From the Archives: First Dodgers game in Los Angeles

After ceremonies at City Hall and a parade down Broadway, the Dodgers played their first game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before 78,672 fans on April 18, 1958. The Dodgers beat the San Francisco Giants, 6-5.

The Dodgers would play four seasons at the Coliseum. They won the 1959 World Series, defeating the Chicago White Sox in six games. Games three, four and five were played at the Coliseum, with attendance of more than 92,000 a game.

With the left-field seats just 251 feet from home plate, Dodgers outfielder Wally Moon, as reported in this 2008 Times story, developed the famous “Moon shot” over the left-field wall.

The first five images below were taken April 18, 1958. The Times devoted several pages the next day to the Dodgers’ first game in Los Angeles.

April 18, 1958: Members of the Dodgers leave reception at City Hall to play their first game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

(Bruce Cox / Los Angeles Times)

April 18, 1958: Spectators line Broadway as Dodgers manager Walter Alston, right, and coach Charlie Dressen ride to the first game at Memorial Coliseum.

(John Malmin / Los Angeles Times)

April 18, 1958: The Dodgers caravan arrives at the Memorial Coliseum to play the Giants.

(John Malmin / Los Angeles Times)

April 18, 1958: The Dodgers’ Charlie Neal slides into Giants catcher Bob Schmidt, knocking the ball loose to score. Dick Gray, background, heading into third, also scored on the play that started with Gino Cimoli’s single to right.

(Larry Sharkey / Los Angeles Times)

On March 29, 2008, the Dodgers and Boston Red Sox played a special exhibition game at the Coliseum in front of 115,000 fans, photo below.

This post was originally published on April 18, 2011.

March 29, 2008: Fans crowd Memorial Coliseum for an exhibition game between the Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox won 7-4.

(Richard Hartog / Los Angeles Times)

See more from the Los Angeles Times archives here