The ballpark's rich history began with Dodger President Walter O'Malley's foresight six decades ago. In 1957, O'Malley lobbied for a new stadium to be built for his Brooklyn club, but when a deal could not be reached, the Dodgers made the unprecedented move to California.
In September of that year, the city of Los Angeles agreed to give 300 acres of land to the Dodgers in exchange for the deed to Wrigley Field in Los Angeles and their commitment to construct a 50,000-seat stadium.
While Dodger Stadium was being built, the Dodgers played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum through 1961, before the true Opening Day- April 10, 1962 - when the Dodgers finally played in their new home before 52,564 fans.
The 56,000-seat Dodger Stadium, the first privately financed ballpark since Yankee Stadium in 1923, is a reflection of the careful study Walter O'Malley put into this seminal project.
Dodger Stadium was designed by O'Malley and New York based architect and civil engineer, Emil Praeger with support from Los Angeles based Edward Fickett, FAIA, a fourth generation California native and prolific architect who brought a regional flare to the engineering feat that is Dodger Stadium. Praeger designed the stadium so that each entry is at grade -- from the Top Deck to the Field level seats.
The 21 terraced entrances on the six different seating levels presents a unique vertical circulation along the landscaped plazas around the stadium perimeter and each section of seating has parking immediately adjacent the entrance.
There is parking for 16,000 cars on site, carved as the stadium is, into the hillside of Chavez Ravine. Fickett's contribution of style and color gives the building a uniquely Southern California 1960's "modern" style.
The stadium was originally designed to be expandable to 85,000 seats by expanding the upper decks over the outfield pavilions; the Dodgers have never pursued such a project.
Dodger Stadium was also the home of the Los Angeles Angels (now Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) from 1962 through 1965. To avoid constantly referring to their landlords, the Angels called the park Chavez Ravine Stadium (or just "Chavez Ravine"), after the geographic feature in which the stadium sits.
It was a five minute walk from the parking lot to the ballpark entrance. This is as bad as Shea Stadium when you had to park at Flushing Meadows Park. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
The entrance of Dodger Stadium from Stadium Way up the hill leads you to the upper deck behind home plate. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
One of the most distinctive features in Dodger Stadium is the top of a 10-story elevator shaft bearing the Dodger logo rising directly behind home plate at the top of the uppermost seating level. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
The seats that were removed had been in use since 1975 and helped give the stadium its unique "space age" feel with a color palette of bright yellow, orange, blue, and red. The new seats are in the original (more muted) 1962 color scheme consisting of yellow, light orange, turquoise, and sky blue. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
A view from the top of the steps leading to the field shows the top of the Dodgers dugout. The Dodgers celebrated 50 years in Los Angeles in 2007. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
Retired uniform numbers of former Dodger greats Sandy Koufax (32) and Jackie Robinson (42). Both players are enshrined in Cooperstown. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
Home plate from Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. The Dodgers have been playing in Dodger Stadium (45 seasons) as long as they did in historic Ebbets Field. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
A World Series trophy and World Championship bats are displayed with scorecards from Championship seasons. World Series trophies were not awarded until 1967. (Photo: Gordon Donovan) (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
Old mounted photos from the earliest years of the Dodgers. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
Built in the Los Angeles community of Chavez Ravine in Solano Canyon, the stadium overlooks downtown Los Angeles and provides views of the city to the south, the green tree-lined hills of Elysian Park to the north and east, and the San Gabriel Mountains beyond the outfield pavilions. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
Los Angeles certainly likes its signs on the side of hills. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
The Jackie Robinson Conference Room for important business decisions in Hollywood. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
A view of the field at Dodger Stadium from the upper level as a member of the grounds crew keeps busy. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
The beautiful soft toned colored seats of Dodger Stadium that were brought back to the park's original look by current ownership. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
The walkway on the club levels with the names of all the players who have worn a Dodger uniform is inscribed on the walls. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
The seats in the upper deck. Fans wearing Dodger colors stand out more unlike in St. Louis and Cincinnati. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
One of the not so modern facilities in the upper level of Dodger Stadium. Is that a faded Dodger Blue painted on the stalls? (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
A view of an empty Dodger Stadium as a groundskeeper trims the grass on a small tractor. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
A coffee table complete with baseballs in one of the Dodger suites. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
