Yankees-Dodgers rivalry
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The Yankees-Dodgers rivalry is one of the most well-known rivalries in Major League Baseball. The two teams have met more times than any other pair of teams from the American and National Leagues, and have met each other in eleven World Series. The initial significance was embodied in the two teams' proximity in New York City, when the Dodgers initially played in Brooklyn. After the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1958, the rivalry retained its significance as the two teams represented the dominant cities on each coast of the United States, and since the 1980s, the two largest cities in the United States.
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[edit] History
The rivalry began when the teams first met in the 1941 World Series. In Game 4, Dodgers catcher Mickey Owen's dropped third strike of a sharply breaking curveball (a suspected spitball) pitched by Hugh Casey in the ninth inning led to a Yankees rally and eventually the World Series championship.
Six years later, Brooklyn signed Jackie Robinson to not only break the color line but to bolster the lineup. Robinson, along with Duke Snider and Don Newcombe, sparked Brooklyn to four more National League pennants between 1947 and 1953. However, each and every time, the World Series ended in heartbreak as the Dodgers fell to the Yankees. In 1955, however, the Dodgers reversed the trend, prevailing over the Yankees in seven games to win their only World Series in Brooklyn. Brooklyn fell short of repeating the next season, falling in seven games to the Yankees. That year's team suffered some ignominy in being on the losing end of Don Larsen's perfect game in Game 5, which remains to date the only no-hitter ever pitched in postseason play.
[edit] 1960s
After the Dodgers' move to Los Angeles for the 1958 season, it would take them two dominating pitchers (Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale), a speedy shortstop (Maury Wills) and a great outfielder (Tommy Davis) to spark them to a pennant in 1963. They swept the aging Yankees (consisting of Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, and Whitey Ford) in four straight games, with the Bronx Bombers not taking a single lead against the powerful Los Angeles pitching staff in the entire series.
[edit] 1970s
After 14 years, sophomore manager Tommy Lasorda led a young Dodgers team to the 1977 World Series where they faced Billy Martin and the Yankees. Interestingly enough, both managers had actually gotten into a fist fight during their playing days. LA featured the best infield in baseball with (Steve Garvey at first, Davey Lopes at second, Ron Cey at third, and Bill Russell at shortstop), slugger Reggie Smith, and a dynamic pitching duo (Don Sutton and Tommy John). As for New York, Martin had egoistic slugger Reggie Jackson, defensive geniuses Bucky Dent and Graig Nettles, Cy Young Award-winning closer Sparky Lyle, young pitcher Ron Guidry, and speedsters Willie Randolph and Mickey Rivers. The Dodgers appeared to win the Series, but Reggie Jackson put on his "Mr. October" suit as he hit three home runs in Game 6 to lead the Yanks to their first World Series championship since 1962.
The next season, the Yankees won their division in thrilling fashion, thanks in large part to a timely home run from Bucky Dent in a one-game playoff against the Boston Red Sox. They then defeated the Kansas City Royals for the second straight year in the American League Championship Series, earning a third straight trip to the World Series where they faced the Dodgers for the second straight year. The Dodgers won the first two games of the Series thanks to rookie pitcher Bob Welch, but New York won the next four to take the 75th Fall Classic.
[edit] 1980s
In 1981, the fortunes turned in LA's favor, as rookie pitcher Fernando Valenzuela won National League Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award honors. But the Yankees had American League Rookie of the Year Dave Righetti (who was traded from the Rangers in exchange for Lyle) and daunting closer Rich Gossage. The Yankees won the first two contests, but LA won the next four to claim their first World Series title since 1965.
[edit] 2000s
After 23 years of not facing the Yankees, LA hosted the Bombers in an interleague weekend series in June of 2004 where they took two out of three contests. One ending had closer Éric Gagné strike out Bernie Williams for the final out.
The rivalry was renewed when Joe Torre, who led the Yankees to four World Series championships, accepted a three year, $13 million contract to manage the Dodgers on November 1, 2007. [1]
[edit] See also
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