Tuesday, July 15, 2008

The "House That Ruth Built,"

Babe Ruth receives a final accolade at Yankee Stadium in June, 1948, just two months before his death. The "Sultan of Swat" had set the new single-season home-run record of 60, breaking his old record at the site in 1927.

After acquiring Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox before the 1920 season, the New York Yankees set out to build a stadium. They bought 10 acres of land in the Bronx in 1921 from the estate of William Waldorf Astor for $675,000.

Two years and $2.5 million later, Yankee Stadium opened. Next season, the Yankees will open a $1.2-billion stadium and tear down the old one.

Tonight, baseball's elite return for the final All-Star game in the original "House That Ruth Built," and return to a place that has housed some of the most memorable moments in sports history.

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