The History Of The Brooklyn Dodgers

rooklyn Dodgers are one of the most storied andDodgers became a perennial contender for the
fabled teams in all of baseball history. MostNational League pennant. Ebbets Field hosted the
famous for their second baseman, Jackie1949 All Star Game and the ballpark and the
Robinson, breaking the color barrier in not onlyDodgers’ move to Los Angeles were
baseball but all of professional sports, the Dodgersfeatured in an entire episode of Ken
were one of the first teams to join theBurns’s acclaimed documentary, Baseball;
then-upstart National League. The Brooklynadditionally, Arthur Miller’s classic American
Dodgers Baseball Club was established in 1883 anddrama Death of a Salesman references Ebbets
joined the now-defunct American Association theField. After the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles,
following year; they won the AmericanEbbets Field was demolished on February 23,
Association Pennant in 1889 and joined the1960.
National League in 1890.Perhaps the most famous and historically
The Dodgers tried out a variety of nicknamessignificant aspect of the Brooklyn Dodgers was
before one finally stuck; they were originally calledthe breaking of the color barrier with young,
the Brooklyn Atlantics, and later the Brooklyntalented Jackie Robinson. Winner of the first ever
Grays. The New York City press even took toRookie of the Year award and member of the
calling them the “BrooklynBaseball Hall of Fame, Robinson ended almost 80
Bridegrooms” when many of the playersyears of segregation in baseball. Jackie Robinson
had gotten married in quick succession. The teamattended UCLA and became the first Black
earned the nickname “Trolleyathlete to earn varsity letters in four
Dodgers” when they played at Easternsports—baseball, football, basketball, and
Park during the 1890s since the fans and playerstrack. He later served in the U.S. Army as a 2nd
had trouble accessing the ballpark because of theLieutenant. On April 15, 1947, Robinson became
scarce trolley lines in Brooklyn at the time.the first African American player for a Major
Early Dodger teams played in twoLeague Baseball team. He earned the Major
ballparks—Eastern Park and WashingtonLeague minimum, $5000, his rookie year, while he
Park—before they moved to Ebbets Field.also played first base (Robinson played second
They won National League Pennants in 1941,base for most of his career). Jackie Robinson
1947, 1949, 1952, and 1953 and were defeated allplayed on six World Series teams, received six
five times by the New York Yankees. Thus, theconsecutive All Star Game nominations, and won
immortal baseball slogan “Wait Till Nextthe National League MVP award in 1949. He
Year!” was born. The only Brooklynretired on January 5, 1957, and became a political
Dodger team to ever win the World Series did soactivist until his death on October 24, 1972.
in 1955 at Yankee Stadium.Robinson was posthumously awarded the
In 1902, Charles Ebbets went deeply into debt toCongressional Gold Medal and the Presidential
keep the Dodgers in Brooklyn. He invested heavilyMedal of Freedom for his key role in the
to replace Washington Park with theAmerican Civil Rights movement. On April 15,
appropriately-titled Ebbets Field, located in the1997, on the 50th anniversary of his debut, Major
Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, which becameLeague Baseball retired his jersey number, 42.
the Dodgers’ home until their move toAfter the 1957 season, the Brooklyn Dodgers
Los Angeles. Ebbets acquired parcels of land untilcontroversially moved to Los Angeles. The Los
he owned the entire block; Ebbets Field opened itsAngeles Dodgers have won the World Series five
gates on April 9, 1913. The team had limitedtimes since their move, in 1959, 1963, 1965, 1981,
success until “player developmentand 1988.
genius” Branch Rickey was hired; then the