Yankee Stadium outfield dimensions

Since it opened in 1923, Yankee Stadium has changed its dimensions several times. The information contained herein may seem to be simply a list, but it has several uses in studying the evolution of modern major league baseball.

First, the Stadium's dimensions can serve as a yardstick against other ballparks of the various time periods covered. Since the 1970s in particular, starting around the time that most of the "classic" ballparks were being razed, there have been various books written about major league ballparks. Many of them make the same points. Baseball is unique among other major American sports, in that the size and shape of the field of play can vary a great deal from venue to venue, and thus have a strong influence on the game.

During the "dead ball era" that persisted through the years of World War I, the outfield dimensions of ballparks, although known and commented about anecdotally in contemporary newspapers, were not a major conversation piece unless they were exceptionally small (or large) and affected the outcomes of games. Home runs were relatively rare. This changed dramatically with the advent of the "lively ball" and the sports boom of the 1920s. Baseball's hitting style changed from the "inside game" to the "power game", and suddenly ballpark dimensions took on much greater significance - probably nowhere so visibly as at Yankee Stadium.

The Stadium and its power-hitting star, Babe Ruth, converged to begin the lengthy baseball dynasty of the New York Yankees. The Yankees have always been noted for stacking left-handed power hitters, and they had none greater than Ruth. While the short right field area certainly helped him (it was not called "Ruthville" for nothing), the expansive left and center fields may have hurt him as well.

In the book, The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home Runs, by Bill Jenkinson, the author argues that in spite of the already-considerable accomplishments of Ruth as a power hitter, he could have reached even loftier home run totals had it not been for the cavernous center and left-center areas of the Stadium, which this list reveals. The secret is that, although Ruth is thought of as a pull hitter, Jenkinson's analysis shows that his longest home runs were actually hit toward straightaway center field and left-center. And as Yankee Stadium had an exceptionally deep outfield in that area, a number of potential home runs went for doubles or triples instead, or even outs.

Although the "Death Valley" area was shortened somewhat in 1937, right-hand power hitters like Joe DiMaggio likely had their home run totals reduced due to the still very deep power alley. The classic example is Al Gionfriddo's catch of DiMaggio's deep fly ball in left field in front of the bullpen, in the 1947 World Series. That occurred right in front of the 415 sign, and it unquestionably would have been a game-reversing home run in the Dodgers home, Ebbets Field, as there was no place in the Ebbets playing surface that was that deep, and certainly not left field, which was roughly 50 feet closer.

This chronology is derived from a variety of sources. Green Cathedrals, by Phil Lowry, is a good basic reference. Baseball annuals, starting with editions in the 1920s, routinely gave dimensions of the major league ballparks. Photos are also a good source, as the Yankees were among the first to post distance markers on the outfield walls. Among the many book sources of photos are Yankee Stadium: Fifty Years of Drama, by Joseph Durso; and Yankee Stadium: 75 Years of Drama, Glamour and Glory, by Ray Robinson and Christopher Jennison.

1923-1936
*Left Field Line - 285 ft.
*Straightaway LF, corner of main stand - 395 ft.
*Straightaway LF, corner of bleachers - 460 ft.
*Center Field - 490 ft.
*Right Center - 429 ft.
*Straightaway RF, bleacher gate - 350 ft.
*Right Field Line - 295 ft.

1937-1973
*Left Field Line - 301 ft.
*Straightaway LF, corner of main stand - 402 ft. - left of bullpen
*Straightaway LF, corner of bleachers - 415 ft. - right of bullpen
*Deep Left Center - 457 ft.
*Center Field - 461 ft.
*Right Center - 407 ft.
*Straightaway RF, corner of bleachers - 367 ft. - left of bullpen
*Straightaway RF, near corner of main stand - 344 ft. - right of bullpen
*Right Field Line - 296 ft.
*Backstop - 82 ft.

1974-1975
*Renovation of Yankee Stadium. The Yankees spent these two seasons at Shea Stadium.

1976-1984
*Left Field Line - 312 ft.
*Straightaway LF - 387 ft.
*Deep Left Center - 430 ft.
*Center Field - 417 ft.
*Right Center - 385 ft.
*Straightaway RF - 353 ft.
*Right Field Line - 310 ft.

1985-1987
*Altered to make Monument Park accessible to fans
*Left Field Line - 312 ft.
*Straightaway LF - 379 ft.
*Deep Left Center - 411 ft.
*Center Field - 410 ft.
*Right Center - 385 ft.
*Straightaway RF - 353 ft.
*Right Field Line - 310 ft.

1988-present
*Altered to make Monument Park more accessible; also dimensions for Legends Field and New Yankee Stadium
*Left Field Line - 318 ft.
*Straightaway LF - 379 ft.
*Deep Left Center - 399 ft.
*Center Field - 408 ft.
*Right Center - 385 ft.
*Straightaway RF - 353 ft.
*Right Field Line - 314 ft.

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