Brief History of Los Angeles Dodgers

The roots of the Los Angeles Dodgers were initially planted in 1883 in Brooklyn. Though they ran through a series of team names in the commencement of their franchise (Atlantics, Bridegrooms, Grooms, Superbas, Robins, and Trolley Dodgers), from conception they were a team after a tradition of success. Shortly after the birth of this franchise they won the AA championship in 1889 and were invited to join the National League (which they still are a part of) in 1890.

By the 1930’s they took on the familiar title of the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Brooklyn era of the Dodgers was full of success both in winning ball games and in changing the world around them. The Dodgers made sports history in supporting the integration of African Americans to Major League baseball, beginning with baseball legend and future Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson in 1947. The Dodgers willingness to support African American participation in Major League Baseball dealt them a huge advantage, leading them to win 6 pennants in the 10 years following the coming of Jackie Robinson, including a World Series Championship where the famous “Boys of Summer” (as the Dodgers were known) took out the legendary “Bronx Bombers” in the 1955 World Series in 7 games.

Seven years after Walter O’Malley acquired the franchise the Dodgers packed up their bags going from Brooklyn to LA, where they changed the pace from winning National League Pennants to winning World Series Championships.  After winning just one World Series Championship in all of the decades playing in Brooklyn the Dodgers went on to win 5 more World Series over the Next 30 years in LA, creating a loyal fan base for the “Boys in blue.”

The Dodgers winning tradition was strong during those decades of success, producing legendary players(Sandy Koufax, Duke Snider, Orel Hershiser, etc.) championships(1959, 1963, 1965, 1981,1988) but all of that ended in 1988.

After being led by Hershiser’s incredible scoreless inning streak in 1988 the Dodgers have not had the same magic ever since. Year in and year out the Dodgers would produce the best young talent in the league, winning Rookie of the Year awards for the National League a whopping FIVE consecutive seasons in the early to mid 90’s(Eric Karros, Raul Mondesi, Mike Piazza, Hideo Nomo, Todd Hollandsworth). They were also a huge factor in the presence of the Asian player in Major League Baseball, bringing players such as Hideo Nomo and Chan Ho Park to the organization. This source of talent had been nearly untapped before the Dodgers went in, yet for 20 years the Dodgers could not succeed in even winning a single series in the playoffs.