BROADCASTING FROM YANKEE STADIUM
From the Press Box
Amaury Pi-González
For many broadcasters, (including yours truly) calling a game from New York is a unique experience. It is the #1 radio and television media market in the United States and Yankee Stadium is a special place. If you were born in New York or lived in New York, you probably will understand.
Although I was born 1300 miles from New York, in Havana, Cuba, I did live in New York, (Queens to be exact) after I was honorably discharged from the US Army in 1968. For a couple of years, while in New York, I attended Yankees’ as well as Mets’ games. However, I was always much more of an American League type of person, so more than often I would attend the games at Yankee Stadium as a fan.
The old Yankee Stadium had a unique atmosphere, certain magnetism; after all, it was called the House that Ruth Built. The New York Yankees have a storied history, winning 27 World Series, no other team is even close to matching that number. In 2021 the New York Yankees franchise had an estimated value of 5.25 billion US dollars, which ranks today #1 among all 30 MLB teams.
As a young man that started to dabble in journalism I attended many games at old Yankee Stadium, I remember a muggy summer afternoon during a doubleheader when the Yankees honored the great Mickey Mantle, in the middle of a doubleheader. I remember watching some great Yankees at that time in the 1960s, like Whitey Ford, Elston Howard, Joe Pepitone, and Luis “Tite” Arroyo, which I would interview a few decades later when I was in New York broadcasting during a series and during one of the famous Yankee Legends Reunion. Some of my first articles were published in a Spanish weekly from Newark, New Jersey.
My first of many trips as a broadcaster to New York was in 1981 when it was still the “old” Yankee Stadium with all the history hanging from its walls. That was a short season because of a player’s strike. I traveled to broadcast the Oakland A’s vs. Yankees after the A’s had beaten the Kansas City Royals. The Yankees eliminated the Oakland A’s and thereafter moved to the 1981 World Series; which pitted the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. the New York Yankees, which was won by the Dodgers in six (6) games. I also covered that World Series during the games at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
In 40+ years in the baseball broadcasting business, I have traveled to all the 30 major league cities, including in the 1990s when there was a team in the beautiful city of Montréal, Canada, the Expos. But there is no other city for yours truly that offers the vibe of New York, especially Yankee Stadium when it comes to broadcasting a game.
This photograph was taken inside the visiting broadcast booth at the new Yankee Stadium in 2018, prior to the American League Wild Card game between the visiting Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees. It was taken approximately 2 hours prior to the first pitch, ready with the lineups and my media notes for both teams. I had my luggage with me, to continue the postseason after New York, on the way to Boston. But the Yankees eliminated the A’s, and instead of continuing to Boston, I returned to Oakland the next morning after the game. Such is the life of a broadcaster, always at the mercy of the team, but that is part of the fun in this very interesting and challenging career.
I am happy to share the photograph, taken a couple of hours prior to a playoff game at Yankee Stadium, and some of my many memories. Thank you for visiting our website here with The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame.
(Photo credit) From the APG personal collection.
