1972 Los Angeles Dodgers season
Encyclopedia
The Los Angeles Dodgers
finished the season 10 games back in second place in the western division
of the National League
.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
finished the season 10 games back in second place in the western division
National League West
The National League Western Division, or NL West, is one of the three divisions of Major League Baseball's National League. It was created in 1969 when the previously undivided National League expanded its membership to twelve teams, positioning half of them in an Eastern division and the other...
of the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
.
Offseason
- October 21: Tommy HuttonTommy HuttonThomas George Hutton is a former Major League Baseball player and is currently the color analyst for Miami Marlins baseball broadcasts on FSN Florida and Sun Sports - a position he has held since the 1997 season...
was traded by the Dodgers to the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
for Larry HisleLarry HisleLarry Eugene Hisle is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball who played with the Philadelphia Phillies , Minnesota Twins and Milwaukee Brewers . He batted and threw right-handed...
. - October 22, 1971: Bobby DarwinBobby DarwinArthur Bobby Lee Darwin is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Los Angeles Angels , Los Angeles Dodgers , Minnesota Twins , Milwaukee Brewers , Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs .Darwin began his career as a pitcher, appearing in one game with the Angels at the age of 19...
was traded by the Dodgers to the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
for Paul PowellPaul Powell (baseball)Paul Ray Powell was a catcher in Major League Baseball. He played in 30 games for the Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Dodgers in 1971,1973 and 1975.-External links:...
. - October 24, 1971: Maury WillsMaury WillsMaurice Morning "Maury" Wills is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and switch-hitting batter who played most prominently with the Los Angeles Dodgers , and also with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Montreal Expos...
was released by the Dodgers. - December 2, 1971: Doyle AlexanderDoyle AlexanderDoyle Lafayette Alexander is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, and Detroit Tigers...
, Bob O'BrienBob O'Brien (baseball)Robert Allen O'Brien was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He pitched in 14 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 1971 baseball season, including four starts and one complete game shutout....
, Sergio RoblesSergio RoblesSergio Robles Valenzuela was a catcher in Major League Baseball. He played in 16 games over three seasons for the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers. In his native México he is known as Kaliman.-External links:...
and Royle StillmanRoyle StillmanRoyle Eldon Stillman is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played all or part of three seasons in the majors, from until , for the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox.-Sources:...
were traded by the Dodgers to the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore OriolesThe Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
for Frank RobinsonFrank RobinsonFrank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
and Pete RichertPete RichertPeter Gerard Richert is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers , Washington Senators , Baltimore Orioles , St...
. - December 2, 1971: Dick AllenDick AllenRichard Anthony Allen is a former Major League Baseball player and R&B singer. He played first and third base and outfield in Major League Baseball and ranked among his sport's top offensive producers of the 1960s and early 1970s...
was traded by the Dodgers to the Chicago White SoxChicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
for Tommy JohnTommy JohnThomas Edward John Jr. is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball whose 288 career victories rank as the seventh highest total among left-handers in major league history...
and Steve HuntzSteve HuntzStephen Michael Huntz is a retired American professional baseball player who played infielder in the Major Leagues between and for the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago White Sox and San Diego Padres. Huntz threw and batted right-handed, stood tall and weighed...
. - December 2, 1971: Tom HallerTom HallerThomas Frank Haller was an American professional baseball player and baseball executive. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball with the San Francisco Giants , Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers...
was traded by the Dodgers to the Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
for a player to be named later and cash. The Tigers completed the deal by sending Bernie Beckman (minors) to the Dodgers on March 31, 1972. - December 17, 1971: Chris CannizzaroChris CannizzaroChristopher John "Chris" Cannizzaro was a catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the St. Louis Cardinals , New York Mets , Pittsburgh Pirates , San Diego Padres , Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers...
was claimed off waivers by the Dodgers from the Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
. - January 12, 1972: 1972 Major League Baseball Draft1972 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1972 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :The Montreal Expos had perhaps their best draft in franchise history. The Expos grabbed outfielder Ellis Valentine in round two of the June regular phase and then...
(January draft-secondary phase) notable picks:
-
- Round 1: Dennis LewallynDennis LewallynDennis Dale Lewallyn is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers and Cleveland Indians from 1975-1982.-External links:...
- March 27, 1972: Bill SudakisBill SudakisWilliam Paul Sudakis was a power-hitting third baseman whom the Dodgers tried at catcher in 1970-1971....
was claimed off waivers from the Dodgers by the New York MetsNew York MetsThe New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
.
