DODGERS STADIUM

Dodgers Stadium is one of the best ballparks in Major League Baseball. Dodger Stadium was baseball’s only privately financed stadium built since Yankee Stadium in 1923 and until Pacific Bell Park in 2000. Until Denver’s Coors Field was built in 1995, Dodger Stadium and Chicago’s Wrigley Field were the only National League parks built exclusively for baseball. The Los Angeles Dodgers and California Angels shared Dodger Stadium from April 17, 1962 until September 22, 1965. The stadium was known as Chavez Ravine when the Angels were playing there. In September 1957, Los Angeles agreed to exchange 300 acres of land in Chavez Ravine to the Dodgers in return for the Dodgers’ commitment to build a 50,000-seat stadium. Construction began on September 17, 1959. While Dodger Stadium was being constructed, the Dodgers played at the L.A. Coliseum. Dodger Stadium was supposed to have been completed by 1961, but lawsuits and landslides pushed the opening to one year later. Opening day at Dodger Stadium came on April 10, 1962, when 52,564 fans packed the five level multicolored structure. The Los Angeles (Anaheim) Angels also began playing at Dodger Stadium in 1962, and played there until 1965. Dodger Stadium was designed to be expandable to seat 85,000 people. However, the Dodgers never expanded their home. Also in the original plans of the stadium was a picturesque fountain in center field in which vary-colored spotlights would have played on the cascading waters if a Dodger player had hit a homerun. It was the only park of its era designed specifically for baseball. Four of the five seating decks stretch from foul pole to foul pole. The top upper deck stretches from the first base side to the third base side. A wavy top roof hangs over the back of the bleachers which are located behind both left and right field. Two scoreboards are above the bleachers. After the 1999 season, new field level seats down the foul lines beyond the dugouts and a new expanded dugout section with an adjacent club area were added. The luxury suites were also upgraded to provide the same amenities as the ones available in newer ballparks. After the 2002 season, the Dodger installed a new video board, DodgerVision replacing the previous one in left field. Also new out of town scoreboards are now incorporated as part of the outfield fence in left and right field. Since it has opened, Dodger Stadium has remained one of the cleanest and nicest ballparks in the country. In 1978, the Dodgers became the first team to draw three million fans to the ballpark. Every off season, it is given a fresh coat of paint. Although it is more than four decades old, Dodger Stadium still ranks as one of Major LB's top ballparks. Clearly, the changes have paid off, as the Dodger Stadium field was named the best in baseball by Sports Illustrated in 2003 in a poll of Major League players. Of the responses, 23.2 percent of players rated Dodger Stadium as the best-quality playing field, more than twice as many as any other stadium. Poor visibility for hitters, fairly large dimensions and a large amount of foul territory, Dodger Stadium has a well-deserved reputation as a pitchers' park. Several power pitchers such as Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale and Fernando Valenzuela became superstars after arriving in Los Angeles.