Los Angeles Dodgers

TEAM HISTORY

Founded in 1883, the Dodgers were originally based in Brooklyn, New York, and were known as the Atlantics. The team joined the American Association in 1884 and won the league pennant in 1889. Brooklyn was one of four American Association teams to join the NL the following year, and they won their first NL pennant in their inaugural season in the league. Brooklyn developed a natural rivalry with Manhattan’s New York Giants following their move to the NL, which became one of the game’s most renowned and enduring feuds, even after each team’s relocation to California in 1958. In 1913 the team moved into Ebbets Field, an intimate ballpark that served as the home of the Dodgers until 1957. The team was known as the Grays, the Bridegrooms, the Superbas, and the Robins before they settled on the name Dodgers in 1932. The Dodgers won NL pennants in 1941, 1947, 1949, 1952, and 1953. In the midst of this run, the Dodgers made history in April 1947 by calling up African American third baseman Jackie Robinson (who had been signed to a minor league contract by the pioneering Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey two years earlier), shattering Major League Baseball’s long-standing color barrier.

One of the most successful and storied franchises in MLB, the Dodgers have won seven World Series championships and a record 24 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. Additionally, the Dodgers boast 18 Rookie of the Year Award winners, twice as many as the next club. This includes four consecutive Rookies of the Year from 1979 to 1982 and five consecutive from 1992 to 1996.

Today, the Dodgers are among the most popular MLB teams, enjoying large fan support both at home and on the road. They maintain a fierce rivalry with the San Francisco Giants dating back to when the two clubs were based in New York City. As of 2020, Forbes ranks the Dodgers second in MLB franchise valuation at $3.4 billion.