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Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of play in professional baseball [i]. ... 

 team based in Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles, known as "L.A." or the "City of Angels", is the largest city in the state of California [i] ... 

. The team is in the Western Division of the National League National League

The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs, or simply the National League, is the older o... 

. The team originated in Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn

Brooklyn is one of the five boroughs [i] of New York City [i]. ... 

, where it was known as the Brooklyn Dodgers, before moving to Los Angeles before the 1958 season.

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Timeline

1957   Walter O'Malley Walter O'Malley

Walter Francis O'Malley was an American [i] sports executive who owned the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers [i] ... 

, the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball [i] team based in Los Angeles, California [i]. ... 

, agrees to move the team from Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn

Brooklyn is one of the five boroughs [i] of New York City [i]. ... 

, to Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles, known as "L.A." or the "City of Angels", is the largest city in the state of California [i] ... 

.

1974   Hank Aaron Henry Aaron

Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron is a retired American baseball [i] player and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame [i] ... 

 of the Atlanta Braves Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves are a Major League Baseball [i] team, based in Atlanta, Georgia [i] since 1966. ... 

 broke Babe Ruth Babe Ruth

George Herman Ruth , better known as "Babe" Ruth, also known by the nicknames "The Bambino" ... 

's home run record by hitting his 715th career home-run off Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Al Downing at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium was a baseball [i] and football [i] stadium [i] that for... 

.



Encyclopedia

The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of play in professional baseball [i]. ... 

 team based in Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles, known as "L.A." or the "City of Angels", is the largest city in the state of California [i]... 

. The team is in the Western Division of the National League National League

The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs, or simply the National League, is the older o... 

. The team originated in Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn

Brooklyn is one of the five boroughs [i] of New York City [i]. ... 

, where it was known as the Brooklyn Dodgers, before moving to Los Angeles before the 1958 season.

Franchise history


Early Brooklyn baseball

The borough of Brooklyn Brooklyn

Brooklyn is one of the five boroughs [i] of New York City [i]. ... 

 was home to outstanding baseball Baseball

Baseball is a team sport [i] popular in North America [i], parts of Latin America [i], the Caribbean [i] ... 

 clubs beginning in the mid-1850s. Eight of 16 participants in the first convention National Association of Base Ball Players

The National Association of Base Ball Players was the first organization governing American [i] ... 

 were from Brooklyn, including the Atlantic Brooklyn Atlantics

The Atlantic Base Ball Club of Brooklyn [i] was baseball's [i] first champion and its first dynasty [i] ... 

, Eckford and Excelsior clubs that combined to dominate play for most of the 1860s. Brooklyn helped make baseball commercial, as the locale of the first paid admission games, a series of three all star contests matching New York and Brooklyn in 1858. Brooklyn also featured the first two enclosed baseball grounds, the Union Grounds and the Capitoline Grounds; enclosed, dedicated ballparks accelerated the evolution from amateurism to professionalism.

Despite the success of Brooklyn clubs in the first Association, officially amateur until 1869, they fielded weak teams in the succeeding National Association of Professional Base Ball Players, the first professional league formed in 1871. The Excelsiors no longer challenged for the amateur championship after the war and never entered the professional NA. The Eckfords and Atlantics declined to join until 1872 and thereby lost their best players; Eckford survived only one season and Atlantic four, with losing teams.

The National League National League

The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs, or simply the National League, is the older o... 

 replaced the NA in 1876 and granted exclusive territories to its eight members, excluding the Atlantics in favor of the New York Mutuals who had shared the same home grounds. When the Mutuals were expelled by the League, the Hartford, Connecticut Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford is the capital [i] of the U.S. state [i] of Connecticut [i], in Hartford County [i] ... 

 club played its home games at Union Grounds in 1877 before shutting down.

Dodgers

The Brooklyn baseball club that eventually became the NL Dodgers was established in 1883, and the team joined the upstart American Association the following year. Originally the Brooklyn team was known as the "Trolley Dodgers," a reference to Brooklyn pedestrians who "dodged" the trollies that ran over the maze of streetcar lines that criss-crossed Brooklyn. After several of the team's players were married in succession in 1888, the press began referring to the team as the "Brooklyn Bridegrooms.” The Bridegrooms won the AA pennant in 1889. Upon switching to the National League National League

The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs, or simply the National League, is the older o... 

 in 1890, the franchise became the first of only three major league sports teams, and the only major league baseball team, to win championships in different leagues in consecutive years. Eight years passed before any more success followed. Because of joint ownership between the two clubs, several Hall of Fame National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York [i], i ... 

 players were sold to Brooklyn by the soon-to-be-defunct Baltimore Orioles Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles are a Major League Baseball [i] team based in Baltimore, Maryland [i]. ... 

, along with their manager, Ned Hanlon Ned Hanlon

Edward Hugh "Ned" Hanlon was a 19th century [i] Major League Baseball [i] player and manager [i] ... 

. This catapulted Brooklyn to instant contention, and “Brooklyn Superbas" lived up to their name, winning pennants in 1899 and 1900.

Teams of this era played in two principal ballparks, Washington Park and Eastern Park. They first earned the nickname “Trolley Dodgers,” later shortened to Dodgers, while at Eastern Park during the 1890s 1890s

The 1890s were sometimes referred to as the "Mauve [i] Decade," because William Henry Perkin [i]'s aniline dye [i]... 

 because of the difficulty fans had in reaching the ballpark due to the number of trolley lines in the area. The name "Trolley Dodgers" is recorded separately in two newspapers on September 3, 1895. The club also engaged in a series of mergers during this period, acquiring the New York Metropolitans in 1888 for territorial protection and star contracts, merging with the Brooklyn Wonders Brooklyn Wonders

The Brooklyn Wonders are an expansion team for the American Basketball Association [i] ... 

 in 1891 as part of the Players League settlement, and merging with the Baltimore Orioles Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles are a Major League Baseball [i] team based in Baltimore, Maryland [i]. ... 

 in 1900 as part of the National League National League

The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs, or simply the National League, is the older o... 

