With the commencement of the regular season of the Major Baseball League, the professional team Los Angeles Dodgers is ready to take on tough rivals like Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, St Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres. These thrilling games would be played at top-notch venues like the Dodgers Stadium, Busch Stadium, Wrigley Field, PETCO Park and various other famed ballparks across the US.
Beginning Era
The formation of the Dodgers dates back to 1883, when the team first started playing in Brooklyn. They joined the National League in 1890 and managed to win the NL Championship in their very first year. The team also won 12 NL Pennants and a World Series Championship before making their big move to Los Angeles in 1958. At that time no team of the MLB employed any African American players; however, due to the efforts of Branch Rickey who was the team's general manager at that time, Los Angeles Dodgers became the first Major League team to employ an African America player named Jackie Robinson. This move proved to be quite valuable as Robinson went on to win ‘Rookie of the Year Award' in his first year and led his side to six Pennants.
Los Angeles Dodgers Today
After moving to Los Angeles the team played against the San Francisco Giants in front of the largest home opener crowd of approximately 78672 people. The new home venue of the team was the Dodgers Stadium which was completed in 1962. With a seating capacity of over 56,000, this facility is currently regarded as the third oldest baseball field after Wrigley Field in Chicago and Fenway Park in Boston. The team's colors have remained the same for over 70 years; they wear the same traditional blue template uniforms which have become their trademark. Currently the team is packed with an all-star roster including big names like Carl Crawford, Adrian Gonzalez and many others. Gonzalez is known for his outstanding talent of hitting towering home runs and has been a four-time Most Valuable Player, whereas Crawford has won several accolades including a Golden Glove Award and the 2009 All-Star Game MVP.
Team's Achievements
Los Angeles Dodgers is widely regarded as one of the most storied and successful franchises of the MLB. They have managed to add six World Series titles under their belt. They have won 21 National League Pennants and 11 Division Titles. During the course of the team's extensive history, they were able to produce some of the most promising players. These include Hall Of Famers, Roy Campanella, Jackie Robinson, Willie Keeler, Sandy Koufax, Walter Aston and many others. The Dodgers are known for their skilled pitchers and have produced eight Cy Young Award winning pitchers. Apart from these honors, the franchise boasts of 12 Rookie of the Year Award winners. In 2008, the team made an attendance world record by selling a massive 115300 Los Angeles Dodgers tickets.
Team's Rivalries
The upcoming matches of the Dodgers include showdowns with some of their fiercest rivals. These include clubs like San Francisco Giants and the New York Yankees. Their rivalry with the Giants is regarded as the biggest in American Baseball. The competition between these two teams started when both the sides were based in New York. Their rivalry was constantly revived throughout the late 90s and both the teams exhibit a balance in term of talent and achievements. The Dodgers-Yankees rivalry is the most famed in MLB and these two clubs have met 11 times in World Series, which is more than any other MLB teams. The competitiveness among the teams would make for exhilarating face-offs.