Steinbrenner – Home Opener 1

Opening day at Yankee Stadium has been a tradition for my friend and I since High School days, April 9, 1973 was not different.

However this opening day would be special, with a group of investors led by George Steinbrenner they bought the Yankees

The Boss 1973

from CBS for 10 million on January 3, 1973, a new era has begun.

We surly didn’t know what to expect from George at this time. He started by putting in the lineup the first American League designated hitter, Ron Blomberg on opening day at Fenway Park on April 6, 1973 and this would be the day that Yankee Stadium would see it’s first DH .

This also would be the last year for the “old” Yankee Stadium before the renovation and the Yankees temporary stand a Shea Stadium. My mother had a rule about cutting school, as long as we told her before the school called up to see where we were it was ok.

She would have words with us later but if the school called up and she didn’t know where we were, she would tell our dad. He would then have words with us, which was no fun. These were days when kids could still feel safe traveling in together on the subway and buses and they were no Play Dates. The Yankees lost their home opener, 3-1, to the Cleveland Indians and season they when only 80 – 82, the rest is now in the history books. George did keep his promise to bring back the pride to the Yankees.

UB98XESZKFJ7