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Scads of People, But Maybe Not 115,000

March 29th, 2008 · No Comments · Baseball, Dodgers

The Dodgers were hoping for a crowd of 115,000 — the biggest ever to see a baseball game. The record of some 114,000 apparently was set in Australia during the 1956 Olympics.

The place is stuffed with people, including thousands milling around the east end of the stadium floor, where that bank of bleachers sits for USC home football games.

But 115,000? Don’t know about that. The place has filled in steadily since the 7:17 p.m. first pitch, and it now is mostly full. Interestingly, some of the tightest areas are at the peristyle end, where there aren’t any seats, just the staggered concrete where the seats used to be … and also about 500-600 feet from home plate. Hardly an empty space, out there.

The Dodgers are fairly famous, however, for announcing attendance that reflects tickets sold (and maybe tickets they wish they had sold) and coming in with attendance figures significantly higher than what it looks like is in the stadium.

So they may announce 115,000, after all.

I must concede this: The people who are here seem to be having a blast. And they have to be setting a record for “most flash photos taken from the seat, single game.” All-time. This place is being strobed with cameras. You’d think it was a World Series game.

And under the category of “Can take the fans out of Dodger Stadium but you can’t take the Dodger Stadium out of the fans” … I already see beachballs being batted around in the outfield, and some kids at the top of the stadium in center appear to be trying to start a wave … which would be a mighty thing to see, indeed, given the size of the crowd.

OK, the Dodgers just announced attendance as 115,300. A record to see a Major League game of any sort. And the Dodgers hope the number will be certified on Monday by the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest crowd to see a ballgame anywhere, anytime.

If that 115,300 requires every seat being filled and 25,000 standing room … I really don’t think they got it. But the crowd is truly enormous, 100,000 at least. And if they want to call it 115,300 … let’s just let them.

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