Inside Yankees history
A guide to Monument Park
Understand the monuments, the plaques, and the retired numbers before your next visit.
Monument Park sits beyond center field at Yankee Stadium. Its tributes tell Yankees history through several forms of recognition. A plaque, a monument, and a retired uniform number should not be treated as interchangeable records.
Three kinds of tribute
| Tribute | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Monuments | Freestanding memorials; their history begins with Miller Huggins. |
| Plaques | Individual and commemorative tributes. A plaque does not automatically mean a uniform number was retired. |
| Retired numbers | Uniform-number honors. The retired-number register separates the number, the honoree, and the date. |
How the park took shape
The first monument was dedicated to Miller Huggins on May 30, 1932. Monuments for Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth followed in 1941 and 1949. The Yankees’ media guide records the first center-field-wall plaque as an April 1940 tribute to Jacob Ruppert.
In 1985, moving the old stadium’s left-center-field fence allowed fans to view Monument Park up close. The collection later moved with the Yankees to the new stadium. Those changes explain why older photographs can look very different from the park visitors know today.
Two modern examples
| Honoree | Recognition | Ceremony |
|---|---|---|
| Derek Jeter | Monument Park plaque and No. 2 retirement | May 14, 2017 |
| CC Sabathia | Monument Park plaque unveiling and No. 52 retirement | September 25, 2026 |
Sabathia’s plaque carries September 26, 2026, although the ceremony was held the previous day. The inscription and event date are both part of the record.
Planning a visit
Check the Yankees’ official gameday guide and stadium tours information for current access arrangements. Tour availability and game-day access can change; confirm them for your visit rather than rely on an old article.
Sources
- 2018 Yankees Media Guide — Monument Park history section. Historical totals in this edition are not current totals.
- Jeter’s number retirement — Jeter’s completed ceremony.
- CC’s number joins the greats — Sabathia’s ceremony and inscription distinction.
- SABR: Of Monuments and Men — the move to the new stadium.
This introductory guide is not yet a complete plaque inventory. Checked October 7, 2026.