Unless you have been buried under freshly poured concrete at the New Yankee Stadium, you know the All-Star Game was played in the House That Ruth Built Tuesday night.

Next year, the Yanks will play in the House That A Cranky Steinbrenner (and piles of public money) Built.

But on Tuesday, baseball celebrated Yankee Stadium more than the stars who played on its hallowed field.

This was a place that saw popes celebrate Mass, that saw 37 World Series, that saw Don Larsen pitch a perfect game, that saw the first sudden death overtime contest in NFL history, that saw Lou Gehrig's famous retirement speech, that saw Reggie Jackson and Billy Martin fight in the dugout.

And that saw JoshHamilton smack 28 home runs in one round of a home run derby — a truly surreal sight.

Yes, Yankee Stadium is as full of history as the Steinbrenners are full of hot air.

I was lucky enough to see a game at Yankee Stadium in 1998. I was in awe of it. The stadium was bigger than life. It soared above me and made me feel small.

It's the last true American cathedral of sport, replaced by small, intimate parks with all the bells and whistles.

It was the closest thing this country had to a Roman Coliseum. Sitting in that stadium, you could almost see gladiators taking on tigers, or Jose Canseco, in center field.

But it will soon be gone.

There is a big silver lining in this sad story of the death of one of the nation's most historic buildings: the New Yankee Stadium will be a lot like the Old Yankee Stadium.

You have to give kudos to the designers for that.

n The outfield dimensions will be exactly the same, so all those left-handed pull hitters can continue to salivate when they see the 314 on the wall down the right field line.

n Monument Park still will be beyond the left-field wall, just in case Roger Clemens wants to pay another visit to kiss Babe Ruth's head, confusing it with Mindy McCready.

n The outside of the stadium will appear similar to the old one. It also will be in the same neighborhood. Wait, that isn't exactly an endorsement.

The real changes are subtle ones, but made for three reasons: Money, money, money.

There are 6,000 fewer seats, but those that remain come at a much heftier price. Some of the tickets cost more than buying a foreclosed home.

People are paying for more seat, though — they are up to four inches wider and there is an average of an extra five inches of leg room. This was an obvious change, just in case Sidney Ponson and David Wells wanted to take in a game at the new stadium.

And, of course, the scoreboard is nearly three times the size of the current one.

When it is all said and done, saying goodbye to the old stadium is bittersweet. The new one is an adequate replacement.

At least they didn't pile on and sell the naming rights.

Somehow Build-A-Bear Stadium doesn't have the same ring to it.

Mike Kilroy is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle.