157-846: The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles . The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West Division . Founded in 1883 in Brooklyn , New York, the team joined the NL in 1890 as the Brooklyn Bridegrooms and used other monikers before settling as the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1932. From the 1940s through
314-743: A sign stealing scandal . They made later World Series appearances in 2019 against the Washington Nationals , 2021 against the Atlanta Braves , and 2022 against the Philadelphia Phillies , winning their second title in the latter series. Often cited as the best team in the American League, the team's sustained success since 2015 has led some to declare the Astros a dynasty. They are the only team to win
471-491: A 66–96 record. The team was still building, trying to find that perfect mix to compete. The 1964 campaign began on a sad note, as relief pitcher Jim Umbricht died of cancer at the age of 33 on April 8, just before Opening Day . Umbricht was the only Colt .45s pitcher to post a winning record in Houston's first two seasons. He was so well liked by players and fans that the team retired his jersey number, 32, in 1965. Just on
628-488: A World Series victory, aided by one of the most memorable home runs of all time by their star outfielder Kirk Gibson coming off the bench, despite having injuries to both knees, to pinch-hit with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning of game 1, in his only appearance of the series. The Dodgers won the pennant in 2017 for the first time since their world series victory in 1988, aided by a Justin Turner walk-off home run on
785-491: A blue alternate uniform, this time as part of the "City Connect" series in collaboration with Nike . This uniform was similar to the blue alternates they wore in 1999, but with the script "Los Dodgers" in homage to Los Angeles' Latino community. The uniform is also worn with blue pants, and black stripes are added to the sleeves. Initially, the Dodgers wore a special blue cap with the "Los Dodgers" script but switched in 2022 to
942-400: A blue interlocking "LA" cap with a black brim. The "Los Dodgers" script was then relocated to the right side. In 2023, white pants with blue piping replaced the blue pants previously worn with the "City Connect" uniform. Midway through the 2024 season, the Dodgers unveiled their second "City Connect" uniform. The cream-based uniform paid homage to the city of Los Angeles and various chapters of
1099-483: A boost from pitcher Ken Forsch , who threw a no-hitter against the Braves the second game of the season. In May 1979, New Jersey shipping tycoon John McMullen had agreed to buy the Astros. Now with an investor in charge, the Astros would be more likely to compete in the free-agent market. The Astros were playing great baseball throughout the season. José Cruz and Enos Cabell both stole 30 bases. Joe Niekro had
1256-483: A color commentator until he retired from broadcasting in 1976. Elston continued with the Astros until 1986. The Colt .45s began their existence playing at Colt Stadium , a temporary venue built just north of the construction site of their permanent home, a domed stadium. Hofheinz and his partners believed a domed stadium was a must for MLB to be viable in Houston, given the area's oppressive humidity. The Colt .45s started their inaugural season on April 10, 1962, against
1413-484: A drawing of famous clown Emmett Kelly to depict "Dem Bums": the team would later use "Weary Willie" in promotional images, and Kelly himself was a club mascot during the 1950s. Other team names used by the franchise were the Atlantics, Grays, Grooms, Bridegrooms, Superbas, and Robins. All of these nicknames were used by fans and sportswriters to describe the team, but not in any official capacity. The team's legal name
1570-609: A factor. Rickey was a member of The Methodist Church , the antecedent denomination to The United Methodist Church of today, which was a strong advocate for social justice and active later in the American Civil Rights Movement . This event was the harbinger of the integration of professional sports in the United States, the concomitant demise of the Negro leagues , and is regarded as a key moment in
1727-479: A gray version with the "Dodgers" script instead of the city name. Since its introduction, however, the road jersey with the "Dodgers" script was used more often than the road jersey with the "Los Angeles" script, so much that the team now considers it as a primary road uniform. In 2018, the Dodgers wore their 60th anniversary patch to honor the 60 years of being in Los Angeles. In 2021, the Dodgers again unveiled
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#17327754796231884-399: A great year with 21 wins and 3.00 ERA. J. R. Richard won 18 games and set a new personal strikeout record at 313. Joe Sambito came into his own with 22 saves as the Astros closer. Things were going as they should for a team that could win the west. The Astros and Reds battled the final month of the season. The Reds pulled ahead of the Astros by a game and a half. Later that month they split
2041-616: A heated rivalry against the former divisional foe Houston Astros after their move to the American League, due in no small part to the controversy of the 2017 World Series . The Dodgers–Giants rivalry is one of the oldest and fiercest rivalries in North American sports. The feud between the Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants began in the late 19th century when both clubs were based in New York City, with
2198-828: A member club of the American League (AL) West Division , having moved to the division in 2013 after spending their first 51 seasons in the National League (NL). They are one of two major league clubs based in Texas; the Texas Rangers belong to the same division. Established as the Houston Colt .45s , the Astros entered the National League as an expansion team in 1962 along with the New York Mets . The current name, reflecting Houston's role as
2355-491: A new pitch, the split-finger fastball. Scott, who was coming off of a 5–11 season, had found his new pitch and would become one of Houston's most celebrated hurlers. In June, Davis made the starting lineup at first base, adding power to the team. In September, Joe Niekro was traded to the Yankees for two minor league pitchers and lefty Jim Deshaies . The Astros finished in fourth place in 1985. After finishing fourth in 1985,
2512-536: A no-hitter on June 18. Wynn also provided some enthusiasm in 1967. The 5 ft 9 in Wynn was becoming known not only for how often he hit home runs, but also for how far he hit them. Wynn set club records with 37 home runs, and 107 RBIs. It was also in 1967 that Wynn hit his famous home run onto Interstate 75 in Cincinnati . As the season came to a close, the Astros found themselves again in ninth place and with
2669-596: A non-exhibition game until 2004, when they played a three-game interleague series. Their last meeting in the regular season was in June 2024, when the Dodgers won two out of three games in New York. The rivalry between the Dodgers and the Houston Astros had initially begun as a divisional matchup, but hostility waned following Houston's realignment to the American League. In 2017, the two teams played one another in
2826-477: A pair and the Reds kept the lead. The Astros finished with their best record to that point at 89–73 and 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 games behind the NL winner Reds. With Dr. McMullen as sole owner of the Astros, the team would now benefit in ways a corporation could not give them. The rumors of the Astros moving out of Houston started to crumble and the Astros were now able to compete in the free-agent market. McMullen showed
2983-530: A postseason series in seven straight seasons. Their fifth pennant in 2022 made them the second team created in the expansion era to win five league pennants (after the Mets) and the fifth expansion team to have won two World Series championships. In 2024, the Astros clinched their AL West division title for the seventh time in eight years and became the first team to win the AL West division in four straight years since
3140-612: A prominent oilman and real estate magnate in Houston who like Cullinan was brought in for his financial resources, and Judge Roy Hofheinz , a former Mayor of Houston and Harris County Judge who was recruited for his salesmanship and political style. They founded the Houston Sports Association (HSA) as their vehicle for attaining a big league franchise for the city of Houston. Given MLB's refusal to consider expansion, Kirksey, Cullinan, Smith, and Hofheinz joined forces with would-be owners from other cities and announced
