www abdopublishing com Published by Abdo Publishing a division of ABDO PO Box 398166 Minneapolis Minnesota 55439 Copyright 2015 by Abdo Consulting Group Inc International copyrights reserved in all countries No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher SportsZone is a trademark and logo of Abdo Publishing Printed in the United States of America North Mankato Minnesota 052014 092014 Editor Chrös McDougall Copy Editor Nicholas Cafarelli Interior Design and Production Kazuko Collins Cover Design Craig Hinton Photo Credits Al Behrman AP Images cover AP Images 1 4 7 9 12 15 16 19 21 24 26 28 31 42 middle bottom 43 top Bain News Service 10 42 top Hulton Archive Getty Images 23 Yarnold AP Images 32 Michael Caulfield AP Images 34 43 middle Rusty Kennedy AP Images 36 43 bottom Lenny Ignelzi AP Images 39 David J Phillip AP Images 41 David Zalubowski AP Images 44 Mark J Terrill AP Images 47 Library of Congress Control Number 2014933056 Cataloging-in-Publication Data Gitlin Marty Los Angeles Dodgers by Marty Gitlin p cm Inside MLB Includes bibliographical references and index ISBN 978-1-62403-474-9 1 Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball team History Juvenile literature I Title GV875 L6G58 2015 796 357’640979494 dc23 2014933056
TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 Finally 4 Chapter 2 The First Dodgers 10 Chapter 3 Coming Up Short 16 Chapter 4 Bye Bye Brooklyn 24 Chapter 5 From Garvey to Manny 32 Timeline 42 Quick Stats 44 Quotes and Anecdotes 45 Glossary 46 For More Information 47 Index 48 About the Author 48
CHAPTER 1 FINALLY
I t did not seem to matter when the Brook lyn Dodgers won 98 games and the 1955 National League NL pennant It did not seem to matter that pitcher Don New combe compiled a brilliant 20 5 record that year It did not seem to matter that outfielder Duke Snider smashed 42 home runs or that the team led the NL in every important offensive statistical category The Dodgers were bound to lose to the New York Yankees in the World Series They had always lost to the Yankees in the World Series They had fallen to the mighty American League AL champions in 1941 1947 1949 1952 and 1953 So when the 1955 World Series began Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot The 1955 Dod rs ran awa with The 1955 Dodgers ran away with The 1955 Dodgers ran away with the NL pennant right from the start the NL pennant right from the start of the regular season They won of the regular season They won their first 10 games and soon had a their first 10 games and soon had a 22 2 record By June 23 the Dodge s 222 2 record By June 23 the Dodgers 22 2 record By June 23 the Dodgers owned a 49 16 mark They coasted owned a 49 16 mark They coasted owned a 49 16 mark They coasted the rest of the way and won the title the rest of the way and won the title the rest of the way and won the title by a whopping 13¹¹ ¹¹ games ²² games games games y by a whopping 13 by a whopping 13 ²²²² pp g Dodgers pitcher Don Newcombe brought a 20 5 record into the Dodgers pitcher Don Newcombe brought a 20 5 record into the 1955 World Series against the New York Yankees 1955 World Series against the New York Yankees FINALLY 5
