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Dodger Stadium is the home field of the L.A. Dodgers and also one of the true cathedrals of Major League Baseball. The L.A. Dodgers are one of the most popular teams in the league, so if you wanted to bet on baseball, they would be a good team to consider.
Since it first opened its gates in 1962, the famous ballpark has facilitated ten World Series, and seen the Dodgers win four World Championships. Dodger Stadium has seen World Champions, Hall of Famers, MVPs, no-hitters, and Cy Young Award victors as the decades progressed. The stadium is additionally one of the best entertainment venues in L.A., hosting many special events from the Beatles to the Pope, the Harlem Globetrotters, and the NHL Stadium Series.
Keep reading for the top 5 most memorable L.A. Dodgers moments that are most memorable to their fans.
1. Kirk Gibson’s Home Run (15 October 1988)
Game 1 of the 1988 World Series was a scene straight out of a Hollywood film. At the bottom of the ninth, the Dodgers were trailing behind the Oakland Athletics 4-3. On the mound was Future Hall of Fame closer, Dennis Eckersley. Mike Davis, the Dodgers outfielder, was at first base. Dodgers outfielder Kirk Gibson, halted by a pulled left hamstring and a swollen right knee, was put in as an unexpected exceptional pinch hitter by manager Tommy Lasorda.
Gibson immediately got behind the tally 0-2 yet battled back to a 2-2 draw. On the 6th pitch of Gibson at bat, Davis stole second base. With the tally at 3-2, Gibson used his exemplary upper body strength to send a backdoor slider over the fence, securing the 5-4 victory for the Dodgers. As his teammates raced to the field, Gibson did the signature fist pump and limped around the bases. Once the moment had fully sunk in, Dodgers Hall of Fame host Vin Scully revealed that the home run was like a miracle come true. Gibson would not go on to make another appearance in that World Series. The Dodgers demolished the A’s 4-1 to guarantee their 6th franchise World Series title. Gibson’s home run has since acquired mythic status, viewed as one of the best home runs ever, and is considered the best game moment in Los Angeles history.
2. Sandy Koufax’s Perfect Game (9 September 1965)
On 9 September in 1965, Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax pitched the perfect game against the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium. Koufax sent off 27 batters in a row, not allowing them to reach the base, making him the 6th pitcher of modern times and 8th overall to throw a perfect game. This game was Koufax’s 4th no-hitter, therefore breaking Bob Feller’s record of three. Koufax impressively struck out 14 Cubs batters, the most that have ever been recorded in any perfect game. Plus, Koufax threw 113 pitches during the game, 79 of which were strikes.
3. Clayton Kershaw’s No-Hitter (18 June 2014)
Clayton Kershaw became one of the Dodger greats when he pitched his first-ever no-hitter against the Colorado Rockies on 18 June 2014. The three-time National League Cy Young Award victor struck out 15 batters, a career-high.
Kershaw became the very first pitcher ever to throw a no-hitter without any walks. The following morning, sports analysts were unanimous in their commendation that the Los Angeles Times considered it the “best pitching performance ever.” The Washington Post also gave it much praise, naming it “the best no-hitter ever,” and ESPN labeled it the “most predominant [no-hitter] ever.”
That said, Kershaw lost his bid for the perfect game on a 7th-inning mistake by shortstop Hanley Ramirez. Kershaw’s no-hitter was only the second of the season for the Dodgers, after Josh Beckett’s on the 25th of May against the Phillies in Philadelphia. Kershaw’s no-hitter was the 12th in L.A. Dodgers history and the 284th in Major League Baseball history.
4. Fernandomania Starts (9 April 1981)
On 9 April 1981, when 20-year-old Fernando Valenzuela – the Dodgers No. 3 starter – took the mound to pitch on Opening Day for injured Jerry Reuss, an international sports star was born. Valenzuela’s five-hit shutout of the Houston Astros kicked off an epic streak that will presumably never be risen to. The numbers for his initial eight starts are faltering: eight successes, seven complete games, five shutouts, with a 0.50 ERA. Nicknamed “El Toro” by his supporters, Valenzuela became an immediate icon, and “Fernandomania” became the chant of many baseball fans from L.A. to New York and then some.
Outfitted with a staggering screwball, Valenzuela was finally named the starting pitcher for the National League at the 1981 All-Star Game. This marked the first of his six appearances. That year, Valenzuela was the sole player in Major League history to be awarded the Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Awards in the same season.
Fernando was the youngest pitcher to start the main game of a World Series and aided the Dodgers in their victory against the Yankees in their first World Championship since 1965. Fernando dominated as a batter, too, gaining the National League Silver Slugger Award for pitchers in 1981 and also again in 1983. On 29 June 1990, Fernando pitched a no-hitter against the St. Louis Cardinals. Surprisingly, it was the second no-hitter that day, after the Oakland A’s Dave Stewart no-hit the Toronto Blue Jays. This is the only time in history that two no-hitters were pitched on the same day.
5. Game Four Of The World Series (6 October 1963)
The Dodgers secured the 1963 World Series on 6 October, beating the New York Yankees 2-1. The Dodgers’ victory over the Yankees was their second title in five years and the third in the history of the World Series. Until now, Game 4 of the 1963 World Series is the only time the Dodgers have secured a World Series at home. Sandy Koufax, the Dodgers pitcher, was named the series MVP. The series included a few Hall of Famers like Koufax, Walter Alston, Don Drysdale of the Dodgers, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, and Whitey Ford of the Yankees.
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