With the Savin Rock Festival on the horizon, I figured to bring homage to an almost century-old baseball game that was played in what is now Jimmie's parking lot.
In 1934, the New York Yankees arrived at New Haven’s Union Station to a crowded platform of both young and old fans
The pinstripes were in Connecticut for an exhibition game against the New Haven Colonials.
New York came to West Haven lacking key player Lou Gehrig, who stayed in the Big Apple on short notice to have dental work done. Up to this non-stat kept game, Gehrig played a consecutive 1,391 games over the past decade, which tallied from major league games and exhibition games.
Despite lacking the mighty Lou, New York brought a very powerful lineup that was highlighted by Babe Ruth.
Playing at Donovan Field, a ballpark named after Yankees manager ‘Wild’ Bill Donovan, was located in a prime spot on West Haven’s beach-line amidst the high-banked roller coasters and flashing arcades of West Haven's Savin Rock amusement park.
Oh yea, the ballpark was also in the middle of a race track.
Tickets for this exhibition game were extremely affordable: 40 cents for a grandstand seat ($9.40 in today’s money) and 25 cents for a bleacher seat ($5.87 in today’s money).
West Haven police sent 17 officers to the jam-packed Donovan Field for crowd control, as everyone wanted to get a look at the Sultan of Swat.
Ruth went 0-for-3 in the Yankees’ 3-0 shutout win over the Colonials.
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