The wrecking ball had been painted white with red stitches, as if to soften its impact.
It was Feb. 23, 1960, two and a half years after the Brooklyn Dodgers played their last game at Ebbets Field and the big metal ball had been summoned so it could be sent crashing into the ballpark and begin reducing it to rubble.
The Times reported that about 200 people had shown up to watch the demise of the colorful little stadium, which had been the home of the Dodgers for 44 years.
Among those present were several former Dodgers, including Roy Campanella, who had followed close behind Jackie Robinson in breaking down baseball’s color barrier.