Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum,,Los Angeles,CA,US Ball Park First Game Date – 04/18/1958 (1) Starting Pitchers – vs. Giants: 04/18/1958 Final Score 6-5 (LAN) Attendance – 78,672 Starting Pitchers Al Worthington (SFN); Carl Erskine (LAN) First Batter – Jim Davenport (SFN) Result – Singled to LF First Hits – Jim Davenport (SFN),Singled to LF (1) First…
Wally Post hits the first home run in Dodger Stadium history, a two-out, three-run shot in the seventh inning off Johnny Podres that proves to be the difference in the Cincinnati’s 6-3 victory. The left fielder’s round-tripper to center field is a fair ball, unlike some others hit in the ballpark where the foul poles are discovered to be positioned in foul territory, requiring special permission from the National League to be recognized as fair during the first year in the team’s new home in Chavez Ravine.
Chuck Essegian’s 11th-inning pinch-hit home run beats the Chicago Cubs, 3 – 2, before a record Opening Day crowd (67,550) at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The home run is Essegian’s third straight as a pinch hitter, including two in the 1959 World Series. Don Drysdale pitches a complete game for the Dodgers, striking out 14 Cubs.
The largest crowd ever to attend a major league game, 92,706 fans, watches a nail-biter as White Sox hurler Bob Shaw beats Sandy Koufax and the Dodgers, 1-0, in Game 5 of the Fall Classic.
1959 – The Dodgers set a record for a Coliseum doubleheader when 39‚432 fans show up for two games with the Cubs. Sandy Koufax runs his streak to 41 strikeouts in three games‚ for another major league record‚ but loses the opener, 3 – 0 on a 3-run homer by Ernie Banks in the 9th. The Dodgers lose the second game, 5 – 3‚ also on a 3-run 9th-inning homer‚ to drop 3 games behind the Giants.
1959 – Sandy Koufax fans 18 Giants to set a National League mark in a 5 – 2 Dodger win. The game is witnessed by a crowd of 82,974 spectators (60,194 of whom have paid admission), the largest ever for a regular-season game.
In the second All-Star Game played this summer, Yogi Berra’s two-run home run off Dodgers right-hander Don Drysdale in the third inning at the LA Memorial Coliseum proves to be the difference in the American League’s 5-3 victory over the Senior Circuit. The home run will be the last one hit by a Bronx Bomber in a Mid-Summer Classic game for 41 years until Derek Jeter goes deep in 2001.
At L.A. Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles Dodger southpaw Sandy Koufax fans 16 Philadelphia Phillies, to set a new record for a night game, and wins, 6 – 2.
The Dodgers trade OF Gino Cimoli to the Cardinals for OF Wally Moon and RHP Phil Paine.
The Los Angeles Dodgers play their first game at the Los Angeles Coliseum in front of a crowd of 78,672. Carl Erskine gets the win, besting Al Worthington and the San Francisco Giants, 6 – 5.