Built by Dodger owner Walter O'Malley in Chavez Ravine, overlooking downtown Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium was the last baseball stadium constructed with team capital, and is one of the few modern stadiums to retain some of the atmosphere of smaller classic ballparks. Although it is large (56,000 capacity), Dodger Stadium was built exclusively for baseball, with the multi-decked grandstand extending along the foul lines to provide the best sight lines. The grandstand extends slightly beyond each foul pole before giving way to separate bleacher sections, called pavilions, in both left and right fields, distinctive for their unusual zigzag roofs. In the infield, Dodger Stadium offers some unique field-level box seats, which provide a dugout-level view of the game, and the infield dirt is a mixture of crushed brick and clay with an unusual reddish hue. The outfield fences are symmetrical, and the field is natural grass.

SHOPPING » Look for Dodger Stadium books at BN.com » Look for Dodger Stadium books at Amazon.com Your purchases keep BaseballLibrary.com online. Thank you!

RELATED LINKS » 1962: Musial Breaks Wagner's NL Hits Record » 1988: Gibson KOs the A's Book Excerpts » How To Snag A Major League Baseball Around the Web » Jersey Not His No. 1 Concern from latimes.com » A Relieved Drew Able to Swing Bat from latimes.com Jump directly to Library content from any website!

Originally, Dodger Stadium was home to both the Dodgers and the Angels, who called it Chavez Ravine to avoid publicizing their NL rivals, but the Angels moved to Anaheim in 1966, leaving the Dodgers as sole occupants. Deep power alleys (385') and substantial foul territory make Dodger Stadium a pitcher's park, and Dodger pitching staffs are routinely among the NL's best in ERA. In 1963 the unusually high mound was lowered five inches because it gave pitchers too much of an advantage. On September 9, 1965 Sandy Koufax pitched his then-record fourth no-hitter here, a 1-0 perfect game against the Cubs. Only two home runs have ever been hit completely out of the stadium, both by the Pirates' Willie Stargell.

