Candlestick Park

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Candlestick Park was situated at Candlestick Point on the western shore of San Francisco Bay, named for the 'candlestick birds' (long-billed curlews) that populated the area. Strong winds often swirled down into the stadium due to its location next to the bay. The field surface was natural bluegrass for most of its existence, except from 1970 to 1978 when artificial turf was used. A 'sliding pit' configuration with dirt cut-outs around the bases was installed in 1971. The stadium was the first modern baseball stadium built entirely of reinforced concrete. Then-Vice President Richard Nixon threw the ceremonial first pitch on opening day, April 12, 1960. The stadium hosted two MLB All-Star Games (1961 and 1984) and six postseason series for the Giants. The 49ers hosted 13 NFC Championship games at Candlestick, including the famous 'The Catch' by Dwight Clark in January 1982. The Loma Prieta earthquake struck on October 17, 1989, minutes before Game 3 of the World Series; no one in the stadium was injured.

In Their Own Story

Football history at Candlestick Park is marked by legendary moments like "The Catch" in January 1982, when Dwight Clark caught a game-winning touchdown pass from Joe Montana to defeat the Dallas Cowboys and reach Super Bowl XVI. The stadium also witnessed "The Catch II" in 1998, where Steve Young found Terrell Owens for a late touchdown against the Packers, and "The Catch III" in 2011, when Alex Smith threw a winning pass to Vernon Davis against the Saints. The 49ers hosted eight NFC Championship games there, winning four (against the Cowboys twice, the Bears, and the Rams) and losing four. The final postseason game at the venue was the 2012 NFC Divisional Playoff, where the 49ers defeated the Green Bay Packers 45–31. The stadium's surface saw changes too: it featured natural bluegrass for most of its life but switched to artificial turf from 1970 to 1978 before returning to grass in 1979. A "sliding pit" configuration was installed in 1971 to reduce dust in the breezy conditions.

Reader's Guide

Candlestick Park was located at Candlestick Point on the western shore of San Francisco Bay. The Giants played there from 1960 through 1999, moving to Pacific Bell Park (now Oracle Park) in 2000. The 49ers played there from 1971 through 2013, moving to Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. The final baseball game was on September 30, 1999, a 9–4 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The final postseason game hosted by the 49ers was the 2012 NFC Divisional Playoff, a 45–31 win over the Green Bay Packers. The stadium's last event was a Paul McCartney concert in August 2014. Demolition was completed in September 2015.

Did You Know?

• The Beatles gave their last full public concert at Candlestick Park on August 29, 1966.
• The stadium was the first modern baseball stadium built entirely of reinforced concrete.
• The Loma Prieta earthquake struck on October 17, 1989, minutes before Game 3 of the World Series, but no one in the stadium was injured.
• The 49ers' Dwight Clark made 'The Catch' at Candlestick Park in January 1982 to send the team to Super Bowl XVI.
• The stadium had artificial turf from 1970 to 1978, then returned to natural grass.