According to one Aspen newspaper story, the Buckaroo Shrine was supposedly built by some cowboys from Montana. Another story (more likely true) has it that the shrine was created by the infamous ski gang, The Bell Mountain Buckaroos. This group is famous for holding the “Buck Off” (also called by some the “Rumble on the Ridge”) on the Ridge of Bell at 1 p.m. on the last day of the ski season.
Their shrine is dedicated to buckaroos, and has a bench to sit on (a log with rope wrapped around it) and many interesting things to look at, including a sign that says “Cowboy Parking Only-All others will be whupped,” a coffee pot, a sign that says “Buckaroo Shrine,” a cowboy lunch box, an old cowboy boot, a coil of barbed wire, a Wyoming license plate, a Colorado “ZG” plate, signs that say “Rodeo Drive,” “Long Shot,” and “Shrine Line,” a sign that says “Real cowboys never line dance, a buckaroo won't even watch!,” laminated photos of Roy Rogers and Hopalong Cassidy, and various other items and pictures.
For two baseball teams and their fans who don't really like each other very much, it is somewhat curious that the Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium shrines are so close to each other. In fact, they are hardly 20 yards apart. Along with the Golf Shrine on Snowmass, these shrines are probably the most popular of the Aspen/Snowmass shrines devoted to sports. There are, or have been, 11 sports shrines in all, memorializing athletes or teams in these sports: golf, baseball, auto racing, bowling, football and hockey.
The Fenway Park Shrine includes a green sign that says “Fenway Park” nailed up high in a tree, and a collection of ski goggles with various things written on the lenses. One goggle lens says, “Welcome to Fenway Park.” Another says, “Jeter Sucks.” There is also posted a copy of a ticket from the 2007 World Series which the Red Sox won in four games over the Colorado Rockies. This ticket is from the fourth game, played in Denver, and shows a ticket price of $250. Along with the copy of the ticket, the following has also been added (apparently by a Rockies fan): “Even though Boston won the 2007 World Series, Coors Field is a better ball park to watch a game than Fenway Park any day!” There is also a photo of Fenway Park showing the Green Monster, and also photos of Red Sox greats Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski.
The Yankee Stadium Shrine is dedicated to the original stadium where the Yankees played from 1923 to 2008 (a new stadium was built in 2009). It consists of a broken road sign that apparently used to say “Yankee Stadium” with a pointing arrow. There is also a newspaper article about the “Subway Series” with the Mets in 2000, a World Series ticket from that 2000 Series, a frayed Yankee pennant, a key fob, and other items. The shrine also includes photos of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio (and Joe's wife Marilyn Monroe), and also a photo of the original 1923 Yankee Stadium. It also contains the famous photo from the 1956 World Series of catcher Yogi Berra jumping into the arms of pitcher Don Larsen after Larsen had pitched a Perfect Game on Oct. 8, 1956.
David Wood (AspenShrines@aol.com) is the author of the best-selling book about the Aspen shrines, Sanctuaries in the Snow-The Shrines and Memorials of Aspen/Snowmass. He donates all of his profits from book sales to a local charity, The Trashmasters Scholarship Fund. The book can be purchased in Snowmass Village at Snowmass Sports, the Stew Pot, Sundance Liquor and Gifts, the Village Market, and 81615, as well as at various locations in Aspen.