's consolidation of clubs.

In 1902, Hanlon expressed his desire to buy a controlling interest in the team and move it to Baltimore Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore is an independent city [i] located in the U.S. state [i] of Maryland [i] on the eastern coast ... 

. His plan was blocked by a lifelong club employee, Charles Ebbets, who put himself heavily in debt to buy the team and keep it in the borough. Ebbets’ ambition did not stop at owning the team. He desired to replace the dilapidated Washington Park with a new ballpark, and again invested heavily to finance the construction of Ebbets Field Ebbets Field

Ebbets Field was a Major League Baseball [i] park [i] located in the Flatbush [i] section of Brooklyn [i] ... 

, which would become the Dodgers' home in 1913.

“Uncle Robbie” and the “Daffiness Boys”

Manager Wilbert Robinson, another former Oriole, popularly known as “Uncle Robbie,” restored the Brooklyn team to respectability, with his “Brooklyn Robins” winning pennants in the 1916 and 1920 World Series and contending perennially for several seasons. Upon assuming the title of president, however, Robinson’s ability to focus on the field declined, and the teams of the late 1920s 1920s

The 1920s was a decade [i] sometimes referred to as the "Jazz Age [i]" or the "Roaring Twenties [i]," us ... 

 were often fondly referred to as the “Daffiness Boys” for their distracted, error-ridden style of play. Outfielder Babe Herman was the leader both in hitting and in zaniness. After his removal as club president, Robinson returned to managing, and the club’s performance rebounded somewhat.

When Robinson retired in 1931, he was replaced as manager by Max Carey Max Carey

Max George Carey was an American [i] center fielder [i] in Major League Baseball [i] who s ... 

. Although some suggested renaming the "Robins" the "Brooklyn Canaries," after Carey , the name "Brooklyn Dodgers" returned to stay following Robinson's retirement. It was during this era that Willard Mullin, a noted sports cartoonist Cartoonist

A cartoonist is an artist [i] who specializes in drawing cartoon [i]s. ... 

, fixed the Brooklyn team with the lovable nickname of “Dem Bums.” After hearing his cab driver ask "So how did those bums do today?" Mullin decided to sketch an exaggerated version of famed circus clown Emmett Kelly to represent the Dodgers in his much-praised cartoons in the New York World-Telegram. Both the image and the nickname caught on, so much so that many a Dodger yearbook cover featured a Willard Mullin illustration with the Brooklyn Bum.

Perhaps the highlight of the Daffiness Boys era came after Wilbert Robinson had left the dugout. In 1934, New York Giants San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball [i] team based in San Francisco, California [i]. ... 

 manager Bill Terry Bill Terry

William Harold Terry was a Major League Baseball [i] first baseman [i] and manager [i]. ... 

 was asked about the Dodgers’ chances in the coming pennant race and cracked infamously, “Is Brooklyn still in the league?” Managed now by Casey Stengel Casey Stengel

Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel was a famous baseball [i] player and manager. ... 

 , the 1934 Dodgers were determined to make their presence felt. As it happened, the season ended with the Giants tied with the St. Louis Cardinals St. Louis Cardinals

----

The St. Louis Cardinals are a Major League Baseball [i] team based in St. Louis, Missouri [i]. ... 

 for the pennant, with the Giants’ remaining games against the Dodgers. Stengel led his Bums to the Polo Grounds Polo Grounds

The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different stadium [i]s in New York City [i] used by Major League Baseball [i]... 

 for the showdown and beat the Giants twice to knock them out of the pennant race. The “Gas House Gang” Cardinals nailed the pennant by beating the Reds those same two days.

One key development during this era was the 1938 appointment of Leland Stanford MacPhail -- better known as Larry MacPhail -- as the Dodgers' general manager. MacPhail, who brought night baseball to MLB as GM of the Cincinnati Reds Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball [i] team based in Cincinnati, Ohio [i].... 

, brought night baseball to the Dodgers' home games and ordered the successful refurbishing of Ebbets Field. He also brought Reds voice Red Barber Red Barber

Walter Lanier "Red" Barber was an American [i] sportscaster [i]. ... 

 to Brooklyn as the Dodgers' lead announcer in 1939, just after MacPhail broke the New York baseball execs' agreement to ban live baseball broadcasts, a ban enacted because of the fear of what the radio calls would have on the home teams' attendance.

MacPhail remained with the Dodgers until 1942, when he returned to the Armed Forces for World War II World War II

World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide [i] conflict [i] fought betwe ... 

. MacPhail's surviving son Leland Jr. and surviving grandson Andy MacPhail also became MLB execs.

The first major-league baseball game to be televised Television

Television is a telecommunication [i] system for
... 

 was Brooklyn’s 6-1 victory over Cincinnati Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball [i] team based in Cincinnati, Ohio [i].... 

 at Ebbets Field on August 26, 1939. Batting helmets were introduced to Major League Baseball by the Dodgers in 1941.

Breaking the color line

For the first half of the 20th century 20th century

The 20th century started on 1 January [i] 1901 [i] and ended on 31 December [i] 2000 [i], according to t... 

, not a single African-American African American

An African American is a member of an ethnic group [i] in the United States [i] whose ancestors, usual... 

 played on a Major League Baseball team. A parallel system of Negro Leagues Negro league baseball


The Negro Leagues were American [i] professional baseball [i] leagues comprising predom... 

 developed, but most of the Negro League were denied a chance to prove their skill before a national audience. Jackie Robinson Jackie Robinson

Jack Roosevelt Robinson , became the first African American [i] Major League [i] Baseball [i] ... 

 became the first African-American to play for a Major League Baseball team when he played his first major-league game on April 15, 1947, as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers. It appears to have happened mainly due to General Manager Branch Rickey Branch Rickey

Wesley Branch Rickey was an innovative Major League Baseball [i] executive best known for two things: br ... 

's efforts. The deeply religious Rickey's motivation appears to have been primarily moral although business considerations were also present.