- March 27, 1972: Bill Sudakis
- Round 1: Dennis Lewallyn
Regular season
Opening Day lineup
| Opening Day starters | |
|---|---|
| Name | Position |
| Maury Wills Maury Wills Maurice Morning "Maury" Wills is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and switch-hitting batter who played most prominently with the Los Angeles Dodgers , and also with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Montreal Expos... |
Shortstop Shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the... |
| Bill Buckner Bill Buckner William Joseph Buckner is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. Despite winning a batting crown in , representing the Chicago Cubs at the All-Star Game the following season and accumulating over 2,700 hits in his twenty-year career, he is best remembered for a fielding error during Game 6... |
First baseman First baseman First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team... |
| Willie Davis Willie Davis (baseball) William Henry Davis was a center fielder in Major League Baseball who played most of his career for the Los Angeles Dodgers... |
Center fielder Center fielder A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field... |
| Frank Robinson Frank Robinson Frank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues... |
Right fielder Right fielder A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound... |
| Jim Lefebvre Jim Lefebvre James Kenneth Lefebvre is a former second baseman, third baseman and manager in Major League Baseball. Lefebvre, the 1965 National League Rookie of the Year, was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1962. In 1965, his rookie year, he hit .250 with 12 home runs and 69 RBI... |
Second baseman Second baseman Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base... |
| Willie Crawford Willie Crawford Willie Murphy Crawford was a Major League Baseball outfielder who played with Los Angeles Dodgers , St. Louis Cardinals , Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics . Crawford was born in Los Angeles, California. He batted and threw left-handed... |
Left fielder Left fielder In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound... |
| Duke Sims Duke Sims Duane B. Sims was a Major League Baseball catcher who played from 1964 to 1974 with the Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees and Texas Rangers.... |
Catcher Catcher Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to... |
| Billy Grabarkewitz Billy Grabarkewitz Billy Cordell Grabarkewitz , is a retired professional baseball player who played third base, second base, and shortstop in the Major Leagues from 1969-1975. His best season was 1970, when he was the starting third baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers and was selected as an All-Star... |
Third baseman Third baseman A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run... |
| Don Sutton | Starting pitcher Starting pitcher In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher.... |
Notable transactions
- April 14, 1972: Dick DietzDick DietzRichard Allen Dietz was an American catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Atlanta Braves from 1966 to 1973. Born in Crawfordsville, Indiana, Dietz enjoyed his best season in 1970 with the Giants, when he batted .300 with 22 home runs and...
was claimed off waivers by the Dodgers from the San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. - June 6, 1972: 1972 Major League Baseball Draft1972 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1972 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :The Montreal Expos had perhaps their best draft in franchise history. The Expos grabbed outfielder Ellis Valentine in round two of the June regular phase and then...
(June draft) notable picks:
-
- Round 3: Bob DetherageBob DetherageRobert Wayne Detherage is a former Major League Baseball player. Detherage played for Kansas City Royals in the 1980 season. In twenty career games, he had eight hits in 26 at-bats with seven RBIs. He played the Outfield in all of his games.Detherage was drafted originally by the Los Angeles...
- Round 15: Jason Thompson (did not sign)
- Round 17: Glenn BurkeGlenn BurkeGlenn Lawrence Burke was a Major League Baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland Athletics from 1976 to 1979....
- Round 20: John LittlefieldJohn LittlefieldJohn Andrew Littlefield is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched two seasons in the major leagues, for the St. Louis Cardinals and for the San Diego Padres. He appeared in 94 games, all as a reliever.-Sources:...
(did not sign) - Round 35: Craig MinettoCraig MinettoCraig Stephen Minetto is a former professional baseball pitcher. Minetto pitched in parts of four seasons in Major League Baseball from 1978 until 1981 for the Oakland Athletics....
(did not sign) - Round 38: Bob ShirleyBob ShirleyRobert Charles Shirley is a former professional baseball pitcher. He played all or part of eleven seasons in Major League Baseball, from 1977 to 1987, for the San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals...
(did not sign)
- Round 3: Bob Detherage
Roster
| 1972 Los Angeles Dodgers | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders |
Manager Coaches |
||||||
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RF | 103 | 342 | 86 | .251 | 19 | 59 |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | 202.2 | 9 | 9 | 2.98 | 117 | |
| 29 | 186.2 | 11 | 5 | 2.89 | 117 | |
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | 8 | 7 | 17 | 1.26 | 69 | |
| 37 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 2.25 | 38 | |
Awards and honors
- NL Player of the MonthPlayer of the MonthThe Player of the Month Award is a Major League Baseball award named by each league every month of the regular season. The National League started recognizing the award on June 4, 1958. National League president Warren Giles conducted a poll of baseball writers in each Major League city and...
- Don Sutton (April 1972)
All-Stars
- 1972 Major League Baseball All-Star Game1972 Major League Baseball All-Star GameThe 1972 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, the 43rd such game, was played on July 25, 1972. The all-stars from the American League and the National League faced each other at Atlanta Stadium, home of the Atlanta Braves...
- Don Sutton reserve
- Gold Glove Awards
- Wes ParkerWes ParkerMaurice Wesley Parker III is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers from to...
- Willie DavisWillie Davis (baseball)William Henry Davis was a center fielder in Major League Baseball who played most of his career for the Los Angeles Dodgers...
- Wes Parker
