Candlestick Park facts for kids
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"The Stick"
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| Former names | Harney Stadium (1956–1959) Candlestick Park (1960–1995, 2008–2013) 3Com Park at Candlestick Point (1995–2002) San Francisco Stadium at Candlestick Point (2002–2004) Monster Park (2004–2008) |
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| Address | 602 Jamestown Avenue |
| Location | San Francisco, California, United States |
| Coordinates | 37°42′49″N 122°23′10″W / 37.71361°N 122.38611°W |
| Public transit |  Gilman/Paul  |
| Owner | City and County of San Francisco |
| Operator | San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department |
| Capacity | 43,765 (1960) 63,000 (Baseball) 69,732 (Football) |
| Field size | Left field 330 ft (1960), 335 ft Left-center field & Right-center field 397 ft (1960), 365 ft Center field 420 ft (1960), 400 ft Right field 330 ft (1960), 328 ft Backstop 73 ft (1960), 66 ft  |
| Surface | Bluegrass (1960–1969, 1979–2013) AstroTurf (1970–1978) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | August 12, 1958 |
| Opened | April 12, 1960 |
| Closed | August 14, 2014 |
| Demolished | February 4 – September 24, 2015 |
| Construction cost | US$15 million ($148 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | John Bolles & Associates |
| Structural engineer | Chin and Hensolt, Inc. |
| General contractor | Charles Harney Co. |
| Tenants | |
| San Francisco Giants (MLB) (1960–1999) San Francisco 49ers (NFL) (1971–2013) Oakland Raiders (AFL) (1960–1961) San Francisco Golden Gate Gales (USA) (1967) |
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Candlestick Park was a famous outdoor stadium in San Francisco, California. It was home to two major sports teams for many years. The San Francisco Giants baseball team played there from 1960 to 1999. The San Francisco 49ers football team played there from 1971 to 2013.
The stadium was located right next to San Francisco Bay. This spot was named Candlestick Point because of "candlestick birds," which are long-billed curlews, that used to live there. Because it was so close to the bay, strong winds often blew into the stadium. This made playing conditions quite tricky for athletes.
The field was mostly natural grass, called bluegrass. But for nine years, from 1970 to 1978, it had artificial turf. The stadium closed in 2014 after a concert by Paul McCartney. It was torn down in 2015.
Contents
History of Candlestick Park
Building a New Stadium for San Francisco
When the New York Giants baseball team moved to San Francisco in 1958, they needed a new home. The city of San Francisco promised to build them a modern stadium. Most of the land for Candlestick Point was bought from a local builder named Charles Harney.
Construction on the stadium began in 1958. The Giants held a contest to name the park, and "Candlestick Park" was chosen in 1959. Before that, maps just called it "Bay View Stadium." It was the first baseball stadium ever built entirely from reinforced concrete, which is a very strong building material.
Early Games and Changes
The stadium officially opened on April 12, 1960. The Vice President of the United States, Richard Nixon, threw out the first pitch. The Oakland Raiders football team also played some games there in 1960 and 1961.
At first, not many home runs were hit in the stadium. So, for the 1961 season, the fences were moved closer to home plate. This made it easier for players to hit home runs.
Expanding for Football
After the 1970 baseball season, Candlestick Park was changed a lot. Grandstands were added around the outfield, making the stadium fully enclosed. This was done to get ready for the San Francisco 49ers football team. The 49ers moved in for the 1971 season.
Enclosing the park was supposed to reduce the wind. However, it just made the wind swirl around inside the stadium in unpredictable ways. It also blocked the beautiful views of San Francisco Bay.
Big Games and Famous Moments
Candlestick Park hosted two Major League Baseball All-Star Games, one in 1961 and another in 1984. The Giants also played in six postseason series there, including the World Series in 1962 and 1989.
The 49ers played in eight important NFC Championship Games at Candlestick. One of the most famous plays in football history happened there in 1982. It was called "The Catch" when Dwight Clark caught a game-winning touchdown pass from Joe Montana. Two other famous plays, "The Catch II" and "The Catch III," also happened at Candlestick Park.
The 1989 Earthquake
On October 17, 1989, a big earthquake, called the Loma Prieta earthquake, hit San Francisco. It happened just minutes before Game 3 of the 1989 World Series was supposed to start at Candlestick Park. Luckily, no one inside the stadium was seriously hurt.
Engineers had recently strengthened the stadium, which helped keep everyone safe. The World Series was delayed for 10 days so engineers could check the stadium's safety.
Giants Move Out, 49ers Stay
In 2000, the Giants moved to a new stadium called Pacific Bell Park (now Oracle Park). This left the 49ers as the only main team using Candlestick Park. The last baseball game was played on September 30, 1999, against their rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
For its last years, Candlestick Park was the only NFL stadium that started as a baseball-only field. It had a unique, irregular shape because it was redesigned for football. A large section of seats could even slide back and forth!
Other Events and the Final Game
Candlestick Park hosted its only college football game in 2011. The California Golden Bears played the Fresno State Bulldogs there.
On December 19, 2011, the stadium had a power outage just before a Monday Night Football game. The lights went out twice, causing delays.
The 49ers played their very last game at Candlestick Park on December 23, 2013. They won against the Atlanta Falcons. A game-winning interception by NaVorro Bowman was called "The Pick at the Stick." This was the 36th and final Monday Night Football game played at the stadium, more than any other NFL stadium.