3297-719: A rather volatile rivalry with divisional foes; the Arizona Diamondbacks during most of the 2010s. Their intra-city rivalry with the Los Angeles Angels dates back to the Angels' inaugural season in 1961. The Dodgers have recently revived an old Southern California-based rivalry with the San Diego Padres dating back to the Padres' inaugural season in 1969. Most recently; the Dodgers have also regrown
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#17327754796233454-628: A run in the first inning, then held the Astros at bay until the sixth inning. An Astros lead was lost when Bob Boone hit a two-out single in the second, but the Astros tied the game in the sixth with an Alan Ashby single scoring Denny Walling . Houston took a 5–2 lead in the seventh; however, the Phillies came back with five runs in the inning. The Astros came back against Tug McGraw with four singles and two two-out runs. Now in extra innings, Garry Maddox doubled in Del Unser with one out to give
3611-559: A starter on the All-Star Team . The success did not last as they lost Jimmy Wynn for the season after he crashed into an outfield fence in Philadelphia and Morgan had broken his knee cap. The 1967 season saw first baseman Eddie Mathews join the Astros. The slugger hit his 500th home run while in Houston. He would be traded late in the season and Doug Rader would be promoted to the big leagues. Rookie Don Wilson pitched
3768-490: A winning percentage below .500. The team looked good on paper, but could not make it work on the field. April 15, 1968, saw a pitching duel for the ages. The Astros' Don Wilson and the Mets' Tom Seaver faced each other in a battle that lasted six hours. Seaver went ten innings, allowing no walks and just two hits. Wilson went nine innings, allowing five hits and three walks. After the starters exited, eleven relievers (seven for
3925-489: Is akin to Subway Series which refers to meetings between New York City baseball teams. The term " Freeway Series " also inspired the official name of the region's NHL rivalry: the Freeway Face-Off . Animosity between the team's fanbases grew stronger in 2005, when the Angels' new team owner Arte Moreno changed the name of his ball club from the 'Anaheim Angels', to the 'Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim'. Since
4082-705: Is often applied as an umbrella term for all leagues — major and minor — under the authority of the Commissioner of Baseball . Operating outside the Minor League Baseball organization are many independent minor leagues such as the Atlantic League , American Association , Frontier League , and the feeder league to these the Empire Professional Baseball League . Japan has had professional baseball since
4239-603: The 1959 World Series . Success continued into the 1960s; their ace pitchers Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale were the cornerstones of titles in 1963 and 1965 . In 1981 , rookie Mexican phenom pitcher Fernando Valenzuela became a sensation and led the team to a championship; he is the only player to win the Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards in the same season. The Dodgers were once again victorious in 1988 , upsetting their heavily favored opponent in each series and becoming
4396-402: The 2017 World Series in which the Astros won the championship in 7 games. The rivalry was re-intensified after the Astros' widely publicized sign-stealing scandal , in which it was revealed the team had utilized a complex system to steal pitch signs, including during the 2017 World Series. As a result of the scandal, hostility grew immensely between the two teams and their fans. The Dodgers lead
4553-450: The Arizona Diamondbacks was one of the fiercest divisional matchups for multiple years, particularly during the 2010s as both teams were in regular contention for control of the division. In addition to the elevated competition, animosity rose immensely between both sides resulting in multiple incidents involving either team throwing pitches at one another, occasionally escalating into several bench-clearing brawls. Famously; after eliminating
4710-524: The Astrodome , in 1965. The name honored Houston's position as the center of the nation's space program— NASA 's new Manned Spacecraft Center had recently opened southeast of the city. The Astrodome, called the "Eighth Wonder of the World", did little to improve the home team's results on the field. While several "indoor" firsts were accomplished, the team still finished ninth in the standings. The attendance
4867-531: The Big Red Machine teams clashed frequently with the Tommy Lasorda -era Dodgers teams. Reds manager Sparky Anderson once said, "I don't think there's a rivalry like ours in either league. The Giants are supposed to be the Dodgers' natural rivals, but I don't think the feeling is there anymore. It's not there the way it is with us and the Dodgers." The rivalry ended when division realignment moved
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5024-864: The Brooklyn Atlantics , borrowing the name of a defunct team that had played in Brooklyn before them. The team joined the American Association in 1884 and won the AA championship in 1889 before joining the National League in 1890. They promptly won the NL Championship in their first year in the League. The team was known alternatively as the Bridegrooms , Grooms, Superbas, Robins and Trolley Dodgers , before officially becoming
5181-600: The Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1930s. For most of the first half of the 20th century, no Major League Baseball team employed an African American player. Jackie Robinson 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. This was mainly due to general manager Branch Rickey 's efforts. The deeply religious Rickey's motivation appears to have been primarily moral, although business considerations were also
5338-495: The Cardinals was another big win. Cruz became a fixture in the Astros' outfield for several years and would eventually have his number 25 retired. Despite high expectations, 1975 was among the Astros' worst in franchise history. Their record of 64–97 was far worse than even the expansion Colt .45's and would remain the worst record in franchise history until 2011 . It was the worst record in baseball and manager Preston Gómez
5495-570: The Chargers and the Clippers both relocated to Los Angeles after being unable to find a secure future in San Diego. The Dodgers currently lead the series 518–419, with the two teams meeting in the playoffs three times. The Dodgers swept the Padres in the 2020 NLDS , won in five games in the 2024 NLDS , and the Padres won in four games in the 2022 NLDS . The rivalry between the Dodgers and
5652-566: The Chicago Cubs with Harry Craft as the Colt .45s' manager. Bob Aspromonte scored the first run for the Colt .45s on an Al Spangler triple in the first inning. They started the season with a three-game sweep of the Cubs but eventually finished eighth among the National League's ten teams. The team's best pitcher, Richard "Turk" Farrell , lost 20 games despite an ERA of 3.02. A starter for
5809-549: The Chicago White Sox . After a major slump throughout the next decade, the team was purchased by business owner Jim Crane in 2011 for $ 680 million. Under Crane's ownership, the Astros embraced sabermetrics and pioneered new analytical technologies in their transition to the American League, and by the mid-2010s transformed from a historically middling franchise into one of MLB's most dominant and successful clubs, as headlined by stars such as Jose Altuve . Since then,
5966-504: The China National Baseball League , Israel Baseball League , and Baseball Philippines . During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, players of black African descent were barred from playing the major leagues , though several did manage to play by claiming to be Cubans or Native Americans . As a result, a number of parallel Negro leagues were formed. However, after Jackie Robinson began playing with
6123-587: The Dodgers won 2–0 over the Pittsburgh Pirates . New York remained a one-team town with the New York Yankees until 1962, when Joan Payson founded the New York Mets and brought National League baseball back to the city. The blue background used by the Dodgers was adopted by the Mets, honoring their New York NL forebears with a blend of Dodgers blue and Giants orange. The Dodgers were
6280-558: The National League (founded in 1876) and the American League (founded in 1901). Historically, teams in one league never played teams in the other until the World Series , in which the champions of the two leagues played against each other. This changed in 1997 with the advent of interleague play . The Philadelphia Phillies , founded in 1883, are the oldest continuous same-name, same-city franchise in both Major League Baseball and all of American professional sports. In addition to
