The Time The Yankees Called Asbury Park Home
There was a short amount of time in a spring many, many years ago that the New York Yankees were calling Asbury Park their temporary home.
Is it hard for you to believe that the New York Yankees once held their spring training right here in Asbury Park. I'm not a Mets fan playing a trick on you. I'm a Mets fan telling you a true but hard to believe story about Asbury Park and your beloved Yankees.
The year was 1943 and all the world's eyes and thoughts were on World War II. And no one was going to use precious resource on baseball teams doing extra travel, so the Yanks needed to stay north for spring training.
So, if you can picture this, the Yankees piled out of a train at the Asbury Park stop and made their way to the Asbury Park High School's new field to start their spring training. It happened on March 14,1943, according to app.com.
And if you're wondering where the Yankees stayed while they ere in Asbury Park, that would be the Albion Hotel. The hotel closed for business in the late 80's according to side-o-lamb.com.
And spring training in Asbury Park apparently worked well for the New York Yankees. They went on to win the World Series that season.
This is a pretty amazing story and another piece of the long and incredible history of Asbury Park. It must have been a welcome distraction for the locals during a difficult time. And what a thrill for the local kids.