Happy 36th birthday to Kevin Kiermaier. The recently retired Kiermaier spent most of his career with Tampa where he was a 4-time GG winner and played in the 2020 WS. He was a Blue Jay for 2 seasons before earning a WS ring after appearing in 34 games with the Dodgers in 2024.
Happy 38th birthday to Dee Strange-Gordon. Dee spent the 1st 4 of his 11 big league seasons with the Dodgers, earning an AS selection and leading the MLB in stolen bases in 2014 while appearing in the 2013 and 2014 postseasons. He most recently played for Washington in 2022.
Happy 62nd birthday to Jack Savage. Savage appeared in 20 MLB games after making his big league debut with LA. He had the somewhat hard luck of playing his only 2 seasons with the 1987 Dodgers (3 games) and 1990 Twins (17 games) - one year before each team won the WS.
Happy 108th birthday to the late Mickey Vernon. A Navy vet during WWII, Vernon enjoyed a 20-year MLB career. Playing mostly for Washington, he was a 7-time AS and 2-time batting champ. He later managed the Senators and coached several teams, including the Dodgers in the 1970s.
Happy 116th birthday to the late Lew Riggs. Riggs spent most of his 10 year MLB career with Cincinnati, where he was a 1936 AS and 1940 WS champ. His 3 seasons with the Dodgers were interrupted by military service during WWII but he did appear in the 1941 WS with Brooklyn.
Happy 124th birthday to the late Ray Benge. Benge pitched for 5 different teams over 12 big league seasons from 1925 to 1938. Unfortunately, he lost far more than he won (101-129), including during his 3 years with Brooklyn (33-38). He later served in the Navy during WWII.
Happy 132nd birthday to the late Jake Pitler. Pitler had a very brief MLB playing career with Pittsburgh but spent more time as a big league coach. He was a member of Dodger coaching staffs from 1947 to 1957, helping Brooklyn win 6 NL pennants and its lone WS title in 1955.
Happy 32nd birthday to Edwin Rios. Rios was a WS champ with the 2020 Dodgers before missing a lot of time with a shoulder injury. He had plenty of power but never got consistent playing time behind the Dodgers’ depth. He’s most recently played with the Reds and in Mexico.
Happy 34th birthday to Joc Pederson. Joc remains a Dodger fan favorite after a 7 year stint with LA that included an AS appearance, a WS title, epic HR Derby appearances, and even more epic postseason HR celebrations. Really fun Dodger. He’s currently with the Rangers.
Happy 60th birthday to Chris Donnels. Donnels had just played 3 years in Japan when the Dodgers signed him ahead of 2000, using him mostly as a backup in his 2 seasons with LA. He spent most of his MLB career with Houston but did see postseason action with Arizona.
Happy 69th birthday to Jesse Orosco. Orosco was an accomplished pitcher - more appearances than any pitcher in MLB history, a 2-time AS, and 2-time WS champ. One of those rings came with the 1988 Dodgers, with whom his greatest contribution was pissing off Kirk Gibson.
Today in 1999, all-time attendance surpasses 100,000,000 at Dodger Stadium, home of the Dodgers since 1962. 1999 is the 4th straight year home attendance for the Dodgers exceeded 3,000,000. To date, annual attendance at Dodger Stadium has hit the 3,000,000 mark 36 times.
Today in 1948, Roy Campanella makes his NL/AL debut as the Dodgers defeat the Giants 7-6. The future HOF catcher enters the game in the 7th inning and gets HBP in his only plate appearance. The 26-year old was already an 8-year Negro League veteran before signing with Brooklyn.
Happy 39th birthday to Ian Thomas. Thomas played parts of 2 seasons for Atlanta before coming to the Dodgers as part of the trade that sent Juan Uribe to the Braves. He started just one of his 9 games with LA in 2015, the last of his appearances in the big leagues.
Happy 80th birthday to Tom Hutton. Hutton debuted with the Dodgers, making brief appearances with LA in 1966 and 1969. He was eventually traded to Philadelphia where he played the most of his 12-year career. After retiring, Hutton was a longtime broadcaster with the Marlins.