A view of the beautiful old stadium from the upper level on the first base side. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
Sorry I ate the Dodger Dog before I took the photo. Lovely ledges in these box seats to eat off. They get hot as the sun reflects off them. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
The stairs leading up to the stadium in left field and third base side. During construction, a local elementary school (Palo Verde) was simply buried and sits beneath the parking lot northwest of third base. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
New York Mets players stretch before a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, July 20, 2007. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
The New York Mets play the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, July 21, 2007. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
The scoreboard shows the final score after the New York Mets beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-1 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, July 20, 2007. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
A view down the right field line before the New York Mets play the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, July 21, 2007. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
The celebrity seating behind home plate before the baseball game between the New York Mets against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, July 21, 2007. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
A loyal Mets fan attends the baseball game between the New York Mets against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, July 21, 2007. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
The Think Blue sign high above the parking lot at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, July 20, 2007. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
The outside of Dodger Stadium is decorated with stars from today and yesterday as the team celebrates 50 years in Los Angeles in 2007. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
New York Mets 1B coach Ricky Henderson shows the last digits of six to a fan asking him how many stolen bases he had in his career (1406) during a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, July 20, 2007. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
The New York Mets play the Dodgers on July 21, 2007. Dodger Stadium is currently the fourth-oldest ballpark in MLB, after Fenway Park in Boston (1912) and Wrigley Field in Chicago (1914) and RFK Stadium in Washington DC (1961). (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
Beautiful night for a baseball game between the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, July 20, 2007. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
Another one of Dodger Stadium's most distinctive features is the wavy roof atop each outfield pavilion. Saw this some many times on the Game of the Week as a kid, seemed surreal to actually see it. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
Please use the handrail when walking down the steep stairs of the upper levels. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)
Ballpark: B - In great shape despite being the fourth oldest stadium in Major League behind Fenway Park, Wrigley Field and RFK Stadium (which is being replaced next year). Pulled up and was told where to park, walked for five minutes to the stadium and had to take the elevator down to the field level. The stadium was renovated back to its original look, the new seats are in the original (more muted) 1962 color scheme consisting of yellow, light orange, turquoise, and sky blue. Gorgeous from upper level behind home plate. The baseline seating sections have been converted into retro-style "box" seating, adding leg room and a table to place food and beverages on. Could hear Mets 1B Rickey Henderson coach talk about himself from seats.
Fans & Atmosphere: A - Dodger Blue everywhere! Great crowds by the third inning and everyone listens to the game on the radio heading home. Everyone loves Nomar Garciaparra, too bad he is done at 33 years old. Fans are still wearing Eric Gagne jerseys. Was told to go back to New York a dozen times. Fans love the team. Met one guy who rooted for both the Angels and Dodgers, huh? His buddy originally from Long Island asked me to explain why you cannot do that. Lost cause.
Food: B - Had a Dodger dog. It's just a hot dog! But why did I eat four of them? They were good. All-you-can-eat buffet in the right-field pavilion, seats are awful there.
Mascot: NA - No mascot for the Brooklyn Dodgers of Los Angeles. Maybe Tommy Lasorda in a strange kind of way or Vin Scully?
Staff: B - Friendly security and vendors. One staff member tried to take my photo for the Dodgers website who did understand that I did not want a photo. I had a better camera than him and was there taking photos. Ballpark tour was very good, better than most teams' attempts and took you on field and dugouts.
Team Tradition: A - Honors the long history of the Dodgers going back to the early Brooklyn days. No player's number is retired unless they are inducted in the Hall of Fame. Great stuff all around the stadium to check out. Many photos from Brooklyn days I never seen before. Jerseys of Hall of Famers hung outside the Dodger locker room.
Location: B - Chavez Ravine in Solano Canyon, the stadium overlooks downtown Los Angeles and provides views of the city to the south, the green tree-lined hills of Elysian Park to the north and east, and the San Gabriel Mountains beyond the outfield pavilions. I stayed in Little Tokyo near downtown, a ten minute drive to park.
Photos taken July 20-21, 2007, using a Canon EOS 30D Digital SLR with a EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Standard Zoom Lens.