Ebbets Field

Lore & Background

Ebbets Field was built on the site of a garbage dump called Pigtown, named for the pigs that once ate there and the stench. Construction began on March 4, 1912, and the cornerstone was laid on July 6, 1912. Owner Charles Ebbets predicted the ballpark would be ready by September 1, 1912, and that Brooklyn would win the 1913 National League pennant, but neither prediction came true. Due to an ironworker's strike, Ebbets sold a 50% interest in the team to brothers Stephen W. and Edward J. McKeever to speed construction.

The park opened in early 1913 and lasted 47 years, failing to survive the Dodgers' move to Los Angeles in 1958. The first game was an exhibition against the New York Yankees on April 5, 1913, before an overcapacity of 30,000 fans. The first regular season game was on April 9, 1913, against the Philadelphia Phillies, with Brooklyn losing 1–0. The park's first night game was on June 15, 1938, drawing 38,748 fans; Johnny Vander Meer of the Cincinnati Reds pitched his second consecutive no-hitter that night. Ebbets Field also hosted the 1949 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

Reader's Guide

Ebbets Field was located east of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Washington Avenue, north of Empire Boulevard, west of Bedford Avenue. The ballpark was bounded by Bedford Avenue to the east, Sullivan Place to the south, Cedar Street (renamed McKeever Place in 1932) to the west, and Montgomery Street to the north. It was near a subway station. The field had a short right-field foul line of 301 feet, a large left field (419 feet) and center field (508 feet) at opening, later reduced to 356 feet in left, 406 feet in center, and 297 feet to right. At its peak capacity was around 32,000. The park never seated more than 35,000 people. It was demolished in 1960 and replaced by the Ebbets Field Apartments.

Did You Know?

• The first game at Ebbets Field was an exhibition against the New York Yankees on April 5, 1913, with over 30,000 fans in attendance and 5,000 more turned away.
• The park's first night game on June 15, 1938, featured Johnny Vander Meer's second consecutive no-hitter, a feat never duplicated in Major League Baseball.
• The ballpark lasted only 47 years, despite predictions it could last 200 years.