Memories of Yankee Stadium [Hardcover]

Scott Pitoniak (Author), Joe Torre (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 25, 2008

In the 84 years since Babe Ruth christened it with a home run, Yankee Stadium has become the most famous sports venue in America, hosting the world-championship Yankees, football's New York Giants, papal visits, concerts, and more.

Sadly, the historic stadium will close following the 2008 baseball season. But it will never be forgotten.

In Memories of Yankee Stadium, award-winning columnist and best-selling author Scott Pitoniak provides fans with hundreds of anecdotes about the iconic ballpark through the eyes of both those who performed there and those who were spectators. The book includes an impressive mix of well-known people, including Mickey Mantle, Bob Costas, Billy Crystal, and Keith Olbermann. But the voices of the unfamous are also present in this oral history. Fans, announcers, organists, 9/11 survivors, and others talk about their favorite memories of the ballpark and what impact it has had on their lives.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"I still feel the same way I did when I was a little boy. The joy it gave me when I was playing with my friends, pretending to be a Yankee, or pretending with my brother that we were broadcasting the games. Every time I'm [there], I think of my father. I think of the way he got us to love it without saying, `love this.'"

--Billy Crystal reflecting on what Yankee Stadium means to him "There's a sign hanging in the runway leading from our clubhouse to the dugout. It's a quote from Joe DiMaggio thanking the Lord for making him a Yankee. I look at that sign every home game I head out to the field. I feel the same way."

--Derek Jeter on one of the special aspects of playing at Yankee Stadium

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Triumph Books (March 25, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600780563
• ISBN-13: 978-1600780561
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 5.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,046,805 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

ABOUT SCOTT PITONIAK

Since the time he was knee-high to a Louisville Slugger, Scott dreamed of succeeding Mickey Mantle in center field at Yankee Stadium. His inability to hit the fastball, the curve ball, the knuckle ball, the beach ball - you name it - put an end to those grand plans, so the Rome, N.Y. native opted instead to play write, as in W-R-I-T-E, field for various newspapers, magazines, books and web sites the past three-and-half decades.

After graduating magna cum laude from Syracuse University in 1977, Scott eschewed grad and law school to begin work at several small dailies. He joined the Democrat and Chronicle in 1985 and spent five years covering the Buffalo Bills before being promoted to sports columnist - a position he held until being downsized in December 2008.

Along the way, he has covered five Olympics - including last Summer's Beijing Games - eight Super Bowls, five World Series, the NBA All-Star Game and four major golf tournaments, as well as scores of Rochester Red Wings, Buffalo Bills, high school and SU games.

The most decorated sportswriter in Rochester newspaper history, Scott has received more than 100 national and regional journalism honors. His work, which often deals with the human side of sports, has been cited in the Best American Sportswriting anthology. Scott was inducted into the Frontier Field Walk of Fame in 1999 and SU's Newhouse School of Public Communications Hall of Fame in 2000. He is scheduled to be inducted into the Rome (N.Y.) Sports Hall of Fame this summer. He also was selected as a torchbearer for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.

Scott is passionate about giving back to his community. Through the years, he has mentored hundreds of students, taught journalism at the college level and been heavily involved in charities and community service organizations. He currently is president of the Rochester Press-Radio Club, which has donated more than $2 million to local charities.

His varied interests include everything from playing 19th Century Base Ball at the Genesee Country Village and Museum to making a fool of himself as an aspiring thespian at GeVa's annual curtain call fundraiser.

His most cherished moments are spent with his wife - the former Beth Adams - his children, Amy and Christopher, and their energetic family cat, Sassy.

Somehow, he also has found time to author 10 books. His most recent title, "Memories of Yankee Stadium,'' is a multi-voiced tribute to America's most historic ballpark, which will fall victim to the wrecker's ball later this year.

Scott currently writes a regular column for his website - www.ScottPitoniak.com - and is working on several magazine freelance projects and three more books.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars WOW, May 9, 2008

By 

Carol A. Costello "Carol" (Chicopee, MA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Memories of Yankee Stadium (Hardcover)

Joe Torre wrote the forward and speaks about being at Yankee Stadium when Don Larsen pitched a perfect game against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1956. I was just 10 years old then and I also saw that game. Like Joe Torre I also saw David Wells and David Cone pitch perfect games. I saw Roger Marris hit number 61 and many great plays and victory celebrations. In this book, baseball players and athletes in other sports, fans, media folk share their memories. Their stories stir up memories and make me thankful to all the players on Yankee teams who work so had to be the best and who bring such joy to their fans and add to that positive energy that resides in the stadium.

5.0 out of 5 stars About covers it all., November 12, 2008

By 

Ball fan (BC Canada) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Memories of Yankee Stadium (Hardcover)

About covers it all. And this is the book that says it all. Best book to remember the House that Ruth Built and many others occupied. good pictures, informative and very well put as in the stories.