This event was the harbinger of the integration of sports in the United States, the concomitant demise of the Negro Leagues Negro league baseball


The Negro Leagues were American [i] professional baseball [i] leagues comprising predom... 

, and is regarded as a key moment in the history of the American Civil Rights movement. Robinson was an exceptional player, a speedy runner Stolen base

In baseball [i], a stolen base occurs when a baserunner [i] successfully advances to the next base while ... 

 who sparked the whole team with his intensity, and was given the inaugural Rookie of the Year award. Robinson would eventually go on to make the Hall of Fame.

“Wait ’til next year!”

After the wilderness years of the 1920s and 1930s, the Dodgers were rebuilt into a contending club first by general manager Larry MacPhail and then the legendary Branch Rickey Branch Rickey

Wesley Branch Rickey was an innovative Major League Baseball [i] executive best known for two things: br ... 

. Led by Pee Wee Reese Pee Wee Reese

Harold Henry "Pee Wee" Reese was an American [i] professional baseball [i] player who play ... 

, Jackie Robinson Jackie Robinson

Jack Roosevelt Robinson , became the first African American [i] Major League [i] Baseball [i] ... 

 and Gil Hodges Gil Hodges

*Top 500 home run hitters of all time [i]
... 

 in the infield, Duke Snider Duke Snider

Edwin Donald "Duke" Snider, nickname [i]d "The Silver Fox", is a former Major League [i] ... 

 in center field, Roy Campanella Roy Campanella

Roy Campanella was an American [i] catcher [i] in the Negro leagues [i] ... 

 behind the plate, and Don Newcombe on the pitcher 's mound, the Dodgers won pennants in 1941, 1947, 1949, 1952, and 1953. In all five of those World Series, however, they were defeated by the New York Yankees New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are a Major League Baseball [i] team, based in the borough of The Bronx [i], in New York City [i] ... 

. The annual ritual of building excitement, followed in the end by disappointment, became old hat to the long suffering fans, and “Wait ’til next year!” became an unofficial Dodger slogan.

While the Dodgers generally enjoyed resounding success during this period, in 1951 they fell victim to one of the largest collapses in the history of baseball. On August 11, Brooklyn led the National League by an enormous 13-1/2 games over their archrivals, the New York Giants San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball [i] team based in San Francisco, California [i]. ... 

. However, while the Dodgers went 26-22 from that time until the end of the season, the Giants went on an absolute tear, winning an amazing 37 of their last 44 games. At the conclusion of the season, the Dodgers and the Giants were tied for first place, forcing a three-game playoff for the pennant. The Giants took Game 1 by a score of 3-1 before being shut out by the Dodgers' Clem Labine in Game 2, 10-0. It all came down to the final game, and Brooklyn seemed to have the pennant locked up, holding a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning. However, Giants third baseman Bobby Thomson Bobby Thomson

Robert Brown "Bobby" Thomson, nicknamed The Staten Island [i] Scot, is a Scottish-American [i] for ... 

 hit a stunning three-run walk-off home run Walk-off home run

In baseball [i], a walk-off home run is a home run [i] which ends the game. ... 

 off the Dodgers' Ralph Branca Ralph Branca

Ralph Theodore Joseph Branca is a former starting pitcher [i] in Major League Baseball [i]. ... 

 to secure the NL Championship in dramatic fashion for New York. Today, this home run is known as the Shot Heard 'Round The World Shot heard 'round the world

"The shot heard 'round the world" is a famous phrase that has come to represent several historical incid... 

 and, despite the crushing blow it represented for the Dodgers, is widely regarded as one of the greatest moments in baseball history.

In 1955 1955 World Series

The 1955 [i] World Series [i] matched the Brooklyn Dodgers [i] agai ... 

, by which time the core of the Dodger team was beginning to age, “next year” finally came. The fabled “Boys of Summer” shot down the Bronx Bombers in seven games, led by the first-class pitching of young left hander Johnny Podres Johnny Podres

John Joseph "Johnny" Podres is a former Major League Baseball [i] left-handed starting pitcher [i] who p ... 

, whose key pitch was a changeup known as “pulling down the lampshade” because of the arm motion used right when the ball was released. Podres won two Series games including the deciding seventh. The turning point of Game 7 was a spectacular double play that began with left fielder Sandy Amoros running down Yogi Berra Yogi Berra

Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra is a former catcher [i] and manager [i] in Major League Baseball [i] ... 

’s long fly, then throwing perfectly to shortstop Shortstop

Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position [i] between second [i] ... 

 Pee Wee Reese Pee Wee Reese

Harold Henry "Pee Wee" Reese was an American [i] professional baseball [i] player who play ... 

, who doubled up a surprised Gil McDougald at first base to preserve the Dodger lead.

Although the Dodgers again lost the World Series to the Yankees in 1956 , it hardly seemed to matter. Brooklyn fans had their memory of triumph, and soon that would be all they were left with.

The move to California


Real estate businessman Walter O'Malley Walter O'Malley

Walter Francis O'Malley was an American [i] sports executive who owned the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers [i] ... 

 had acquired majority ownership of the team in 1950, when he bought the shares of his co-owner Branch Rickey Branch Rickey

Wesley Branch Rickey was an innovative Major League Baseball [i] executive best known for two things: br ... 

. Before long he was working to buy new land in Brooklyn to build a more accessible and better arrayed ballpark than Ebbets Field. Beloved as it was, Ebbets Field had grown old and was not well-served by infrastructure, to the point where the Dodgers couldn't sell the park out even in the heat of a pennant race despite largely dominating the league for much of the time from 1946 to 1957.

New York City Construction Coordinator Robert Moses Robert Moses

Robert Moses was the "master builder" of mid-20th century New York City [i], Long Island [i], and other... 

, however, sought to force O'Malley into using a site in Flushing Meadows Flushing Meadows-Corona Park

Flushing MeadowsCorona Park, occasionally referred to as Flushing Meadows Park, is located in nort... 

