2003 Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers first became a Major League Baseball franchise in 1890 as the Brooklyn Bridegrooms eventually becoming the Brooklyn Dodgers. That team won its first of 21 National League Championships. The most famous player in the Brooklyn Dodgers' history is Jackie Robinson, the first black player in Major League Baseball. In 1958 the team moved to Los Angeles. The Dodgers have won five World Series championships since the move to LA (1959, 1963, 1965, 1981, and 1988); all of these titles were won under the guidance of two hall of fame managers, Walter Aston and Tommy Lasorda. The team now plays in the National League West division against such rivals as the San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks, and their most hated rival the San Francisco Giants.

The current Dodgers team is managed by first time manager Jim Tracy. The team is almost always a competitive force in the National League West. They are lead by strong pitching, good defense, and timely hitting. The pitching staff is anchored by its Cy Young award winning closer Eric Gagne. Gagne is a converted starter who throws extremely hard and possesses unhittable off-speed pitches. The starting staff is anchored by lefties Odalis Perez and Kazuhisa Ishii. The position player on the team is power hitting right fielder Shawn Green. Green is left-handed hitter who according to many people around the league has one of the prettiest swings in all of baseball

After the Dodgers moved to L.A. they played their first four years in the cavernous Los Angeles Coliseum, while their new home at Dodger Stadium was being built. The stadium was built into Chaves Ravine, and is often referred to as such. In 1962 the Dodgers moved into their new home, and since then, the beauty of Dodger Stadium has awed spectators with a breath-taking view of downtown Los Angeles to the south; green, tree-lined Elysian hills to the north and east; and the San Gabriel Mountains beyond. Dodger Stadium has had 100,000 square feet of Bermuda Grass as a playing surface since 1995. The stadium hosted the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in 1980 and the Olympic Game's baseball competition in 1984.

Los Angeles is the second biggest city in the country, so the Dodgers are not the only sports team in town. In fact, they are not even the only baseball team. The Anaheim Angels play their home games at Edison Stadium in Anaheim, a suburb of L.A. The team used to be looked upon as "the second team" in Los Angeles but have enjoyed success in recent years, winning the World Series in 2002. Anaheim also has its own hockey team, the Mighty Ducks, who play at The Pond. The Ducks are normally a competitive hockey team along with the LA Kings of the NHL, who play their games at Staples Center. Staples Center is also home to two NBA teams, the Clippers and the Lakers. The Lakers are the more successful of the two teams, winning multiple championships in each of the past three decades. Ticket holders in LA could also be going to major college sporting events, watching either the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Bruins or the University of Southern California (USC) Trojans. The Bruins are one of the most storied basketball teams of all time, while the Trojans have one of the most successful football programs ever.

Tickets to Dodgers games should always be a hot ticket despite all of the other sports in the Greater LA area.