Yankees Blog

Say goodbye to Legends Field… Say hello to George M. Steinbrenner Field.
The Yankees’ Spring Training home was officially renamed in honor of principal owner George M. Steinbrenner on Thursday.

George and his sons stood on the field as the new name was unvieled on the outfield wall, and Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” played over the load speakers. The crowd gave a standing ovation.

“This is a great day,” George Steinbrenner said. “It really makes me proud.”
It’s an emotional day,” Hal Steinbrenner said. “We’ve been here over 30 years and we’re part of the community. It’s a great honor. It’s hard not to be emotional. … There’s probably part of him that’s a little uncomfortable with the recognition, but he absolutely appreciates it. I know he’s honored and I know he’s emotional. You can take a look at him and see that.”

A great “fitting” situation occurred later on, whenb Derek Jeter christened the stadium with a homerun. It’s only right that Jeter would hit the first homer in the newly named ballpark.

With a street already named after Steinbrenner in Tampa, the area also plans to adorn an educational facility with the name of baseball’s longest-tenured owner. George M. Steinbrenner High School will open its doors in 2009 in Hillsborough County, north of Tampa.

The facility formerly known as Legends Field has been the Spring Training home of the Yankees since 1996, and has the same field dimensions as Yankee Stadium in New York.

Posted in Yankee News |

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