Dodger Stadium, A True Slice of Heaven

Originally Posted on 1/19/08

The other day a co-worker took a jab at me and he knew exactly where to strike. He told me that Dodger Stadium was one of the worst Major League Ballparks, which I immediately took exception too (rightfully so).

Now, he happens to be from San Diego and roots for one of our many rivals, the Padres but that's no excuse to represent such a stupid, idiotic and ridiculous statement.

Dodger Stadium is one of the last true great older ballparks in the game... and has been for many years (even though the organization is in its second city, Brooklyn to LA). Currently, Dodger Stadium at Chavez Ravine, is the 4th oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball, behind just Wrigley Field (in Chicago with the Cubs), Fenway Park in Boston and Yankee Stadium in NY. Of course all four of the teams listed are four of the most recognizable teams in all of sports which helps in this debate but all four have also maintained their historical parks which run deep in baseball history. Sadly, the Yankees are soon moving out of the confines of Yankee Stadium, the House that Ruth Built. This will propel the Dodgers home to 3rd oldest and only add to the nostalgia of the once empty property that the O'Malley family purchased many years ago.

When the Dodgers first moved to Los Angeles in 1958, 50 years ago, they had to call the LA Coliseum home until Dodger Stadium's construction was completed. In fact, it wasn't until 1962 that the team was able to move up into the Hills of Chavez Ravine. But ever since, the area overlooking downtown LA from one side and facing the great San Gabriel Mountains from the other has been home to Championship Dodger teams and great memories for Dodgers and Baseball fans alike. Dodger Stadium truly is one of Los Angeles most cherished city landmarks.

In doing some research, according to the Dodgers website, over 125 million fans have visited the 56,000 seat ballpark since it opened on April 10th 1962. The first game ever played was against the Cincinnati Reds but the first win didn't come until the next day when the Dodgers defeated the Reds 6-2.

In 1978, the Dodgers were the first team to top the 3 million mark in attendance when the team drew 3,347,845. Since then the Dodgers commonly draw over 3 million fans and in some cases over 3.5 million fans. Heck, they've probably already out sold most of the other teams in the league for 2008 and may well join the Yankees this season with over 4 million seats sold...

Some other facts that I found, since the grand opening in '62, the Dodgers have hosted a MLB All-Star game in 1980 and Olympic games in 1984. The Dodgers have also won four World Championships at Dodger Stadium (1963, 1965, 1981 and 1988). Their first of six titles came back in 1955 while still in Brooklyn and playing at Ebbets Field and second was won while still playing (renting) at the LA Coliseum in 1959.

In 1999, the Dodgers would start to embark on many stadium renovations which are still on-going today with the current work being done on the concourse area of the field level but with each improvement, the stadium has maintained its rich history and has always impressed locals and visitors with a great clean, maintained facility that garners respect and admiration of baseball players and fans.

So before you jump to conclusions, come and check out Dodger Stadium for yourself... as Vin Scully would say, "Dodger Stadium is a true slice of heaven."

I'll leave you with a quote by the legendary broadcaster of the Dodgers, Hall of Famer, Vin Scully

When the sun sets at Dodger Stadium, I am impressed first of all with the mountains because, at this time of year, they are fully defined. It makes me think of some of the great artists who did Western paintings — Frederic Remington, Charles Russell, Frank McCarthy, to name a few — because they must have been inspired by that.

And then the cloud formations. At sunset, they turn pink. And as it continues, the closer you are to sunset, the clouds are still kind of gold. Farther away in center field and right field, you’re away from the sunset and the clouds are turning purple. So you think of an artist’s palette with various colors, and it just takes your breath away.

Down on the field, a ballgame is just beginning. But the sunset becomes a major distraction because it’s so overwhelming it’s hard to take your eyes off it. And then the palm trees — there’s a group of palm trees on the hill behind left field — they are defined against the sky, and they are turning colors with the sunset. You can’t see that anywhere else in a ballpark.”

Vin Scully
Los Angeles Times, August 21, 2003