End of an era

Obviously, there are no major Yankee sympathizers on this blog. But yesterday was an important day in baseball history.

Yankee stadium's beginnings, in the early '20's, marked the period of time when baseball began to pass boxing and horseracing as our most popular sport. A greater collection of superstars played in the Bronx than any other stadium, and the number of chamionships speak for themselves.

Many current and former Yankee players are obviously classy guys, and it was good seeing Whitey, Yogi, Goose and Willie getting to revel in one last spin around the diamond.

That said, it's nice to think back to the beginning of the Yankee stadium era. The senior circuit team in NY, the Giants, had been the dominant squad in the first two decades of the century, had more titles and, in John McGraw, the greatest manager in the game at the time (and some would say of all time). With the rise of Ruth and Bronx Bombers, McGraw banished the Yankees from the Polo Grounds, causing the need for Yankee stadium. This was a turning of the tide in NY (and US) sports history.

I don't want to deny the greatness of the things the Yankees accomplished at Yankee stadium, nor the importance of the venue. But perhaps 2008 will ultimately be remembered for another turning of the tide, and the balance of power in NY will shift back to the senior circuit. And maybe in 80 years, when Citi Field is being replaced, people will think back on David Wright as a latter day Gehrig, and a dozen stars we don't even know about yet will get a similar and fitting tribute.