, Queens Queens

Queens is one of the five boroughs [i] of New York City [i]. ... 

--the site for what became Shea Stadium Shea Stadium

William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium, is an American [i] ... 

. Moses' vision involved a city-built, city-owned park, which was greatly at odds with O'Malley's real-estate savvy. When it became clear to O'Malley that he wasn't going to be allowed to buy any suitable land in Brooklyn, he began thinking elsewhere.

When Los Angeles officials attended the 1955 World Series looking to entice a team to move to the City of Angels, they weren't even thinking of the Dodgers. Their original target was the lowly Washington Senators . At the same time, O'Malley was looking for a contingency in case Moses and other New York politicians refused to let him build the Brooklyn stadium he wanted. O'Malley sent word to the Los Angeles officials that he was interested in talking. Los Angeles offered him what New York would not: a chance to buy land suitable for building a new ballpark.

Meanwhile, New York Giants San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball [i] team based in San Francisco, California [i]. ... 

 owner Horace Stoneham was having similar difficulty finding a replacement for his antiquated home stadium, and the two archrival teams moved out to the West Coast together in the summer of 1957. On April 18, 1958, the Dodgers played their first game in Los Angeles, defeating the former New York and now new San Francisco Giants, 6-5, before 78,672 fans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium [i] in Downtown [i] ... 

.
Is O'Malley to Blame?
There has been much controversy over the move of the Dodgers to California, perhaps more than over any other franchise move of that era. Walter O'Malley, in particular, is described as villainous by some and admirable by others. Some think he demonstrated some measure of selfishness and greed, but the same might also be said of the New York City politicians who opposed him. Both sides were quite stubborn, and fatally misjudged each other. It should also be noted that Brooklyn had declined in many ways, under various social pressures, and was a much less desirable location for a baseball team than it had been. In fact, both sides in the stadium dispute proposed to remove the Dodgers from Brooklyn . O'Malley also deserves credit as a visionary. Until 1958, cities in Missouri Missouri

Missouri named after the Missouri Siouan [i] Indian tribe meaning "town of the large canoes", is a cent... 

 had generally been the westernmost outpost of Major League Baseball, whereas 12 of baseball's 30 teams now have their homes farther west.

On the opposite side, the Dodgers were the second-most profitable team in the National League in the 1950s, even with the deficiencies of Ebbets Field. Other teams proved successful in facilities that were as old as Ebbets Field, and the New York Yankees New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are a Major League Baseball [i] team, based in the borough of The Bronx [i], in New York City [i] ... 

 still drew large crowds to the Bronx The Bronx

The Bronx is one of the five boroughs [i] of New York City [i]. ... 

, in a neighborhood facing many of the changes and challenges that Brooklyn Brooklyn

Brooklyn is one of the five boroughs [i] of New York City [i]. ... 

 did. Robert Moses' motives for opposing O'Malley's stadium may not have been without foundation: the Dodgers' owner wanted to drop a cookie-cutter stadium in the middle of Flatbush Flatbush, Brooklyn

Flatbush is a community of the Borough [i] of Brooklyn [i], a p ... 

, which would have required a massive urban renewal Urban renewal

Urban renewal is a function of urban planning [i] that in the United States [i] reached its peak from th... 

 project that would have been politically and financially problematic. Moses also felt the development there would create a "China Wall" of traffic. The site remains problematic: The proposed Atlantic Yards Atlantic Yards

The Atlantic Yards is a term developed by Forest City Ratner [i] to describe a 22 acre area in the resid ... 

 development in Flatbush has run into opposition from Brooklyn politicians and community activists, who say its scale could ruin the neighborhood's character.

Many writers have suspected O'Malley of deliberately making his stadium proposal impractical, in order to bolster his claim that New York politicians drove him out of Brooklyn. It has been noted that O'Malley kept a model of the Dodgers' new stadium on his desk and publicly touted its merits while privately negotiating with Los Angeles politicians. Many Moses scholars would, however, point to Moses' almost pathologically uncompromising nature; Moses was openly dismissive of public and press criticism of his projects, and the political structure of New York City in the 1950's was such that he nearly always got his way. Still, prominent New York leaders learned how to deal with Moses for mutually beneficial projects: Francis Cardinal Spellman was even able to pressure Moses to build a Manhattan expansion for Fordham University Fordham University

Fordham University is a private [i], coeducational [i] research university [i] ... 

. By the 1950s, only Queens had large undeveloped areas of land in New York City, a fact O'Malley was keenly aware of.

Moreover, O'Malley was hardly the first team owner to see the possibilities of Los Angeles. The St. Louis Browns Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles are a Major League Baseball [i] team based in Baltimore, Maryland [i]. ... 

 attempted to move there after the 1941 season; a vote on the proposed relocation was scheduled but cancelled due to the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor is a simple embayment on the island of Oahu [i], Hawaii [i], west of Honolulu [i] ... 

. Kansas City Athletics Oakland Athletics

The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball [i] team based in Oakland [i], California [i] ... 

 owner Arnold Johnson was rumored to have parked the A's in Kansas City while waiting to move the team out to California, and the American League would soon expand to Los Angeles in 1961.

During the 2000 World Series 2000 World Series

The 2000 [i] World Series [i] featured a crosstown matchup between the two-time defendi ... 

, Roger Kahn Roger Kahn

Roger Kahn is one of America [i]'s most prominent writers [i] about sport [i] - especially ... 

 wrote an Op-Ed for the Los Angeles Times Los Angeles Times

The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper [i] published in Los Angeles [i], ... 

 in which he recalled sitting on a panel of New York State and City officials to explore the purchase of the Dodgers. The O'Malley family put the team up for sale in 1998, and the panel was charged with exploring the possibility of moving the Dodgers back to Brooklyn. Kahn said the officials came up with a preliminary offer which was rejected by the O'Malleys; the figure, he said, was larger than the price Rupert Murdoch Rupert Murdoch

Keith Rupert Murdoch AC [i], KCSG [i], is a business... 

 eventually paid for the team. Kahn argued that the O'Malleys rejected the offer because the story of the Dodgers being thrown out of New York was an essential part of the team's mythology. Kahn said the O'Malleys needed the myth more than the money.

