Send Comments to the Editors

U.S. Mail:
The Rice Thresher
6100 Main Street (MS-524)
Houston, TX 77005-1892

At Rice a debate also rages. This one, however, focuses not on whether the Yanks can overcome their National League foe, but rather if their home field's heart once lay deep in Texas -- in Houston, to be exact.

Did Rice really own Yankee Stadium? Every once in a while a student, a professor or an administrator will hint at such a notion but can rarely give concrete details of the alleged ownership. We've heard that this story might hold some truth, yet no one really knows for sure, and over the years the tale has taken on an almost mythical quality.

If the story is valid and Rice did indeed own the House That Ruth Built, how did a university buried deep in oil country come into possession of a stadium located at 161st Street and River Avenue in the Bronx? And perhaps the most important question, why did Rice own this stadium, an arena enshrined on "Seinfeld" and hallowed by sports fans alongside Churchill Downs, Augusta National and the Roman Colosseum?

Call us the Acme Detective Agency; we at the Thresher decided to put our gumshoes on the case to debunk whatever myth has accumulated through the years. Bust out your retro gear, folks, `cause the Thresher is taking you back. ...

The year was 1962. Beatlemania was sweeping the nation, the Cold War was reaching its peak, and President John F. Kennedy had just delivered his speech at Rice Stadium. Then, the newly constructed Astrodome was hosting the Houston Colt .45s' inaugural season, the designated hitter had yet to tarnish Major League Baseball, and the Yankees were attempting to win their 20th World Series title.

In July of that same year, a 1927 Rice graduate named John William Cox, owner of the General Package Co., chose to donate his ownership of Yankee Stadium, including all leasing rights, to his alma mater.

Cox, who had owned the venue since 1955, gave Rice all capital stock of the stadium, then valued at $4.5 million, plus leasing rights to the venue. Cox claimed Rice owned the stadium itself "lock, stock and barrel." The land the stadium sits on, however, became property of the Knights of Columbus.

As Yankee Stadium proprietor, Rice's largest benefit would come through the leasing rights of the stadium. That same year, the Yankees signed a lease which would keep the team in the stadium through 1982, a deal in which the venue's owner stood to gain between $1 and $3 million.

Then what compelled Cox to part with such a grandiose possession? Cox cited his dedication to the betterment of the university, saying at the time, "Realizing as I do that the future of our nation and indeed of mankind depends upon the continued healthy growth of the educational processes and of the institutions devoted to their advancement, I have decided to commit a part of my resources to this high cause. I will always be grateful to Rice for the educational opportunities it afforded me. I hope that my gift will encourage others to support Rice."

With Cox's donation, the Yanks' home turf changed hands and Rice controlled baseball's Taj Mahal. The team's winning traditions, however, remained the same. That year, the Bronx Bombers went on to defeat the newly relocated San Franscico Giants in seven games to win their second consecutive World Series title. In the same season, outfielder Mickey Mantle won the AL Most Valuable Player award and shortstop Tom Tresh received AL Rookie of the Year honors.

Rice retained possession of the stadium for nine years. During this span, the Yankees never managed another World Series title, let alone another AL title. In 1963, the team produced another league MVP, catcher Elston Howard, and pitcher Stan Bohnsen won the AL Rookie of the Year award in 1968.

Rice's ownership of Yankee Stadium saw some of the Yankees' dark ages as the team posted a losing season in 1965, their first in 39 years. In 1968, the team's .214 batting average marked the lowest in the majors since the dead-ball era.

A couple other noteworthy milestones of Rice's Yankee Stadium ownership: In 1965, the stadium played host to Pope Paul VI. In the winter of 1966, the stadium was painted its current colors of blue and white.

In March of 1971, the City of New York exercised its right of eminent domain, acquiring Yankee Stadium through condemnation hearings with the intention of remodeling the venue. Rice received $2.5 million in compensation from the Big Apple, relinquishing all ownership and rights to the City of New York, the stadium's current owner.

New York City's decision ended Rice's affiliation with baseball's sacred ground. Yet as the 1998 Fall Classic opens and every fan chooses a team to stand behind, I only have one thing to ask of the Rice community: Give a little cheer for the good ol' blue and gray -- that is, the blue trim and gray seats of Yankee Stadium.

Coincidence?

You make the call.

This item appeared in the Sports section of the October 16, 1998 issue.