Remembering Kezar Stadium and its Hall of Famers

It’s been 100 years since they broke ground at Kezar Stadium. Unlike many of San Francisco’s old venues, Kezar Stadium still exists. It was renovated in 2014 and downsized to 10,000 seats, far from its glory days of 60,000. But it’s still there, a jewel mounted in the southeast corner of Golden Gate Park. I wonder if the high school kids who play football there appreciate the history that lies beneath their cleats. The 49ers took up residency there in 1946,their inaugural season and the first season of the All-America Football Conference. Kezar was straight football with no chaser and could be a brutal place to watch and play a football game. San Francisco was more of a blue-collar city back then and 49er fans worked hard and drank even harder. Fans were permitted to bring their own booze, which often led to alcohol fueled fist fights and outright brawls, far from the wine and cheese reputation the 49ers were labeled with during the eighties. There was little to no parking , the bench seating was, literally back breaking, with no backrests for support and the field at times was a quagmire. In 1971 the 49ers played their last game at Kezar Stadium, in their first of many playoff matchups against the Dallas Cowboys. The 49ers lost in the first ever NFC Championship game 17 to 10, and in my opinion started their legendary rivalry with the Cowboys. The 49ers never won the big one while at Kezar Stadium, but for eight great football players who plied their craft there, Kezar brought professional football immortality . Here is, Remembering Kezar Stadium and its Hall of Famers. Producer/Editor, LaMont Rubin DeBarbieri. Music by Cold Blood. This video is a nonprofit informative and commemorative labor of love, Video meets all fair use guidelines.