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Los Angeles Lakers


The Los Angeles Lakers is a National Basketball Association team based in Los Angeles, California. They are notable for having the highest number of wins (2,621), the highest winning percentage (61.9%), the most number of finals appearances (28), and the second most championships (14). They also have the record for most number of consecutive wins in a season (33).

General information

  • Founded: 1946 in National Basketball League, joined NBA in 1948.
  • Formerly known as: Detroit Gems (1946-1947), Minneapolis Lakers (1947-60)
  • Home Arena: Staples Center
  • Former Arena: Great Western Forum
  • Official Colors: Purple (Pantone 526) and Gold (Pantone 123) (Alternate Color: Laker Blue)
  • Logo Design: A gold basketball, with purple text "LOS ANGELES LAKERS" superimposed
  • National Basketball League Championship: 1948
  • NBA Championships: 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002
  • 2004-05 Record: 34-48

Miscellaneous information

  • As the Minneapolis Lakers, the team holds the record for the lowest-scoring NBA game ever played along with the Fort Wayne Pistons. On November 22, 1950, the Lakers were leading until the fourth quarter, when the Pistons pulled ahead to win 19 to 18. This took place in a time before efforts were made to speed up gameplay, such as the addition of the shot clock.
  • Los Angeles is the only city to have two NBA teams (the other is the Los Angeles Clippers.)
  • The 2004-05 season marks only the fourth time the Laker franchise has failed qualifying for the post-season since the team moved to Los Angeles in 1960.
  • Their most bitter rivals are the Boston Celtics who have more Championship than them.

Players of note

Basketball Hall of Famers

  • 11 Bob McAdoo
  • 13 Wilt Chamberlain
  • 17 Jim Pollard (Minneapolis)
  • 19 Vern Mikkelsen (Minneapolis)
  • 22 Slater Martin (Minneapolis)
  • 22 Elgin Baylor (Minneapolis-Los Angeles)
  • 25 Gail Goodrich
  • 32 Magic Johnson
  • 33 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
  • 34 Clyde Lovellette (Minneapolis)
  • 42 James Worthy
  • 44 Jerry West
  • 99 George Mikan (Minneapolis)


Not to be forgotten:

  • Happy Hairston
  • Jamaal Wilkes
  • Norm Nixon
  • Michael Cooper
  • Byron Scott
  • A.C. Green
  • Shaquille O'Neal
  • Robert Horry
  • Derek Fisher
  • Karl Malone
  • Gary Payton

Retired numbers:

  • 13 Wilt Chamberlain
  • 22 Elgin Baylor
  • 25 Gail Goodrich
  • 32 Magic Johnson
  • 33 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
  • 42 James Worthy
  • 44 Jerry West
  • Microphone Chick Hearn

Current Players

Starters:

  • Kobe Bryant - Shooting Guard, 6'6", 220
  • Lamar Odom - Power Forward, 6'10", 225
  • Caron Butler - Small Forward, 6'7", 217
  • Chucky Atkins - Point Guard, 5'11", 160
  • Chris Mihm - Center, 7'0", 265

Reserves:

  • Vlade Divac - Center, 7'1", 260
  • Brian Cook - Power Forward, 6'9", 235
  • Tierre Brown - Point Guard, 6'2", 190
  • Devean George - Small Forward, 6'8", 240
  • Brian Grant - Center, 6'9", 255
  • Jumaine Jones - Small Forward, 6'8", 220
  • Slava Medvedenko - Power Forward, 6'10", 250
  • Luke Walton - Small Forward, 6'8", 235

Rookies:

  • Sasha Vujacic - Shooting Guard, 6'7", 195
  • Tony Bobbitt - Guard, 6'4", 190

Draft Picks (June 2004):

  • Sasha Vujacic
  • Marcus Douthit

Coaches and others

  • Chick Hearn (broadcaster; Basketball Hall of Famer)
  • Bill Sharman (Basketball Hall of Famer; enshrined both for his playing career with the Boston Celtics and as a coach)
  • John Kundla (Hall of Fame coach during Minneapolis years)
  • Bud Grant played for team before playing and coach football
  • Jerry Buss owner since 1979. Purchased LA Lakers and Great Western Forum from Jack Kent Cooke.
  • Pat Riley Head Coach from 1981-91. The Lakers won 4 titles under his tenure and accumulated a 0.733 regular season win percentage.
  • Phil Jackson Head Coach from 1999-2004 and 2005-Present, won three consecutive NBA titles on three different occasions, once with the Lakers
  • Rudy Tomjanovich Head Coach in 2004, resigned February 2 citing health concerns

