Los Angeles Dodgers History

Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball History

Los Angeles Dodgers, professional baseball team and one of five teams in the West Division of the National League (NL). Based in Brooklyn until 1958, the club now plays at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, and wears uniforms of white and blue. During the team’s early years in Brooklyn, players often dodged trolley cars to reach the ballpark, Ebbets Field, leading to the nickname Dodgers. In 1913 the club officially changed its name to the Dodgers.

The Dodgers have won a league or division title in all but one decade—the 1930s—since the 1880s. Only twice in their history have they finished in the basement. With stars such as Roy Campanella, Don Drysdale, Gil Hodges, Sandy Koufax, Pee Wee Reese, Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, and Maury Wills, the club won ten NL pennants and four World Series championships from 1947 to 1966. During that period, Dodgers’ players captured seven NL most valuable player (MVP) awards, six rookie of the year awards, and five Cy Young Awards.

Los Angeles built powerful teams from 1974 to 1988, winning five NL pennants and two World Series titles. Stars of those teams include Ron Cey, Steve Garvey, Kirk Gibson, Davey Lopes, Don Sutton, and Fernando Valenzuela.

The Dodgers trace their origins to the 1860s, when the Brooklyn Atlantics dominated the early baseball leagues. In 1884 the team renamed itself the Brooklyn Bridegrooms and joined the American Association (AA), the rival to the NL, winning a league title in 1889. After the AA folded in 1891, the club joined the NL as the Brooklyn Superbas, winning NL pennants in 1899 and 1900.The club struggled from 1901 to 1916. Renamed the Dodgers in 1913, Brooklyn won its first modern-era pennants in 1916 and 1920 under manager Wilbert Robinson while playing at Ebbets Field. Starring on both teams were pitcher Jeff Pfeffer and outfielder Zack Wheat. The club lost both World Series, to Boston and Cleveland, respectively.

After a 20-year pennant drought, the Dodgers won the 1941 NL pennant under Manager Leo Durocher, a former Brooklyn shortstop. In 1942 the franchise hired Branch Rickey as president and general manager.

Rickey made history when he signed Negro League superstar Jackie Robinson, who in 1947 became the first African American to play in the major leagues. The move ushered in what became known as Brooklyn’s golden decade—a ten-year span that yielded six NL pennant titles and a World Series championship. Robinson had an immediate impact. Along with teammates Pee Wee Reese, Arky Vaughan, and Gil Hodges, Robinson led the club to the 1947 pennant. That year he also received the first-ever rookie of the year award. Catcher Roy Campanella, who joined the team in 1948, and pitcher Don Newcombe, who joined in 1949, helped the Dodgers dominate the league. The Dodgers faced the New York Yankees in five World Series from 1949 to 1956, but beat them only once to capture their first World Series title in 1955.

In 1958 owner Walter O’Malley moved the club to Los Angeles, and the next year the Dodgers again won the NL pennant. Manager Walter Alston, who had taken the Dodgers to the World Series in 1955 and 1956, led them to their second World Series championship in 1959, with a victory over the Chicago White Sox. Alston produced four more pennant-winning teams in the 1960s and early 1970s as Dodgers’ pitching dominated the era: Drysdale won one Cy Young Award, and Koufax three. The Dodgers swept the Yankees in the 1963 World Series, and two years later they defeated the Minnesota Twins to capture their fourth World Series title. Los Angeles earned the NL pennant in 1966 but was swept by the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series.

After a brief rebuilding period, Alston led the Dodgers to his seventh and final pennant in 1974. Third baseman Ron Cey, first baseman Steve Garvey, and outfielder Jim Wynn powered the offense, while right-handers Andy Messersmith, Don Sutton, and Mike Marshall (winner of the 1974 Cy Young Award) anchored the pitching staff. But the Oakland Athletics matched the Dodgers in pitching and, with Reggie Jackson, dominated in hitting to win the 1974 World Series. Future Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda arrived at the end of the 1976 season and steered the Dodgers to pennants in the next two seasons, but the club fell to the Yankees in both World Series. Beginning in 1979 Los Angeles players won the NL rookie of the year award for four seasons: pitcher Rick Sutcliffe in 1979, pitcher Steve Howe in 1980, pitcher Fernando Valenzuela in 1981, and second baseman Steve Sax in 1982. Valenzuela, a 20-year-old rookie in 1981, was also named NL MVP that year after leading the league in strikeouts, shutouts, and complete games and boosting the Dodgers to a victory over the Yankees in the World Series.

In 1988 Orel Hershiser pitched 59 consecutive scoreless innings to break a 20-year-old record set by Drysdale. Hershiser won the Cy Young Award that season and Dodgers outfielder Kirk Gibson earned NL MVP honors. In the World Series, Los Angeles defeated the heavily favored Oakland Athletics. The Dodgers took game one on a ninth-inning home run by Gibson, who limped to the plate to pinch hit. In 1992 the Dodgers posted their first last-place finish in 87 years, although the team came back to claim division titles in 1994, 1995, and 1996. Driving the offense were first baseman Eric Karros and catcher Mike Piazza, both former rookies of the year. Dodgers pitcher Hideo Nomo, a former star of the Japanese League and top NL rookie of 1995, led the league in strikeouts and shutouts. Lasorda stepped down in 1996 after 20 seasons as manager and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1997. Before the start of the 1998 season, Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley, son of Walter O'Malley, sold the team to Australian-born media magnate Rupert Murdoch.
CHAMPIONSHIPS
1955 - d. NY Dodgers in 7 games
1959 - d. Chicago in 6 games
1963 - d. NY Dodgers in 4 games
1965 - d. Minnesota in 7 games
1981 - d. NY Dodgers in 6 games
1988 - d. Oakland in 5 games
Won the American Association pennant in 1889.
Won the National League Pennant in 1890, 1899, 1900, 1916, 1920, 1941, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1959, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1988

TOP MANAGER
Wilbert Robinson managed the Dodgers from 1914-1931 and finished with a 1375-1341 record. Walter Alston managed from 1954-1976 and compiled a 2040-1613 record. Tommy Lasorda managed from 1976-1996 and finished with a 1599-1439 record. Lasorda was named NL Manager of the Year in 1983 and 1988.

MVPS
Dolph Camilli (1941), Jackie Robinson (1949), Roy Campanella (1951, 1953, 1955), Don Newcombe (1956), Maury Wills (1962), Sandy Koufax (1963), Steve Garvey (1974), Kirk Gibson (1988)

CY YOUNG
Don Newcombe (1956), Don Drysdale (1962), Sandy Koufax (1963, 1965, 1966), Mike Marshall (1974), Fernando Valenzuela (1981), Orel Hershiser (1988)

ROOKIE OF YEAR
Jackie Robinston (1947), Don Newcombe (1949), Joe Black (1952), Jim Gilliam (1953), Frank Howard (1960), Jim Lefebvre (1965), Ted Sizemore (1969), Rick Sutcliffe (1979), Steve Howe (1980), Fernando Valenzuela (1981), Steve Sax (1982), Eric Karros (1992), Mike Piazza (1993), Raul Mondesi (1994), Hideo Nomo (1995), Todd Hollandsworth (1996)

RETIRED NUMBERS
1 - Pee Wee Reese (SS)
2 - Tommy Lasorda (Mgr)
4 - Duke Snider (OF)
19 - Jim Gilliam (IF)
20 - Don Sutton (P)
24 - Walter Alston (Mgr)
32 - Sandy Koufax (P)
39 - Roy Campanella (C)
42 - Jackie Robinson (2B)
53 - Don Drysdale (P)