Playing to a full house

The Dodgers’ return 18 years ago today to the Coliseum

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Dodgers’ move to Los Angeles in 1958 – Brooklyn fans should avert their eyes here – the team returns to its original California home, the L.A. Memorial Coliseum, for an exhibition game 18 years ago today against the Boston Red Sox.

The otherwise meaningless spring training game in 2008 attracts 115,300 spectators – the largest crowd to ever watch a baseball game.

For those who care, the Red Sox win 7-4.

The sport’s previous record crowd also comes at the Coliseum in 1959, when 93,103 watch the Dodgers and New York Yankees play an exhibition game to honor Roy Campanella, Brooklyn’s Hall of Fame catcher whose career ends after a 1958 auto accident leaves him paralyzed.

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