Yankee Stadium is a must-see for all baseball fans
Approaching New York City's Lincoln Tunnel from the New Jersey side, the car radio was blaring Jose Feliciano's cover version of "Light My Fire," originally made popular by The Doors.
Maybe some of you might recall some of the hit song's lyrics, "The time to hesitate is through; No time to wallow in the mire....
The year was 1968, early August.
The Lincoln Tunnel, which actually goes under the Hudson River, connects Weehawken, N.J., and the borough of Manhattan. Needless to say, it is one of the busiest vehicular tunnels in the world.
If you're familiar with the HBO series, "The Sopranos," in the title sequence, Tony Soprano (actor James Gandolfini) is seen exiting the Lincoln Tunnel's north tube.
This was my first visit to the Big Apple, and driving me there was my college roommate, Spike Morton, who lived in nearby Westfield, N.J.
Our destination was Yankee Stadium, one of the most famous sports venues in America.
Spike (anybody who knows him calls him that), of course, had been there before. In fact, during the 1960 World Series between the Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates, he was in the left-field stands when Bronx Bomber second baseman Bobby Richardson's grand slam homer landed in there - and no, he was not able to get the ball.
Thing is, when traveling to Yankee Stadium, you don't want to drive there. Too much traffic.
So, Spike parked the car somewhere in Manhattan, and we took the subway, which in itself is an experience, to "The House that Ruth Built" at East 161st Street and River Avenue in The Bronx.
Arriving at the stadium, we purchased the best seats that we could obtain, which happened to be in the upper deck, a little left of home plate on the third base side of the diamond.
To say that I was thrilled being there would be an understatement.
Back then, the Yankees were not a very good team, although they would finish that season with a winning mark. These were the pre-George Steinbrenner days.
The 1968 season, as it turned out, would be Mickey Mantle's last as a Yank. That Saturday afternoon, No. 7 was positioned at first base in a contest against the Baltimore Orioles, who were led by Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson, and Boog Powell.
For trivia buffs, Bobby Cox was the Yankees' starting third baseman, and Davey Johnson was the Orioles starting second baseman.
Today, Cox, of course, is the longtime manager of the Atlanta Braves, while Johnson is the skipper for Team USA baseball.
Johnson also once served as manager of the Cincinnat Reds (1993-95).
The Yankees beat the Orioles, 4-1, with just 13,708 in attendance. Back then, the Stadium could've accomodated nearly 70,000 people.
Mantle - who died in August of 1995 - didn't hit a home run, but then no Yankee or Oriole did that day.
Righty Mel Stottlemyre went the distance on the hill and got the win. Today, he is the Seattle Mariners pitching coach.
Spike, meanwhile, spent many years in the teaching field before retiring earlier this decade. He currently resides in the Columbus area, and works part time at Muirfield Country Club in Dublin.
If you're a baseball fan like me, and haven't been to Yankee Stadium, you need to go.
You'll remember it always.
Ron Johnston is The Marietta Times sports editor and can be reached at 376-5441, or rjohnston@mariettatimes.com.