Outside, Dodger Stadium is ringed with massive parking lots, reflecting its Southern California location, where all travel is done by freeway. The Dodgers routinely draw 40,000 fans to a game here, and were the first ML team ever to top three million in total attendance for one season. (SCL)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » October 7, 1957: The Los Angeles City Council approves the Chavez Ravine site for Dodger Stadium by a vote of 10 to 4. » February 18, 1960: Walter O'Malley, owner of the Dodgers, completes the purchase of the Chavez Ravine area in Los Angeles by paying $494,000 for property valued at $92,000. » April 10, 1962: Dodger Stadium, the first ML arena privately financed since Yankee Stadium in 1922-23, opens in Chavez Ravine. With 52,564 fans on hand, the Dodgers inaugurate the $22 million facility with a 6–3 loss to the Reds. Wally Post hits the first homer in the new stadium, a 3-run shot over the CF fence in the 7th. » June 28, 1962: At Dodger Stadium, LA brings reliever Larry Sherry in to pitch in the 8th inning with brother Norm Sherry behind the plate. Larry goes 2/3's of an inning and is lifted, and the Dodgers top the Mets 5–4 in 13 innings. The Sherrys are the first brother battery since the Baileys started for the Reds in 1959. » September 30, 1962: Gene Oliver's dramatic 9th-inning home run off Johnny Podres gives Curt Simmons and St. Louis a 1–0 win against the Dodgers and a three-game sweep at Chavez Ravine. The heartbreaking loss for LA forces the 4th playoff in National League history. The Giants won five of their last seven games, but only seven of their last 17, while the Dodgers manage just three wins in their last 13 games. » October 2, 1962: Just 25,321 fans are on hand at Dodger Stadium to see Don Drysdale (25–9) and Jack Sanford (24–7) square off. After 35 straight scoreless innings, the Dodgers break through for seven runs in the 6th to lead San Francisco by 2. The Giants score twice in the 8th, but a 9th-inning sacrifice fly by Ron Fairly sends Maury Wills home with the winning run 8–7. The Giants tie an National League record by using eight hurlers in a 9-inning game. At four hours and 18 minutes, the game is the longest 9-inning affair in NL history. » June 28, 1963: At Los Angeles, the Braves Warren Spahn beats Don Drysdale, three-hitting the Dodgers, 1-0. It was the first time Spahn had beaten the Dodgers on their home grounds since Aug. 21, 1948 (15 years). He'd lost 14 straight: nine at Ebbets; four at Memorial Coliseum; and one at Chavez Ravine. » September 19, 1963: At Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, 476 lonely fans watch the Angels and Orioles game. The Angels win, 7–2, behind Bo Belinsky. » October 5, 1963: Fans attending the first World Series game at Dodger Stadium see a pitching duel between Don Drysdale and Jim Bouton. A first-inning run is all Los Angeles needs to take a 3-0 World Series lead. » July 28, 1964: The Angels Jim Fregosi hits for the cycle to assure a 3–1 win over the Yankees. New York's only score is a Mickey Mantle homer over the CF fence at Chavez Ravine, one of only two hits off Dean Chance. It's the first homer given up by Chance in 69 innings. » May 17, 1965: At Chavez Ravine, Don Mincher cracks a pinch homer to tie the game at 4–4, but the Angels push across a run in the 10th to top Minnesota, 5–4. Bob Lee is the winner. Mincher's homer will be the only Twins round tripper this year at Chavez. » October 9, 1965: Dodgers P Claude Osteen, 5-0 versus Minnesota while with the Senators, remains perfect against the Twins, winning 4–0 in game three at Chavez Ravine. » August 27, 1966: At Dodger Stadium, Juan Marichal outduels Don Drysdale to give the Giants a 4–2 win. » April 30, 1967: San Francisco concludes its first 3-game sweep at Dodger Stadium, as Bob Bolin beats Don Drysdale 5–1. » August 5, 1969: In the 7th inning, Pirate Willie Stargell hits the first home run completely out of Dodger Stadium. The 512-foot blast (another account has 480 feet) breaks a deadlock and comes in an 11–3 Pittsburgh rout of Los Angeles. The Bucs score seven in the 9th, climaxed by a Bill Mazeroski 2-run homer. » May 8, 1973: For the second time in his career, Pirate Willie Stargell poles one out of Dodger Stadium. His blast off Andy Messersmith hits the RF pavilion roof 470 feet away. His first home run, a 506-foot shot, came off Alan Foster on August 5, 1969. No other player has hit one out of the stadium. LA wins, 7–4. » May 28, 1973: At Chavez Ravine, the Dodgers' Andy Messersmith strikes out the 1st six Phillies' batters. The Phils still win 5–1. » August 5, 1974: At the top of the 9th inning at Dodger Stadium, during an ABC Monday Night telecast of the Reds-Dodger game, Alex Stein, 19, and his tiny Whippet, Ashley, dash onto the field and begin lofting spectacular Frisbee tosses. The crowd roars and the two are caught on NBC cameras, initiating a Frisbee craze. Stein, who snuck his dog into the stadium, is arrested when he leaves the field. » April 25, 1976: Cubs OF Rick Monday snatches an American flag from two fans who are about to set it on fire in the outfield during a game at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers win 5–4 in 10 innings. The next day, the Illinois legislature unanimously approves May 4th as Rick Monday Day. » June 4, 1976: Dave Kingman hits three home runs and knocks in eight runs during a Mets 11–0 win over the Dodgers at Chavez Ravine. » May 14, 1978: Happy Mother's Day, Mrs. Kingman. Dave Kingman drives in eight runs with a single and three home runs, including a 15th-inning 3-run shot that gives the Cubs a 10–7 win over the Dodgers. This is the 2nd time he has enjoyed a 3-HR, 8-RBI day at Dodger Stadium. » July 8, 1980: At Dodger Stadium, the 51st All-Star Game features J.R. Richard (10–4) and Steve Stone (12–3) are starters, with Richard going just two innings because of various back and shoulder problems he's been having. The National League battles back to wins its 9th consecutive All-Star Game 4–2, pinning the loss on Dodger defector Tommie John. Reds outfielder Ken Griffey goes 2-for-3 with a solo home run to win the game's MVP Award. » October 6, 1980: The Astros finally win, whipping the Dodgers 7–1 in a one-game playoff at Dodger Stadium. Art Howe drives in four runs with a home run and two singles and Joe Niekro wins his 20th game of the season to put Houston in the post-season for the first time since entering the major leagues in 1962. » April 27, 1981: "Fernandomania" hits fever pitch at Dodger Stadium as a sellout crowd watches the 20-year-old rookie pitch his 4th shutout in five starts 5–0 versus the Giants. Valenzuela is 5-0 with a 0.20 ERA and is batting .438. » May 14, 1981: The largest Dodger Stadium crowd in seven years (53,906) watches Fernando Valenzuela run his record to 8-0 with a 3–2 win over the Expos. » August 10, 1995: The Cardinals are awarded a 2-1 victory by forfeit over the Dodgers at "Ball Day" at Dodger Stadium. In the bottom of the 9th, Raul Mondesi strikes out and is then ejected for arguing the call. Tommy Lasorda gets thumbed as well when he joins the discussion. With that, the fans bombard the field with more than 200 balls they had received as souvenirs and the umps order the Cardinals into the dugout. It is the 1st forfeit in the major leagues since July 12, 1979.