However, it is possible to look at O'Malley's entire record as a baseball-team executive, from 1942 to 1979, and believe he was justified in moving the Dodgers, and still believe him to have been one of baseball's great villains, due to how he gained control of the team, how he treated his players, how he got Dodger Stadium built, how he treated the Angels while they shared Dodger Stadium, and his apparent role in controlling the office of the Commissioner of Baseball and its decisions.

A new start

The process of building Walter O'Malley's dream stadium soon began in semi-rural Chavez Ravine, in the hills just north of downtown L.A. There was some political controversy, as the residents of the ravine, mostly Hispanic Hispanic

Hispanic is a term denoting a derivation from Spain [i], its people [i] and culture [i] ... 

 and mostly poor, resisted the eminent domain removal of their homes, and gained some public sympathy. Still, O'Malley and the city government were determined, and construction proceeded. The resistance of the residents against their removal was known as the Battle of Chavez Ravine.

In the meantime, the Dodgers played their home games from 1958 to 1961 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium [i] in Downtown [i] ... 

, a gargantuan football and track-and-field stadium that had been built to host the 1932 Summer Olympics 1932 Summer Olympics

The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, were held in 1932 [i] i ... 

. The Coliseum's dimensions were not optimal for baseball, and the only way to fit a diamond into the oval-shaped stadium was to lay the third-base line along the short axis of the oval, and the first-base line along the long axis. This resulted in a left-field fence that was only some 250 feet from home plate, and a 40-foot screen was erected to prevent home runs from becoming too easy to hit. Still, the 1958 season saw 182 home runs hit to left field in the Coliseum, while only 3 were hit to center field and 8 to right field. Dodgers outfielder Wally Moon, newly acquired for the 1959 season, became adept at launching lazy fly balls over the screen, which became known as "Moon shots."

In 1959, the Dodgers benefited from a general decline in the National League. No team was dominant, and several teams were in the thick of the pennant race until the very end. The season ended in a tie between the Dodgers and the Milwaukee Braves Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves are a Major League Baseball [i] team, based in Atlanta, Georgia [i] since 1966. ... 

, and the Dodgers won the tie-breaking playoff. 1959 also saw a team other than the Yankees New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are a Major League Baseball [i] team, based in the borough of The Bronx [i], in New York City [i] ... 

 win the A.L. pennant, one of only two such years between 1949 and 1964. In a lively World Series, the Dodgers defeated the "Go-Go" White Sox Chicago White Sox

The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball [i] team that plays on the South Side [i] ... 

 in 6 games, thoroughly cementing the bond between the team and its new California fans.

Pitching, defense, and speed

Construction on Dodger Stadium Dodger Stadium

[i] at [[Chvez Ravine]... 

 was completed in time for Opening Day 1962. With its clean, simple lines and its picturesque setting amid hills and palm trees, the ballpark quickly became an icon of the Dodgers and their new California lifestyle, and it remains a beloved landmark to this day. O'Malley was determined that there would not be a bad seat in the house, achieving this by cantilever Cantilever

A cantilever is a beam [i] anchored at one end and projecting into space. ... 

ed grandstands that have since been widely imitated. More importantly for the team, the stadium's spacious dimensions, along with other factors, gave defense an advantage over offense, and the Dodgers moved to take advantage of this by assembling a team that would excel with its pitching Pitcher

In baseball [i], the pitcher is the player who throws the baseball from the pitcher's mound [i] toward t ... 

.

The core of the team's success in the 1960s was the dominant pitching tandem of Sandy Koufax Sandy Koufax

Sanford "Sandy" Koufax, born Sanford Braun on December 30 [i] 1935 [i] in Brooklyn [i], New York [i] ... 

 and Don Drysdale Don Drysdale

Donald Scott Drysdale was an American [i] right-handed pitcher [i] in Major League Baseball [i] ... 

, who combined to win 4 of the 5 Cy Young Awards from 1962 to 1966. Top pitching also came from Claude Osteen Claude Osteen

Claude Wilson Osteen is a former left-handed starting pitcher [i] in Major League Baseball [i] who playe... 

, an aging Johnny Podres Johnny Podres

John Joseph "Johnny" Podres is a former Major League Baseball [i] left-handed starting pitcher [i] who p ... 

, and reliever Ron Perranoski. The hitting attack, on the other hand, was not impressive, and much of the offensive spark came from the exploits of speedy shortstop Maury Wills, who led the league in stolen bases Stolen base

In baseball [i], a stolen base occurs when a baserunner [i] successfully advances to the next base while ... 

 every year from 1960 to 1965, and set a modern record with 104 thefts in 1962. The Dodgers' strategy was once described as follows: "Wills hits a single, steals second, and takes third on a grounder. A sacrifice fly brings him home. Koufax or Drysdale pitches a shutout, and the Dodgers win 1-0." Although few games followed this model exactly, the Dodgers indeed won a great many low-scoring games.


The 1962 pennant race ended in a tie, and the Dodgers were defeated by the archrival Giants San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball [i] team based in San Francisco, California [i]. ... 

 in the tie-breaking playoff, but the Dodgers proceeded to win the pennant in three of the next four years. The 1963 World Series was a 4-game sweep of the Yankees New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are a Major League Baseball [i] team, based in the borough of The Bronx [i], in New York City [i] ... 

, in which the Dodgers were so dominant that the vaunted Bronx Bombers never even took a lead against Koufax, Podres, and Drysdale. After an injury-plagued 1964, the Dodgers bounced back to win the 1965 World Series in a thrilling 7 games against the Minnesota Twins Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins are a Major League Baseball [i] team based in Minneapolis [i] ... 

. Game 1 happened to fall on Yom Kippur, and Koufax refused to pitch on the holy day, a decision for which he was widely praised. The Dodgers rebounded from losing the first two games, as Koufax pitched shutouts in Games 5 and 7 to win the crown and the World Series MVP Award.

