1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,000 This is Retro Sports Radio. Visit RetroSeasons.com for more sports history. 2 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:10,000 Three years ago a terrible thing happened to the good people of Brooklyn. 3 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:14,000 After over half a century in Flatbush, the Brooklyn Dodgers moved to Los Angeles. 4 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:18,000 But even after the team had gone, one landmark still remained. 5 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:28,000 In Brooklyn, just to remind the fans of the glory that was Duke Snyder, Jackie Robinson, Ralph Branca, Carl Erskine, Peewee Reese, the grandeur that was the Dodgers. 6 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:30,000 That landmark was Ebbets Field. 7 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:44,000 On a fine spring afternoon, a Dodger fang could stroll down Bedford Avenue past the empty ballpark and picture in his mind's eye how it was when the brightened flags were whipping in the breeze and the crowds battling their way into the bleachers. 8 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:49,000 He could even dream that someday, somehow, the Dodgers would return to Ebbets Field. 9 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:57,000 And through the ballpark would echo again the familiar sound of the bat on the ball and the infield fly on the second baseman's skull. 10 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:01,000 Well folks, we know that now even that last faint hope is gone. 11 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:12,000 Because shortly Ebbets Field will be torn down, stone by stone, and where it stood will be left only tears, memories, and a few empty beer cans. 12 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:19,000 So tonight on Be Our Guest, we offer a nostalgic tribute to some of the devoted fans who gathered at Ebbets Field in years gone by. 13 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:23,000 I would like you to meet right now the Brooklyn Symphony, your old friends and fellow Rooters. 14 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:26,000 And here they are, the Brooklyn Symphony. Listen to this music. 15 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:44,000 Music 16 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:52,000 Applause 17 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:58,000 You know ladies and gentlemen, there are ballparks bigger and fancier than Ebbets Field. 18 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:01,000 But none of them ever had a musical rooting section like this. 19 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:07,000 The one and only Brooklyn Dodger Symphony Band. Welcome to Be Our Guest. 20 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:15,000 Music 21 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:17,000 You're watching them all sit down and be comfortable in your seats. 22 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:22,000 Now these seats that you're sitting in right now are the seats that you sat in at Ebbets Field, are the very same seats. 23 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:25,000 Now let's meet all of you and find out what you do. Now who's first? 24 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:29,000 I am. I'm Louis Soriano, leader of the symphony band. 25 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:32,000 And I used to be the Ray McKinley at Ebbets Field. 26 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:36,000 You were the Ray McKinley of Ebbets Field. And who's this young gentleman here? 27 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:39,000 That's my son Armand. He's a stocklaker, Stuban Glass. 28 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:41,000 Stuban Glass. And up here? 29 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:42,000 My name is Joseph Zollo. 30 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:43,000 Joseph Zollo? 31 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:47,000 Yep. I'm married. I'm three boys and I work for the Transit Authority. 32 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:48,000 And this? 33 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:51,000 I'm his son, Tony Zollo. I'm married. I work for Craspin Offset. 34 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,000 And your name? 35 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:54,000 I'm Jojo. 36 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:57,000 Jojo! What do you do for a living, Jojo? 37 00:02:57,000 --> 00:02:58,000 I sell bread. 38 00:02:58,000 --> 00:02:59,000 You sell bread. 39 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:01,000 Ha ha. 40 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:03,000 Ha ha. 41 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:06,000 What did you do before you sold bread, Jojo? 42 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:10,000 I used to sell salami. 43 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:12,000 You sold salami? And what was wrong? 44 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:13,000 I have no future. 45 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:16,000 You had no future? Oh. 46 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:20,000 Tell me, how did the Dodger's Symphony get started, Lou? 47 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:24,000 Well, one day the whole gang of us went out to a picnic. 48 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:27,000 And we took our instruments as usual, as we always do. 49 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:29,000 And when we got there, it started to rain. 50 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:35,000 So we left the picnic grounds that come down towards Ebbets Field. 51 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:40,000 And the rain stopped just when we were around Ebbets Field and we started taking in the ballgame. 52 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:44,000 I see. I like the way you used to kid the umpires. How did you do that? 53 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:46,000 Well, we used to play this. 54 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:48,000 The Umpires 55 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,000 The Umpires 56 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:52,000 The Umpires 57 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:54,000 The Umpires 58 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:56,000 The Umpires 59 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,000 The Umpires 60 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:00,000 The Umpires 61 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:04,000 Did you ever kid any other people, any other players, like on the opposing team? 62 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:08,000 Oh yeah, a guy like Stan Musel, every time he got up, boy, he murdered them Dodgers. 63 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:10,000 And this is what we played for him. 64 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:12,000 The Umpires 65 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:14,000 The Umpires 66 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:16,000 The Umpires 67 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:18,000 The Umpires 68 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:20,000 The Umpires 69 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:22,000 The Umpires 70 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:24,000 The Umpires 71 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:27,000 Tell me, did you fellas get paid for playing at the games, Lou? 72 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:31,000 No, we never got paid. But for seven years we've been paying our own way. 73 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:34,000 But since Branch Ricky's time, we got free special seats from him. 74 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:36,000 Oh yes. 75 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:38,000 Well now that the... 76 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,000 Now that... 77 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,000 You should have been here at rehearsal. 78 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:45,000 Now that the Dodgers are gone, what do you do, Lou? 79 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:47,000 Do you go up to the Yankee Stadium? 80 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:52,000 No, we're down in Ebbets Field, and there ain't no place like the Spirit, like there is in Ebbets Field. 81 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:53,000 No other place. 82 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:54,000 You're right. You're right there, Lou. 83 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:57,000 The Dodgers might have left us, but we'll never leave them. 84 00:04:57,000 --> 00:04:58,000 Right. 85 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:02,000 Applause 86 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:09,000 Though the Dodgers are gone forever, I'd like to express the way we feel about the team that done us wrong 87 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:13,000 with that stirring and inspirational song that used to lead the Dodgers to victory. 88 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:14,000 It's called... 89 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:18,000 It's called the Giglio, George. And every time we played that song, win or lose, we always played that number. 90 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:20,000 That was really that pulled us out. 91 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:21,000 The Giglio. 92 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:37,000 Music 93 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,000 Applause 94 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:52,000 Bye, Dodgers.