6437-538: The New York Yankees . This marked the onset of the Dodgers–Yankees rivalry , as the Dodgers would face them in their next six World Series appearances. Led by Jackie Robinson , the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era; and three-time National League Most Valuable Player Roy Campanella , also signed out of the Negro leagues, the Dodgers captured their first World Series title in 1955 by defeating
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6594-543: The Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers (known as the Lone Star Series ), as well as a recurring postseason rivalry with the New York Yankees . From 1962 through the end of the 2024 season, the Astros' all-time record is 5,009–4,965–5 (.502). In addition to having the most postseason appearances by an expansion team, they are the only expansion era team with an all-time winning record. In 2024,
6751-431: The World Series in 1955 . After moving to Los Angeles, the team won National League pennants in 1959 , 1963 , 1965 , 1966 , 1974 , 1977 , 1978 , 1981 , 1988 , 2017 , 2018 , 2020 and 2024 with World Series championships in 1959 , 1963 , 1965 , 1981 , 1988 , 2020 and 2024 . In all, the Dodgers have appeared in 22 World Series: nine in Brooklyn and 13 in Los Angeles. The Dodgers were founded in 1883 as
6908-700: The 1930s. Nippon Professional Baseball consists of two leagues, the Central League and the Pacific League , each with six teams. South Korea has had professional baseball since 1982. There are 10 teams in KBO League . Taiwan has had professional baseball since the 1990s. The Chinese Professional Baseball League absorbed Taiwan Major League in 2003. There are currently 6 teams in the CPBL. Other Asian leagues include three now defunct leagues,
7065-425: The 1930s. The home jersey is white with "Dodgers" written in script across the chest in royal. The road jersey is gray with "Los Angeles" written in script across the chest in royal. The word "Dodgers" was first used on the front of the team's home jersey in 1933; the uniform was then white with red pinstripes and a stylized "B" on the left shoulder. The Dodgers also wore green outlined uniforms and green caps throughout
7222-402: The 1937 season but reverted to blue the following year. The current design was created in 1939 and has remained the same ever since with only cosmetic changes. Originally intended for the 1951 World Series for which the ballclub failed to qualify, red numbers under the "Dodgers" script were added to the home uniform in 1952 . The road jersey also has a red uniform number under the script. When
7379-731: The 1960s and won two more World Series titles, sweeping the Yankees in four games in 1963, and edging the Minnesota Twins in seven in 1965. The 1963 sweep was their second victory against the Yankees, and their first against them as a Los Angeles team. The Dodgers won four more pennants in 1966, 1974, 1977, and 1978, but lost in each World Series appearance. They went on to win the World Series again in 1981, thanks in part to pitching sensation Fernando Valenzuela . The early 1980s were affectionately dubbed " Fernandomania ". In 1988, another pitching hero, Orel Hershiser , again led them to
7536-511: The 1969 season with a record of 81 wins, 81 losses, marking their first season of .500 ball. In 1970 , the Astros were expected to be a serious threat in the National League West. In June, 19-year-old César Cedeño was called up and immediately showed signs of being a superstar. The Dominican outfielder batted .310 after being called up. Not to be outdone, Menke batted .304 and Jesús Alou batted .306. The Astros' batting average
7693-557: The 1971–1975 Oakland Athletics . The Astros maintain an ardent fanbase and strong global recognition, in part due to their penchant for scouting and signing international players, but have also attracted enmity in the wake of the sign stealing scandal. While in the National League, the Astros held rivalries with the Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals , but since their transition to the American League, have come to hold divisional rivalries with
7850-583: The 1983 season with an injury, forcing Phil Garner to third and Ray Knight to first. Doran took over at second, becoming the everyday second baseman for the next seven seasons. The Astros finished third in the National League West. The 1984 season started off badly when shortstop Dickie Thon was hit in the head by a pitch and was lost for the season. In September, the Astros called up rookie Glenn Davis after he posted impressive numbers in AAA. The Astros finished in second place. In 1985 , Mike Scott learned
8007-467: The 2008 season, the Dodgers had the most Asian players on its roster of any major league team with five. They included Japanese pitchers Takashi Saito and Hiroki Kuroda ; South Korean pitcher Chan Ho Park ; and Taiwanese pitcher Hong-Chih Kuo and infielder Chin-Lung Hu . In 2005, the Dodgers' Hee Seop Choi became the first Asian player to compete in the Home Run Derby . For the 2013 season,
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#17327754796238164-616: The 2021 National League Wild Card Game. The Dodgers' former rivalry with the Cincinnati Reds was one of the most intense during the 1970s through the early 1990s. They often competed for the NL West division title. From 1970 to 1990, they had eleven 1–2 finishes in the standings, with seven of them being within 5½ games or fewer. Both teams also played in numerous championships during this span, combining to win 10 NL Pennants and 5 World Series titles from 1970 – 1990 , most notably as
8321-399: The 2024 season, the Dodgers signed free agent two-way player Shohei Ohtani with a 10-year, $ 700 million contract, the largest ever in professional sports history . The Dodgers' rivalry with the San Francisco Giants dates back to the 19th century when the two teams were based in New York; the rivalry with the New York Yankees took place when the Dodgers were based in New York, but
8478-659: The Astrodome, control of the Astrodomain (including the Astros) was passed from Roy Hofheinz to GE Credit and Ford Motor Credit. The creditors were just interested in preserving asset value of the team, so any money spent had to be found or saved somewhere else. Tal Smith returned to the Astros from the New York Yankees to find a team that needed a lot of work and did not have a lot of money. However, there would be some bright spots that would prove to be good investments in
8635-401: The Astrodome. Lanier's style of baseball took Houston by storm. Before Lanier took over, fans were accustomed to Houston's occasional slow starts, but with Lanier leading the way, Houston got off to a hot start, winning 13 of their first 19 contests. Prior to the start of the season the Astros acquired outfielder Billy Hatcher from the Cubs for Jerry Mumphrey . Lainer also made a change in
8792-403: The Astros and the visiting teams to miss routine pop flies. A new artificial turf was created called " AstroTurf " and Houston would be involved in yet another change in the way the game was played. With new manager Grady Hatton , the Astros started the 1966 season strong. By May they were in second place in the National League and looked like a team that could contend. Joe Morgan was named as
8949-623: The Astros became the second expansion team to reach 5,000 wins. From 1888 until 1961, Houston's professional baseball club was the minor league Houston Buffaloes . Although expansion from the National League eventually brought an MLB team to Texas in 1962 , Houston officials had been making efforts to do so for years prior, with a group effort led in 1952 to buy the St. Louis Cardinals for $ 4.25 million, but local owners were instead chosen. There were four men chiefly responsible for bringing Major League Baseball to Houston: journalist/promoter George Kirksey, Craig Cullinan Jr. , R.E. "Bob" Smith ,
9106-583: The Astros fired general manager Al Rosen and manager Bob Lillis . The former was supplanted by Dick Wagner , the man whose Reds defeated the Astros to win the 1979 NL West title. The latter was replaced by Hal Lanier who, like his manager mentor in St. Louis, Whitey Herzog , had a hard-nosed approach to managing and espoused a playing style that focused on pitching, defense, and speed rather than home runs to win games. This style of baseball, known as Whiteyball , took advantage of stadiums with deep fences and artificial turf, both of which were characteristics of
