This page will contain additional articles about Sacramento Kings, as they become available.Sacramento KingsThe Sacramento Kings are a National Basketball Association team based in Sacramento, California.
Franchise historyFacts
Players of noteBasketball Hall of Famers
Not to be forgotten
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The Sacramento Kings are a National Basketball Association team based in Sacramento, California. Drew. Corliss Williamson. 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. Kenny Thomas. 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. Peja Stojakovic. Only a masterful performance by journeyman Jose Lima kept the Dodgers from being swept out of the playoffs. Brian Skinner. Louis Cardinals. Cuttino Mobley. 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. Brad Miller. 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. Bobby Jackson. 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. Mike Bibby. 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. Rick Adelman (coach). sold the Dodgers to real estate developer Frank McCourt. PG - #23 Kevin Martin (Western Carolina). In 2004, News Corp. SG - #24 Bobby Jackson (Minnesota). 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. PG - #50 Eddie House (Arizona State). Walter O'Malley eventually passed control of the Dodgers to his son Peter, who managed the team on his family's behalf. SG - #5 Maurice Evans (Texas). 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). F/C - #54 Brian Skinner (Baylor). Fans of the Dodgers listening to his radio and TV broadcasts know and love his distinctive New York radio voice. SF - #15 Erik Daniels (Kentucky). Vin Scully has served as the official play-by-play announcer for the Dodgers since 1948, ten years before they even moved from Brooklyn. PF - #34 Corliss Williamson (Arkansas). 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). PF - #25 Darius Songaila (Wake Forest). 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. C - #00 Greg Ostertag (Kansas). Perhaps two names connote "Los Angeles Dodgers" more than any other: Tommy Lasorda and (hometown broadcaster) Vin Scully. SG - #5 Cuttino Mobley (Rhode Island). After his removal as club president, Robinson returned to managing and the club's performance rebounded somewhat. PG - #10 Mike Bibby (Arizona). 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. SF - #16 Peja Stojakovic (Peđa Stojaković / Пеђа Стојаковић) (Serbia). 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. PF - #9 Kenny Thomas (New Mexico). 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. C - #52 Brad Miller (Purdue). Ebbets' ambition did not stop at owning the team. 44 Sam Lacey. 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. 27 Jack Twyman. In 1902 Hanlon expressed his desire to buy a controlling interest in the team and move it to Baltimore, then without a team. 14 Oscar Robertson. 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. 12 Maurice Stokes. 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. 11 Bob Davies. After their
first year they joined the American Association, which they
won in 1889 (when they were usually known as the Bridegrooms). 6 (Sixth Man) - The Fans. After their formation in 1883, the first ten years of the Brooklyn club's history were clouded in uncertainty. 2 Mitch Richmond. 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. 1 Nate Archibald. Ogden Raptors Chris Webber. Columbus Catfish Mitch Richmond. Sullivan, The Dodgers Move West. Otto Graham (Rochester). Neil J. Vlade Divac. Jackie Robinson, I Never Had It Made. Doug Christie. Roger Kahn, The Boys of Summer and The Era. Jon Barry. Harvey Froemmer, New York City Baseball. Jack Twyman (Rochester/Cincinnati). Peter Golenbock, Bums: An Oral History of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Maurice Stokes (Rochester/Cincinnati). Creamer, Stengel: His Life and Times. Oscar Robertson (Cincinnati). Robert W. Nate Archibald (Kansas City/Omaha). Red Barber, Rhubarb in the Catbird Seat. The Kings' uniform colors are similar to those of the National Hockey League's Los Angeles Kings. Pitching saves: Eric Gagné, 160 *. Pitching ERA: Jeff Pfeffer, 2.31. Pitching strikeouts: Don Sutton, 2696. Pitching wins: Don Sutton, 233. Strikeouts: Duke Snider, 1123. Walks: Pee Wee Reese, 1210. Stolen bases: Maury Wills, 490. Triples: Zack Wheat, 171. Doubles: Zack Wheat, 464. Hits: Zack Wheat, 2804. Runs: Pee Wee Reese, 1338. RBI: Duke Snider, 1271. Home runs: Duke Snider, 389. Batting average: Willie Keller, .352. Pitching saves: Eric Gagné, 55 (2003) *. Pitching ERA: Rube Marquard, 1.58 (1916). Pitching strikeouts: Sandy Koufax, 382 (1965). Pitching wins: Bob Caruthers, 40 (1889). Strikeouts: Billy Grabarkewitz, 149 (1970). Walks: Eddie Stanky, 148 (1945). Hitting streak: Willie Davis, 31 games (1969). Stolen bases: Maury Wills, 104 (1962). Triples: George Treadway, 26 (1894). Doubles: Johnny Frederick, 52 (1929). Hits: Babe Herman, 241 (1930). Runs: Hub Collins, 148 (1890). RBI: Tommy Davis, 153 (1962). Home runs: Shawn Green, 49 (2001). Batting average: Babe Herman, .390 (1930). GCL Dodgers (Rookie, Gulf Coast League). Ogden Raptors (Rookie, Pioneer League). Columbus Catfish (A, South Atlantic League). Vero Beach Dodgers (High-A, Florida State League). Jacksonville Suns (AA, Southern League). 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
1977 - Don Sutton. 1962 - Maury Wills (Game 1). All-Star Game
1981 - Ron Cey, Pedro Guerrero and Steve Yeager. 1965 - Sandy Koufax. 1963 - Sandy Koufax. 1959 - Larry Sherry. 1955 - Johnny Podres. World Series
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
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
Orel Hershiser (1988). Éric Gagné (2003). Don Drysdale (1962, MLB). Los Angeles
Don Newcombe (1956, MLB). Brooklyn
Steve Garvey (1974). Kirk Gibson (1988). Los Angeles
Jackie Robinson (1949). Don Newcombe (1956). Jake Daubert (1913). Roy Campanella (1951, 1953, 1955). Dolph Camilli (1941). Brooklyn
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
Manager
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. |