Yankee Stadium to host last game before demolition

Say it ain't so. An era ends on Sunday when the curtain comes down on baseball in storied Yankee Stadium, scene of more moments that will live in sporting history than any other place in America.

Strangely, in Sunday night's final contest between the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles, nothing more than pride is at stake. The Yankees have had a rare down season and will not be adding to their championship record this year.

Wrecking balls and sledgehammers, not baseballs and bats, will soon be the equipment of choice as the stadium is demolished in coming months, although there may yet be a "closing ceremony" featuring big name rock stars before the wrecking crews move in.

Next season, the Yankees will take their bats, balls and fabled pinstriped uniforms to a brand new Yankee Stadium nearing completion across the street from the current one.

Americans have always been wistful about their National Pastime. Many cherish memories of playing catch with their fathers and of their first childhood visits to ballparks.

"This field, this game. It's a part of our past. It reminds us of all that once was good, and it could be again," James Earl Jones's character said in the film "Field of Dreams."

Through baseball history, no venue came closer to capturing that mystical quality than Yankee Stadium.

Built in 1923 to accommodate fans of slugger Babe Ruth, the first three-tiered baseball stadium quickly became known as "The House That Ruth Built."

Over the next 85 years, the Yankees, who had won only one World Series before moving in, would accrue 25 more World Series crowns and 37 American League pennants at the stadium.

A succession of Yankee superstars achieved almost national mythic status -- Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and others. Heroes came and went, but through it all, the stadium remained.

NOT JUST BASEBALL HISTORY

Yankee Stadium also provided a venue for historical events, both political and religious, that had nothing do with baseball.

The first papal mass ever on U.S. soil was celebrated there by Pope Paul VI on October 4, 1965. Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI would also bless the faithful there.

A rally at the stadium on June 21, 1990, honored Nelson Mandela after his release from prison following the end of apartheid in South Africa.

There were also memorable moments in other sports. At halftime of a scoreless college football game between the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame and Army on November 12, 1928, coach Knute Rockne delivered his famous "Win one for the Gipper!" speech. Notre Dame responded with a 12-6 victory.

On June 22, 1938, boxer Joe Louis avenged his defeat of two years earlier with a first-round knockout of Max Schmeling in a politically-freighted showdown between the "Brown Bomber" and the German brawler hailed by Adolf Hitler.

Generations of ballplayers have spoken of their emotions on walking into the stadium for the first time. They invariably bring up the sense of history and tradition and the place the structure holds in the hearts of fans.

Arguably the most poignant moment the stadium ever witnessed happened on July 4, 1939.

Yankee captain and first baseman Lou Gehrig had been recently diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease that now bears his name and would take his life in less than two years.

Gehrig was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support he received on a day of appreciation staged for him.

"Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth," he said.

He concluded with, "I may have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for."

Yankees End Road Trip With Another Loss

The Yankees’ timing has been off all season, but on Wednesday, they got one thing right. By the time the Los Angeles Angels bounded up the dugout stairs to celebrate another American League West title, the Yankees were long gone from Angel Stadium, ready to board their flight home.

For the fourth time in five seasons, the Angels captured a division crown, clinching with their 4-2 victory over the Yankees and the Texas Rangers’ loss in Seattle, which was played on the scoreboard as shadows settled over the park. Thousands of fans stayed to watch, chanting the first name of the beaming team owner, Arte Moreno, and then roaring as the players romped around the field.

There will be no such joy in the Bronx this season, not with the Yankees buried in fourth place in the A.L. East with only 16 games left. After losing five of the last seven games on this trip, the Yankees embark on an awkward 10-day sendoff to proud old Yankee Stadium.

“If guys think we’re out of the playoffs, I would hope they’d play for some pride,” said the starter Andy Pettitte, whose second-half decline continued. “We’re getting paid an awful lot of money to do a job. I would hope that would never come into account, no matter how far out we are.”

While nobody questioned the Yankees’ effort, the results have been dismal. The Yankees managed four lonely singles against Dustin Moseley and four relievers. Moseley came into the game with a 7.90 earned run average but worked five efficient innings. Francisco Rodríguez finished with his 56th save, one shy of tying the single-season record.

“Every day, we try to figure it out,” said Johnny Damon, who is 3 for his last 30. “We know every pitcher we face is going to come at us with his stuff, and they should, because we definitely should be a much better team than we’ve showed this year.”

One of the many disappointments has been Pettitte, who dropped to 13-13. He is in line to start the Yankee Stadium finale on Sept. 21 and said he is intrigued by the idea of pitching at the new park. Yet he knows that alone is not a strong enough reason to keep pitching.