Candlestick Park's Reputation
Windy and Cold Conditions
Candlestick Park was famous for its very windy, damp, and cold weather. The wind often made it hard for baseball outfielders to catch fly balls. It was also tough for fans, who often felt chilly.
The stadium's architect tried to design it to block the wind, but it didn't work well. When the park was enclosed in 1971, the wind still swirled strongly. Famous Giants player Willie Mays even said the wind cost him over 100 home runs!
During an All-Star Game in 1961, a gust of wind blew Giants pitcher Stu Miller off balance. Two years later, the wind picked up the entire batting cage and moved it 60 feet!
The Coldest Park
Candlestick Park was known as the coldest park in Major League Baseball. Winds blew directly off the Pacific Ocean. It had a heating system under the seats, but it didn't work well enough to keep people warm.
Because of the cold, the Giants played more day games than almost any other team. Many people wondered why the stadium was built in such a cold, windy spot right by the bay.
Fun Nicknames and Pins
Fans gave the park many nicknames, like "North Pole," "Cave of the Winds," and "The Stick." The Giants even had a fun promotion called the 'Croix de Candlestick' pin. Fans who stayed for extra-inning night games would get a pin that said, "Veni, Vidi, Vixi" in Latin, meaning "I came, I saw, I survived."
The cold and wind were caused by the stadium's location. It was the first obstacle for winds coming from the Pacific Ocean. These winds would then swirl over a nearby hill, making the area very chilly.
Notable Events at Candlestick Park
Concerts and Music History
Candlestick Park hosted many concerts over the years.
| Date | Artist | Opening act(s) | Tour / Concert name | Notes |
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| August 29, 1966 | The Beatles |
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1966 US tour | This was The Beatles' last full public concert. |
| October 17, 1981 | The Rolling Stones |
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American Tour 1981 | |
| October 18, 1981 | ||||
| June 1, 1985 | Jimmy Buffett | — | Sleepless Knights Tour | |
| July 17, 1988 | Van Halen Scorpions |
Monsters of Rock Tour 1988 | A stadium-wide food fight happened during this concert. | |
| July 14, 2000 | Metallica |
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Summer Sanitarium Tour | |
| August 10, 2003 |
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| July 26, 2013 | Justin Timberlake Jay-Z |
DJ Cassidy | Legends of the Summer | |
| August 14, 2014 | Paul McCartney | — | Out There | This was the very last concert held at Candlestick Park. |
The Beatles' Final Concert
The Beatles played their last public concert ever at Candlestick Park on August 29, 1966. A 15-year-old fan named Barry Hood filmed much of this historic event.
Almost 48 years later, on August 14, 2014, former Beatle Paul McCartney returned to Candlestick Park. He performed the stadium's final concert, using some of Barry Hood's original 1966 film footage on a big screen.
Papal Mass
Pope John Paul II held a special Mass at Candlestick Park on September 18, 1987. About 70,000 people attended this event during his visit to America.
Candlestick Park in Movies
Candlestick Park was used as a filming location for several movies. It appeared in the 1962 thriller Experiment in Terror and the 1974 comedy Freebie and the Bean. It was also featured in the 1976 Dirty Harry movie, The Enforcer.
In 1994, it was in the family comedy Getting Even with Dad. The stadium also had a brief appearance in the 1996 action film The Rock. Scenes for the 2011 movie Contagion were filmed there too.
Stadium Name Changes
Candlestick Point was likely named after a rock formation seen in 1781. The rock disappeared around 1920.
The stadium's name changed several times over the years. From 1995 to 2002, it was called "3Com Park at Candlestick Point." Many fans still called it "Candlestick Park" even then. Some even made fun of the new name, calling it "Commercial-Stick Park."
In 2004, it was renamed "Monster Park" after a company that makes electronic cables. But in 2008, the name officially went back to "Candlestick Park" because people wanted to keep the original name.
In 2007, the playing field was named "Bill Walsh Field" to honor the famous 49ers coach. However, the stadium itself kept the name Candlestick Park.
Despite all the official name changes, many locals and loyal fans always called it "the Stick."
End of an Era: Demolition
By 1997, there were plans to build a new stadium at Candlestick Point. However, the 49ers decided to build their new home, Levi's Stadium, in Santa Clara instead. Levi's Stadium opened in 2014.
Many fans hoped the Giants would play one last baseball game at Candlestick, but it never happened.
With the 49ers gone, Candlestick Park had no more permanent teams. Demolition began in November 2014, with workers removing seats. Instead of blowing up the stadium, which was considered, it was taken apart piece by piece to avoid dust pollution. The demolition was finished in September 2015.
Some of the historic Candlestick Park seats were saved. In 2014 and 2016, thousands of these seats were installed at Kezar Stadium for the public to enjoy.
The land where Candlestick Park once stood is now planned to be redeveloped into new buildings and shops.
Croix de Candlestick
The Croix de Candlestick was a special pin given to baseball fans. You could get one if you stayed for an extra-inning night game at Candlestick Park. The pin had a Latin motto: "Veni, Vidi, Vixi," which means "I came, I saw, I survived." This was a nod to how cold and windy the stadium could be at night.
Fans would trade their ticket stubs for these pins. The pin was first given out in 1983 and became a popular item. Thousands of fans received the pin during the Giants' final games at Candlestick in 1999. It was a clever way to celebrate the fans who braved the famous Candlestick weather.
See also
In Spanish: Candlestick Park para niños
