Recreated for you here is a piece of the iconic Yankee Stadium frieze, built into the ballpark when it was erected in 1923.
Unquestionably, Yankee Stadium’s architectural signature is, and has been, draped atop its upper deck since the stadium's opening in 1923. It was unique among stadiums and ballpark. Without it, the stadium’s mighty interior would have looked aesthetically ordinary.
The Art Deco copper frieze (fans have called it “the facade”), with its arched motif, was originally made of copper, although the blueprint from Osborne Engineering called it Toncan metal, which suggests a copper-iron alloy. (Osborne has designed a litany of great sports parks, including Polo Grounds in 1911, Fenway Park and Tiger Stadium in 1912, Notre Dame Stadium in 1929, RFK Stadium in 1959, and Jacobs Field in 1994.)
The original Yankee Stadium frieze weathered over the decades, developing a patina, then was painted white in the 1960s, and was removed in the 1970s renovation with a small part placed atop the center field bleachers.
The Yankees recreated the look of the original frieze in their 2009 construction: the $1.5 billion stadium evokes the ’23 design. The new frieze is steel coated with zinc to protect it from rusting and two layers of white paint.
Show pride with this terrific recreation of the original look and feel of the 1923 frieze design.
Sale Price: $24.95
