Can anyone identify the year of this Yankees ticket?

Statman · June 25, 2011 10:20AM

I have a full ticket from the Yankees American League Championship Series - I assume it's from the 70's, but it does not have the year on it anywhere. I am wondering if anyone could identify the year or is this possibly a phantom ticket? The ticket price of $5 for a Lower Stand Reserve Seat seems awful low for a playoff game - even back in the 70's. I looked on ebay, but didn't see one like this from either 76 or 77, or 80 - possibly it is from 78?

Any help?
Thanks

vtbub · June 25, 2011 10:44AM

That baseball logo was late 60's-early 70's. The Killebrew logo would have been on a later 70's ticket. My first thought was 76, but the 70 Yankees finished second and going on your price thought, if legit, could be from the 1970 ALCS if the Yankees had made it.

A 76 ticket probably would have had some sort of bicentennial logo on it and after that, the current MLB logo would have been on it.

Statman · June 25, 2011 11:45AM

Thanks for the reply - I was trying to pinpoint that "baseball" logo too. The 76 ticket does have a bicentennial logo on it, so I know it's not that one. I think it has to be a phantom ticket from the early 70's, based on the price.

hotmush · June 25, 2011 11:53AM

The sales tax puts at it 7% so that puts the timeframe between 71 and 73.

From 1971-1973 the NYC tax was 3% while the NYState tax was 4%. That equals 7%

74-80 was 4% and 4% resp. (8%) while 69-70 was 3% and 3% resp. (6%)

CrazyMind2017 · June 25, 2011 12:44PM

Definitely pre-renovation Stadium. That section would have been referred to as "Main Reserve" starting in 1976.

Statman · June 25, 2011 12:50PM

Great info from everyone - I knew this would be the place to ask.

Thanks

otwcards · June 25, 2011 12:53PM

Pretty sure that is from 1972 and is a phantom ticket authorized for printing by MLB as the Yankees were in contention until the last week or so of the season...

hotmush · June 25, 2011 12:56PM

Scan of the back for more clues?

EchoCanyon · June 25, 2011 2:20PM

<< .....The Killebrew logo would have been .......... >>

You know the Harmon-Killebrew-is-the-MLB-icon is a baseball urban legend, right?

stevek · June 25, 2011 10:26PM

Here is a Yankees 1972 "World Series" phantom ticket - I think Scott is probably right.

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/8301873

scashaggy · June 26, 2011 12:04AM

This auction has one like it and calls it a '78.

ebay

MooseDog · June 26, 2011 7:30AM

This is pretty much the same style as the 1973 Mets WS tickets so I think the 1971-73 period is about right.

Five bucks for a World Series game...sheesh.

Statman · June 26, 2011 12:46PM

Thanks for all the additional theories and info.

Hotmush - the back on this is blank (which leads me to believe even more that it's a phantom ticket).

Based on the price, I'd say it is definitely early-70's. !972 may be right.

THanks

Ironmanfan · June 26, 2011 2:04PM

another key/clue for the year is that it would have to be a year wherein the AL East Champ would host game 3 of the ALCS

IMF

otwcards · June 26, 2011 9:47PM

<< another key/clue for the year is that it would have to be a year wherein the AL East Champ would host game 3 of the ALCS

IMF >>

It wouldn't help. Teams would print 4 potential home games for each series. If they only had three games, the Game 4 would become a phantom. If they missed the playoffs or the following round, then those became phantoms, too.

stevek · June 26, 2011 10:03PM

It's just a shame that in every year there weren't Yankees phantom tickets.

EchoCanyon · June 27, 2011 12:18AM

<< From 1971-1973 the NYC tax was 3% while the NYState tax was 4%. That equals 7% >>

In 1971, the Yankees were 82-80, 21 games back -- doubt there were playoff thoughts
In 1972, they were 79-76, only 6.5 games back -- possibly
In 1973, they were 80-82, 17 games back -- see 1971 theory

Ironmanfan · June 27, 2011 12:28AM

<< 

<< another key/clue for the year is that it would have to be a year wherein the AL East Champ would host game 3 of the ALCS

IMF >>

It wouldn't help. Teams would print 4 potential home games for each series. If they only had three games, the Game 4 would become a phantom. If they missed the playoffs or the following round, then those became phantoms, too. >>

Back then the ALCS/NLCS was best of 5 (not 7); ..........Game 3 ticket would be the first game at AL East Stadium in alternating years (obviously if the team didn't win the division, they all would be phantoms)

IMF

YogiBerraFan · June 27, 2011 1:13AM

<< It's just a shame that in every year there weren't Yankees phantom tickets.

>>

Boo! Hiss!

CrazyMind2017 · June 27, 2011 2:45AM

<< Back then the ALCS/NLCS was best of 5 (not 7); ..........Game 3 ticket would be the first game at AL East Stadium in alternating years (obviously if the team didn't win the division, they all would be phantoms) >>

Very true, and I don't think they were printing the tickets with the format of "Home Game 1," "Home Game 2," "Home Game 3," etc. like they do now. That started in the 1990s, partially as a result of TV contracts giving Fox the power to have starting times (and in some cases, even dates) of games changed. But even moreso, it was a result of teams not knowing whether they'd have home field advantage in any given playoff round at the time they sold and printed tickets, hence the need for "ALCS Home Game 4" to be the equivalent of Game 7.

In 1972, everyone knew the first two ALCS games would be hosted by the winner of the west and the last three games would be hosted by the winner of the east. Therefore, "Game 3" really means just that, not "Home Game 3." There was no need for such complications back then. It was a simpler time, that's for sure.

Can anyone identify the year of this Yankees ticket?

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