Stadiums History

Like a fallen fighter, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum lies busted up and immobile. Architects and hard hats are toiling around the clock to revive it. Where January's earthquake unleashed its fiercest blows, scores of seats are being replaced. Fissures two inches wide are being patched in walkway tunnels. The peristyle is a latticework of cracks, like the shell of a smashed egg. The quake exposed the vulnerability of the 71-year-old stadium.

On Monday, Times Dodgers reporter Dylan Hernandez will unveil his choices as the 10 greatest moments in Dodger Stadium history in honor of its 50th anniversary. From now until Monday, we ask you to vote for your top 10 choices from our poll below. A quick look at each one: April 10, 1962 -- Opening Day. Walter O'Malley's wife, Kay, threw out the first pitch, Johnny Podres started for the Dodgers and Duke Snider got the Dodgers' first hit, but the Dodgers lost to the Cincinnati Reds, 6-3. Oct. 6, 1963 -- Game 4 of the 1963 World Series.

Dressed impeccably in tie and sport coat, the Panama hat on his head, a cigar in his mouth and the Stalker radar gun raised in his right hand and pointed at the mound from a position directly behind the home-plate screen, Mike Brito was as much a part of the Dodger Stadium landscape as palm trees and congested concession lines. He provided radar readings for 20 years before yielding to the redesigned luxury seats and an automatic radar system.

Dressed impeccably in tie and sport coat, the Panama hat on his head, a cigar in his mouth and the Stalker radar gun raised in his right hand and pointed at the mound from a position directly behind the home-plate screen, Mike Brito was as much a part of the Dodger Stadium landscape as palm trees and congested concession lines. He provided radar readings for 20 years before yielding to the redesigned luxury seats and an automatic radar system.

It took 37 seconds to bring down old Riverfront Stadium, a prominent feature of Cincinnati's skyline for 32 years and the ballpark that was home to Pete Rose's Big Red Machine and Hank Aaron's 714th home run. With the push of a button, 1,275 pounds of explosives went off in a counterclockwise pattern of blasts around what has been renamed Cinergy Field, collapsing the arena inward onto its former playing surface.

On Monday, Times Dodgers reporter Dylan Hernandez will unveil his choices as the 10 greatest moments in Dodger Stadium history in honor of its 50th anniversary. From now until Monday, we ask you to vote for your top 10 choices from our poll below. A quick look at each one: April 10, 1962 -- Opening Day. Walter O'Malley's wife, Kay, threw out the first pitch, Johnny Podres started for the Dodgers and Duke Snider got the Dodgers' first hit, but the Dodgers lost to the Cincinnati Reds, 6-3. Oct. 6, 1963 -- Game 4 of the 1963 World Series.

The Dodgers were too weary to scream, curse or even mutter under their breath. The Dodgers were too distraught to break the water cooler, kick their lockers or burn their uniforms. The Dodgers were too numb to show anger, remorse or embarrassment. The Dodgers may have pitched a no-hitter over nine innings Saturday . . . staged a dramatic ninth-inning comeback . . . played another 11 innings after Cy Young winner Greg Maddux left the game . . .

Barry Bonds won't forget his first Yankee Stadium home run or the way his San Francisco Giant teammates found a way to beat Mariano Rivera. Bonds hit one of the most impressive homers ever at baseball's most famous ballpark and the Giants took advantage of Alfonso Soriano's error to beat baseball's best closer, 4-3, Saturday. "It felt good hitting a home run in the House That Ruth Built," Bonds said. "Anybody would feel good about that. It feels a lot better because we won."

The price tag for renovations at the Rose Bowl went up yet again last week after officials added $6 million to a construction contract for the already over-budget project. The money is needed to cover repairs for botched upgrades installed ahead of the 1994 World Cup games and increased labor costs incurred in the rush to finish seating upgrades before UCLA's football home opener on Sept. 8, officials said. Originally expected to cost $152 million, the project is now budgeted at about $170 million - excluding $14 million in work that has already been deferred because of cost concerns.

What: "Storied Stadiums: Baseball's History Through Its Ballparks" Publisher: Carroll and Graf Price: $32 Curt Smith, among baseball's foremost historians, has put together a 593-page book that is the definitive history of every ballpark where major league baseball has been played. Besides data on when and how stadiums were built, the book includes fascinating stories that took place at the ballparks.

It took 37 seconds to bring down old Riverfront Stadium, a prominent feature of Cincinnati's skyline for 32 years and the ballpark that was home to Pete Rose's Big Red Machine and Hank Aaron's 714th home run. With the push of a button, 1,275 pounds of explosives went off in a counterclockwise pattern of blasts around what has been renamed Cinergy Field, collapsing the arena inward onto its former playing surface.

Barry Bonds won't forget his first Yankee Stadium home run or the way his San Francisco Giant teammates found a way to beat Mariano Rivera. Bonds hit one of the most impressive homers ever at baseball's most famous ballpark and the Giants took advantage of Alfonso Soriano's error to beat baseball's best closer, 4-3, Saturday. "It felt good hitting a home run in the House That Ruth Built," Bonds said. "Anybody would feel good about that. It feels a lot better because we won."

The Dodgers were too weary to scream, curse or even mutter under their breath. The Dodgers were too distraught to break the water cooler, kick their lockers or burn their uniforms. The Dodgers were too numb to show anger, remorse or embarrassment. The Dodgers may have pitched a no-hitter over nine innings Saturday . . . staged a dramatic ninth-inning comeback . . . played another 11 innings after Cy Young winner Greg Maddux left the game . . .

Like a fallen fighter, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum lies busted up and immobile. Architects and hard hats are toiling around the clock to revive it. Where January's earthquake unleashed its fiercest blows, scores of seats are being replaced. Fissures two inches wide are being patched in walkway tunnels. The peristyle is a latticework of cracks, like the shell of a smashed egg. The quake exposed the vulnerability of the 71-year-old stadium.

For his strangely fascinating installation work, "Stadium VII," Spanish-born artist Antonio Muntadas has managed a trick of scale. Working in the confines of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art's galleries, Muntadas has set out to explore the paradoxical nature of stadiums throughout history and across cultures. Part of his premise is the idea that, particularly in the last century, stadiums have shaped humanity as grand forums for propagandistic and religious rituals, sports and entertainment.