1st ballpark with plastic seats/last ballpark with wood seats?

[jnakamura]

I'm trying to nail down definitively these questions...I think I have the answers, but if anyone has any input of clarification, feel free.

What we know:

Candlestick: 1960 Wood
DC Stadium: 1961 Wood
Dodger Stadium: 1962 Wood
Shea: 1964 Wood
Astrodome: 1965 Padded (metal?)
Atlanta Stadium: 1965 Wood
Anaheim Stadium: 1966 Plastic
Busch Stadium: 1966 Plastic
All new ballparks after 1966: Plastic

So, Atlanta--last new ballpark built with all wooden seats
Busch and Anaheim--first new ballparks built with plastic seats.
Astrodome--First (and only?) ballpark ever built with all padded metal theater-style seats.

Accurate?

[jnakamura]

This thread might be a good place to discuss/note the longevity of stadium seating.

Wood seats seem to have an incredibly long "lifespan" with proper care and under certain conditions. For example, Fenway park still has many of the same wood seats in use since the 1940s, although they have been refurbished, I believe they are still the original wood.

RFK Stadium still has the original wood seats installed in 1961 in the upper deck (51 years), although they are in pretty bad shape at this point from the photos I've seen.

Plastic seats seem to have a fairly short lifespan--needing replacement every 20-30 years depending on the climate. Dodger Stadium's plastic seats, even with its ideal climate, were in pretty bad shape by the time they were replaced in 2005 (30 years after they were installed). Shea's seats were 29 years old at the time of its demise in 2008.

Anaheim Stadium's seats were original (in the main grandstand) from 1966-1997 (31 years)
RYS's plastic seats lasted 32 years (1976-2008)
Memorial Stadium's wood seats lasted about 50 years? (1950-91), while Camden Yards plastic seats have already been replaced since opening in '92.

How about some other ballparks and their seat histories?

[jnakamura]

Indoor arena seating of course can have a much longer lifespan. The Fabulous Forum (yes, it's still around and hosting events) still has its original 1967 metal padded seats (45 years)

4002848982_be17887ec7_b.jpg

4088517625_463323c9ae_b.jpg

I believe the L.A. Sports Arena also still has its original seats from 1960 (52 years)

4398861906_0a26a64cf4_b.jpg

[jnakamura]

UCLA_005_t470.JPG
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[jnakamura]

RFK original seats

RFK_Stadium_Seats.jpg

[Chevy114]

I know Fenway takes great pride in their wooden seats. I believe Bank One the first to have seats that were slightly angled so that the first and third base seats could face the plate, but I know the rays have some seats like that and it takes away from the leg room.

[PeteU]

This thread might be a good place to discuss/note the longevity of stadium seating.

Wood seats seem to have an incredibly long "lifespan" with proper care and under certain conditions. For example, Fenway park still has many of the same wood seats in use since the 1940s, although they have been refurbished, I believe they are still the original wood.

RFK Stadium still has the original wood seats installed in 1961 in the upper deck (51 years), although they are in pretty bad shape at this point from the photos I've seen.

Plastic seats seem to have a fairly short lifespan--needing replacement every 20-30 years depending on the climate. Dodger Stadium's plastic seats, even with its ideal climate, were in pretty bad shape by the time they were replaced in 2005 (30 years after they were installed). Shea's seats were 29 years old at the time of its demise in 2008.

Anaheim Stadium's seats were original (in the main grandstand) from 1966-1997 (31 years)
RYS's plastic seats lasted 32 years (1976-2008)
Memorial Stadium's wood seats lasted about 50 years? (1950-91), while Camden Yards plastic seats have already been replaced since opening in '92.

How about some other ballparks and their seat histories?

Actually, if I recall correctly, the original wooden seats in Memorial Stadium (Upper Deck reserved/Outfield General Admission) were replaced sometime around the late 1970s/early 1980s with metal benchback seating.

[Matt The Hammer]

IMO - the wood seats at RFK were pretty decent when I was there for the final Nationals series.

[Goober]

Target Field certainly is the most recent ballpark built with wooden seats, no?

[The Old Ballpark]

Target Field certainly is the most recent ballpark built with wooden seats, no?

Good catch!

[chip]

Do they have wood backs and plastic bottoms?

[The Old Ballpark]

Do they have wood backs and plastic bottoms?

Padded seat with plastic base.

[jnakamura]

All of Dodger Stadiums bleachers are still wood.

3670473450_b664368dc3_o.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevenbowles/3670473450/

[jnakamura]

Anyone know if any other ballpark still has outfield bleachers, bench-style, made of wood?

I know Yankee Stadium, Wrigley Field and New Busch are metal benches.

What others?

[Phantom Dreamer]

Indoor arena seating of course can have a much longer lifespan. The Fabulous Forum (yes, it's still around and hosting events) still has its original 1967 metal padded seats (45 years)

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Did they truck the Staples Center's Lakers court to the Forum for those preseason games?

Were the Oakland Coliseum's original seats wooden?