I have no idea when I attended my first baseball game at Yankee stadium, but yesterday I definitely attended my last one. After 85 years playing at the famed House That Ruth Built, my beloved New York Yankees are moving to a new stadium across the street.

I'm not exactly superstitious, but if there's anything that could curse a baseball team it's demolishing the most storied stadium in the sport. It's horrible. Last night, I went to the final game in the original ballpark.

I missed the opening ceremonies because there was some craziness on the subway where people were fighting. Someone pulled the emergency break, so I ended up getting delayed. It was good to know that, at least on 155th Street, sometimes The Bronx is still The Bronx. Despite all of the trouble on the train, I still arrived at the stadium in time to see the first pitch.

Andy Pettite started the game for the Yanks. Somehow that's always the case when I go to see them play. I can't stand watching Pettite pitch. Andy's a good pitcher who's even had some great years, but I always end up seeing him lose almost every time i make the trip to the Stadium. It's like I'm cursed. That's why I was so worried when Andy started last night's game by giving up a couple of early runs to the lowly Baltimore Orioles. Yankee Stadium opened in 1923 with a win against the hated Boston Red Sox capped off with a Babe Ruth home run. Closing the place with a loss to a last place team would be a travesty.

My seats were in section 51 of the center field bleachers right behind the Yankee bullpen. After the game, a lot of the players commented on the "playoff atmosphere" they felt last night. When I got there, I wasn't feeling any postseason vibes. Red-white-and-blue bunting hung around the stadium as if it was a playoff game, but the Yankees are already done for the season. I feel obligated to mention that there's a slim mathematical chance that they could still make it to the postseason, but it's not going to happen. This year, for the first time since 1994, the Yankees have absolutely no shot at the World series. There wasn't much to celebrate last night.

I went to the game with my mom, who's probably the person I've been to the most games with over the years. We both wanted to see Pettite get taken out of the game early. We were also upset that they don't serve beer in the bleachers anymore.

Bad feelings seem to be common among Yankees fans these days. Poor performance on the field is only part of the problem. Personally, I hate to see the old place destroyed for a new ballpark with much fewer seats and higher prices.

I had a great view of Yankee Stadium's last homer. Jose Molina hit a blast that landed in the netting above the seats way out in left-center. There's a dispute over who caught the historic ball. A guy named "Steve" says he was given the ball by security and told the Canadian Press: "I was right under it, it hit bounced once and came right back to me and I just grabbed it." For the record, that's not what I saw at all. Molina's home run ball rolled around in the netting for a while and all of the people nearby were grabbing at the edge of the netting trying to get it to roll their way. It was actually quite funny to watch.

Another notable incident occurred about midway through the game when a veteran Bleacher Creature named Larry was violently ejected from the stadium for telling 258 pound Yankee right-hander Sidney Ponson to "eat a salad." Ponson laughed it off. Rude cheers from the bleachers are a Bronx baseball tradition and the Creatures are a Yankee Stadium fixture. Fans grumbled about "freedom of speech" as Larry was carried away by cops and stadium security. Larry begged the cops to reconsider pointing out that he hadn't cursed at Ponson.

Molina's hit and another shot from Johnny Damon allowed Pettite to leave the game in the fifth inning with a 5-3 lead even though he'd given up three runs. After Andy's departure, the game became a showcase for the Yankees' youngest pitchers and things started to get excitIing.

I got a good look at phenom Joba Chamberlain's warm up and it's the most entertaining in game behavior I've seen at Yankee Stadium since the days when Paul O'Neil used to smash stuff and talk to his hat in the outfield. Joba pumped his fist and bobbed his head to the music that played on the stadium speakers. Before running out onto the field, he psyched up by pouring water on himself and rapidly shaking his head back and forth like some sort of bullpen Berserker.

Joba shut out the Orioles for an inning and a half as the Yankees piled on more runs and made it 7-3. His performance set the stage for baseball's all-time best closer, the legendary Mariano Rivera. When "Mo," as he's known to fans, took the mound the atmosphere was finally, unmistakably electric. Rivera pitched a scoreless ninth inning and retired the Orioles in order for the last three outs in Yankee Stadium history. I saw a sign that said "Babe Ruth opened it and Mariano closed it." I can't put it any better than that.

After the game, the players gathered on the field to linger among a crowd of reporters and policemen in full riot gear. Everyone cheered and flashbulbs filled the air, but even though the night ended with a win it was hard not to feel sad. Yankee Stadium has the most storied history in all of baseball. Seeing the team break with that tradition at a time when their future is so uncertain seems wrong. Whatever happens next, I'm just happy the Stadium got a great sendoff.