The Yankees played their final game at Yankee Stadium last month, but the House that Ruth Built wasn't expected to be officially closed for business until a charity concert scheduled for November. In hindsight, the Yanks decided nothing could top their on-field ceremony and Derek Jeter's speech to the crowd. From the New York Daily News:
"The Yankees were considering having a charitable event at Yankee Stadium," Jason Zillo, the team's media relations director, said in a statement Tuesday. "However, the Yankees realize that the final event at Yankee Stadium should be a baseball game, which in fact took place on Sept. 21, 2008."
[...] Among the rumored performers at the November event were Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Jay-Z and Billy Joel, although the entertainers had not given solid commitments and might not have been available.
If the Yankees hadn't missed the playoffs, I'm guessing the event would still be on -- a concert with Springsteen, McCartney, Jay-Z and Billy Joel would have made for a hell of a World Series celebration, no? Obviously, it wasn't meant to be. Rest assured that while the Yanks decided to pull the plug they're not jilting the Baseball Assistance Team, the charity originally expected to benefit from the event -- in lieu of ticket sales, the team will make a $500,000 donation.
