<P> Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in the Bronx, a borough of New York City . It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees, one of the city's Major League Baseball (MLB) franchises, from 1923 to 1973 and then from 1976 to 2008 . The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85 - year history . It was also the former home of the New York Giants football team from 1956 through the first part of the 1973--74 football season . The stadium's nickname, "The House That Ruth Built", is derived from Babe Ruth, the baseball superstar whose prime years coincided with the stadium's opening and the beginning of the Yankees' winning history . It has also been known as "The Big Ballpark in The Bronx", "The Stadium", and "The Cathedral of Baseball". </P> <P> The stadium was built from 1922 to 1923 for $2.4 million ($33.9 million in 2016 dollars). The stadium's construction was paid for entirely by Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert, who was eager to have his own stadium after sharing the Polo Grounds with the New York Giants baseball team the previous 10 years . Yankee Stadium opened for the 1923 MLB season and at the time, it was hailed as a one - of - a-kind facility in the country for its size . Over the course of its history, it became one of the most famous venues in the United States, having hosted a variety of events and historic moments during its existence . While many of these moments were baseball - related--including World Series games, no - hitters, perfect games and historic home runs--the stadium also hosted boxing matches, the 1958 NFL Championship Game, concerts, Jehovah's Witnesses conventions (see record attendance) and three Papal Masses . The stadium went through many alterations and playing surface configurations over the years . The condition of the facility worsened in the 1960s and 1970s, prompting its closing for renovation from 1974 to 1975 . The renovation significantly altered the appearance of the venue and reduced the distance of the outfield fences . </P> <P> In 2006, the Yankees began building a new $2.3 billion stadium in public parkland adjacent to the stadium . The price included $1.2 billion in public subsidies . The design includes a replica of the frieze along the roof that was in Yankee Stadium . Monument Park, a Hall of Fame for prominent former Yankees, was relocated to the new stadium . Yankee Stadium closed following the 2008 baseball season and the new stadium opened in 2009, adopting the "Yankee Stadium" moniker . The original Yankee Stadium was demolished in 2010, two years after it closed, and the 8 - acre site was converted into a park called Heritage Field . The new Yankee stadium opened in 2009 and is currently used by the NY Yankees . </P> <P> The Yankees had played at the Polo Grounds in upper Manhattan since 1913, sharing the venue with the New York Giants . However, relations between the two teams were rocky, with the Giants harboring resentment towards the Yankees . For the 1920 season, the Yankees acquired star slugger Babe Ruth and in his first year with his new team, the Yankees drew 1.3 million fans to the Polo Grounds, outdrawing the Giants . By the middle of 1920, the Giants had issued an eviction notice to the Yankees, which was soon rescinded . In 1921, the Yankees won their first American League pennant (but lost the then - best - of - nine 1921 World Series to the Giants in eight games, all played at the Polo Grounds). This exacerbated Giants owner Charles Stoneham's resentment of the Yankees and reinforced his insistence that the Yankees find another place to play their home games . The Giants derisively suggested that the Yankees relocate "to Queens or some other out - of - the - way place". </P>

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