Yogi Berra’s farewell to Yankee Stadium

One of America's best-loved sportsmen, the New York Yankees' Yogi Berra, came out of retirement yesterday and donned a vintage baseball outfit to join the pre-game parade before the last ever ballgame at the famous Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

The so-called 'House That Ruth Built' - named after Babe Ruth who inaugurated it more than 80 years ago - is to be demolished and replaced with a new £1.3m ballpark across the road. "I'm sorry to see it over, I'll tell you that," 83-year-old Berra told the capacity crowd.

The Yankees' owner George Steinbrenner chose to stay at home in Tampa, Florida and watch the last game on TV, leaving the emotional celebrations to his son Hal. In the event, the Yankees won the game 7-3 against the Baltimore Orioles. Because both teams are languishing in the league, it was a good night to look back on past glories rather than worry about the future.

Milestones include not just great ballgames but Masses celebrated by three Popes - including Pope Benedict XVI this April - Muhammad Ali's famous victory over Ken Norton in 1976 after 15 gruelling rounds, and a celebration rally for Nelson Mandela following his release from jail in 1990.

Babe Ruth himself last appeared at the stadium in 1947 to say farewell to fans. Stricken with throat cancer, he told the crowd: "The only real game, I think, in the world is baseball." On his death a year later, 100,000 fans paid their respects when his body was laid out at the stadium's entrance. ·