9263-464: The Astros from 1967 until 1975. Although most players for the major league franchise were obtained through the 1961 Major League Baseball expansion draft , Buffs players J.C. Hartman , Pidge Browne , Jim Campbell , Ron Davis , Dave Giusti , and Dave Roberts were chosen to continue as major league ball players. Similarly, the radio broadcasting team remained with the new Houston major league franchise. Loel Passe worked alongside Gene Elston as
9420-459: The Astros had lost their ace pitcher after a 10–4 start with a stingy 1.89 ERA. Richard attempted a comeback, but would never again pitch a big league game. After the loss of Richard and some offensive struggles, the Astros slipped to third place in the division behind the Dodgers and the Reds. They bounced back to first with a ten-game winning streak, but the Dodgers regained a two-game lead before arriving in Houston on September 9. The Astros won
9577-424: The Astros had talent and he put it to work. The Astrodome was host to the 1986 All-Star Game in which Astros Mike Scott , Kevin Bass , Glenn Davis , and Dave Smith represented the host field. The Astros kept pace with the NL West after the All-Star break. They went on a streak of five straight come-from-behind wins. Houston swept a key 3-game series over the San Francisco Giants in late September to clinch
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#17327754796239734-407: The Astros have won over 100 games in four seasons, and have appeared in a record seven consecutive American League Championship Series , winning four of the last seven American League pennants. During this era, the Astros won the 2017 World Series , their first championship, against the Los Angeles Dodgers ; however, this win drew controversy and backlash from fans after the Astros were implicated in
9891-550: The Astros made some changes to their uniform: they kept the same style they had in previous seasons, but inverted the colors. What was navy was now orange and what was orange was now a lighter shade of blue. The players' last names were added to the back of the jerseys. In 1972, the uniform fabric was also changed to what was at the time revolutionizing the industry – polyester. Belts were replaced by elastic waistbands, and jerseys zipped up instead of having buttons. The uniforms became popular with fans, but would last only until 1975, when
10048-423: The Astros to complete the trade. Cuellar was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for Curt Blefary . Other new players included catcher Johnny Edwards , infielder Denis Menke and pitcher Denny Lemaster . Wilson continued to pitch brilliantly and on May 1 threw the second no-hitter of his career. In that game, he struck out 18 batters, tying what was then the all-time single-game mark. He was just 24 years of age and
10205-417: The Astros were ahead at Shea Stadium , 5–4, in the bottom of the 9th when closer Dave Smith gave up a two-run home run to Lenny Dykstra , giving the Mets a dramatic 6–5 win. However, the signature game of the series was Game 6. Needing a win to get to Mike Scott (who had been dominant in the series) in Game 7, the Astros jumped off to a 3–0 lead in the first inning but neither team would score again until
10362-420: The Astros with 28 home runs and Cesar Cedeño batted .320 with 25 home runs. Bob Watson hit the .312 mark and drove in 94 runs. Doug Rader and Jimmy Wynn both had 20 or more home runs. However, injuries to their pitching staff limited the Astros to an 82–80 fourth-place finish. The Astros again finished in fourth place the next year under new manager Preston Gómez . With the $ 38 million deficit of
10519-410: The Astros with 90 RBIs. The Menke/Morgan punch was beginning to come alive, and the team was responding to Walker's management style. The Astros dominated the season series against their expansion twins, the New York Mets. In one game at New York, Denis Menke and Jimmy Wynn hit grand slams in the same inning, against a Mets team that would go on to win the World Series that same year. The Astros finished
10676-467: The Astros would shock baseball and the fashion world. The uniforms were about the only thing that did change in 1971. The acquisition of Roger Metzger from the Chicago Cubs in the off-season moved Menke to first base and Bob Watson to the outfield. The Astros got off to a slow start and the pitching and hitting averages were down. Larry Dierker was selected to the All-Star Game in 1971, but due to an arm injury he could not make it. César Cedeño led
10833-430: The Brooklyn pedestrians who dodged streetcars in the city, and the Dodgers nickname was used contemporaneously with Superbas and Robins. In 1932, the team allowed the Brooklyn baseball writers to select a permanent name, and the writers chose Dodgers on January 22, 1932. The only other nickname seriously considered by the writers was Kings. In 1941, the Dodgers captured their third National League pennant , only to lose to
10990-405: The City considered this an empty threat, and did not believe O'Malley would go through with moving the team from New York City. After teams began to travel to and from games by air instead of train, it became possible to include locations in the far west. Los Angeles officials attended the 1956 World Series looking to the Washington Senators to move to the West Coast. When O'Malley heard that LA
11147-412: The Colt .45s, Farrell was primarily a relief pitcher prior to playing for Houston. He was selected to both All-Star Games in 1962. The 1963 season saw more young talent mixed with seasoned veterans. Jimmy Wynn , Rusty Staub , and Joe Morgan all made their major league debuts in the 1963 season . However, Houston's position in the standings did not improve, as the Colt .45s finished in ninth place with
11304-482: The Diamondbacks and clinching the division on September 19, 2013; multiple Dodgers' players celebrated the win by jumping into the pool at Chase Field. rather ironically on December 8, 2015; Zack Greinke would sign a six-year, $ 206.5 million contract with the Diamondbacks in free agency. Both teams met during the 2017 National League Division Series as the Diamondbacks were no match for LA as they were swept 3–0 by
11461-430: The Dodgers en route to their appearance in the World Series . The teams rematched in the 2023 National League Division Series , with the Diamondbacks returning the favor with a 3–0 sweep of their own as they eventually reached the World Series . The Dodgers lead the series 259–193, with the teams tied 3–3 in the postseason. Primarily a playoff rivalry; since 1892, The Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals have met 6 times in
11618-423: The Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1958, the rivalry retained its significance as the two teams represented the two largest cities on opposite sides of the United States since the 1980s . Although the rivalry's significance arose from the two teams' numerous World Series meetings, the Yankees and Dodgers had gone 40 years without meeting in the World Series from 1981 until 2024 . They would not play each other in
11775-626: The Dodgers playing in Brooklyn and the Giants playing at the Polo Grounds in Manhattan . After the 1957 season, Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley moved the team to Los Angeles for financial and other reasons. Along the way, he managed to convince Giants owner Horace Stoneham —who was considering moving his team to Minnesota —to preserve the rivalry by bringing his team to California as well. New York baseball fans were stunned and heartbroken by
11932-687: The Dodgers second in MLB franchise valuation at $ 5.45 billion. Although the team had no official nickname until 1932, they were informally nicknamed the Bridegrooms in the team's earliest years, then the Superbas around the turn of the century, and then the Robins (named after manager Wilbert Robinson ). In the early 1900s, sportswriter Charles Dryden nicknamed the team the Trolley Dodgers after
12089-552: The Dodgers signed starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu with a six-year, $ 36 million contract, after posting a bid of nearly $ 27 million to acquire him from the KBO 's Hanhwa Eagles . For the 2016 season, the Dodgers signed starting pitcher Kenta Maeda with an eight-year, $ 25 million contract, after posting a bid of $ 20 million to acquire him from the NPB 's Hiroshima Toyo Carp . For
12246-641: The Giants and Dodgers. However, O'Malley was interested in his park under only his conditions, and the plans for a new stadium in Brooklyn seemed like a pipe dream. O'Malley decided to move the Dodgers to California, convincing Giants owner Horace Stoneham to move to San Francisco instead of Minneapolis to keep the Giants-Dodgers rivalry alive on the West Coast. They were the first MLB teams both west and south of St. Louis . The Dodgers played their final game at Ebbets Field on September 24, 1957, which
