On September 1, 1906, one of the most iconic venues in sports history opened its doors for the first time - the original Yankee Stadium in New York City. Built at a cost of $2.5 million (equivalent to about $75 million today), the stadium was a marvel of its time and became known as "The House That Ruth Built," in reference to the legendary Yankees slugger Babe Ruth.
The inaugural game at Yankee Stadium saw the home team defeat the Boston Red Sox 4-1 in front of a crowd of 30,000 spectators. The stadium quickly became a symbol of the Yankees' dominance in baseball, as the team went on to win 26 World Series championships and 40 American League pennants while calling it home.
Over the years, Yankee Stadium played host to numerous historic moments in sports. It was the site of Lou Gehrig's famous "Luckiest Man" speech in 1939, when he announced his retirement due to ALS. The stadium also witnessed Roger Maris breaking Babe Ruth's single-season home run record in 1961, hitting his 61st homer on the final day of the season.
Beyond baseball, Yankee Stadium also hosted various other sporting events, including boxing matches, football games, and even a 1958 NHL game between the New York Rangers and the Boston Bruins.
The original Yankee Stadium closed its doors in 2008, with the team moving to a new, state-of-the-art facility just across the street. Despite its demolition in 2010, the legacy of the original "House That Ruth Built" lives on as one of the most iconic and historically significant venues in the history of sports, and its opening on September 1, 1906, remains a landmark date in the annals of American sports history.
