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“Last Game at Ebbets Field Photo Gallery
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The Last Game At Ebbets Field
“We are the Brooklyn Dodgers, not the Queens Dodgers!” –Walter O’Malley to the New York City Commissioner, who wanted the next park built in Queens instead of in Brooklyn at Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues.
My post yesterday on the first game ever played at Ebbets Field prompted me to do a follow-up post on the last game at the historic park. So here’s a few words about the day Brooklyn Dodger fans had their hearts broken forever:
It was a sad day in Brooklyn on September 24, 1957 as the Dodgers played their last game at historic Ebbets Field, their home since 1913. The last game resulted in a 2-0 win against the Pirates, who finished the season at 60-92, in front of just 6,700 fans. It was a night game and was played in a snappy 2:03. Danny McDevitt was the last pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers as he pitched a complete game, with nine strikeouts while allowing only five hits. Long time Ebberts Field organist Gladys Goodding played ”Am I Blue?,” ”Memories,” ”Don’t Ask Me Why I’m Leaving,” ”So Long, It’s Been Good to Know You” and, of course, ”Auld Lang Syne.”
The Dodgers finished their 68th and last National League season in Brooklyn in third place with an 84–70 record, eleven games behind the National League and World Series Champion Milwaukee Braves. During the season, the Dodgers played eight home games at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, New Jersey, as part of owner Walter O’Malley‘s continued attempts to pressure Brooklyn to allow him to build a new stadium in Brooklyn/ his preferred location.
The Dodger lineup for the last game featured Junior Gilliam leading off and playing second base, Gino Cimoli in center, Elmer Valo in right, Gil Hodges at third, Sandy Amoros in left, Jim Gentile at first, Roy Campanella catching, and Don Zimmer at short. Pee Weese Reese also played at third. The Pirates lineup included such familiar names as Dick Groat, Bill Mazeroski, and Roberto Clemente. Bennie Daniels, making his first major league start, has the distinction of being the last opposing pitcher in Ebbets Field.
The umpiring crew for the last game was: Augie Donatelli at home, Vic Delamore at first, Vinnie Smith at second, Jocko Conlon (HOF) at third, and Ed Sudol in left field.
The vacant stadium survived until 1960, when it was torn down and apartment buildings — originally called Ebbets Field Apartments but later renamed Jackie Robinson Apartments — were built in its place. The new Citi Field, the ballpark for the New York Mets in Queens, features replicas of Ebbets exterior façade and entryway.
-Gary Livacari
Photo Credits: Most of the phots are from “The Brooklyn Dodgers Photographs of Barney Stein;” the others are from public domain
Information: Excerpts edited from the Ebbets Field Wikipedia page.