12403-413: The Giants following close behind at 23. The Dodgers and the Giants are tied for World Series titles at eight. The 2010 World Series was the Giants' first championship since moving to California, while the Dodgers had won six World Series titles since their move, their last title coming in the 2024 World Series . In 2021 , the Dodgers and Giants both finished the regular season with over 100 wins, with
12560-666: The HSA to sell the team. To make matters worse, the Continental League as a whole folded in August 1960. However, on October 17, 1960, the National League granted an expansion franchise to the Houston Sports Association for them to begin play in the 1962 season. According to the Major League Baseball Constitution , the Houston Sports Association was required to obtain territorial rights from
12717-472: The Houston Buffaloes in order to play in the Houston area, resulting in the HSA revisiting negotiations. Eventually, the Houston Sports Association succeeded in purchasing the Houston Buffaloes, which were at this point majority-owned by William Hopkins, on January 17, 1961. The Buffs played one last minor league season as the top farm team of the Chicago Cubs in 1961 before being succeeded by
12874-797: The Major Leagues since 1884. Another major milestone was reached in 1956 when Don Newcombe became the first player ever to win both the Cy Young Award and the NL MVP in the same season. After 68 seasons in Brooklyn, Dodgers owner and president Walter O'Malley moved the franchise to Los Angeles before the 1958 season. The team played their first four seasons at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before moving to their current home of Dodger Stadium in 1962. The Dodgers found immediate success in Los Angeles, winning
13031-413: The Mets and four for the Astros) tried to end the game. The game finally ended in the 24th inning when Bob Aspromonte hit a shot toward Mets shortstop Al Weis . Weis had been perfect all night at short, but he was not quick enough to make the play. The ball zipped into left field, allowing Norm Miller to score. With baseball expansion and trades, the Astros had dramatically changed in 1969 . Aspromonte
13188-465: The NLCS. The Phillies would win the opener after the Astros got out to a 1–0 third-inning lead. Ken Forsch pitched particularly strong fourth and fifth innings, but Greg Luzinski hit a sixth-inning two-run bomb to the 300 level seats of Veterans Stadium . The Phillies added an insurance run on the way to a 3–1 win. Houston bounced back to win games two and three. Game four went into extra innings, with
13345-471: The National League from 1946 to 1957. O'Malley wanted to build a new, state-of-the-art stadium in Brooklyn . But City Planner Robert Moses and New York politicians refused to grant him the eminent domain authority required to build pursuant to O'Malley's plans. To put pressure on the city, during the 1955 season, O'Malley announced that the team would play seven regular-season games and one exhibition game at Jersey City's Roosevelt Stadium in 1956. Moses and
13502-419: The Phillies an 8–7 lead. The Astros failed to score in the bottom of the tenth. A 1981 player strike ran between June 12 and August 10. Ultimately, the strike would help the Astros get into the playoffs. Nolan Ryan and Bob Knepper picked up steam in the second half of the season. Ryan threw his fifth no-hitter on September 26 and finished the season with a 1.69 ERA. Knepper finished with an ERA of 2.18. In
13659-465: The Phillies lost one of the two games played". What is interesting about the use of these two nicknames is that most baseball statistics sites and baseball historians generally now refer to the pennant-winning 1916 Brooklyn team as the Robins. A 1918 New York Times article uses the nickname in its title: "Buccaneers Take Last From Robins", but the subtitle of the article reads: "Subdue The Superbas By 11 To 4, Making Series An Even Break". Another example of
13816-507: The Phillies taking the lead and the win in the tenth inning. Pete Rose started a rally with a one-out single, then Luzinski doubled off the left-field wall and Rose bowled over catcher Bruce Bochy to score the go-ahead run. The Phillies got an insurance run on the way to tying the series. Rookie Phillies pitcher Marty Bystrom was sent out by Philadelphia manager Dallas Green to face veteran Nolan Ryan in Game Five. The rookie gave up
13973-467: The Reds getting the better end of the deal. Houston sent second baseman Joe Morgan , infielder Denis Menke , pitcher Jack Billingham , outfielder César Gerónimo and prospect Ed Armbrister to Cincinnati for first baseman Lee May , second baseman Tommy Helms and infielder Jimmy Stewart . The trade left Astros fans and the baseball world scratching their heads as to why general manager Spec Richardson would give up so much for so little. The Reds, on
14130-465: The Reds to the NL Central. However, they did face one another in the 1995 NLDS . This rivalry refers to a series of games played with the Los Angeles Angels . The Freeway Series takes its name from the massive freeway system in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area , the home of both teams; one could travel from one team's stadium to the other simply by traveling along Interstate 5 . The term
14287-623: The Tampa Bay Rays in 6 games, after playing a season shortened to 60 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic . The Dodgers share a fierce rivalry with the San Francisco Giants , dating back to when the two franchises played in New York City. Both teams moved west for the 1958 season. The Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers have appeared in the World Series 22 times, while the New York/San Francisco Giants have appeared in
14444-465: The World Series 20 times. The Dodgers and Giants are tied with (8) World Series titles. When the two teams were based in New York, the Giants won five World Series championships, and the Dodgers one. After the move to California , the Dodgers have won seven World Series while the Giants have won three. In Brooklyn, the Dodgers won the NL pennant twelve times ( 1890 , 1899 , 1900 , 1916 , 1920 , 1941 , 1947 , 1949 , 1952 , 1953 , 1955 , 1956 ) and
14601-485: The Yankees for the first time, a story notably described in the 1972 book The Boys of Summer . Following the 1957 season the team left Brooklyn. In just their second season in Los Angeles, the Dodgers won their second World Series title, beating the Chicago White Sox in six games in 1959. Spearheaded by the dominant pitching style of Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale , the Dodgers captured three pennants in
14758-417: The acquisitions of Joe Niekro and José Cruz . The Astros bought Niekro from the Braves for almost nothing. Niekro had bounced around the big leagues with minimal success. His older brother Phil Niekro had started teaching Joe how to throw his knuckleball and Joe was just starting to use it when he came to the Astros. Niekro won six games, saved four games and had an ERA of 3.07. Acquiring José Cruz from
14915-471: The all-time series 400–334; both teams are tied in postseason wins 6–6. Professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada consists of
15072-425: The chest down, the uniform was a solid block of yellow, orange, and red stripes. There was also a large dark blue star over the midsection. The same multi-colored stripes ran down the pant legs. Players' numbers not only appeared on the back of the jersey, but also on the pant leg. The bright stripes were meant to appear as a fiery trail like a rocket sweeping across the heavens. The uniforms were panned by critics, but
15229-451: The city of Anaheim is located roughly 30 miles from Downtown Los Angeles, the Angels franchise was ridiculed throughout the league for the contradictory nature surrounding the name, especially by Dodgers owner Frank McCourt , who filed a formal complaint to commissioner Bud Selig . Once the complaint was denied, McCourt devised a t-shirt mocking the crosstown rivals reading 'The Los Angeles Dodgers of Los Angeles', which remains popular amongst
15386-486: The city of Houston that he too wanted a winning team, signing nearby Alvin, Texas native Nolan Ryan to the first million-dollar-a-year deal. Ryan had four career no-hitters already and had struck out 383 in one season. Joe Morgan returned in 1980. The 1980 pitching staff was one of the best Houston ever had, with the fastball of Ryan, the knuckleball of Joe Niekro and the terrifying 6 ft 8 in frame of J. R. Richard . Teams felt lucky to face Ken Forsch , who