“I don’t want to just play to go to the new stadium,” he said. “I want to feel like I’m one of the horses, and I don’t know if I can pitch if I don’t really feel like I can be that.”

The decision is not all Pettitte’s; the Yankees would have to make him an offer, and it certainly would be for less than the $16 million he is making this season. Pettitte is no longer a top-of-the-rotation starter, at least not judging by his second half.

Usually a strong late-season pitcher, Pettitte is 1-6 with a 6.50 E.R.A. in his last nine starts. His distracted off-season, when he found himself embroiled in the Roger Clemens steroids saga, may be taking its toll on his stamina.

“I’ve got a few more nicks and bruises than I normally would,” Pettitte said. “I don’t feel quite as good as I felt last year down the stretch, but I can throw the ball and I ought to be able to get guys out, and I’m not doing that.”

Pettitte threw 100 pitches Wednesday but lasted only four and two-thirds innings, allowing nine hits and four runs (three earned). He held a 2-1 lead in the fifth with two out, the bases loaded and a 1-2 count on Robb Quinlan. Then the game turned.

Quinlan flicked away a breaking ball to stay alive, then ran the count full and drilled a single to left field. The runners were off, and the familiar Angel Stadium chaos started swirling around the Yankees.

Two runs scored easily, and a wild throw by Xavier Nady brought another scampering home. The Angels led by 4-2, and Pettitte was gone after walking the next hitter.

It was the second time in four starts that Pettitte failed to last five innings. He has pitched well at times and lost, and while Manager Joe Girardi made excuses for him — “It’s not like he’s getting hammered,” Girardi said — Pettitte has allowed 74 hits in his last 54 innings.

That is not what the Yankees expect from Pettitte, or what he expects from himself. If Pettitte returns, both sides will have to believe he can somehow improve.

“I want to make sure I can give the organization what I want to give them,” Pettitte said. “I want to perform the way I’m used to performing.”

Few of the Yankees have done that this season. The result is a team that is trudging to the finish at a time when others are celebrating.

INSIDE PITCH

Robinson Canó, who went 0 for 4 Wednesday, has not drawn a walk since Aug. 20, a span of 79 plate appearances. His on-base percentage has dropped to .295. ... The Yankees’ Iván Rodríguez and the Angels’ Torii Hunter began serving two-game suspensions for their fight here Monday night. Rodríguez does not catch Andy Pettitte, so he was not scheduled to play on Wednesday anyway. Another Yankee, reliever Edwar Ramírez, is still awaiting a hearing on the three-game suspension that he received on July 31.

Texas-Arkansas football game postponed due to Ike

AUSTIN - University of Texas officials said Wednesday the threat of Hurricane Ike has forced Saturday's game against Arkansas to be postponed until Sept. 27.

The new date is an open week for both Texas and Arkansas. Kickoff time and TV information will be determined at a later date.

Hurricane Ike is expected to make landfall along the Texas Gulf coast late Friday or early Saturday morning, and possibly bring bad weather to the Austin area about the same time as the 2:30 p.m. kickoff.

UT officials said weather conditions, as well as traffic from mandatory evacuations, played a role in postponing the game.

"We have been monitoring this situation since Sunday and, at this time, feel confident this is the right thing to do," UT athletic director DeLoss Dodds said. "A football game becomes less important when you are dealing with the safety of the people of Texas."

The No. 8 Longhorns (2-0) are scheduled to return to action Sept. 20 against Rice in Austin.

Armstrong's cycling career back in the news

Lance Armstrong will always have Paris, where he completed his seven consecutive Tour de France triumphs — the last in 2005.

Why would he want to do it again?

The question was raised anew Monday on the Internet following an unattributed story by VeloNews that Armstrong will come out of retirement and compete in the 2009 Tour and four other races with Team Astana.

However, Astana team director Johan Bruyneel, who was with Armstrong for all seven Tour wins from 1999-2005, told CyclingNews.com that he was unaware of any Armstrong comeback.

"I don't know where the rumors come from," the website quoted him as saying.

Astana team press officer Philippe Maertens told the Associated Press: "He is not part of our team. Team Astana has no plans with him."

"As far as I know, Lance Armstrong doesn't have plans to do road cycling. But that's a question you have to ask Armstrong," Maertens added on Tuesday.

The new issue of Men's Journal— with Armstrong on the cover — tells the story of Armstrong happy in retirement: "I'm glad I'm not cycling anymore," Armstrong is quoted as saying. "It was fun while it lasted, and I liked it, but I'm so focused on other things now that I never think about it."

The story, titled "Citizen Lance," focuses on Armstrong's non-cycling activities — including a possible run for public office.

