day wasn't even close to a sellout neither was a May series with Boston.

[nycgrneys]

In researching this I was surprised to find that,despite the "new' Stadium and the Yanks heading to their 1st pennant in 12 years,they were struggling to get 20,000 people a game.Even two September games with Bosox couldn't draw a COMBINED 50,000.Amazingly, it was the lowly Tigers who drew 52,000 for a Sunday doubleheader, and that was because of the Mark Fidrych phenomena.

[nycgrneys]

I believe this was Friday Sept 10, 1976.Scoreboard shows Brewer leadoff hitter #28 Von Joshua.He was aquired from SF on June 2nd.I adjusted his stats and he would have been batting .271 coming into game.Weather records report NYC got 1.25 inches of rain that day, explaining the tarp on the field and the dreary conditions.Crowd of 16,607 would see Catfish Hunter pitch a complete game and the Yanks win 6-4.

[dzanier]

I'm a fairly fanatic Yankee historian. The starting pitcher on April 15th of 1976 was Rudy May, but he didn't get the win. Dick Tidrow got the win in relief and Sparky Lyle got the save. Dave Goltz started for the Twins. Were you at the first game at the renovated Yankee Stadium?

[louthebody]

@dzanier I thought it looked odd. I remember opening day and the uniforms didn't look like Twins uniforms. Dan Ford hit the first homrun in the new remodeled stadium, but the Yankees won the game 11-4. I know you know this already, but I just wanted throw my two cents in. :) Anyway you're correct the Yankees played the Twins that day. Thurman Munson was the first Yankee to hit a homerun in the re-modeled stadium, and Fred Stanley was the last Yankee to hit a homrun in the original stadium. 

[t21229513]

Thank you for posting this. this is great stuff and a real treat. Looks early in the year plus I see Fran Healy in there so he was acquired on May 16. I'd say thie was either Monday the 24 or Tuesday the 25 of May, 1976. What a treat I was about 10 days old!

[dzanier]

Ah, I noticed something. It's 1976 but it's not opening day. The Yanks played the Twins at home on opening day in 76. These are the Brewers. They opened up in Milwaukee in 76. Maybe that's where you got confused.

[dzanier]

Thanks for posting this.  I guess you were at the game maybe.