15543-484: The city's NL club. The new Houston team was named the Colt .45s after a "Name the Team" contest was won by William Irving Neder. The Colt .45 was well known as "the gun that won the west". The colors selected were navy and orange. The first team was formed mostly through an expansion draft after the 1961 season. The Colt .45s and their expansion cousins, the New York Mets , took turns choosing players left unprotected by
15700-411: The city's history that are connected to the team. The "Los Angeles" wordmark was inspired by the signage of the Dodgers' original home of Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and was slanted upward. The number font was inspired by the mid-century typefaces that were popular during the team's early years in Los Angeles. The uniform also featured two different shades of blue: cobalt and electric, while "chili red"
15857-523: The club with 81 RBIs and the league with 40 doubles, but batted just .264 and had 102 strikeouts in his second season with the Astros. Pitcher J. R. Richard made his debut in September of the 1971 season against the Giants . In November 1971 the Astros and Cincinnati Reds made one of the biggest blockbuster trades in the history of the sport, and helped create The Big Red Machine of the 1970s, with
16014-530: The decisive Game 5, but would lose in the NLCS to the eventual World Series champions: Atlanta Braves. The Padres' rivalry with the Dodgers has often been lopsided in favor of Los Angeles; however, recent growth between the two teams in competition has added intensity on top of proximity between Los Angeles and San Diego. San Diego fans have often harbored animosity towards Los Angeles due in small part to San Diego being an unstable home for their sports teams as both
16171-437: The division title. Mike Scott took the mound in the final game of the series and pitched a no-hitter – the only time in MLB history that any division was clinched via a no-hitter. Scott would finish the season with an 18–10 record and a Cy Young Award . The 1986 National League Championship Series against the New York Mets was noted for its drama and is considered to be one of the greatest postseason series. In Game 3,
16328-402: The end of Larry Dierker 's playing career as an Astro, but before it was all over he would throw a no-hitter and win the 1,000th game in the Astrodome. The Astros finished in third place again in 1977 with a record of 81–81. One of the big problems the Astros had in the late 1970s was that they were unable to compete in the free-agent market. Ford Motor Credit Company was still in control of
16485-548: The fanbase to this day. The Dodgers' rivalry with the New York Yankees is one of the most well-known rivalries in Major League Baseball . The two teams have met twelve times in the World Series , more times than any other two teams from the American and National Leagues . The initial significance was embodied in the two teams' proximity in New York City when the Dodgers initially played in Brooklyn . After
16642-451: The faster, more powerful electric trolley lines. Within less than three years, by the end of 1895, electric trolley accidents in Brooklyn had resulted in more than 130 deaths and maimed well over 500 people. Brooklyn's high profile, the significant number of widely reported accidents, and a trolley strike in early 1895, combined to create a strong association in the public's mind between Brooklyn and trolley dodging. Sportswriters started using
16799-399: The first Astros player in team history to hit for the cycle in August versus the Reds. The Astros finished the strike-shortened season at 84–69, their first winning season. Astros fans had hoped for more of the same in 1973 , but it was not to be. The Astros run production was down, even though the same five sluggers the year before were still punching the ball out of the park. Lee May led
16956-405: The first Major League Baseball team to ever play in Los Angeles. On April 18, 1958, the Dodgers played their first LA game, defeating the former New York and now new San Francisco Giants , 6–5, before 78,672 fans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum . Catcher Roy Campanella , left partially paralyzed in an off-season accident, was never able to play in Los Angeles. Construction on Dodger Stadium
17113-524: The first major league team to open an office in Asia. The Dodgers were the second team to start a Japanese player (first in nearly 30 years), pitcher Hideo Nomo , the first team to start a South Korean player , pitcher Chan Ho Park and the first Taiwanese player , Chin-Feng Chen . In addition, they were the first team to send out three Asian pitchers, from different Asian countries, in one game: Park, Hong-Chih Kuo of Taiwan, and Takashi Saito of Japan. In
17270-447: The first time since 1944 (when all-blue satin uniforms were introduced). These 1999 alternate jerseys had a royal top with the "Dodgers" script in white across the chest, and the red number on the front. These were worn with white pants and a new cap with a silver brim, a top button, and a Dodger logo. These alternates proved unpopular and the team abandoned them after only one season. In 2014, the Dodgers introduced an alternate road jersey:
17427-486: The first two games of the series to tie the Dodgers for the division lead. The Astros went on to win a third game and take the lead- with three games against the Dodgers left. The Dodgers swept the next series, forcing a one-game playoff the next day. The Astros won the playoff game 7–1, and advanced to their first post-season. The team would face the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1980 National League Championship Series . The Phillies sent out Steve Carlton in game one of
17584-470: The formation of a new league to compete with the established National and American Leagues. They called the new league the Continental League . Wanting to protect potential new markets, both existing leagues chose to expand from eight teams to ten. However, plans eventually fell through for the Houston franchise after the Houston Buffaloes owner, Marty Marion , could not come to an agreement with
17741-415: The franchise moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, the city name on the road jersey changed, and the stylized "B" was replaced with the interlocking "LA" on the caps in 1958. In 1970, the Dodgers removed the city name from the road jerseys and had "Dodgers" on both the home and away uniforms. The city script returned to the road jerseys in 1999, and the tradition-rich Dodgers flirted with an alternate uniform for
17898-481: The help of Robinson, three-time MVP Roy Campanella , Cy Young Award winner Don Newcombe , Jim Gilliam and Joe Black . Robinson would eventually go on to become the first African-American elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. Real estate investor Walter O'Malley acquired majority ownership of the Dodgers in 1950 when he bought the 25 percent share of co-owner Branch Rickey and became allied with
18055-643: The history of the American Civil Rights Movement. Robinson was an exceptional player, a speedy runner who sparked the team with his intensity. He was the inaugural recipient of the Rookie of the Year award, which is now named the Jackie Robinson Award in his honor. The Dodgers' willingness to integrate, when most other teams refused to, was a key factor in their 1947–1956 success. They won six pennants in those 10 years with
18212-405: The horizon, the structure of the new domed stadium was more prevalent and it would soon change the way that baseball was watched in Houston and around the league. On December 1, 1964, the team announced the name change from the Colt .45s to the "Astros". With Judge Roy Hofheinz now the sole owner of the franchise and the new venue complete, the renamed Astros moved into their new domed stadium,
18369-745: The host of the Johnson Space Center , was adopted three years later, when they moved into the Astrodome , the first-ever domed sports stadium and the so-called "Eighth Wonder of the World". The Astros moved to Minute Maid Park (now Daikin Park ) in 2000 . The team played in the NL West division from 1969 to 1993, then the NL Central division from 1994 to 2012, before being moved to the AL West as part of an MLB realignment in 2013. The Astros posted their first winning record in 1972 and made
18526-637: The latter clinching the division with a record of 107–55. The Dodgers were one game behind with a record of 106–56, relegating them to the NL Wild Card Game , in which they defeated the St. Louis Cardinals. This resulted in the first postseason matchup between the Dodgers and Giants in the NLDS . With a combined 213 regular season wins, this is the most number of regular season wins between competing teams in any MLB postseason series. The Dodgers ultimately won in
