Memories of a Brooklyn Dodger fan

The letters from Brooklyn Dodgers prompted a reminiscence from a fan who grew up in Brooklyn:

My golden moments were in the 1952-1957 years when the Dodgers were an outstanding team, winning pennants in '52, '53 and '55. Unfortunately they played against the Yankees those years, losing the first two world series, but finally beating them in the memorable seven game series in 1955. I still can visualize Johnny Podres getting the last out. After so may frustrating years "the Bums" had beaten the mighty Yankees!

 

I probably attended fifty or more games during that era, Living in Park Slope, I walked to Ebbitts [sic] Field, admission was 75 cents for bleacher seats, hot dogs were 10 cents, Coke 10 cents, candy bars were 5 cents. So you could have a wonderful afternoon or evening for one dollar.

 

I remember the night we played the Boston Braves!  before they moved South! Gil Hodges hit 4 home runs, and we won 18-2 or something. Another night Duke Snider hit 3 home runs, come up to bat in the 9th inning, everyone was up yelling for him to hit another, he made contact, the ball missed going over the right field fence by maybe 2 or 3 feet, so he had to settle for a double.

 

They were a special team, most players lived in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn.

 

When it was announced that they were leaving Brooklyn after the '57 season, grown men were seen crying in the streets. Most blamed club owner Walter O'Malley, but he tried to get the city to build a new stadium at Atlantic and Flatbush Avenues, where the new Barclays Center now stands. Robert Moses, who wielded too much power in those days, refused, he wanted it built in Flushing Meadows where the 1939 World Fair was held. Moses "stone walled" the deal, then a city official from Los Angles saw an article in the newspaper, flew to Brooklyn and offered O'Malley Chevas [sic] Revine for practically nothing. It made O'Malley a very rich man, and denied Brooklyn from keeping their baseball team.

 

In 1962, Moses got his wish when the New York Mets located to Flushing. Undoubtedly, Moses had financial interest in that property...

 

I'm so pleased that Brooklyn has transitioned to being a fine place to live. When I left for th Navy in the fall of 1960, Park Slope was going down hill. Its revival is amazing.

 

Didn't mean to get so long winded, but I have very fond memories of growing up in Brooklyn.