The Alaska daily empire., 1923-04-16
YANKEES TO PLAY FIRST HOME
 :. GAME IN MAMMOTH NEW PARK

NEW YORK, April 16.-(By As sociated Press. .)-When baseball. the nationwide magnet, begins attracting its swarms of fans to it's two pc,es here this season, New Works de- voices of the sport will wend their yay into the two largest and finest ldTks in the country.
 The new $3,00O,O00 Yankee stadium :, now practically complete, and vast Improvements have been under way al the Polo Grounds. home of the worlds champion Giants, where the seating capacity is being increased to 54,000. The combined seating ca pacity of the two parks at the open ing of this season will be 10000 -75,000 at the Yankee stadium and 45000 at the Polo Grounds-but with in a few weeks this VIII be increased to 130,000. In future years, when final plans are completed, 154,000 spectators can be accommodated on a single day
 The Yankee stadium. the largest baseball park in the country, will be ready for the opening game next Wednesday, with the Boston Red Sox. and will accommodate 75,000 per sons. When completed, it will seat 100000.
 The severity of the winter has re- tarded work at the Polo Grounds, but 45,000 seats will be available there April 26, at the first call of Bat tries for today" and before the en1 of Mav SA mn u,iII ho
 The Yankee park is an imposing arena with its tier of wooden bleach field and huge steel and concrete CTS surrounding most of the out grandstand, consisting of two decks and a mezzanine floor. The bleach CTS, newly painted in bright green, are ready for the first mob of dyed inthe-wool' enthusiasts
 s The grandstand is complete except for two decks of seats in the extreme left field section, which will be added after the close of the 1923 season. There are rows of box seats in front of all seats in the two decks as we'll as the mezzanine. The en- closure for newspapermen is in front of the mezzanne floor and directly behind home plate.
 An immense score board has been erected over the center-field bleach CTS with figures a foot high. visible from any section of the park. Scores of all games in both major leagues will be posted daily.
 Under the direction of Phil Schenck, veteran nd-keeper. who was in charge of the Yankees old field more than a decade ago, tha playing field has been sodded from the edge of the stands to the rim Of the bletchers, except for track "A feet wide encirclirg the field, The track measures 400 yards and has straightaway of 120 yards. It will be available for track meets when the field is not being used for base ball It's temporary wooden rim can be removed from the track if not in use so as not to interfere with the fly-chasers.
 The field is 362 feet, 6 inches wide. When Babe Ruth hits a home run over second base to the center field bleachers the ball will have to travel 475' feet.
 The main entrance and exit to the grandstand are on 157th Street and Doughty Street. The grandstand and bleachers cost the Yankees $2,500,- GOO, and the grounds slightly more than $500000
 The old wooden bleachers at the Polo Grounds have been replaced by concrete and steel structures extend ing from each end of the grandstand around the outfield. In center fieli two bleacher sections have been fin- ished, each seating 2,500 persons ana separated by an exit gate. Behind each uncovered stand IS clubhouse of concrete and steel, one Of four stories to be occupied by the Giants.
 Extending from the original lest wing of the grandstand and cover Ing about 250 feet is a high con crete structure that will carry an upper tier Of seats Broadening out into deep center field, this wing will assume the proportions of the grand stand as it first was built around the. diamond. In deep right field, an other wing has been added. '-.-