Opening of the Coliseum a ‘Stupendous’ Event

Seventy-six years ago today, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was dedicated with two football games.

It has been written that the first game in the stadium was between Pomona College and USC, won by the Trojans, 23-7.

Not true.

That was the second game.

The first game, with a 1:15 p.m. kickoff, matched Santa Ana High and the USC freshmen. USC won, 30-0. The 3:15 main event was seen by an estimated 25,000 in the 75,000-seat stadium.

For The Times, the opening of the Coliseum was a Page 1 story all week. On game day, it was called “the most stupendous stadium ever built.”

Public address systems were new and were called “special sound-reproducing devices” or a “loud-speaking apparatus.”

To avoid traffic jams (this was 25 years before the Harbor Freeway), spectators were urged to ride streetcars. An article pointed out all F, M, E or U cars leaving from downtown made stops in the Coliseum/Exposition Park area.

For USC, the day’s hero was halfback Gordon Campbell, whose darting first-half runs helped the Trojans build a 17-0 halftime lead.

Ticket prices: $1.50 for box seats, $1 general admission.

Also on this date: In 1966, the Dodgers’ Sandy Koufax was beaten in Game 2 of the World Series by Baltimore, 6-0. It was his last game--he announced his retirement, at 30, six weeks later. . . . In the 1963 World Series, Koufax gave up a home run to Mickey Mantle but beat the Yankees, 2-1, to complete the Dodgers’ four-game sweep. . . . In 1926, in Game 4 of the World Series at St. Louis, Babe Ruth homered in the first, third and sixth innings to lead a 10-5 Yankee win, but the Cardinals won the Series in seven. . . . In 1911, pitcher Cy Young appeared in his last major league game, lost to Brooklyn, and finished his career with a 511-316 record.