The Dodgers again won the pennant in 1966, but the team was running out of gas and was swept in the World Series by the upstart Baltimore Orioles Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles are a Major League Baseball [i] team based in Baltimore, Maryland [i]. ... 

 . Koufax retired that winter, his career cut short by arthritis in his elbow, and Wills was traded away after offending Walter O'Malley. Drysdale continued to be effective, setting a record for consecutive scoreless innings in 1968, but he too retired early due to injuries. While the Dodgers were subpar for several seasons thereafter, a new core of young talent was developing in their farm system Minor league baseball

Minor baseball [i] leagues are North America [i]n professional baseball leagues that compete at a level... 

. They won another pennant in 1974, and although they were quickly quashed by the dynastic Oakland Athletics Oakland Athletics

The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball [i] team based in Oakland [i], California [i] ... 

 in the World Series 1974 World Series

The 1974 [i] World Series [i] matched the two-time defending champion Oakland Athletics [i] ... 

, it was a sign of good things to come.

The Lasorda years

For 23 years, beginning in 1954, the Dodgers had been managed by Walter Alston Walter Alston

Walter Emmons Alston was an American [i] baseball [i] player and manager [i]. ... 

, a quiet and unflappable man who commanded great respect from his players. Alston's tenure is the third-longest in baseball history for a manager with a single team, after Connie Mack and John McGraw. His retirement near the end of the 1976 season, after winning 7 pennants and 4 World Series titles over his career, cleared the way for an entirely different personality to take the helm of the Dodgers.

Tommy Lasorda Tommy Lasorda

Thomas Charles "Tommy" Lasorda was a Major League [i] baseball [i] pitcher and manager [i] ... 

 was a 49-year-old former pitcher who had been the team's top coach under Alston, and before that had been manager of the Dodgers' top minor league team. He was colorful and gregarious, an enthusiastic cheerleader in contrast to Alston's taciturn demeanor. He quickly became a larger-than-life personality, associating with Frank Sinatra Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra was an American singer and actor.... 

 and other celebrities, and eating Italian food in large volumes. He became well-known for sayings such as, "If you cut me, I bleed Dodger blue," and for referring to God God

God is the deity [i] believed by monotheists [i] to be the supreme reality.... 

 as "the big Dodger in the sky." Although some considered his persona to be a schtick and to find it wearing, his enthusiasm won him a reputation as an "ambassador for baseball," and it is impossible to think of the Dodgers from the late '70s to the early '90s without thinking of Lasorda.

Another transition had recently occurred, higher up in the Dodgers management. Walter O'Malley passed control of the team to his son Peter, who would continue to oversee the Dodgers on his family's behalf through 1998.

New blood had also been injected into the team on the field. The core of the team was now the infield, composed of Steve Garvey , Davey Lopes , Bill Russell , and Ron Cey . These four remained in the starting lineup together from 1973 to 1981, longer than any other infield foursome in baseball history. The pitching staff remained strong, anchored by Don Sutton Don Sutton

Donald Howard Sutton is a former Major League Baseball [i] player and current television [i] sportscaster [i] ... 

 and Tommy John Tommy John

Thomas Edward John Jr. is a former left-handed pitcher [i] in Major League Baseball [i] whose 288 career ... 

. The Dodgers won NL West titles in both 1977 and 1978, and defeated the Philadelphia Phillies Philadelphia Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball [i] team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [i]. ... 

 both years in the National League Championship Series, only to be defeated in the World Series both years by the Yankees New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are a Major League Baseball [i] team, based in the borough of The Bronx [i], in New York City [i] ... 

. In 1980, they swept a three game series from the Houston Astros Houston Astros

The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball [i] team based in Houston, Texas [i]. ... 

 in the final weekend of the regular season and were in a first place tie in the National League West, but lost to the Astros. 7-1 in the one-game playoff.

The 1980s: Fernandomania and the Bulldog


The Opening Day starting pitcher for 1981 was a 20-year-old rookie from Mexico: Fernando Valenzuela. Pressed into service due to an injury to Jerry Reuss Jerry Reuss

Jerry Reuss is a former left-handed pitcher [i] in Major League Baseball [i], best known for his years w ... 

, Valenzuela pitched a shutout that day, and proceeded to win his first 8 decisions through mid-May. The youthful left-hander, speaking only Spanish but sporting a devastating screwball, became a sensation. “Fernandomania” gripped Southern California, as huge crowds turned out to see him pitch. Valenzuela became the only pitcher ever to be named Rookie of the Year and win the Cy Young Award in the same season. The Dodgers' torrid start assured them of a playoff berth in the strike-shortened split season, and they proceeded to defeat the Yankees New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are a Major League Baseball [i] team, based in the borough of The Bronx [i], in New York City [i] ... 

 in the World Series 1981 World Series

The 1981 [i] World Series [i] matched the New York Yankees [i] against the Los Angeles Dodgers [i] ... 

.

The Dodgers won NL West titles in 1983 and 1985, but lost in the NLCS both those years . The 1985 NLCS was particularly memorable for Game 6, in which the Dodgers were protecting a 5-4 lead in the ninth inning, hoping to force a deciding seventh game. With two runners on and first base open, Lasorda elected not to walk Cards slugger Jack Clark, who proceeded to hit a home run off Tom Niedenfuer and send St. Louis to the World Series.

After seven years of high strikeout Strikeout

In baseball [i], a strikeout or strike out occurs when the batter [i] receives three strikes [i] ... 

 totals, and a 21-win season in 1986, Valenzuela sat out for most of the 1988 season. Plagued by arm troubles that were widely blamed on his being overused by Lasorda, his effectiveness faded before he turned 30. The new anchor of the pitching staff was a bespectacled string-bean of a right-hander named Orel Hershiser Orel Hershiser

Orel Leonard Hershiser IV is a former professional right-handed pitcher [i] and Executive Director for t ... 

