Saying Good Bye To One Of The Yankees Greatest Icons

Welcome to This Week In Yankees Baseball!

New York Yankees fans have said good bye to some very special icons in recent times. There was Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and September 21 marks the farewell to one of the biggest Yankees icons of them all.

This icon was there for nearly all of it. For Mickey Mantle´s 5ooth home run, for Lou Gehrig´s farewell speech, for Derek Jeter´s rookie season. And was also there for the 61st home run by Roger Maris, Reggie Jackson‘s  three homers in the final game of the world series against the Dodgers, and Joe DiMaggio‘s 56 game hitting streak.

By now you have probably guessed that this icon was not a he, but an it. Because on September 21, 2008, the Yankees played their final game in The House That Ruth Built. [related category]

The pre-game ceremony was an unforgettable one. Yankees greats, or members of the families of those who were deceased, went onto the field at their respective positions. It was amazing to see so many Yankees greats from so many different eras together at one time.

The Yankees sent Xavier Nady, Johnny Damon, Bobby Abreu, Jason Giambi, Robinson Cano, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte and Jose Molina onto the field against the Orioles. Jorge Posada did not start due to an injury.  Mariano Rivera appropriately finished the game, although the 7-3 score did not reward him with a save.

In one of the most memorable of all moments at the stadium, Derek Jeter came out to thank the fans. In the unforgettable Derek Jeter speech, The Captain called Yankees fans the ¨greatest in the world,¨according to MLB .com.

It was a wonderful salute  by the Yankees to all of those who have worn the Yankees uniform, and to all of the fans who have supported them. And it was a fitting tribute to one of the greatest Yankees icons, The House That Ruth Built.