Stadium Saturdays - Candlestick Park

 Hello Friends!

This week I'm hopping the San Francisco Bay over to Candlestick Park for my Stadium Saturdays series. 

Candlestick was the home of the Giants from 1960-1999. 

The Giants moved from New York in 1958. Candlestick wasn't finished so the team spent two seasons at Seals Stadium. When Candlestick opened, it originally was for baseball only. In 1971 the 49ers moved into the Stadium, causing an expansion and recongifuration of the stadium and field. 

Interestingly enough, the Oakland Raiders played in the Stick in 1960 and 1961. 

Originally, the park was open in the outfield. The roof was supposed to extend along past left field and into the outfield, but was scrapped for cost purposes. There's no saying whether or not the roof would have cut down the wind and cold, but it may have. (Though when the stadium was fully enclosed, all it ended up doing was creating a negative pressure cell over the field) 

There was heating installed to the seating but it was ineffective. So much so that an attourney in 1960 sued the Giants and won the cost of his season tickets because the heating didn't work as advertised. It should be noted that he showed up in court wearing a parka to prove his point. 

From 1970-1978 the field was Astroturf, mainly to stop dust storms from the swirling winds. 

One incident everyone hears about is the 1961 All Star Game, when Stu Miller was blown off the mound and charged with a balk. A couple years later, a gust of wind picked up the batting cage and dropped it on the mound. 

The cold resulted in some humourous things though. Any fan who stayed an entire night game that went into extra innings got a pin called the Croix de Candlestick. It had the phrase "Veni, Vidi, vixi" on it. In English: I came, I saw. I survived. It also got many nicknames like Windlestick, the North Pole, Cave of the Winds, and The Ashtray By the Bay.

There were some name changes along the way, as usual. 3Com Park, then San Francisco Park at Candlestick Point, then Monster Park. Monster is for a Cable company, not the energy drink or the job website. 

A writer in the Bay area called the place Candle3MonsterStick as a result of the name changes. 

Over the course of its history, Candlestick hosted two All Star Games, three NLCS (1971, 1987, 1989) two World Series (1962, 1989) and one NLDS (1997)

On the football side, the 49ers hosted eight NFC Championship games. 

In 1997, plans were being made to replace Candlestick Park on Candlestick Point. In 2006, The 49ers stated they were abandoning any future search for a site in San Francisco, and looked to Santa Clara. 

With no tenants, Candlestick was demolished over 2015. 

The card above was from the Earthquake in the 89 Series, but it's kind of fitting for a place that was demolished. There was a lot of praise on the build of the stadium after the quake because of how it withstood the activity. Had the stadium given way, there would have been thousands injured or killed at the one site alone. 

Tenants.. Who used this place while it was standing?

San Francisco Giants (MLB) 1960-1999

San Francisco 49ers (NFL) 1971-2013

Oakland Raiders (AFL) 1961-1961

San Francisco Golden Gate Gales (USA) 1967

That last one, as well as being a mouthful to say, was part of the United Soccer Association. 

There were plans in place to build residential and commercial property on the site, but nothing has come of it as of yet. 

What are your memories of the place? Did anyone do the Croix de Candlestick??