See Also

Lakers-Celtics Rivalry


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Lakers-Celtics Rivalry. * Active. Draft Picks (June 2004):. * * Player and manager. Rookies:. * Manager. Reserves:.
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Starters:. Drew.
. While unable to resign Beltre and keep Green, DePodesta was able to avoid arbitration and sign top closer Eric Gagne; and signed as free agents starting pitcher Derek Lowe away from the Boston Red Sox, and former Atlanta Braves outfielder J.D. They also have the record for most number of consecutive wins in a season (33). After the end of the season, DePodesta was unable to strike a deal with his top free agent, third baseman Adrian Beltre; opted not to resign fan favorite Lima; and only just managed to complete a trade of Shawn Green to the Arizona Diamondbacks. They are notable for having the highest number of wins (2,621), the highest winning percentage (61.9%), the most number of finals appearances (28), and the second most championships (14). Only a masterful performance by journeyman Jose Lima kept the Dodgers from being swept out of the playoffs.


The Los Angeles Lakers is a National Basketball Association team based in Los Angeles, California. Louis Cardinals. Rudy Tomjanovich Head Coach in 2004, resigned February 2 citing health concerns. While the Dodgers did win the National League's Western Division in 2004, they lost in the Division Series to the eventual NL champion St. Phil Jackson Head Coach from 1999-2004 and 2005-Present, won three consecutive NBA titles on three different occasions, once with the Lakers. To do this, at the mid-season trading deadline he traded popular players Paul LoDuca and Guillermo Mota to the Florida Marlins for starting pitcher Brad Penny and first baseman Hee Seop Choi; but he failed in his attempt to bring in Randy Johnson from division rival Arizona. The Lakers won 4 titles under his tenure and accumulated a 0.733 regular season win percentage. The Dodgers played an exciting, competitive brand of baseball during the first half of 2004, yet DePodesta felt something else was needed to vault the team into the postseason.

Pat Riley Head Coach from 1981-91. Paul DePodesta was hired by McCourt as general manager before the start of the 2004 season; shortly before the start of the regular season, DePodesta engineered the acquisition of volatile yet talented outfielder Milton Bradley. Purchased LA Lakers and Great Western Forum from Jack Kent Cooke. sold the Dodgers to real estate developer Frank McCourt. Jerry Buss owner since 1979. In 2004, News Corp. Bud Grant played for team before playing and coach football. In the late 90's the O'Malley family sold the team to Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, owner of the Fox network and 20th Century Fox.

John Kundla (Hall of Fame coach during Minneapolis years). Walter O'Malley eventually passed control of the Dodgers to his son Peter, who managed the team on his family's behalf. Bill Sharman (Basketball Hall of Famer; enshrined both for his playing career with the Boston Celtics and as a coach). Perhaps his most replayed call is the one he made after the limping Kirk Gibson circled the basepaths following his legendary home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series: "In a season that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened!" (emphasis has). Chick Hearn (broadcaster; Basketball Hall of Famer). Fans of the Dodgers listening to his radio and TV broadcasts know and love his distinctive New York radio voice. Marcus Douthit. Vin Scully has served as the official play-by-play announcer for the Dodgers since 1948, ten years before they even moved from Brooklyn.

Sasha Vujacic. By reputation, he has a famed love of Italian food and "bleeds 'Dodger Blue'." He has been with the club all his career, over 50 years, since the time he was a young pitcher (whose playing days didn't last very long). Tony Bobbitt - Guard, 6'4", 190. Lasorda, who now serves the ballclub in an executive capacity and as an evangelist for all things Dodger-related, managed the club for 22 seasons, leading it to two World Series championships. Sasha Vujacic - Shooting Guard, 6'7", 195. Perhaps two names connote "Los Angeles Dodgers" more than any other: Tommy Lasorda and (hometown broadcaster) Vin Scully. Luke Walton - Small Forward, 6'8", 235. After his removal as club president, Robinson returned to managing and the club's performance rebounded somewhat.

