Candlestick Stadium

After reading Gary Kamiya's latest "Portals of the Past" column, S.F. Has Had a Run of Eccentric Ballparks, it got me thinking about the upcoming (2014) demolition of Candlestick Park. It's an icon that's about to become historical, and yet it's only 53 years old, within a person's lifetime! I started digging around the San Francisco History Center for remnants to remind me that the park had once been contemporary. Here is a trio of items that I found.

SF Ephemera Collection: SF Buildings--Stadiums--Candlestick Park

1. Pre-digital mash-up: In our San Francisco Ephemera Collection files under "SF Buildings--Stadiums--Candlestick Park," someone pasted in 1959-1971 newspaper clippings about the ballpark onto the pages of a 1976 issue of the French magazine Jours de France. Oddly, the front cover of the magazine sports a property stamp from the San Francisco Public Library Periodicals Department. Speculations on the story behind this, anyone?

Jours de France cover, 1976

Clipping scrapbook in SF Ephemera Collection: SF Buildings--Stadiums--Candlestick Park

2. Concessions: Sometimes the San Francisco Historical Photograph Collection yields up juicy text alongside of its pictures. Take this news copy, for instance, from the San Francisco News Call-Bulletin, describing the mouthwatering hotdogs, peanuts, and popcorn served up at Candlestick Park, Apr. 3, 1964: 

THE HAPPY HUCKSTER knows a bit of maneuvering will excite the taste buds of fans at the ball park. Hot dogs run 10 to the pound and Candlestick fans are expected to gorge on 300,000 pounds this year; Candlestick hot dogs this year will measure six inches and run exactly 10 to the pound. Peanuts will run 24 to 26 to the bag, including an occasional triple jointer, and even a quadrupler here, and there, though as we warn, these last are as rare as pearls in an oyster. Candlestick popcorn is guaranteed to expand 38 times the size of each original kernal before the Stevens brothers, concessionaires, and sticklers for giving value received, will let them go into the bag. These are major league popcorn kernals. Minor league kernals expand only 24 times their original size. The Stevens boys let us measure the integrity of their hot dogs Monday. We took a ruler along. The results, seven of their frankfurts were 6 and 1/16th inches in length. Seven were 5 and 15/16ths long. The other six came out exactly six inches. SO BUY three at a time and you'll average out prettily on length. We also made an exhaustive research of the hot dog's origin and as a result are enabled today to scoop the entire nation on one of baseball's little hidden anniversaries.

In-line with privileging text over picture in this example, you'll have to click to get a glimpse of the photo, a shot of the "happy huckster" (hotdog vendor).

Cover of G. J. [Grand Jury] Giants Stadium Inquiry Scrapbook, 1958-1959

3.  Controversy: Our Scrapbook Collection includes a scrapbook of newspaper clippings on the Grand Jury probe into the financing of the new Giants stadium.

Interior of G. J. [Grand Jury] Giants Stadium Inquiry Scrapbook, 1958-1959

probe into the financing of the construction of the new San Francisco Giants’ stadium. - See more at: http://sfpl.org/index.php?pg=2000028301#90

probe into the financing of the construction of the new San Francisco Giants’ stadium. - See more at: http://sfpl.org/index.php?pg=2000028301#90

probe into the financing of the construction of the new San Francisco Giants’ stadium. - See more at: http://sfpl.org/index.php?pg=2000028301#90

To look at photographic prints, original scrapbooks, and old-fashioned vertical files (aka San Francisco Ephemera Collection) on local ballparks, local football, or any other San Francisco "local," please visit the San Francisco History Center in the Main Library on the 6th floor. (Please note special viewing hours for photos). What's on the 6th Floor - has always had San Francisco 49er fever!