The 20 greatest Dodgers of all time (2015 edition)

Los Angeles Times (multiple links in body of thread) | May 14 - June 5, 2015 | Houston Mitchell

[Dr. Sivana]

You need to study History More.

I have read more than Wikipedia articles on it. Besides people who were following the issue at the time, I read the book "Bums" that covered the topic. O'Malley wasn't "forced" to go 3,000 miles away. Yeah, Moses didn't help, but NOT using eminent domain for a different ball park site is not "forcing" anything. Certainly Ebbets Field itself could have been rebuilt at the same site.

[ken5050]

As a kid, I attended quite a few games at both Ebbets Field, and The Polo Grounds, in the 50's..and both were DUMPS...just the absolute pits..

Even worse, a few years later, my dad got season tix for the Titans..the name before The Jets, and they played 3 season, I think, at the Polo Grounds..before the team moved to Shea. I remember vividly, and very fondly, going to the games with my dad, but the place was disgusting..

[Jolla]

We were in NY last year and my son and I walked where both the Polo Grounds and Ebbets Field were and it felt creepy. I was overjoyed to be walking in those spaces and standing at the location of home plate of the Polo Grounds Cobb, Ruth, DiMaggio, Mays, had been RIGHT THERE, but it had a bad vibe - and although I had looked forward to being there, it was odd I could not wait to get away.

[TBP]

It tilts a little towards the modern/contemproary.

Only 6 are primarily Brooklyn players. Seven are pitchers. A few are non-players (either managers such as Lasorda and Alston or executives such as O’Malley (who is still hated in Brooklyn) and Rickey, or the great Vin Scully, who began in Brooklyn.)

There are other Brooklyn Dodgers who could arguably make the list, such as Zack Wheat for one, or Pistol Pete Reiser or Carl Furillo or Johnny Podres. Many of the people on that 1955 team.

I think the only team that would have about as difficult a time picking a top 20 would be the Yankees. After Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle, Berra, and Jeter, there are so many choices.

[GSWarrior]

No Jeff Hamilton?

[ken5050]

What the heck were you and your son doing there...both places..

[Jolla]

Visiting those hallowed grounds - during the day time =) - the locals did not mind, they acted like lots of folks do it, no one gave us a hard time.

[ken5050]

This happened sometime in the early 90's...around lunchtime..I'm in midtown Manhattan, walking towards Grand Central, when an elderly couple ..from the midwest...asks me for the best way to get to a church in the South Bronx. Last time they were in NYC was in 1942..they were married in that church a week before he shipped out for the North Africa landings..they hadn't been back since..they wanted to visit.for their 50th anniversary I knew the area (I grew up in the Bronx)..I doubted the church was even open, if it was still standing.....and the area looked like Berlin after the war..I gently suggested to them it wasn't a safe place to visit..and that it might ruin their memory. He thanked me, but said he'd like directions while he'd think about it. I told him to get a $100 bill..hail a Yellow Cab..tear the bill in half...give half to the cabbie to take him there, and WAIT for them and the other half when he brought them back to midtown.

To this day I often wonder what they did..

[Jolla]

We had talked about going to a Yankee game but they only had night games and our host suggested we not. He said it would “probably” be okay to go down there in late morning or early afternoon so we went around 1030 or 11, and it was okay. I did notice there was one guy at the Polo Grounds Towers that eyed us when we were walking in but when we went to the home plate marker and took pictures he pretty much lost interest.

[Crystal Palace East]

A story about “Leo the Lip” Durocher.

At least once every game he would run out of the dugout, wave his hands around as it looked as if he was screaming in the umpire’s face. It was a a show for the fans. In actuality he would be politely asking about the ump’s family, had the umpire seen any good movies, found a good new restaurant, etc.

Fans never knew... and loved it!

[Crystal Palace East]

Yeah, but they were GREAT dumps.

[Gay State Conservative]

A story about “Leo the Lip” Durocher.

Years ago my Dad took me with him on a business trip to Chicago.While he was working he arranged for me to see a Cubs/Giants game at Wrigley.It was a cold,dreary April day and the Cubs were getting shelled.As Durocher emerged from the dugout to pull the pitcher every single one of the 1000 fans in the stands launched a beer bottle toward the mound.

It's a moment that will stay with me 'till I die.

[nathanbedford]

Does anybody remember, "the knot hole gang?"

[superfries]

I agree if you are picking an all-dodger lineup but I would take Steve Carlton over Koufax.

[Fiji Hill]

Larry Sherry and Wally Moon belong on the list. In 1959, their names were household words in the Southland.

[Bringbackthedraft]

Where is Johnny Padres? Come on, he won their first World Series game against those Damn Yankees. Oct 55’ who in Brooklyn can ever forget it? Maybe Trump can take Brooklyn if he can get the Dodgers back to where they belong. CA can keep the Giants.