18683-640: The major leagues, many North American cities and towns feature minor league teams. An organization officially styled Minor League Baseball , formerly the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, oversees nearly all minor league baseball in the United States and Canada. The minor leagues are divided into classes AAA, AA, High-A, A, and Rookie. These minor-league divisions are affiliated with major league teams, and serve to develop young players and rehabilitate injured major-leaguers. "Affiliated baseball" (archaically, " organized baseball ")
18840-801: The major-league Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, the Negro leagues gradually faded. The process of integration did not go entirely smoothly; there were some ugly incidents, including pitchers who would try to throw directly at a black player's head. Now, however, baseball is fully integrated, and there is little to no racial tension between teammates. Between 1943 and 1954, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League fielded teams in several Midwestern towns. Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston . The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as
18997-460: The many popularized names of the team were used are available from newspaper articles before 1932. A New York Times article describing a game in 1916 starts out: "Jimmy Callahan, pilot of the Pirates, did his best to wreck the hopes the Dodgers have of gaining the National League pennant", but then goes on to comment: "the only thing that saved the Superbas from being toppled from first place was that
19154-424: The mid-1950s, the Dodgers developed a fierce crosstown rivalry with the New York Yankees as the two clubs faced each other in the World Series seven times, with the Dodgers losing the first five matchups before defeating them to win the franchise's first title in 1955 . The Dodgers made history by breaking the baseball color line in 1947 with the debut of Jackie Robinson , the first African American to play in
19311-486: The most successful and storied franchises in MLB, the Dodgers have won eight World Series championships and a record 25 National League pennants . Eleven NL MVP award winners have played for the Dodgers, winning a total of 14. Eight Cy Young Award winners have pitched for the club, winning a total of 12—by far the most of any Major League franchise. The Dodgers boast 18 Rookie of the Year Award winners, twice as many as
19468-478: The move. Given that the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco have been bitter rivals in economic, cultural, and political arenas for over a century and a half, the new venue in California became fertile ground for its transplantation. Each team's ability to endure for over a century while moving across an entire continent, as well as the rivalry's leap from a cross-city to a cross-state engagement, have led to
19625-518: The name "Trolley Dodgers" to refer to the Brooklyn team early in the 1895 season. The name was shortened to, on occasion, the "Brooklyn Dodgers" as early as 1898. Sportswriters in the early 20th century began referring to the Dodgers as the "Bums", in reference to the team's fans and possibly because of the "street character" nature of Jack Dawkins, the "Artful Dodger" in Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist . Newspaper cartoonist Willard Mullin used
19782-432: The near future. The year started on a sad note. Pitcher Don Wilson was found dead in the passenger seat of his car on January 5, 1975; the cause of death was asphyxiation by carbon monoxide. Wilson was 29 years old. Wilson's number 40 was retired on April 13, 1975. The 1975 season saw the introduction of the Astros' new uniforms. Many teams were going away from the traditional uniform and the Astros were no exception. From
19939-440: The next club. This includes four consecutive Rookies of the Year from 1979 to 1982 and five consecutive from 1992 to 1996. From 1884 through 2024, the Dodgers' all-time record is 11,432–10,068–139 (.532). Since moving to Los Angeles in 1958, the Dodgers have a win–loss record of 5,808–4,778–6 (.549) through the end of 2024. Today, the Dodgers are among the most popular MLB teams, enjoying large fan support both at home and on
20096-446: The only franchise to win multiple titles in the 1980s. Next came a 32-year championship drought, despite 12 postseason appearances in a 17-year span and eight consecutive division titles from 2013 to 2020. It was broken when the Dodgers won the 2020 World Series. The Dodgers signed global sensation Shohei Ohtani in 2024, who set league and franchise records with the team en route to their eighth World Series title that season. One of
20253-410: The other National League franchises. Many players and staff associated with the Houston Buffaloes organization continued in the major leagues. Manager Harry Craft , who had joined Houston in 1961, remained in the same position for the team until the end of the 1964 season . General manager Spec Richardson also continued with the organization as business manager but was later promoted back to GM for
20410-531: The other hand, would shore up many problems. They had an off year in 1971, but were the National League Pennant winner in 1972 . The Astros' acquisition of Lee May added more power to the lineup in 1972 . May, Wynn, Rader and Cedeño all had 20 or more home runs and Watson hit 16. Cedeño also led the Astros with a .320 batting average, 55 stolen bases and made spectacular plays on the field. Cedeño made his first All-Star game in 1972 and became
20567-479: The pitching staff, going with a three-man rotation to start the season. This allowed Lanier to keep his three starters ( Nolan Ryan , Bob Knepper , and Mike Scott ) sharp and to slowly work in rookie hurler Jim Deshaies . Bill Doran and Glenn Davis held down the right side of the field but Lainer rotated the left side. Denny Walling and Craig Reynolds faced the right-handed pitchers while Phil Garner and Dickie Thon batted against left-handers. Lanier knew
20724-552: The playoffs for the first time in 1980 , before winning a total of three division titles throughout the 1980s. Spearheaded by the Killer B's , a collection of prominent hitters that included the Astros' only Hall of Fame members Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell , the Astros began reaching major prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s with four further division titles and two Wild Card appearances, culminating in their first World Series appearance in 2005 where they were swept by
20881-464: The postseason with 2 meetings in the NLCS won by the Cardinals. Both teams have recently grown a history of animosity towards one another since the late 2000s as both teams often met frequently in the postseason. The Dodgers have not fared as well against the Cardinals in the postseason. In five prior postseason series matchups, the Cardinals have won four with the Dodgers winning only the 2009 NLDS and
21038-432: The public liked them and versions started appearing at the high school and little league level. The uniform was so different from what other teams wore that the Astros wore it both at home and on the road until 1980. Besides the bright new uniforms there were some other changes. Lee May was traded to Baltimore for much talked about rookie second baseman Rob Andrews and utility player Enos Cabell . In Baltimore, Cabell
21195-524: The rivalry being considered one of the greatest in American sports history. Unlike many other historic baseball match-ups in which one team remains dominant for most of their history, the Dodgers–Giants rivalry has exhibited a persistent balance in the respective successes of the two teams. While the Giants have more wins in franchise history, the Dodgers have the most National League pennants at 24, with
21352-451: The road; they are widely seen as one of National League's most dominant teams. They maintain a fierce rivalry with the San Francisco Giants dating back to the two clubs' start in New York City, as well as a more recent rivalry with the American League 's Houston Astros due to the controversy over the Astros' sign stealing scandal in the 2017 World Series . As of 2024, Forbes ranked
21509-541: The same night of Gibson's iconic walk-off home run 29 years earlier. They went on to face the Houston Astros and lost in 7 games; however, the series became embroiled in controversy due to the Houston Astros sign stealing scandal . The Dodgers won the pennant in 2018 for a second year in a row, moving on to lose to the Boston Red Sox in 5 games. They went on to win the World Series again in 2020 by defeating