Slava Medvedenko - Power Forward, 6'10", 250. Upon assuming the title of president, however, Robinson's ability to focus on the field declined, and the teams of the late 1920s became known as the "Daffiness Boys" for their distracted, error-ridden style of play. Jumaine Jones - Small Forward, 6'8", 220. Manager Wilbert Robinson, popularly known as "Uncle Robbie", restored the Brooklyn team to respectability, winning pennants in 1916 and 1920 and contending perennially for several seasons. Brian Grant - Center, 6'9", 255. He desired to replace the dilapidated Washington Park with a new ballpark, and again invested heavily to finance the construction of Ebbets Field, which would become the Dodgers' home in 1913. Devean George - Small Forward, 6'8", 240. Ebbets' ambition did not stop at owning the team.

Tierre Brown - Point Guard, 6'2", 190. His plan was blocked by a lifelong club employee, Charles Ebbets, who put himself heavily in debt to buy the team and keep it in the borough. Brian Cook - Power Forward, 6'9", 235. In 1902 Hanlon expressed his desire to buy a controlling interest in the team and move it to Baltimore, then without a team. Vlade Divac - Center, 7'1", 260. Eight years passed before any more success followed, when the Superbas, as they were then known won two successive pennats under Ned Hanlon in 1899 and 1900. Chris Mihm - Center, 7'0", 265. Upon switching to the National League in 1890, the franchise became the only one in MLB history to win pennants in different leagues in consecutive years.

Chucky Atkins - Point Guard, 5'11", 160. After their first year they joined the American Association, which they won in 1889 (when they were usually known as the Bridegrooms). Caron Butler - Small Forward, 6'7", 217. After their formation in 1883, the first ten years of the Brooklyn club's history were clouded in uncertainty. Lamar Odom - Power Forward, 6'10", 225. The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. They are in the Western Division of the National League. Kobe Bryant - Shooting Guard, 6'6", 220. Ogden Raptors
Gulf Coast Dodgers.

Microphone Chick Hearn. Columbus Catfish
Vero Beach Dodgers. 44 Jerry West. Jacksonville Suns. 42 James Worthy. Las Vegas 51s. 33 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. National League
.

32 Magic Johnson. Sullivan, The Dodgers Move West. 25 Gail Goodrich. Neil J. 22 Elgin Baylor. Jackie Robinson, I Never Had It Made. 13 Wilt Chamberlain. Roger Kahn, The Boys of Summer and The Era.

Gary Payton. Harvey Froemmer, New York City Baseball. Karl Malone. Peter Golenbock, Bums: An Oral History of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Derek Fisher. Creamer, Stengel: His Life and Times. Robert Horry. Robert W.

Shaquille O'Neal. Red Barber, Rhubarb in the Catbird Seat. Green. Pitching saves: Eric Gagné, 160 *. A.C. Pitching ERA: Jeff Pfeffer, 2.31. Byron Scott. Pitching strikeouts: Don Sutton, 2696.

Michael Cooper. Pitching wins: Don Sutton, 233. Norm Nixon. Strikeouts: Duke Snider, 1123. Jamaal Wilkes. Walks: Pee Wee Reese, 1210. Happy Hairston. Stolen bases: Maury Wills, 490.

99 George Mikan (Minneapolis). Triples: Zack Wheat, 171. 44 Jerry West. Doubles: Zack Wheat, 464. 42 James Worthy. Hits: Zack Wheat, 2804. 34 Clyde Lovellette (Minneapolis). Runs: Pee Wee Reese, 1338.

33 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. RBI: Duke Snider, 1271. 32 Magic Johnson. Home runs: Duke Snider, 389. 25 Gail Goodrich. Batting average: Willie Keller, .352. 22 Elgin Baylor (Minneapolis-Los Angeles). Pitching saves: Eric Gagné, 55 (2003) *.

22 Slater Martin (Minneapolis). Pitching ERA: Rube Marquard, 1.58 (1916). 19 Vern Mikkelsen (Minneapolis). Pitching strikeouts: Sandy Koufax, 382 (1965). 17 Jim Pollard (Minneapolis). Pitching wins: Bob Caruthers, 40 (1889). 13 Wilt Chamberlain. Strikeouts: Billy Grabarkewitz, 149 (1970).

11 Bob McAdoo. Walks: Eddie Stanky, 148 (1945). Their most bitter rivals are the Boston Celtics who have more Championship than them. Hitting streak: Willie Davis, 31 games (1969). The 2004-05 season marks only the fourth time the Laker franchise has failed qualifying for the post-season since the team moved to Los Angeles in 1960. Stolen bases: Maury Wills, 104 (1962). Los Angeles is the only city to have two NBA teams (the other is the Los Angeles Clippers.). Triples: George Treadway, 26 (1894).