"When I retired, I promised myself that every day I would drink good wine, get a massage, take a nap, and ride my bike for an hour or two," Armstrong says.

"I went 20 years living like a monk. I didn't drink or eat bad food, and now when someone opens a bottle of wine or pours me a cold beer, I drink it every time. I never, ever say no."

Lester helps Sox zero in on the Rays

His face, underneath its cool exterior, broke enough for a muted celebration. Standing by the dugout railing, watching the other Jon finish up what he had started, Jon Lester accepted momentary congratulations, then closed again.

Lester, of course, is not one for much outward emotion. Not one for self-promotion or major expressions of excitement or joy. Unlike, say, Jonathan Papelbon, who had just closed out another stellar performance from his starter.

But, no matter how calm Lester is, there is one undeniable fact. He can dominate.

And he did last night. Though it wasn't quite his no-hitter or his nine-inning shutout in Yankee Stadium, it was a stellar performance in a game the Sox needed to have. Because there's not much better than keeping a down team down. And coming into this se ries in Fenway Park, that's exactly where the Rays seemed to be, a theme that continued with last night's 3-0 loss to Lester.

"It was important, I think a little bit more important than a normal start," Lester said. "Obviously they're ahead of us right now, and we're trying to get back in first place. It was a good atmosphere tonight in the ballpark. It almost felt like we're in the playoffs."

That's where they're headed, if this was any indication. No matter that the Rays had lost all six games in Boston this season, and that they had come into Fenway Park carting a three-game losing streak, they still hold the top spot in the division.

That hold is now in jeopardy.

With the Sox taking the first game of the series, Tampa Bay's lead in the American League East is down to a half-game - a single game in the loss column. For that, the Sox can thank Lester, who outdueled Edwin Jackson with 119 scintillating pitches that left the Rays shut out and hurting.

"I thought all his stuff was good," said manager Terry Francona. "Two-seamer. Had some explosion on his fastball. Cutter. Again, when you start throwing 94, 95 with some movement on both sides, then you throw a breaking ball, give you a little different look. He's got a lot of ways to expand the plate."

He looked strong, as he has all year. He looked ready. And the Rays didn't look to have much of a chance. Over 7 2/3 innings, Lester allowed just six hits - two of which came in the eighth and led to his departure - and three walks. (And one of those hits, off the bat of Jason Bartlett, easily could have been ruled an error on Dustin Pedroia.) He struck out nine and watched just two runners get as far as third base, as he improved his record at Fenway Park to 9-1 with a 2.66 ERA.

"He's just gotten better," Jason Varitek said. "He is strong, but he's gotten better. Better understanding of himself, most importantly, and then you just add that to his development. He's a lot stronger than he was this time last year. That's due to what the man had to battle through."

"I think more consistent with my mechanics, I think that's making me stronger," said Lester. "I don't have to use as much energy, wasted energy, as before. Now it just seems more efficient.

"I'm not wasting energy on bad thoughts or anything like that."

It didn't hurt that the Sox came out swinging. By the time Lester took the mound in the second inning, the Sox had scored three runs. Mark Kotsay took a walk to open for Boston, then David Ortiz rocketed a double off the Wall, scoring Kotsay. Kevin Youkilis singled up the middle, bringing Ortiz around to score, but the first baseman was cut down trying to move to second on the throw.

That left the bases empty for Jason Bay, who answered with his sixth home run for Boston, hitting the ball off the light tower by the flagpole in center field.

Even luck was with Lester. When Ben Zobrist smashed a ball with two outs in the eighth inning, it hit maybe 6 inches from the top of the Wall, winding up a single. That was followed by a double to right by Carlos Pena that bounced into the stands, keeping the runner at third.

So did Lester want to stay out there, to face the next hitter, Rocco Baldelli?

"I wanted Zobrist," he said. "I wanted Pena. I had my opportunity."

He got neither. That was it for Lester, who received an extended standing ovation as he walked off the field, tipping his cap to the raucous crowd of 37,662.

Working Baldelli mostly on the inside of the plate, Papelbon rifled a 97-mile-per-hour fastball past a whipsaw swing and into the grasp of Varitek. Cue the strikeout, and it was nearly over for the Rays. For one night, at least.

Tonight is a chance for the Sox to capture first place, a chance to put their foot down at Fenway again. October, clearly, looks closer and closer.

"We're just playing consistent baseball right now," Lester said. "We're going out and we're not letting up. Keep pushing the throttle, and keep going forward."

