Now standing as the third oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball, Dodger Stadium has played host to a slew of historical moments. Home to one of the greatest commentators to ever grace audiences’ ears, Vin Scully’s stories and iconic calls still echo in Chavez Ravine and in the hearts of Dodger faithful; “2 and 2 to Harvey Keane, one strike away” and the rest is history as Koufax strikes out for his fourteenth batter to cap off his perfect game in 1965. The world lost an icon this summer but the 2022 Dodgers are hoping to honor Vin’s memory by capturing a World Series for the franchise.
Just this year, Dodger Stadium hosted the 2022 MLB All-Star game where it saw Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a homerun blast out of the confines of the stadium during the Home Run Derby. This feat puts Acuña on a short list of historic players to have left the building at Dodger Stadium including Giancarlo Stanton, Willie Stargell (twice), Mike Piazza, Mark McGwire, and Fernando Tatis Jr. (we’ll leave it to you to discern the integrity of the latter part of the list). Dodger Stadium has also seen many a fanfare over its tenure including Fernandomania and Mannywood. The City of Angels fell in love with Fernando Valenzuela as he pitched his way to a perfect 8-0 record to begin the 1981 season. Fernando struck a chord with the Angeleno fanbase giving the fans a face to identify their own Mexican heritage and love for Dodger baseball all wrapped into one sweet screwball. 1981 still has a fond ring for Fernando and Dodgers fans alike as he went on to win not only Rookie of the Year but also the Cy Young, and the Dodgers captured their fifth World Series Title. Valenzuela remains inside the confines of Dodger Stadium calling games alongside Jaime Jarrín for the Spanish radio broadcast. Decades later, Mannywood swept LA by storm in 2008 coming from a Red Sox team that was over his shenanigans. Manny proceeded to hit near .400 for the latter half of the season and lead the Dodgers to a late season push to clinch the division for the first time since 2004. Classic moments like these are not uncommon at Dodger Stadium and working at Chavez Ravine gives Tenders an up close opportunity to be a part of LA history.
The Los Angeles Dodgers paved the way for other teams joining them out west and greatly influenced the expansion of west coast baseball. The Dodgers left Ebbets Field in a state of disrepair and were soon joined by longtime rivals, The San Francisco Giants for the 1958 season. Aside from baseball, Dodger Stadium has been home to the Harlem Globetrotters, The Beatles, Real Madrid, Pope John Paul II and many other iconic groups and teams throughout the years. The Dodgers most recently won the World Series in the shortened 2020 season and ended the 2022 regular season atop the NL West heading into October with a franchise record 111 wins. Join the Boys in Blue in Chavez Ravine as they make a push into late October led by Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and Trea Turner.