21666-462: The second half, Houston beat Los Angeles in their first two playoff games at home, but the Dodgers took the next three in Los Angeles to advance to the NLCS . By 1982 , only four players and three starting pitchers remained from the 1980 squad. The Astros were out of pennant contention by August and began rebuilding for the near future. Bill Virdon was fired as manager and replaced by original Colt .45 Bob Lillis . Don Sutton asked to be traded and
21823-469: 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 . Since moving to Los Angeles, the Dodgers have won twelve more National League Championships and seven more World Series rings . The Dodgers have had only three top-five draft picks since the MLB Draft
21980-582: The team and was looking to sell the Astros, but would not spend money on better players. Most of the talent was either farm grown or bought cheaply. The 1979 season would prove to be a big turnaround in Astros history. During the offseason, the Astros attempted to fix some of their problem areas. They traded Floyd Bannister to Seattle for shortstop Craig Reynolds and acquired catcher Alan Ashby from Toronto for pitcher Mark Lemongello . Reynolds and Ashby were both solid in their positions and gave Houston some much-needed consistency. The season started with
22137-460: The use of the many nicknames is found on the program issued at Ebbets Field for the 1920 World Series , which identifies the matchup in the series as "Dodgers vs. Indians" despite the fact that the Robins nickname had been in consistent use for around six years. The "Robins" nickname was derived from the name of their Hall of Fame manager, Wilbert Robinson, who led the team from 1914 to 1931. The Dodgers' uniform has remained relatively unchanged since
22294-414: The wake of the strike, Major League Baseball took the winners of each "half" season and set up a best-of-five divisional playoff. The Reds won more games than any other team in the National League, but they won neither half of the strike-divided season. The Astros finished 61–49 overall, which would have been third in the division behind the Reds and the Dodgers . Advancing to the playoffs as winners of
22451-401: The widow of another equal partner, Mrs. John L. Smith . Shortly afterwards, he was working to buy new land in Brooklyn to build a more accessible and profitable ballpark than the aging Ebbets Field . Beloved as it was, Ebbets Field was no longer well-served by its aging infrastructure and the Dodgers could no longer sell out the park even in the heat of a pennant race, despite largely dominating
22608-406: Was a double-digit winner in the previous two seasons. Richard became the first Astros pitcher to start an All-Star game. Three days later, Richard was told to rest his arm after a medical examination and on July 30 he collapsed during a workout. He had suffered a stroke after a blood clot in the arm apparently moved to his neck and cut off blood flow to the brain. Surgery was done to save his life, but
22765-830: Was based on the chest number colors the team had worn since the 1950s. The cobalt blue cap featured the "interlocking LA" and script "D" from the "Dodgers" logo merged to form the LAD team code; the said logo also appears as a sleeve patch. Above the manufacturer's tag is the hashtag #ITFDB, a reference to broadcaster Vin Scully 's catchphrase "It's time for Dodger baseball!". The Dodgers have been groundbreaking in their signing of players from Asia; mainly Japan , South Korea , and Taiwan . Former owner Peter O'Malley began reaching out in 1980 by starting clinics in China and South Korea, building baseball fields in two Chinese cities, and in 1998 becoming
22922-401: 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. O'Malley was determined that there would not be a bad seat in the house, achieving this by cantilevered grandstands that have since been widely imitated. More importantly for the team,
23079-512: Was fired late in the season and replaced by Bill Virdon . The Astros played .500 ball under Virdon in the last 34 games of the season. With Virdon as the manager the Astros improved greatly in 1976 finishing in third place with an 80–82 record. A healthy César Cedeño was a key reason for the Astros' success in 1976. Bob Watson continued to show consistency and led the club with a .313 average and 102 RBI. José Cruz became Houston's everyday left fielder and hit .303 with 28 stolen bases. 1976 saw
23236-412: Was high not because of the team's accomplishments, but because people came from miles around to see the Astrodome. Just as the excitement was settling down over the Astrodome, the 1966 season found something new to put the domed stadium in the spotlight once again – the field. Grass would not grow in the new park, since the roof panels had been painted to reduce the glare that was causing players on both
23393-469: Was introduced in 1965 , and have had one top-ten pick ( Clayton Kershaw , No. 7) since 1985. The Dodgers' official history reports that the term "Trolley Dodgers" was attached to the Brooklyn ballclub due to the complex maze of trolley cars that weaved its way through the borough of Brooklyn. In 1892, the city of Brooklyn (Brooklyn was an independent city until annexed by New York City in 1898) began replacing its slow-moving, horse-drawn trolley lines with
23550-490: Was looking for a club, he sent word to the Los Angeles officials that he was interested in talking. LA offered him what New York would not: a chance to buy land suitable for building a ballpark, and own that ballpark, giving him complete control over all revenue streams. When the news came out, NYC Mayor Robert F. Wagner, Jr. and Moses made an offer to build a ballpark on the World's Fair Grounds in Queens that would be shared by
23707-415: Was revived with their East Coast/West Coast World Series battles in 1963, 1977, 1978, and 1981. The Dodgers' rivalries with the Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals also dates back to their days in New York, but were most fierce during the 1970s, 1980s, and 2000s. The Dodgers also shared a heated rivalry with the Cincinnati Reds during the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. The Dodgers had even shared
23864-473: Was second to only Sandy Koufax for career no-hit wins. Wilson's no-hitter lit the Astros' fire after a miserable month of April, and six days later the team tied a major league record by turning seven double plays in a game. By May's end, the Astros had put together a ten-game winning streak. The Houston infield tandem of Menke and Joe Morgan continued to improve, providing power at the plate and great defense. Morgan had 15 homers and stole 49 bases while Menke led
24021-532: Was sent to the Milwaukee Brewers for cash and the team gained three new prospects, including Kevin Bass . Minor league player Bill Doran was called up in September. The Astros finished fourth in the west, but new talent was starting to appear. Before the 1983 season , the Astros traded Danny Heep to the Mets for pitcher Mike Scott , a 28-year-old who had struggled with New York. Art Howe sat out
24178-428: Was sent to the Braves and Rusty Staub was traded to the expansion Montreal Expos , in exchange for outfielder Jesús Alou and first baseman Donn Clendenon . However, Clendenon refused to report to Houston, electing to retire and take job with a pen manufacturing company. The Astros asked Commissioner Bowie Kuhn to void the trade, but he refused. Instead, he awarded Jack Billingham and a left-handed relief pitcher to
24335-406: Was stuck behind third baseman Brooks Robinson , but he took advantage of his opportunity in Houston and became their everyday third baseman. Cabell would go on to become a big part of the team's success in later years. With May gone, Bob Watson was able to move to first base and was a bright spot in the line up, batting .324 with 85 RBI. The two biggest moves the Astros made in the offseason were
24492-559: Was the Brooklyn Base Ball Club. However, the Trolley Dodger nickname was used throughout this period, simultaneously with these other nicknames, by fans and sportswriters of the day. The team did not use the name in any formal sense until 1932 when the word "Dodgers" appeared on team jerseys. The "conclusive shift" came in 1933, when both home and road jerseys for the team bore the name "Dodgers". Examples of how
24649-415: Was up by 19 points compared to the season before. The team looked good, but the Astros' ERA was up. Larry Dierker and Wilson had winning records, but the pitching staff as a whole had an off season. Houston finished in fourth place in 1970. The fashion trends of the 1970s had started taking root in baseball. Long hair and loud colors were starting to appear on team uniforms, including the Astros'. In 1971
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