Dodger Stadium readies for 50th birthday

LOS ANGELES -- Opening Day at Dodger Stadium is uncommonly important in Southern California, standing for generations as a daylong celebration of the franchise that put Los Angeles on the national sports map back in 1958.

The Dodgers' opener against Pittsburgh Tuesday is doubly special this year: Their venerable ballpark, the third-oldest in the majors, is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and a guy named Magic just bought the team.

Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw will be on the mound 50 years to the day after Dodger Stadium opened when Los Angeles looks to build on a 3-1 start to the season against the Pirates.

After Angel Stadium drew more fans than Dodger Stadium for the first time in their 46 years of shared history last season, fans have rallied back to the Dodgers since the ownership group featuring beloved former Lakers guard Magic Johnson reached a deal for the team last month.

The players are simply grateful to be back at work in beautiful Chavez Ravine without hearing about uncertainty in the front office.

"I hope our fans come out and support us like they have in the past years," said Matt Kemp, the NL MVP runner-up. "I think it's going to be a special year for our guys, and we're going to really need our fan support . . . a lot of fans, a lot of screaming. It's going to be exciting."

A pregame ceremony will honor at least 12 members of the 1962 team that opened the park, including Maury Wills, Tommy Davis, Wally Moon, Larry Burright and Norm Sherry -- along with broadcaster Vin Scully, who had already been the Dodgers' voice for 13 years before the stadium opened.

The Beach Boys, who are also in their 50th anniversary year, will sing the national anthem.