A Familiar Federer in a Familiar Pose

Who would argue that Arthur Ashe Stadium does not belong to Federer in the aftermath of his fifth consecutive United States Open championship? In a men’s final that made up in historical appeal what it lacked in drama, Federer disposed of Andy Murray, 6-2, 7-5, 6-2, on Monday night to become the first player to win five titles in a row at the Open and Wimbledon.

Federer is the first man in the open era to win the United States Open five consecutive years; Bill Tilden won the United States championships six straight times in the 1920s.

It was Federer’s 13th major championship, bringing him to within one of another immortal, Pete Sampras. “One thing’s for sure,” he said in an on-court interview. “I’m not going to stop at 13. That would be terrible.”

Terribly unlucky, that is, which sums up the first eight months of Federer’s 2008 season. At the Australian Open he lost in the semifinals while battling an illness that turned out to be mononucleosis. He lost in the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon to a surging Rafael Nadal, who ended Federer’s four-and-a-half-year stay at No. 1 last month.

For any other player, Federer’s run in the Grand Slams would be called resplendent. But because Federer had held the tennis world up like a 21st century Atlas, people openly wondered what was wrong with him.

On Monday came his answer: Absolutely nothing. Murray, a 21-year-old Briton, came into the match No. 4 in the world and did not play badly. But he was no match for Federer, who produced 36 winners to Murray’s 16.

“I felt great,” Federer said. “I felt like I was invincible for a while again.”

In an on-court interview, Murray, a Scot who is the same age Federer was when he won his first major, at Wimbledon in 2003, said: “Came up against, in my opinion, the best player ever to play. He definitely set the record straight today.”

While Nadal emerged this year as Federer’s toughest opponent on any surface, mononucleosis provided his stiffest challenge. The virus that causes the illness can tear through the body like a storm, with vestiges affecting the body for months. In 2007, Mario Ancic, a Croat who had cracked the top 10 at the end of 2006, contracted the illness, sat out six months to recover and saw his world ranking plummet to No. 85.

Federer, 27, dropped only one spot, from No. 1 to No. 2, but his fall set off seismic shock waves in tennis because of his seeming invincibility the previous four years.

He left tennis for six weeks after losing to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open, a tournament he played believing his general malaise was due to food poisoning. It was not until March that Federer found out his lingering fatigue was a function of much more than bad food, frequent travel or physical exertion.

Federer was still feeling the effects of the illness this summer. Traveling 12 time zones to New York after winning the gold medal in doubles for Switzerland in Beijing, Federer experienced the Olympic hangover that dominated the conversation during the first week of the Open.

Fatigue was cause for concern. “I was so tired after Beijing coming here, and then of course I’m a bit worried,” Federer said. He added, “Maybe I put it down as sickness when I still feel a little bit slow sometimes.”

There was no rest for the weary. Federer’s draw provided inviting targets for him to shoot for and ammunition in the form of revenge. One by one, he picked off players who had beaten him earlier in the year.

In the third round, he prevailed in four sets against Radek Stepanek, who had upset him in Rome; in the semifinals, he knocked off Djokovic in four sets.

Murray’s upset of Nadal in a semifinal, which was contested over two days because of Tropical Storm Hanna’s intrusion, afforded Federer one more chance to avenge an earlier loss.

Returning to the A.T.P. circuit in Dubai in March after his doctor-mandated layoff, Federer lost to Murray in the first round, 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-4. Afterward, Federer dismissed Murray’s game. He said it had not changed much since they first squared off in 2005, and that Murray was “going to have to grind very hard for the next few years” if he persisted in hanging back and waiting for his opponent to make a mistake rather than attack.

Federer was criticized at the time for a rare affront against an opponent. And yet on Monday, Federer’s earlier assessment of Murray’s game read like a match summation. Murray came to the net 11 times while Federer had 44 net approaches. Murray’s feet were rooted several feet behind the baseline for much of the 1-hour 51-minute contest.

Federer had something to do with that, pinning Murray back there with his deep serves. In the first set Federer converted 76 percent of his first serves and closed out the set in a tidy 27 minutes.

Early in the second, Murray went on a run, winning 11 of 12 points to earn a triple break point for a 3-2 lead. Federer saved the first of the break points and on the second, the rally ended with Murray hitting a backhand out. Replays showed that one of Federer’s shots during the exchange should have been called out.

“That was the key,” Federer said. “After that, I began to play freely.”

Federer iced the second set when he broke Murray at love with four winners, including a running forehand passing shot on set point.

After Murray dumped a forehand into the net on the second championship point in the third set, Federer rolled around on the court like a pill bug. When he met Murray at the net, he congratulated him on a great tournament.

“And I said that, you know, I agreed with everyone that he’s had a terrible year,” Murray said.

He laughed. The joke was on everybody who had written Federer off.