. He had been given the nickname "Bulldog" by Lasorda, more as a hopeful motivational tool than an objective description of his personality, but by 1988 he had matured into one of baseball's most effective pitchers. That year he won 23 games and the Cy Young Award, and broke Don Drysdale Don Drysdale

Donald Scott Drysdale was an American [i] right-handed pitcher [i] in Major League Baseball [i] ... 

's record by tossing 59 consecutive scoreless innings, ending with a 10-inning shutout on his final start of the season.

The 1988 World Series Championship Team: "The Impossible Has Happened!"

The 1988 Championship 1988 World Series

The 1988 [i] World Series [i] matched the Oakland Athletics [i] against the Los Angeles Dodgers [i] ... 

 is all the more magical for the fact that the Dodgers were hardly baseball's best team on paper. They enjoyed career years from several players, and were inspired by the fiery intensity of newcomer Kirk Gibson Kirk Gibson

Kirk Harold Gibson is a former American [i] two-sport athletic star, best known as a Major League Baseball [i] ... 

 , as well as the quiet but steady Hershiser and the always ebullient Lasorda. Although they entered the NLCS as decided underdogs to the powerful New York Mets New York Mets

The New York Mets are a Major League Baseball [i] team based in Flushing [i], in the New York City [i]... 

, the Dodgers pulled out a thrilling back-and-forth series in 7 games. The World Series 1988 World Series

The 1988 [i] World Series [i] matched the Oakland Athletics [i] against the Los Angeles Dodgers [i] ... 

 matched them with an even more powerful opponent, the Oakland Athletics Oakland Athletics

The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball [i] team based in Oakland [i], California [i] ... 

, featuring the "Bash Brothers" duo of Mark McGwire Mark McGwire

Mark David McGwire is a former first baseman [i] in Major League Baseball [i] who played from 1986 [i] ... 

 and José Canseco José Canseco

Jos Canseco Capas, Jr. is a former outfielder [i] and designated hitter [i] in Major League Baseball [i]... 

. The A's took an early lead in Game 1 on a grand slam by Canseco, and led 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth. With two outs, pinch-hitter Mike Davis drew a walk off formidable closer and future Hall of Famer National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York [i], i ... 

 Dennis Eckersley. During Davis' at-bat, Lasorda had infielder Dave Anderson on deck so the Athletics would pitch to him more carefully. Then, Gibson, hobbled by injuries to both his legs, came in to pinch hit. On a 3-2 count, Eckerlsley threw a backdoor slider which Gibson promptly smacked to right field for a two-run walk-off home run Walk-off home run

In baseball [i], a walk-off home run is a home run [i] which ends the game. ... 

, winning the game for the Dodgers, 5-4. Gibson's dramatic home run has been called one of the most memorable moments in baseball history, and it set the tone for the rest of the Series. Hershiser dominated the Athletics in Games 2 and 5, and was on the mound when the Dodgers completed their stunning 4 games to 1 upset of the A's; he capped off an incredible personal season by being named the Series MVP. Few remember that the Dodgers were so injury riddled during their World Series appearance. They won the Series in Game 5 with lifetime reserves Danny Heep and Micky Hatcher in the starting lineup.

The Nineties and the Fox Era

After 1988, the Dodgers did not win another postseason game until 2004, though they did reach the playoffs in 1995 and 1996, narrowly missed in 1991, and led the NL West when the end of the 1994 season was cancelled by a strike. Hershiser, like Valenzuela before him, suffered an arm injury in 1990 due to overwork, which took the edge off his effectiveness for the remainder of his career. From 1992 to 1996, five consecutive Dodgers were named Rookie of the Year: Eric Karros, Mike Piazza Mike Piazza

Michael Joseph Piazza is a U.S. [i] Major League Baseball [i] player who currently plays f ... 

, Raúl Mondesí, Hideo Nomo, and Todd Hollandsworth Todd Hollandsworth

Todd Mathew Hollandsworth is an outfielder [i] in Major League Baseball [i] with the Cincinnati Reds [i] ... 

. After nearly 20 years at the helm, Lasorda retired in 1996, though he still remains with the Dodgers as an executive vice-president. He was replaced as manager by longtime Dodgers shortstop Bill Russell.

Nearly a half-century of unusual stability finally came to an end. In 1998, the O'Malley family sold the Dodgers to Rupert Murdoch Rupert Murdoch

Keith Rupert Murdoch AC [i], KCSG [i], is a business... 

's News Corporation News Corporation

News Corporation is one of the world's largest media conglomerate [i]s. ... 

, owner of the Fox network Fox Broadcasting Company

The Fox Broadcasting Company, usually referred to as just Fox , is a television network [i] in the ... 

 and 20th Century Fox 20th Century Fox

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation is one of the major American [i] film studio [i]s, ... 

. Among the new ownership's early moves were trading away popular catcher Piazza, and replacing Russell with celebrity manager Davey Johnson. Johnson's volatile tenure ended two years later, and he was followed as manager by Jim Tracy. To fans accustomed to the personal touch of the O'Malleys, the Fox corporate ownership often seemed clumsy and distracted. Huge contracts were awarded to injury-prone pitchers Kevin Brown and Darren Dreifort Darren Dreifort

Darren James Dreifort was a Major League Baseball [i] pitcher [i]. ... 

, unprofitably tying up money that could have improved the team in many other areas. Fox made the first changes to the home uniform since the club moved from Brooklyn and introduced the team's first alternate jersey and cap, adding silver to the team's official colors. Yet the team became more steady on the field in the early 2000's, with four consecutive winning seasons under the leadership of manager Tracy, slugger Shawn Green, third baseman Adrián Beltré, and catcher Paul Lo Duca Paul Lo Duca

Paul Anthony Lo Duca [Loh-DUKE-uh] is a catcher [i] in Major League Baseball [i] who plays for the New York Mets [i] ... 

. The 2002 season was marked by the emergence of Éric Gagné as one of baseball's top relief pitcher Relief pitcher

A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball [i] or softball [i] pitcher [i] who enters the game aft ... 

s. Gagné later won the Cy Young Award in 2003.

