Did You Know...

The Los Angeles Dodgers finished the 2007 season a disappointing fourth place in the NL West and missed the playoffs, but changes made in the off season mean high hopes for 2008. Manager Grady Little resigned and was replaced by former New York Yankees skipper Joe Torre, and Gary Bennett, Andruw Jones and Hiroki Kuroda were added to the roster. It all comes down to how Joe Torre apportions playing time, but if he makes the right moves, the Dodgers are likely to win the division and get a shot at the 2008 World Series. The only sure thing is that tickets to Dodger Stadium won’t last long – get yours now and cheer the Los Angeles Dodgers on to a winning season in 2008!

The Brooklyn Bridegrooms

The Dodgers are one of the oldest teams in the Major Leagues, originating in 1890 as the Brooklyn Bridegrooms. Eventually they would adopt the name Dodgers as a reflection of the Brooklyn citizens who would routinely have to dodge the trolleys that converged in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Dodgers were one of the least successful teams in the National League until Branch Rickey came over from St. Louis to transform them into contenders. Most famous for the signing of Jackie Robinson, the first black player in Major League Baseball, Rickey surrounded Robinson with a roster of future Hall of Famers including Roy Campanella, Duke Snider, Pee Wee Reese, and Don Newcombe. These Dodgers won the NL Pennant 6 times over a ten year span including one World Series win.