The San Francisco 49ers played their final regular season football game at Candlestick Park Monday against the Atlanta Falcons, but they are not the only team to have great memories there.
The San Francisco Giants moved into frigid Candlestick Park in 1960, two seasons after they came to the West Coast from New York. The Giants first played baseball at Seals Stadium before moving to the 'Stick.
The Giants now play at beautiful AT&T Park, located on the shores of McCovey Cove on San Francisco Bay, where they had their fair share of great moments -- including two World Series Championship seasons.
But some of their greatest moments in franchise history happened at Candlestick Park, a place the Giants called home for 40 years. Here are some top moments at Candlestick Park.
1. Oct. 17, 1989 - Earthquake During World Series
Excitement roared through Candlestick Park as the Giants and Oakland A's were preparing for Game 3 of the World Series. Moments before the game, however, the Battle of the Bay was the last thing on people's mind. A 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck the Bay Area at 5:04 p.m. Some parts of the stadium wobbled, but Candlestick continued to stand tall. The game was made up 10 days later. Although the Giants lost the series in a four-game sweep, the images from Oct. 17 are everlasting.
2. Sept. 18, 1997 - Brian Johnson's Walk-Off Homer Against the Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been the Giants' archrival since both clubs' days in New York. In 1997, the two teams were in a heated pennant race from start to finish that year. The Giants were coming off a dismal 1996 season, where they went 68-94, but things changed in '97. With the Giants one game behind the Dodgers on Sept. 18, the rivals played Game 2 of a two-game series. The two teams battled each other until the 12th inning approached with the score tied at 5. After over four hours of baseball, Giants' catcher Brian Johnson sent the crowd home happy with a walk-off homer that energized Candlestick Park and vaulted the Giants to a division title.
3. Oct. 7, 1989 - Will Clark's Game-Winning Single During NLCS Game 5
The Giants jumped out to a 3-1 series lead in the 1989 NLCS, fueled by Will Clark who would end up as the MVP of the series against the Chicago Cubs. San Francisco looked to wrap up the series at Candlestick, but the Giants had to win Game 5 first. The Giants and Cubs were in a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the eighth inning. After the Cubs walked the bases loaded, manager Don Zimmer brought in closer Mitch Williams to stop the threat. Clark would have none of that. His single up-the-middle energized a World Series-hungry crowd and gave the Giants a 3-1 lead in the game. "Superman" had done it again. The Giants held on to win the game 3-2 and advanced to the World Series for the first time since 1962.
4. Oct. 3, 1982 - Joe Morgan's Home Run to Eliminate Dodgers
Nobody could have written a better script set at Candlestick Park. The Dodgers came to town tied for second place in the National League West with the Giants on Oct. 3. Both teams were just one game behind the Atlanta Braves and looking to sneak into the playoffs. But the Giants' fate was sealed, as they lost the first two games of the series at the hands of their rivals, eliminating San Francisco from playoff contention. The Giants would have their revenge. Down 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan knocked a three-run homer to propel the Giants to a 5-3 victory in the season's last game. To the dismay of Dodgers Manager Tommy Lasorda, the Giants eliminated LA from the postseason.
5. Sept. 14, 1986 - Bob Brenly's Walk-Off Homer After Making Four Errors in an Inning.
Bob Brenly was having one bad day at the office in 1986. A catcher by trade, Brenly was forced to play third base on Sept. 14 due to an injury. It wasn't going well for him at the 'Stick that day. He made four errors in the fourth inning, fueling the Atlanta Braves to an early 4-0 lead. But his bat didn't slump that day. In the fifth inning, he clubbed a solo home run, followed by a game-tying, two-run single in the seventh. With the score knotted up at 6-6 in the ninth with two outs and nobody on base, Brenly came up -- spirited and determined. He took a 3-2 pitch right out of the park, going from goat to the darling of Candlestick Park. Giants beat the Braves 7-6 with Brenly etched in Candlestick memories.
Of course, the Giants' top moments at Candlestick Park cannot be summed up in just five moments. There was Stu Miller blown off the mound in the 1961 All Star Game, the 1962 World Series where Willie McCovey lined out to end series, and of course, Barry Bonds' pirouette after hitting a home run against the Dodgers in September 1997 -- among others.
Although the 'Stick will be a pile of rubble after it's imploded by next year, the Candlestick memories will live on forever.
What is your favorite Candlestick Park moment?
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Follow Vince Cestone on Twitter @vintalkingiants.
