I visited Yankee Stadium during my last full day in New York to see a ball game between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays. Nicknamed the “House that Ruth Built” after the slugger Babe Ruth, this Yankee Stadium opened up in 2009 next door to the original Yankee Stadium’s location.
Raised on Baseball
My dad raised me up on baseball, and he would take me out to the ball game along with my other family members. We rooted for the Baltimore Orioles and rooted against the New York Yankees–ironic considering I went to see the Yankees play on this day.
Interesting fact: The New York Yankees franchise can trace its history back to Baltimore before it came to New York.
Anyways, I’ve visited several of the major league ballparks stretching from Boston to San Diego. My goal for this trip was to see both the New York Mets and the New York Yankees play in their home stadiums. I couldn’t make it to the Mets game based off of family logistics, but going to the Yankees game was possible. So that’s what I did.
Go Big Mozz or Go Home
After purchasing a ticket at the ticket office, I entered the ballpark and took in the sights before getting food. Ballpark food is typically more expensive, but I had heard great things about Big Mozz, which specializes in mozzarella sticks.
Now I love mozzarella sticks; it’s my primary appetizer of choice. If a restaurant has mozzarella sticks or fried mozzarella, I almost always order it. So when I heard about the spectacular reviews of Big Mozz mozzarella sticks, I had to taste them at Yankee Stadium.
So I purchased the mozzarella sticks and a small soda, and proceeded to a seating area next to Big Mozz. Here I could taste-test the mozzarella sticks and see the game.
On the day of this trip, I posted some stories on my Instagram (@trippingthrutheusa) giving my own taste test for them. I have decided to combine them and show them to you here. Here is my Instagram stories taste test of Big Mozz mozzarella sticks.
So yeah, those mozzarella sticks were delicious! I enjoyed them thoroughly, and not much of the game had passed by the time I was done. The starting pitcher for the Rays only recorded one out and it was 6-0 before I could get to my seat.
The ballgame experience at Yankee Stadium
I sat in the bleachers out in left-center field, and I enjoyed the view, and even discovered an Orioles fan was at the game. Check out the image below.
I didn’t sit in my bleacher seat too long, as I traveled around the stadium to take lots of pictures. Here are some pictures, including one of “The Wave.”
The stadium looks closely similar to the old Yankee Stadium, though Yankee fans that I know tell me that the new stadium doesn’t have the same historic feel as the old one. I’m still glad I was able to cross this stadium off on the list of Major League ballparks.
I also managed to try an Oreo churro and a lemonade later in the game. I got the churro later in the game, which is probably why the churro was more crunchy than doughy. Oh well, it was at least worth trying once.
Oreo churro 
It’s a long churro 
Cheers!
Take me out to the ball game (reprise)
As mentioned before, I didn’t focus on the actual game at Yankee Stadium too much. Still, I enjoyed being at the ball game. Once the game got to 12-1 Yankees over the Rays in the 8th inning, I headed for the exit. With a score like that, the final result was all but certain.
Before heading to the train, I spotted a saxophone player who sounded really good. Like, he played so well! Take a listen below ⬇️
The first song is the classic “Take me out to the ball game” sung at pretty much every ballpark during the seventh inning stretch. For those uninitiated, the seventh inning stretch takes place between the top and bottom half of the seventh inning. Baseball teams each have their own wrinkle to the tradition, but it’s mainly to let fans stretch their legs and enjoy the nation’s pastime.
Legend has it that President William Howard Taft got up to stretch at a game in 1910, and out of respect, the rest of the crowd stood with him. There are other theories of how the tradition started, but that’s the one I was taught as a boy.
Listening to the saxophonist play those tunes capped off a wonderful day at the ol’ ballgame. Makes me want to sing the song all over again: 🎵 And a one, and a two, and a three…Take me out to the ball game! 🎵 ⚾️
I wrap up my New York road trip in this post, reflecting on road trips and the Declaration of Independence.