Happy 135th birthday to the late, great Dave Bancroft. Considered one of the best shortstops of his era, Bancroft played 16 MLB seasons and appeared in 4 WS, winning championships with the Giants in 1921 and 1922. The HOFer spent just the 1928 and 1929 seasons with Brooklyn.
Today in 1956, the Dodgers play their first game in New Jersey’s Roosevelt Stadium as Brooklyn defeats Philadelphia 5-4. The Dodgers will play 15 games in Roosevelt Stadium over the next two seasons, mostly as a negotiating tactic against the city of New York and Brooklyn.
Today in 1890, the Brooklyn Bridegrooms play their 1st game as a member of the National League when they lose 15-9 in Boston. Brooklyn moved to the NL after being members of the American Association the previous 5 years. The Bridegrooms go on to finish 1st in the NL in 1890.
Happy 49th birthday to Dennys Reyes. Comparisons to Fernando were inevitable for Reyes but probably unfair. After spending parts of 2 seasons with the Dodgers in 1997 and 1998 he was traded to the Reds. In all, he played 15 MLB seasons with 11 different teams.
Happy 49th birthday to George Sherrill. Sherrill was a top closer with Baltimore before he was traded to the Dodgers in mid-2009 to bolster the bullpen. He had mixed results in the postseason that year and stayed in LA for one more season before leaving in free agency.
Happy 52nd birthday to José Cruz, Jr. The son and nephew of big leaguers, Cruz was one of the biggest prospects in baseball when he came up with the Mariners. In the end, he played for 9 teams over 12 years, spending just the 2005 and 2006 seasons with the Dodgers.
Happy 58th birthday to Brent Mayne. Mayne was a 15-year MLB vet when he came to the Dodgers along with Steve Finley in a mid-2004 deal with Arizona. He appeared in 47 games with LA and played in the NLDS against the Cardinals, even catching José Lima’s shutout in Game 3.
Happy 67th birthday to RJ Reynolds. Reynolds made his MLB debut in 1983 and played parts of 3 seasons with the Dodgers before being traded to the Pirates for Bill Madlock. He later spent a season with the Kintetsu Buffaloes in Japan where he was Hideo Nomo’s teammate.
Today in 1964, Sandy Koufax pitches an immaculate inning against Cincinnati as the Dodgers lose to the Reds 3-0. In the top of the 3rd, Koufax strikes out Leo Cardenas, Johnny Edwards, and Jim Maloney on just 9 pitches. It is the 3rd straight year Koufax accomplishes the feat.
Today in 1958, the Dodgers play their first home game in Los Angeles, beating the Giants 6-5 in front of a crowd of 78,672 at the LA Coliseum. The Dodgers will use the Coliseum as their home field until 1962 as they await construction of their permanent home, Dodger Stadium.
Today in 1950, the great Vin Scully calls the first game of his Dodger career during Brooklyn’s 9-1 Opening Day loss to the Phillies. Scully joins HOFer Red Barber and Connie Desmond in the booth. His Dodger career will last 67 years, remarkably broadcasting over 9,000 games.
Today in 1947, Branch Rickey announces that Burt Shotton will be manager of the Dodgers for the season. He fills in for Leo Durocher, who was suspended for a year by Commissioner Happy Chandler for conduct detrimental to the game. Shotton last managed with the Reds in 1934.
Today in 1925, Dodgers owner Charles Ebbets passes away at the age of 65. Ebbets began working for Brooklyn in 1883 and by 1890 had controlling interest of the club. Under Ebbets, Brooklyn won its first pennants in 1916 and 1920 and constructed the ballpark named after him.
Happy 53rd birthday to Brady Clark. Clark was with the Dodgers for 47 games in 2007 after being traded from Milwaukee for Elmer Dessens. He later worked as an outfield and base running coordinator for the Dodger organization as well as a private hitting instructor.
Happy 71st birthday to the late Bobby Castillo. Castillo played 5 years for LA from 1977 to 1981 and for one more in 1985. He earned a ring after pitching in the 1981 WS but his greatest contribution to the Dodgers may be teaching Fernando Valenzuela his legendary screwball.