Division Race Memories, and My First Taste of the Dodgers-Giants Rivlary

With the Magic Number down to 6, it is possible that the Dodgers could clinch by Sunday at the earliest.  And I know all you fellow Dodgers fans would like nothing more than to have our long time rivals watch us celebrate, although for this to happen we would have to either take 3 of 4 from the hated ones ( Not beyond possible ) while the Snakes would have to be swept in all 3 by the Rockies at home, or sweep all 4 from the hated ones ( Also not beyond possible) and the Snakes would have to lose 2 of 3 to the Rockies at Chase Field.   While words can’t quite describe that feeling of celebrating in front of our rivals, though they are long out of contention for 2013, the last thing they would want is for us to rub salt into their wounds in an otherwise nightmarish season for the hated ones.  So yeah, we all know they will be going all out this weekend to prevent a celebration of the NL West in their presence.  So yeah, even in an off year, they still have something to play for if not the role of spoiler, which, is how I, as an 8 year old kid in 1982, got introduced to this great rivalry…..

While Joe Morgan, who was recently honored by the Reds this weekend ( Against the Dodgers no less….), will be forever linked to The Big Red Machine of the 70’s, it was he who gave me my first taste of this storied rivalry on October 3rd, 1982. It was his 3 run home run in the last of the 7th off Terry Forster that would prevent us from tying the Atlanta Braves for the division lead that would have forced a 1 game playoff the next day at Dodger Stadium ( Which my uncle had bought tickets to. Also, yes, at that time, the Atlanta Braves, led by Joe Torre, we’re in the NL West ). It would also my first taste of the BEAT L.A. chant. Yeah, I am aware that the chant was started at Boston Garden earlier that year, but over the years, that chant has never been yelled with such ferver than through the fog across the Golden Gate…..

Fast forward to 1983, the 25th Anniversary of the Dodgers in this great city of L.A. since their move from Brooklyn. In what should have been a year of transition, the first year minus Cey and Garvey, the Dodgers and Braves would find themselves in another dogfight for the NL West crown. With the Dodgers leading the west by 3 games with 3 to play on the season’s final weekend, yup, you guessed it, it would be the hated one’s in town….

While clinching the NL West in 1983 may not have had the same drama that the previous years events had, it sure had to feel great to have the hated ones watch our Boys in Blue celebrate. Heck, even mother nature couldn’t ruin our night to party !!!! Oh yeah, in that 1983 clip, how ’bout that little known pitcher who came in for Fernando ? Yup, Orel Hershiser. Those two would make quite a tandem eventually…. As for the reserves who came in from the 6th inning on, Cecil Espy and Sid Bream. Well, those two would take part in another epic playoff battle 9 years later… ( Notice how much slimmer Sid Bream was in 1983 ? Now if it was the Sid Bream of ’83 that would have beat Barry Bonds throw in 1992…. )

So there are my memories. 30 years since ’83 huh ? I hope you enjoyed the clips posted, especially the opening theme from the ’83 one, featuring Earth Wind and Fire’s Rock That. ( I could picture Vin Scully yelling IT’S TIME FOR DODGER BASEBALL to that….) If you didn’t watch them in their entirety, it’s all good. I mean, that’s almost 6 hours of timeless memories right there. And i’m most certainly sure that you all have your own favorite Dodgers/Giants memories as well . So, am I alone in wanting the Giants watch us celebrate this Sunday, even if the odds are against it ?

LOOKING BACK, APRIL 15, 1983….WELCOME BACK STEVE !!!

In another one of my flashbacks to those so-called ” I Was There ” games, we go back to 1983.  In the Dodgers 6-2 win over the Padres, that evenings game would be significant in that it would be former Dodger Steve Garvey’s first game back at Dodger Stadium.  He would be given a 5 minute ovation ( Or it seemed that way ) before making his way toward home plate but not before saluting the crowd back.  The only player left in the 1983 season from that famous long standing infield was SS Bill Russell. 

That evening would also be the first time seeing those god-awful ugly taco brown tops the Padres sported on the road.  So ugly we’re these uni’s that the Padres WS appearance the following year gave it the type of national exposure that would ultimately lead to it’s timely death. 