This took place in a time before efforts were made to speed up gameplay, such as the addition of the shot clock. Doubles: Johnny Frederick, 52 (1929). On November 22, 1950, the Lakers were leading until the fourth quarter, when the Pistons pulled ahead to win 19 to 18. Hits: Babe Herman, 241 (1930). As the Minneapolis Lakers, the team holds the record for the lowest-scoring NBA game ever played along with the Fort Wayne Pistons. Runs: Hub Collins, 148 (1890). 2004-05 Record: 34-48. RBI: Tommy Davis, 153 (1962).

NBA Championships: 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002. Home runs: Shawn Green, 49 (2001). National Basketball League Championship: 1948. Batting average: Babe Herman, .390 (1930). Logo Design: A gold basketball, with purple text "LOS ANGELES LAKERS" superimposed. GCL Dodgers (Rookie, Gulf Coast League). Official Colors: Purple (Pantone 526) and Gold (Pantone 123) (Alternate Color: Laker Blue). Ogden Raptors (Rookie, Pioneer League).

Former Arena: Great Western Forum. Columbus Catfish (A, South Atlantic League). Home Arena: Staples Center. Vero Beach Dodgers (High-A, Florida State League). Formerly known as: Detroit Gems (1946-1947), Minneapolis Lakers (1947-60). Jacksonville Suns (AA, Southern League). Founded: 1946 in National Basketball League, joined NBA in 1948. Las Vegas 51s (AAA, Pacific Coast League).

Tommy Lasorda (1983 and 1988). 1988 - Orel Hershiser. 1984 - Steve Garvey. 1981 - Burt Hooton.

1978 - Steve Garvey. NL Championship Series

    . 1996 - Mike Piazza. 1978 - Steve Garvey.

    1977 - Don Sutton. 1962 - Maury Wills (Game 1). All-Star Game

      . 1988 - Orel Hershiser.

      1981 - Ron Cey, Pedro Guerrero and Steve Yeager. 1965 - Sandy Koufax. 1963 - Sandy Koufax. 1959 - Larry Sherry.

      1955 - Johnny Podres. World Series

        . Maury Wills (shortstop [2], 1961-62). Fernando Valenzuela (pitcher, 1986).

        Johnny Roseboro (catcher [2], 1961, 1966). Raúl Mondesi (outfielder, 1995). Andy Messersmith (pitcher [2], 1974-75). Cesar Izturis (shortstop, 2004).

        Orel Hershiser (pitcher, 1988). Steve Garvey (first baseman [4], 1974-77). Steve Finley (outfielder - Arizona & LA, 2004). Willie Davis (outfielder [3], 1971-73).

        Los Angeles

          . Gil Hodges (first baseman [3], 1957-59). Brooklyn
            . Fernando Valenzuela (1981).

            Rick Sutcliffe (1979). Ted Sizemore (1969). Steve Sax (1982). Mike Piazza (1993).

            Hideo Nomo (1995). Raúl Mondesi (1994). Jim Lefebvre (1965). Eric Karros (1992).

            Steve Howe (1980). Frank Howard (1960). Todd Hollandsworth (1996). Los Angeles

              .

              Jackie Robinson (1947, MLB). Don Newcombe (1949). Jim Gilliam (1953). Joe Black (1952).

              Brooklyn

                . Fernando Valenzuela (1981). Mike Marshall (1974). Sandy Koufax (1963, 1965-66, MLB).

                Orel Hershiser (1988). Éric Gagné (2003). Don Drysdale (1962, MLB). Los Angeles

                  .

                  Don Newcombe (1956, MLB). Brooklyn

                    . Maury Wills (1962). Sandy Koufax (1963).

                    Steve Garvey (1974). Kirk Gibson (1988). Los Angeles

                      . Dazzy Vance (1924).

                      Jackie Robinson (1949). Don Newcombe (1956). Jake Daubert (1913). Roy Campanella (1951, 1953, 1955).

                      Dolph Camilli (1941). Brooklyn

                        . 85 Rob Flippo (bullpen catcher).       Jon Debus (bullpen).

                        31 John Shelby (first base). 11 Manny Mota (assistant). 18 Jim Lett (bench). 35 Glenn Hoffman (third base).

                        48 Jim Colborn (pitching). 25 Tim Wallach (hitting). Coaches

                          . 16 Jim Tracy.

