Programming note: Immediately following the conclusion of Monday night's 49ers-Falcons game, change the channel to CSN Bay Area for 49ers Postgame Live.
Former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo figures to receive a much different reception from the crowd at Candlestick Park on Monday night.
DeBartolo will serve as the honorary captain prior to the 49ers’ final regular-season game at Candlestick, the team’s home since 1971.
Before he hired Bill Walsh as coach – and before the first of five Super Bowl trophies under his ownership – DeBartolo was not a popular figure in the Bay Area. And that much was painfully apparent when DeBartolo made a trek to the upper reaches of Candlestick Park for a photo opportunity in the late-1970s.
“One of the fans hit me in the head with a full beer (can) and almost knocked me out,” DeBartolo said. “The least he could’ve done is drink it.”
Fans will have an opportunity to drink in the history of Candlestick before, during and after the 49ers’ game against the Atlanta Falcons.
Here is a look at the schedule for the evening:
1:30 p.m.: Parking lots open.
2 p.m.: Stadium gates open
National anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner will be performed by San Francisco Police Dept. Sergeant Jerry D’Arcy, and the colors will be presented by the SFPD Honor Guard.
First-quarter break: Full-stadium “Farewell Candlestick” card stunt.
Halftime: ”The Catch,” which fans voted as the top 49ers moment at Candlestick Park, will be recognized in the north end zone. Former 49ers wide receiver Dwight Clark will represent the moment, where he caught the game-winning touchdown pass from Joe Montana to send the 49ers to their first Super Bowl in January 1982. Montana said he is “unlikely” to attend the Candlestick finale due to family logistics. There will also be tributes to key individuals in Candlestick history.
After game: There will be a post-game ceremony to honor the team’s 43 years at Candlestick Park before moving next season into Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
“It’s the end of an era and the beginning of a new one,” DeBartolo said.