 

 SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, APRIL 1983

 

OCTOBER MEMORIES, THE PHILLIES, AND BACK TO THE NLCS

Whew, after 20 years, it feels great to be back in the NLCS.  And what a scene it was at the Ravine last Saturday, not only knocking the Cubs out of post-season play, but just dominating the Cubs in their 3 game sweep.  Mr. Worthy, there’s another BIG GAME JAMES here in L.A. in James Loney, who had a huge series with 6 RBI’S, 4 coming off his 5th inning grand slam in game 1 and the other 2 coming in the 1st inning of game 3 with his 2-out double .  As for me being at the Ravine, it was 20 years of waiting, but man it was worth it !!!!  Though I missed the opening introduction of the players and the anthem, thanks to L.A.’s notorious traffic, once I got to my seat, it was on !!!!  From the time Dodger greats Don Newcombe and Duke Snider threw out the ceremonial first pitch, it was on !!!!  The atmosphere is definately different then during the regular season, with everyone on the edge of their seats from the first pitch on, the crowd getting on their feet and waving their rally towels each time Kuroda had 2 strikes on Cubbie hitters, the atmostphere was just electric.  Now if only I can be so fortunate to have tickets for any of the NLCS games… ( Perhaps someone in the FO who may be reading this can hook me up ?  Well, I can wish, right ?  ) 

Now, on to the NLCS and our next opponent, the Philadelphia Phillies.  The Dodgers and Phillies are no strangers to each other when it comes to post season play, having met 3 times from 1977-1983 , with the Blue coming on top in 2 of the 3 meetings.  In those 3 meetings, it was a best of 5 format.  Here’s what went down in each of those 3 meetings.

1977

The Dodgers and Phills would split the first 2 games at Chavez Ravine, game 2 being highlighted by a grand slam by Dusty Baker .  Game 3 would forever be known in Philly as ” Black Friday “, with the Phillies leading 5-3 in the top of the 9th, 2 out, no one on, and Vic Davalillo would drop down a bunt single.  The next hitter, Manny Mota, would have a 2-strike count against him only to drive Gene Garber’s next pitch to the left field wall, where Philly left-fielder Greg Luzinski, the Big Bull, would trap Mota’s fly against the wall, and on Luzinski’s wild relay , Davalillo would score and Mota would end up at 3rd.  The next batter, current day Phillies first base coach Davey Lopes, would hit a rocket off Mike Schmidt, which current day Dodgers third base coach and former Phillie SS Larry Bowa would retrieve and throw to first, only to have Lopes beat it out, as Mota would score the tying run.  After a stolen base by Lopes, Bill Russell laced a single up the middle, scoring Lopes with the go-ahead run, and the Blue would prevail, 6-5.  The next day, Tommy John would pitch a complete game and the Dodgers would go on to the World Series against the Yankees.

1978

The 1978 NLCS didn’t quite have the drama of 1977, as the Dodgers again would beat the Phillies in 4 games.  In the bottom of the 9th at Dodger Stadium in Game 4, the Dodgers would be aided by some shoddy defense by Phillies center fielder Garry Maddox, and Bill Russell would once again come through, singling home Ron Cey for the winning run of the series off Phillie closer Tug McGraw, sending the Blue Crew back to the World Series against the Evil Empire.

1983

5 years had passed since they last met, with each team having won a World Series title of their own.  This time around, 3/4 of the famous longest running infield were gone, with Lopes, Cey , and Garvey having moved on, leaving only Bill Russell left from that group of the 70’s, leading that ever so promising infield of Pedro Guerrero at 3rd, Stave Sax at 2nd, and Greg Brock at 1st.  ( Wasn’t it Guerrero who said, ” Lord, don’t hit the ball to me because I might not catch it.  And don’t hit the ball to Saxie becuse he might throw it away ” ? ).  Shoddy infield or not, the Dodgers found a way to win the NL West.  The Dodgers had also beat Philly 11 of 12 during the regular season.  But as we all know, the post-season is a new season, and the Phillies, led by future HOFers Steve Carlton and Mike Schmidt, would keep the Blue under control this time, as the Phillies would win this series in 4, Fernando getting the lone win for the Blue Crew.  Gary Matthews , the sarge, also had a huge series as well. 

So, another post-season chapter will be born between the Dodgers and Phillies.  Some great names came out of those epic clashes, Garvey, Cey, Lopes, Baker, Valenzuela, Russell, Schmidt, McGraw, Carlton.  And now it’s time for some new faces to make some history.  Manny, Lowe, Bills, Kemp, Loney, our new ” Big Game James “, and for the Phills, Rollins, Utley, Howard, Burrell.  Perhaps sometime in this series, we could see a matchup of 2 pitchers with over 80 years of age combined do battle in Maddux and Moyer.  This should be fun.      GO DODGERS !!!!!