On this date, April 11: How Dodgers ruined opening of Giants’ new ballpark

Kevin Elster's surprising three-homer day in 2000 helped L.A. beat Giants and spoil the unveiling of Pacific Bell Park.

There was a lot to love about the new joint in the city that officially opened 20 years ago today at the corner of Third and King. Perfectly situated on the shores of McCovey Cove, it was easy to get to, the confines were cozy, the views were spectacular, and the garlic fries were to die for.

As noted in the Los Angeles Times’ review, the only real complaint from patrons was that the place ran the only game around where three of a kind beats a full house.

The Dodgers’ Kevin Elster and the rest of his party-crashing friends dressed in matching blue outfits ruined the San Francisco Giants’ unveiling of then-named Pacific Bell Park. Elster, hardly known as a power hitter, blasted three home runs to help deal a bad hand to the Giants and their sellout crowd of 40,930, who, when not admiring the new jewel of a ballpark, were incessantly chanting “Beat L.A.” before watching their team lose 6-5.

“Isn’t it gorgeous? It’s a fabulous place!” Elster said after he had finished trashing the place with his bat for the previous three hours.

Elster, who hadn’t hit three home runs in a game since he was a Little Leaguer, had come out of retirement and then quickly made himself at home in the Giants’ new $319 million dollar digs.

“I felt comfortable and obviously it showed,” Elster said. “No one ever comes to the ballpark thinking they’re going to hit three home runs, least of all me. But it sure feels good to do this on a day like today.”

For Kirk Rueter, it wasn’t the dealer’s choice to serve up the first home run in stadium history to Elster in the third inning. The Giants pitcher also wasn’t happy he gave up another home run to Elster two innings later. By the time reliever Felix Rodriguez had surrendered a third home run to Elster in the eighth inning it was clear a Giants win wasn’t in the cards.

“A guy hits three homers to initiate the park — I don’t think I’ve ever seen that,” Giants manager Dusty Baker told reporters. “That’s a lot of home runs in one day. Maybe we ought to look for somebody that’s been out of the game.”

If it helped, Dodgers manager Davey Johnson said he was sorry for the mess he and his players left behind that first day.

“It’s very fan-friendly. The intensity level was high. I’m sorry we had to spoil it for the Giants,” Johnson said with a smile.

OK, maybe he didn’t feel so bad.

It wasn’t all negative for the Giants and their fans, though. Barry Bonds, who would use the ballpark to launch his assault on baseball’s single-season and career home run records, became the first Giant to hit a home run there.

Bonds ripped a Chan Ho Park pitch and sent it 499 feet away over the fence in center to give the Giants a brief lead in the third inning. Of course, Elster spoiled things again two innings later.

Elster’s name will always top the list of ballpark firsts at the renamed Oracle Park, but here are some others that may or may not cheer Giants fans up:

First national anthem singer: In a sad case of foreshadowing, Bobby McFerrin was there to remind Giants fans not to worry, but to be happy before he sang the anthem.

First pitch: Rueter delivers ball one to Devon White at 1:30 p.m., as called by San Francisco-born home plate umpire Ed Montague, whose father was a scout and signed Willie Mays for the Giants.

First hit: As the first hitter, White singled to left field. He then quickly became the first player picked off at the park.

First strikeout: Dodgers’ Mark Grudzielank, the second batter of the game, struck out swing against Rueter.

First run scored, RBI: Bill Mueller of the Giants, who came home on Barry Bonds’ double down the right field line in the bottom of the first inning, which was the first RBI.

First triple: Slow-footed Giants catcher Doug Mirabelli hit a second-inning shot into Triples Alley for the first triple of his career as well as the park’s first.

First intentional walk: Surprise, it wasn’t Bonds. Los Angeles’ Gary Sheffield was give the first free pass when Alan Embree put him on in the first inning.

First error: Ex-A’s designated hitter Geronimo Berroa, playing first base, booted Marvin Benard’s grounder to start the fifth inning.

First save: The Dodgers’ Jeff Shaw, who gave up a leadoff homer in the ninth to J.T. Snow before steadying things and then getting pinch-hitter Armandos Rios to ground out to second to end the premier.

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Also on this date …

2019: San Jose Sharks erased a three-goal deficit but later allowed a go-ahead power play goal and a shorthanded goal to suffer a disappointing 5-3 loss in Game 2 of the Western Conference first-round series at SAP Center.

2009: San Jose’s Joey Chestnut, then a two-time defending Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating contest champion, won the first-ever Funnel Cake Eating Championship at Santa Clara’s Great America. Chestnut ate 5.44 pounds of funnel cake in 10 minutes to be his competition by more than a half pound.

1993: Stanford’s Jeff Rouse, a three-time Olympic champion swimmer, set the world record in the 100 meter backstroke (51.43). Rouse also held world records in two other events.

1960: The Warriors select Al Attles in the fifth round of the NBA draft (39th pick overall). Nicknamed “The Destroyer” Attles’ tenacious play and later his steady hand as their coach and an executive made him a fixture with the Warriors for nearly 60 years.

1907: Roger Bresnahan (New York Giants) becomes first catcher to wear shin guards.

1961: The Boston Celtics win their third consecutive NBA title.

1962: The expansion New York Mets play their first game — a loss, the first of 120 that season.

1964: Two-time Cy Young Award winner Bret Saberhagen is born in Chicago Heights, Illinois.

1965: Jack Nicklaus wins the Masters, his second of six, beating Gary Player and Arnold Palmer by a record nine strokes.

1966:Jack Nicklaus win the Masters (again), the first back-to-back champion.

1966: The first African-American umpire, Emmett Ashford, makes his MLB debut.

1970: The Cincinnati Reds lose to the Giants 2-1 at Candlestick Park; it will be the only day all season that the Big Red Machine isn’t in first place.

1975: After nine seasons in Atlanta, Hank Aaron returns to Milwaukee to finish his career as the Brewers’ designated hitter.

1976: Raymond Floyd wins the Masters, his only one and he does it in near-record style, finishing eight strokes ahead of the field.

1983: Seve Ballesteros wins the Masters, his second.

1989: Ron Hextall of the Philadelphia Flyers scores a playoff goal, the first ever by a goalie.

1990: Mark Langston (San Jose Buchser High) teams up with Mike Witt to no-hit the Seattle Mariners 1-0.

2004: Phil Mickelson, winless in 40 majors, wins the Masters, making birdie on the final hole to win by one stroke over Ernie Els.

2010:Phil Mickelson wins his third Masters.

Source: Onthisdate.com