The Yankees do everything else better than everyone else in town, at least from a historical standpoint, so why shouldn’t they set the standard for this, too? Why shouldn’t they be the team the Islanders should point to now that they have a home for themselves back on Long Island, in Elmont, at UBS Arena?
The Yankees, after all, know how to break in a building.
In April 1923, they opened Yankee Stadium, the original, the House that Ruth Built, and six months later they closed that season by winning the first of their 27 world championships. They drew 1,077,006 folks to The Bronx, tops in baseball, and they went 46-30 in their new home (though they won only one of three games there in the World Series against the Giants).
Forty-three years later, the Yankees christened Yankee Stadium II in similar fashion, ending a 12-year postseason drought by winning the American League East by 10 games then beating the Royals in the ALCS, winning decisive Game 5 at Yankee Stadium on Chris Chambliss’ home run. The Yanks went 45-35 in The Bronx that year, 2-1 against Kansas City in the ALCS then 0-2 against the Big Red Machine from Cincinnati in the World Series.
And 33 years after that, the Yankees again made certain to open Yankee Stadium III in style — winning the East by eight games, beating the Twins in the ALDS, the Angels in the ALCS and the Phillies in the World Series. They went 57-24 in The Bronx in the regular season then 7-1 there in the postseason.
(And just for kicks: The first year the Yankees were forced to play in Shea Stadium during the Yankee Stadium renovation, in 1974, they came as close to winning a pennant as they had in 10 years, finishing just two games behind the Orioles after being in first place as late as Sept. 23, after 154 games. The Yankees never liked playing at Shea but they took to it, going 47-34 there that year.)
The only other team to take so quickly to a new home were the 1971-72 Nets — led by Rick Barry, coached by Lou Carnesecca. After an itinerant first few years that included home stops at the Teaneck Armory, Commack Arena and Island Garden in West Hempstead, the Nets moved into their spacious digs at the sparkling new Nassau Coliseum that year.
Actually, much like this year’s Islanders, the Nets had to wait before they could move in, playing their first 27 home games at the Island Garden before welcoming 7,892 fans to the grand opening on Feb 11, 1972. Barry scored 45 points and the Nets beat the Pittsburgh Condors, 129-121. The Nets would go 12-4 at home the rest of the year, fueling a late-season push to the ABA Finals, beating the Kentucky Colonels and Virginia Squires before losing in six to the Indiana Pacers. They went 6-3 at home during the playoffs.
Other teams have taken to new homes more slowly. The Mets, for instance, did have their best year to date in 1964, when Shea opened, but that 109-loss team inspired songs only when compared to 1962 (120 losses) and 1963 (111). Forty-five years later they genuinely would lay an egg opening Citi Field, going just 41-40 in their new home. They would wait six years to win a title at Shea in 1969, seven to make the World Series at Citi (2015).
The Knicks and the Giants were the other New York teams who seemed to take most quickly to their new environments. The Knicks moved into the latest incarnation of Madison Square Garden midway through the 1967-68 season, and two years later they won their first title, winning both Game 7 of the opening round against the Bullets and Game 7 of the Finals against the Lakers at home.
For the Giants, it was Year 2 at MetLife Stadium when they won their most recent Super Bowl, despite going just 4-4 there (5-4 if you include their “road” win against the Jets in Week 16, aka the “Victor Cruz Game”). They did, however, win the only playoff game thus far played inside the walls of the new building, a 24-2 schooling of the Falcons that ignited their run to the Super Bowl.
Vac’s Whacks
Two books that ought to be high on your wish list right now: “Wish It Lasted Forever,” Dan Shaughnessy’s memoir of covering the Celtics from 1982-86, which is so good even fervent Celtics haters will have trouble putting it down. And for any hoops fan who came of age in the 1980s, “The Big East” by Dana O’Neil is an essential — and highly entertaining — trip down memory lane.
So proud of my friend and colleague Joel Sherman, who took part in the Covenant House’s “sleep-out” — spending a night sleeping on the street to increase awareness of youth homelessness, something he did to honor the memory of his father, Murray. For more information on how to support this mission, please visit www.sleepout.org.
I never fully appreciated Mike Toop, my freshman basketball coach at Chaminade, until years later when his graceful mix of discipline and humor truly hit home for me. Saturday he worked his final game as head football coach at Merchant Marine Academy, against Western New England in the New England Bowl. A terrific career and a truly good guy.
Joe Flacco? Really?
Whack Back at Vac
Thomas Engleke: No comparison at this point between Mike White and “Come On Eileen.” I doubt there ever will be, either. I never changed the channel when “Come On Eileen” was playing. Can’t say the same about Mike White after the Bills game. Dexys Midnight Runners may have had only one hit, but they certainly made it count. They gave us one of the great songs of the 1980s. I’ll hum this tune forever …
Vac: Toora loora, toora loo rye ay …
John Twomey: While it was clear after last year’s playoffs that the Knicks needed more offense, Kemba Walker couldn’t guard a snail. Two games ago he scored eight early points but got hopelessly lost on four pick-and-rolls during the same time frame.
Vac: There are still moments when he thrills you. But one of Tom Thibodeau’s big challenges this year is figuring out how to maximize what Kemba can give.
@jeffreymamo: I am an unreasonable Yankees fan and therefore revel in the ongoing angst of Mets fans!
@MikeVacc: Which is why Yankees/Mets is still the most fun rivalry in town.
Marc Aronin: Most Islanders fans would tell you they never wanted their team’s home to ever be any place other than Nassau Coliseum. But the reality of sports in 2021 makes that unrealistic. That is why Saturday’s opener of UBS Arena is the biggest victory Long Island’s franchise has had since 1983. It’s not the Coliseum. But it’s also not Quebec, Kansas City or Brooklyn, either.
Vac: A few wins inside the New Barn wouldn’t hurt, either.