Game 7 of the 1962 World Series. Joe Montana’s last minute touchdown pass to beat the Dallas Cowboys in the 1982 National Football Conference (NFC) Championship. The last live concert The Beatles played together. Willie Mays’ 3000th hit. These moments, and many more, took place at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park.
But, since November of 2014, the home of these notable moments has slowly been demolished.
Candlestick Park was home to the San Francisco Giants. Prior to arriving in San Francisco, the Giants had no stadium to call their own. They played their home games at Seal Stadium, a 23,000 seat minor league park. But it wasn’t long before the City broke ground on the stadium that would become Candlestick. Construction began in 1958, and the stadium hosted its first opening day on April 12, 1960 as the Giants took on the St. Louis Cardinals. In attendance to throw out the first pitch was then Vice-President Richard Nixon.
In 1973, Candlestick expanded to accommodate San Francisco’s football team, the 49ers. The 49ers began their rise to greatness at Candlestick, hosting eight NFC Championships and winning four. It was during their tenure at Candlestick when the 49ers surpassed the Dallas Cowboys as the dominant team in the NFC.
Despite the many memories made at Candlestick, the park’s end began in 2000. In that year, the Giants moved to Pacific Bell Park (now AT&T Park), leaving the 49ers as the sole inhabitants. Candlestick Park became the last NFL stadium that started as a baseball-only facility. But, on December 23, 2013, even football left Candlestick as the 49ers played their final game in the stadium.
Starting late last year, Candlestick Park has been methodically disassembled, piece by historic piece.