April 15, 1976: After two years, the Yankees return to the Bronx

After the 1973 season, Yankee Stadium underwent a $100 million renovation, forcing the Yankees to share Shea Stadium with the New York Mets in 1974 and 1975. Finally, on the unseasonably warm afternoon of April 15, 1976, the Yankees returned to the Bronx and their remodeled stadium, as a spirited crowd of 52,613 (the largest Opening Day crowd at Yankee Stadium since 1946) welcomed them home. Owner George Steinbrenner said, “I’m excited for the kids. They’ve been on a two-year trip. It will be good for them to be home.”1

The “new” Yankee Stadium retained the same shape as the original, but there were noticeable differences. The famous friezes that draped the upper deck were removed, and the steel girders that obstructed the view of many fans disappeared. There was also a new $2 million scoreboard with concrete replicas of the friezes above it. While there were some minor problems that day, such as the scoreboard malfunctioning and the Yankees reaching an agreement with the ticket takers just 10 minutes before the gates opened, everyone agreed that the Stadium retained its classic charm while offering fans all of the modern conveniences.

The pregame program, emceed beautifully by Bob Sheppard, was an ode to the history of Yankee Stadium. Yankee heroes Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, Don Larsen, and Yogi Berra, as well as pro and college football stars who played at the Stadium were honored. The wives of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig were also present. Bob Shawkey, who was the starting pitcher in the first game ever in the Stadium, threw out the ceremonial first pitch while Whitey Witt, the Yankees’ leadoff hitter in 1923, stood at the plate. Robert Merrill sang the National Anthem, former Yankee Bobby Richardson delivered the invocation, and Cardinal Terence Cooke gave a blessing. 

The Yankees came into their home opener with a 3-1 record after a season-opening road trip on which they split a two-game series in Milwaukee and took two in Baltimore. The starting pitcher for the Yankees in the home opener was Rudy May, who had won 14 games in 1975. The opponents were the Minnesota Twins, who had lost three of their first five games. Dave Goltz, the starter for the Twins, was also coming off a 14-win season.

In the first inning May walked the Twins’ leadoff hitter, Jerry Terrell, and Dan Ford followed with a 430-foot home run to left-center. Yankees left fielder Roy White said, “It wouldn’t have gone out in the old park but it would have been awful close. I didn’t think anyone would be hitting one that far this soon.”2 After Rod Carew grounded out, May hit the next batter, Larry Hisle, who stole second, went to third on an error by second baseman Willie Randolph, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Craig Kusick, giving the Twins a 3-0 lead. Yankees manager Billy Martin commented after the game that “Rudy was on edge. He was rushing himself, and when he does that, he loses his control.”3

During the Yankees’ half of the first inning someone released a little pig near the first-base boxes. On the one side of the pig was the word “Go.” On the other was “Yogi.” Berra denied any knowledge of its origin, but said, “I’d like to have it, though, to barbecue.”4

Minnesota increased its lead to 4-0 in the third inning. With one out, Carew walked, stole second, went to third on a throwing error by catcher Thurman Munson, and scored on Steve Braun’s groundout. Dick Tidrow relived May and averted further damage. The Yankees got on the board in the bottom of the inning. Jim Mason doubled, took third on Mickey Rivers’ single, and scored on White’s force-play grounder.

The Yankees’ bats came alive in the fourth inning. With one out, Graig Nettles walked and scored on a triple by Oscar Gamble. (The malfunctioning scoreboard had his batting average at .999.5) Randolph singled to drive in Gamble and make the score 4-2. Twins manager Gene Mauch brought in left-hander Vic Albury to face Lou Piniella, who was pinch-hitting for designated hitter Rich Coggins. Randolph stole second and scored on Piniella’s single. Otto Velez pinch-hit for Mason. Albury uncorked a wild pitch, sending Piniella to second. Velez singled to drive in Piniella and the Yankees led, 5-4.

Meanwhile Tidrow kept the Twins off the scoreboard. Pitching for five innings, he allowed four hits and struck out four. The Twins mounted a threat with one out in the eighth inning, when Hisle and Steve Braun singled with one out. Sparky Lyle relieved Tidrow and quickly got two outs.

The Yankees put the game away in the bottom of the eighth inning, scoring six runs on five hits, the biggest being Gamble’s double. He would finish the day with three hits – a single, double, and triple. Gamble downplayed his performance, saying, “I still don’t feel like I’m hitting the ball that good.”6 Lyle pitched a scoreless ninth and the Yankees christened the new Stadium with an impressive 11-4 win. “That’s twice we came back,” said Piniella. “We were down 6-0 to Milwaukee and won, and today we did it again. It’s a new park, a full house, and a come-from-behind win. What could be better.”7

Randolph, who went 2-for-4 in his first game at Yankee Stadium, remarked, “I came here when I was a kid, but I was never a Yankee fan. It seemed like they were always winning and the Mets were always losing. I rooted for the Mets, and went to Shea much more than I came here. It’s great knowing I was a part of an Opening Day here, however. I always wanted to be a big-league ballplayer, and while I was sitting on the bench before the game, I realized I was part of it all  now.”8

Chris Chambliss commented, “It’s certainly a different feeling here than at Shea. At Shea, it seemed people were against us, and every time we looked into the stands, there was a fight  going on.  Now, at least for today, it helped having all those people pulling for you.”9 Even  Mauch commented, “Years ago, you were astounded by the tradition and immensity of Yankee Stadium. Now it is astounding in its beauty. It’s right there with Dodger Stadium as the most beautiful park in baseball.”10

Buoyed by their return to the Bronx, the Yankees went 45-35 at home in 1976 and coasted to the American League East title. They defeated the Kansas City Royals for the American League pennant, but were swept by the Cincinnati Reds in the World Series.

Photo credit

National Baseball Hall of Fame Library.

Sources

In addition to the sources cited in the Notes, the author used the Baseball-Reference.com and Retrosheet.org websites for pertinent material.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA197604150.shtml

https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1976/B04150NYA1976.htm

Notes 

1 Phil Pepe, “Yankees Dedicate New Stadium With Old-Style Bombs,” The Sporting News, May 1, 1976: 8.

2 Joe Donnelly, “The Housewarming’s a Winner,” Newsday (Long Island, New York), April 16, 1976: 118.

3 Al Mari, “Yankee Power Right at Home,” Journal-News (Rockland County, New York), April 16, 1976: 108.

4 Dick Young, “Pig in Poke,” New York Daily News, April 16, 1976: 79.

5 Phil Pepe, “Yankee Bats Boom in Stadium Return,” New York Daily News, April 16, 1976: 79.

6 Phil Pepe, “Yankee Bats Boom in Stadium Return,” 72.

7 Mari, “Yankee Power Right at Home.”

8 Mari.

9 Mari.

10 Donnelly, “The Housewarming’s a Winner.”