The Sabermetric Experiment

In 2004, the Dodgers were returned to family ownership, as News Corp sold the team to real estate developer Frank McCourt Frank McCourt

Francis "Frank" McCourt is an Irish-American [i] teacher [i] and author [i]. ... 

. McCourt immediately hired Paul DePodesta, schooled in Billy Beane's methods of using statistical approaches to evaluate players, as general manager. With a team largely assembled by DePodesta's predecessors, augmented by some shrewd acquisitions, the Dodgers were near the top of the standings through much of 2004. In an effort to put the team over the top, DePodesta then executed a blockbuster series of mid-season trades, sending away three starting players and two key pitchers, while obtaining several new players. The Dodgers did win the NL West in 2004, but went down quickly three games to one in the Division Series to the pennant-winning St. Louis Cardinals St. Louis Cardinals

----

The St. Louis Cardinals are a Major League Baseball [i] team based in St. Louis, Missouri [i]. ... 

.

During the winter of 2004-05, the team parted with several more longtime players, including Beltre and Green. Their replacements included starting pitcher Derek Lowe, outfielder J. D. Drew, and hard-hitting second baseman Jeff Kent. DePodesta's radical overhaul did not bear fruit in 2005, as the Dodgers suffered from clubhouse strife and decimating injuries, finishing with their second-worst record in Los Angeles history. Supporters of DePodesta note that many of the players he let go also had sub-par seasons elsewhere, but he was widely blamed for ignoring "chemistry" and other intangible factors in the players he acquired or let go. Also, the Dodgers faced an overwhelming number of injuries, such as Drew's broken wrist and All-Star shortstop Cesar Izturis's injury that required Tommy John Surgery. Manager Jim Tracy parted ways with the team, citing irreconcilable differences with DePodesta. But DePodesta himself was fired by McCourt less than a month later, McCourt later citing DePodesta's lack of leadership and personal skills. Ned Colletti Ned Colletti

Ned Colletti is the General Manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers [i]. ... 

 was hired as the new Dodger GM on 17 November 2005.

Newly hired Ned Colletti Ned Colletti

Ned Colletti is the General Manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers [i]. ... 

 was responsible for the Dodgers resurgence in the 2006 season. He hired former Red Sox manager Grady Little to helm the team and also traded oft-troubled Milton Bradley for rookie phenom Andre Ethier. His off season acquisitions included former Atlanta Brave shortsop Rafeal Furcal and form Red Sox third baseman Bill Mueller. Coletti also signed former All-Star shortstop Nomar Garciappara to a team that already had two starting shortstops . Garciappara agreed to play first base and adjusted quite well both in the field and at the plate.

Other historical notes


Team nickname

Prior to the declaration of an official team nickname in 1933, sportswriters and fans applied a number of nicknames to the club. Early names included the Brooks and the Bridegrooms . When the streetcar Tram

A tram, tramcar, trolley, or streetcar, is a railborne [i], lighter than ... 

 lines were set up in Brooklyn, writers began calling the city and the team by the somewhat pejorative term Trolley Dodgers, which became shortened to Dodgers. Under manager Ned Hanlon Ned Hanlon

Edward Hugh "Ned" Hanlon was a 19th century [i] Major League Baseball [i] player and manager [i] ... 

 , the team became known as the Superbas, after a popular acrobatic troupe at that time called "Hanlon's Superbas." Under manager Wilbert Robinson Wilbert Robinson

Wilbert Robinson, nicknamed "Uncle Robbie", was an American [i] player, coach and manager [i] ... 

 , the team was known as the Robins, though newspapers used Robins and Dodgers interchangeably, often in the same game summary. No nickname was acknowledged on team uniforms until 1933, when the word Dodgers finally appeared. Prior to that, they had sported either the word "Brooklyn" or a stylized letter "B."

Rivalry with the Giants


The historic and heated rivalry between the Dodgers and the Giants San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball [i] team based in San Francisco, California [i]. ... 

 is more than a century old, having begun when both clubs played in New York City . When both franchises moved to California California

California is a state [i] spanning the southern half of the west coast [i] ... 

 in 1958, the rivalry was easily transplanted with them, as the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco San Francisco, California

The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth-largest city in California [i] and the fourteenth-lar ... 

 have long been rivals in economic, cultural, and political arenas throughout the history of the State of California.
Dodger fans call the Giants "The Gnats" or "The Jints" -- but then again, Dodgers fans in Brooklyn referred to their team as "dem Bums." Fortunately for Dodgers fans, the "Gnats" have not won a World Series championship since 1954--pre-dating their arrival in San Francisco.

Vin Scully


Vin Scully Vin Scully

Vincent Edward "Vin" Scully is an American [i] sportscaster [i], known primarily as the play-by-play [i]... 

 has served as the play-by-play announcer for the Dodgers for 57 years, the longest tenure of any broadcaster with a single club in professional sports history. In 1976, he was selected by Dodgers fans as the Most Memorable Personality of the team's history in L.A. He is also a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Unique to baseball, he works normally alone and simulcasts on TV and radio.

Season-by-Season Records

  • Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers
  • 1884 40-64 .385 9th in AA
  • 1885 53-59 .473 6th in AA
  • 1886 76-61 .555 3rd in AA
  • 1887 60-74 .448 6th in AA
  • 1888 88-52 .629 2nd in AA
  • Brooklyn Bridegrooms
  • 1889 93-44 .679 1st in AA
  • Brooklyn Bridegrooms
  • 1890 86-43 .667 1st in NL
  • 1891 61-76 .455 6th in NL
  • 1892 95-59 .617 3rd in NL
  • 1893 65-63 .508 7th in NL
  • 1894 70-61 .534 5th in NL
  • 1895 71-60 .542 5th in NL
  • 1896 58-73 .443 10th in NL
  • 1897 61-71 .462 7th in NL
  • 1898 54-91 .372 10th in NL
  • Brooklyn