Top Menu

Dodgers to mark 50th anniversary of Dodger Stadium in tonight’s season opener

Dodger Stadium

Fresh off a tumultuous offseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers are hoping tonight’s 50th anniversary of the opening of Dodger Stadium will give the troubled franchise a fresh start.

The Dodgers first played at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, April 10, 1962, 50 years to the day before Opening Day 2012, against the Cincinnati Reds. Along with celebrating Dodger Stadium, the team will honor the 1962 squad.

It should be a notable fest. Members of that 1962 team on hand today will include Larry Burright, 1962 NL batting champ Tommy Davis, Tim Harkness, Ken McMullen, Wally Moon, Ron Perranoski, Pete Richert, Ed Roebuck, Norm Sherry, Daryl Spencer, Stan Williams and 1962 MVP Award winner Maury Wills. These players will be introduced on the field during pregame ceremonies and greeted by Hall of Fame Manager Tommy Lasorda. Drew Drysdale, Don Drysdale’s daughter, will perform “God Bless America” during the seventh-inning stretch.

The ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day at Dodger Stadium will be thrown by Terry Seidler, whose mother Kay O’Malley threw out the first-ever pitch at Dodger Stadium in 1962. The O’Malley family owned the Dodgers from 1950-98 and Seidler’s father, Hall of Famer Walter O’Malley, moved the Dodgers to Los Angeles and constructed Dodger Stadium. Seidler will be escorted to the mound by her brother, former owner and club president Peter O’Malley, and many members of the O’Malley family will also be on hand.

Hall of Fame broadcasters Vin Scully and Jaime Jarrín will also be celebrated during pre-game ceremonies, as will Dodger organist Nancy Bea Hefley. Scully is entering his 63rd season as a Dodger broadcaster, Jarrin his 54th and Hefley her 25th. (Speaking of the immortal Vin Scully: he looks back at his years of baseball in Los Angeles in this delightful interview.)

After all that, the Beach Boys will sing the National Anthem.

It’s an important date for the Dodgers. Though today’s game is sold out, most other games are not, and the team has a lot of work to do in wooing back the disaffected masses. We’re guessing the team will get another big boost when Magic Johnson, Stan Kasten and Guggenheim Partners actually takes control of the franchise; until then, the team needs to work on marketing, says Steve Dilbeck. One big factor that could bring back the fans: promoting the idea that the venue is a safe, fan-friendly place — an idea that will be promoted by the sea of blue slated for tonight’s match.

Yeah, we know the photos are a little out of date. A trip to Dodger Stadium is slated for this season.

RELATED STORIES: Reax to Dodgers sale to Johnson group; Kasten, Johnson group to buy Dodgers, Dodger Stadium for $2 billion; The unimaginable emerges: The sale of naming rights to Dodger Stadium; Seven groups still in running for Dodgers; Dodgers sale complicated by McCourt decision to keep land surrounding Dodger Stadium; Torre quits MLB post to pursue Dodgers; O’Malley: I want to bring the Dodgers home; Dodgers lower season-ducat costs for 2012; Jamie to Frank: The Dodgers are yours; MLB to bankruptcy judge: Force McCourt to sell Dodgers or we’ll do it later; Weirdness bubbles to surface in Dodgers bankruptcy; Dodgers attendance woes could cost team $27 million; Judge: Dodgers must accept MLB loan; MLB: McCourt not acting in best interests of Dodgers; Dodgers: Selig was unfair toward us; McCourt files for bankruptcy on Dodgers, Dodger Stadium; Selig: No to proposed Fox/Dodgers TV deal; McCourts reach tentative divorce agreement, allowing Frank to keep Dodgers — maybe; Could McCourt lose Dodgers and keep Dodger Stadium?; Gloves are off for McCourt: Selig has no right seizing Dodgers; Schieffer new Dodgers monitor; McCourt response to Selig: strong words, no lawsuit; Selig seizes Dodgers from McCourt; Stow still in critical condition; No arrests at Dodger Stadium with new security system in place; Dodgers scrap half-price drink promotion; All quiet at AT&T Park last night; Security tight for tonight at AT&T Park Dodgers-Giants tilt; Dodgers up security; will it be enough?; Giants fan severely beaten in Dodger Stadium parking lot; suspects sought; Selig shoots down Fox loan to Dodgers; Messy McCourt divorce takes another turn

—-

Share your news with the baseball community. Send it to us at editors@augustpublications.com.

Are you a subscriber to the weekly Ballpark Digest newsletter? You can sign up for a free subscription at the Newsletter Signup Page.

Join Ballpark Digest on Facebook and on Twitter!

Follow Ballpark Digest on Google + and add us to your circles!

, , , , , , , , ,