Alterations at Yankee Stadium

Apr. 20, 1965 - The Yankee Stadium outfield railings were draped with foam rubber padding today to protect Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, and visiting fly-chasers from injury.

The green, cloth-covered padding was placed along the front of the field boxes for 50 feet from the foul poles toward home plate in both left and right field. It was delivered yesterday while the team was in Kansas City, was installed today, and will be ready for tomorrow’s opening game with the Minnesota Twins.

Similar padding had been placed on sections of the outfield wall at Busch Stadium, St. Louis, two years ago when Johnny Keane was manager of the Cardinals. 

During last season’s World Series, Keane examined the Yankee Stadium outfield as part of a briefing on ground rules. When he became manager of the Yankees after the series, he discussed padding the railing with club officials, who had been considering such a precaution for several years.

Mantle’s shift from center to left field this spring was the clincher, since the $100,000-a-year star has had a long history of leg injuries. 

Maris, the team’s $70,000-a-year right fielder, damaged his ribs badly in the 1963 World Series when he crashed against the railing chasing a fly ball.

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