                          Manager

                            . On April 18, 1958, the Dodgers played their first game in Los Angeles, defeating the Giants, 6-5, before 78,672 fans at the Coliseum. It was announced on October 8, 1957 that the Dodgers would move to Los Angeles. That the Dodgers left Brooklyn heartbroken is undisputable; that Walter O'Malley did it deliberately is not.

                            Los Angeles offered him what New York refused him: a chance to buy land suitable for building a new ballpark. O'Malley sent word to the Los Angeles officials at the Series that he was interested in talking. When the Los Angeles city fathers attended the 1955 World Series looking to entice a team to move to the City of Angels, they weren't even thinking of the Dodgers - their original target was the Washington Senators! At the same time, O'Malley knew he'd need a contingency in case Moses and New York's notoriously gamesmanship-addicted politicians refused to let him build a new Dodger home in Brooklyn. When it became clear to O'Malley that he wasn't going to be allowed to buy any fresh land in Brooklyn, he began thinking elsewhere.

                            Moses made it clear that he had no intention of allowing any privately-built, privately owned baseball stadiums in his New York. New York building czar Robert Moses, however, sought to force O'Malley into using a site in Flushing Meadows, Queens (the future site for Shea Stadium, where today's New York Mets play) - a site featuring a city-built, city-owned park. Beloved as it was, Ebbets Field had grown old, to the point where the most pennant-competitive team in the National League couldn't sell the park out even in the heat of a pennant race. He sought as early as 1952 to buy new land in Brooklyn to build a more accessible and better arrayed ballpark than Ebbets Field.

                            The fact: Walter O'Malley was nobody's saint, but neither was he just off on a gold rush. The myth: Cold-hearted Walter O'Malley moved the Dodgers off to California just so he could get rich quick. This event was the harbinger of the integration of sports in the United States, the concomitant demise of the Negro Leagues, and is regarded as a key moment in the history of the U.S. Civil Rights movement. Jackie Robinson's first major-league game on April 15, 1947, was the first appearance by an African-American player in a modern major league game.

                            Podres won two Series games including the deciding seventh, which turned on a spectacular double play that began with left fielder Sandy Amoros running down Yogi Berra's long fly, then throwing perfectly to shortstop Pee Wee Reese, who doubled up a surprised Gil McDougald at first base to preserve the Dodger lead. Then, in 1955, the long-cried slogan "Wait 'till next year" became "This year is next year!" The fabled "Boys of Summer" Dodgers - despite their actual peak years having just passed - shot down the Bronx Bombers in seven games, led by the first class pitching of young lefthander Johnny Podres, whose key pitch was a changeup known as "pulling down the lampshade" because of the arm motion used right when the ball was released. In all five of those World Series, however, they proved unable to overcome the New York Yankees. Rebuilt into a contending club first by Larry MacPhail and then the legendary Branch Rickey, the Dodgers won pennants in 1941, 1947, 1949, 1952, and 1953.

                            The only Brooklyn World Series title came in 1955. Batting helmets were introduced to Major League Baseball by the Dodgers in 1941. The first televised major-league baseball game is Brooklyn's 6-1 victory over Cincinnati at Ebbets Field on August 26, 1939. Stengel led the Dodgers to the Polo Grounds for the showdown and beat the Giants twice to knock them out of the pennant as the soon-to-be-nicknamed "Gas House Gang" nailed the pennant cold by beating the Cincinnati Reds the same two days.

                            Louis Cardinals for the pennant with the Giants needing to beat the Dodgers two games to stay alive. Managed now by Casey Stengel (who played for the Dodgers in the 1910s), the 1934 Dodgers rankled when New York Giants manager Bill Terry - asked about the coming pennant race at the previous winter's baseball meetings - cracked infamously, "Is Brooklyn still in the league?" At season's end, the Giants were tied with the St. Perhaps the highlight game of the Daffiness Boys era came, interestingly enough, well after Wilbert Robinson had left the dugout. Both the image and the nickname caught on, so much so that many a Dodger yearbook cover featured a Willard Mullin illustration with the Brooklyn Bum.

                            It was during this era that Willard Mullin, perhaps the finest cartoonist the sporting press has ever known, fixed the Dodgers forever with the loveable nickname of "Dem Bums" - when, after hearing his cab driver ask "So how did those bums do today?" Mullin decided to sketch an exaggerated version of famed circus clown Emmett Kelly to represent the Dodgers in his much-praised cartoons in the New York World-Telegram.