From the Yankees

Yankee Stadium ceremonies begin at 12:10 p.m. with the West Point Marching Band performing John Philip Sousa’s “Washington Post March” and “Stars and Stripes Forever” in a tribute to the original Yankee Stadium’s opener on April 18, 1923, when Sousa performed on field with the Seventh Regiment Band prior to the game. The West Point Band will also play the “Armed Forces Medley.” Stadium ceremonies begin at 12:10 p.m. with the West Point Marching Band performing John Philip Sousa’s “Washington Post March” and “Stars and Stripes Forever” in a tribute to the original Yankee Stadium’s opener on April 18, 1923, when Sousa performed on field with the Seventh Regiment Band prior to the game. The West Point Band will also play the “Armed Forces Medley.”

More than 40 Yankees alumni, including Willie Randolph, Whitey Ford, Rich “Goose” Gossage and Reggie Jackson, will be introduced on-field, followed by baseline introductions for both teams. Hall of Famer Yogi Berra will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Colors will be presented by a joint FDNY and NYPD color guard. After a 75-foot-by-150-foot American flag is unfurled in the outfield by West Point Cadets, Kelly Clarkson, winner of the first season of “American Idol” and two Grammy Awards, will sing the national anthem.

At the conclusion of the anthem, the 174th Fighter Wing, an Air Force unit based in Syracuse, N.Y., will fly over the Stadium in F-16C Flying Falcons. The unit executing the flyover returned to the United States last August after supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom at Balad Air Force Base in Iraq.

The home plate and pitching rubber to be used in Thursday’s game is the same set that was used in the final game at the original Yankee Stadium. It was brought to the current Stadium on Nov. 8, 2008, in a ceremony that included Yankees executives, former players, and two local Bronx high school youth groups, Youth Force 2020, led by Turner Construction, and the ACE Mentoring Program, led by Tishman Speyer.

Following the game, the items will be dug up and placed in the Yankees Museum, located in Yankee Stadium near Gate 6.

All fans in attendance will receive an inaugural season commemorative pin.

For information on parking, please visit www.baseball-parking.com or call (866) 330-7275.

Alumni Attending Opening Day Ceremonies

Luis Arroyo

Jesse Barfield

Yogi Berra

Ron Blomberg

Bobby Brown

Horace Clarke

Jerry Coleman

David Cone

Chili Davis

Bucky Dent

Al Downing

Dave Eiland

Ed Figueroa

John Flaherty

Whitey Ford

Joe Girardi

Rich “Goose” Gossage

Ken Griffey, Sr.

Ron Guidry

Charlie Hayes

Rickey Henderson

Reggie Jackson

Tommy John

Jim Kaat

Don Larsen

Hector Lopez

Tino Martinez

Lee Mazzilli

Gene Michael

Jeff Nelson

Graig Nettles

Paul O’Neill

Joe Pepitone

Willie Randolph

Bobby Richardson

Mickey Rivers

Buck Showalter

Bill “Moose” Skowron

Luis Sojo

Mel Stottlemyre

Ralph Terry

Bob Turley

David Wells

Roy White

Bernie Williams

Dave Winfield

Pregame Schedule

10:00 a.m.: Gates open to fans with valid tickets.

12:10 p.m.: West Point Band performs in center field

12:30 p.m.: Introduction of Yankees alumni, introduction of home plate and mound from old Stadium

12:42 p.m. – 12:53 p.m.: Baseline introductions

12:53 p.m.: Introduction of giant American flag, unfurled by West Point cadets

12:53:30 p.m.: Flyover introduction, 174th Fighter Wing

12:54 p.m.: Presentation of colors by NYPD/FDNY Color Guard

12:54:30 p.m.: Live National Anthem introduction

12:56 p.m.: National Anthem, F-16C flyover

1:01 p.m.: Ceremonial first pitch: Yogi Berra

1:04 p.m.: Umpires and managers to home plate

1:06 p.m.: Yankees take the field

1:08 p.m.: First pitch