Kids at Ebbets Field

John Rollo

My father was a die-hard Brooklyn Dodger fan and a couple of times each year he would take me and my twin brother to a game at Ebbets Field. The game I remember was probably in the early 50s when we were 11 or 12. It was a Saturday night game (I know it was Saturday night because the rule then was no inning could start after midnight). It was a long tie game, and I believe it was the 13th inning when Duke Snider (my hero) got up and hit a long home run over the right field fence into the parking lot to end it. The fans who were left went nuts and we were all jumping up and down. It was a wonderful ride home and I don't remember anyone who knew us that didn't get an earful the next day.

Joe (left) and John Rollo about the time of their memorable visit to Ebbets Field

Ebbets Field was a wonderful ballpark - we never bought tickets beforehand - there were good crowds but there always seemed to be tickets available for us. My Father said that he had a cousin who has a big shot and who could get us great seats - turned out he was the usher behind home plate so there were times at least in the late innings when we felt like big spenders.

Bob Rose

I was an avid Brooklyn Dodger fan. I watched as many home games as I could on TV and especially enjoyed watching Happy Felton’s Knot Hole Gang which was televised live, just inside the right field line, before each home game. The winning little leaguer who won the hit-and-catch competition got to sit in the Dodger’s dugout before the game, meet some of the players and get their autographs. 

Happy Felton's Knothole Gang

In the late spring of 1954, I was a member of the Boy Scouts and one of the scout’s dads drove five of us to Ebbets Field to see a game.  I remember driving through Brooklyn and entering the stadium. What a sight! Unlike the back and white of TV, it was my first time to see a ballpark and players in living color. The Dodgers in their white home uniforms trimmed in blue and the Cincinnati Red Legs in their grey uniforms with vest-style jerseys trimmed in red, all taking pregame practice on the field. The bright colors of the advertising signs in the outfield just in front of Bedford Avenue. Watching my heroes: Robinson, Campanella, Reese, Hodges, and Snider. And the game: We saw Jackie steal second, and with the bases loaded, Gil Hodges got a base hit to score a couple of runs leading to a Dodger win. An unforgettable experience for a kid, some 71 years ago.